Anger

"…Jade?"

"Beck, I told you, I don't want to talk about it."

"But we can't just ignore it!" It was 3pm on a Saturday, and Beck and his girlfriend Jade were currently snuggled together on the couch in his RV, watching Full House. They were trying to ignore it, but both could sense the elephant in the room. Jade had turned up at the RV at 3 in the morning, covered in bruises. It had happened before, but whenever Beck questioned it, he always got the same reply: "It's nothing Beck, I'm fine, I promise." But Beck decided it had gone too far. This was the 3rd time it had happened, and he couldn't let it slide anymore. Beck switched the TV off.

"Hey, I was watching that!" She turned to look at Beck indignantly.

"Well, we've got important things to talk about, like why you turned up this morning covered in bruises, Jade." Jade quickly averted her eyes.

Jade POV

"Well, we've got important things to talk about, like why you turned up this morning covered in bruises, Jade." I looked down. I couldn't tell Beck what was happening! If I tell him, he'll think I'm weak, and that's the last thing I want.

"Beck, I already told you, it's nothing."

"It isn't nothing Jade," Beck said, raising his voice. "Someone's hurting you!" His voice lowered to a whisper. "Why won't you tell me? Don't you trust me?"

My heart broke at Beck's last sentence. I looked him in the eyes. "Beck, you know I trust you more than anyone."

"Then I don't get it, why can't you tell me what happened?"

"I just can't okay?"

"No it's not okay!"

"Beck, just leave it!"

"No! Just tell me the truth!"

"I can't!"

"Why not?"

"Because I'm scared!" I got up and started pacing round the room.

Beck got up and held my arm, turning me towards him.

Beck's POV

"Why are you scared?" I held onto her hand, and started rubbing circles into her palm. She sighed.

"I don't want you to be angry Beck."

I looked her in the eye. "Why would I be angry?"

Jade looked down, suddenly very interested in the carpeting in the RV.

"Jade."

She sighed again and muttered, "Because you've got a weak girlfriend."

I took a step back. "You? Weak? I don't think so Jade. You hate it when I defend you when you get into fights, you're always telling me you can look after yourself. That's why I'm so surprised someone was able to hurt you this bad."

"But I am weak Beck, don't you get it?" she said, looking at me frustrated. "If I wasn't weak, he wouldn't have been able to hurt me." Jade turned and walked over to the bed. Then she slowly looked up at me. "You are angry, aren't you?"

I walked over and sat next to her, putting my arm around her. She rested her head on my shoulder. "I could never be angry at you, Jade. Why would I be? All I want to know is who did this to you. This isn't your fault."

"That's just it, Beck! It is my fault! Don't you get it?" Again, she moved away from me. "I bring it all on myself. He's always telling me I bring it on myself."

I held onto her arms, stopping her from moving any further. "Who Jade? Who?"

She looked up at me and whispered, "my dad."

I didn't know what to say. I guess a part of me had my suspicions. I mean, something had to be the cause of Jade never talking about her family, never wanting to go home, always wanting to stay over at the RV. I was pulled out of my thoughts by a soft sob.

"H-He tells me that I deserve it, and that if I got more leads and showed him I was actually worth something, then I wouldn't be punished. But I'm trying Beck, I'm trying so hard." Jade started crying harder, and I hugged her as tightly as I could, stroking her hair softly.

"I know baby, I know you're trying." I wanted to cry, I wanted to cry for the pain Jade had been put through time and time again. But I couldn't. I had to be strong. For her. "But you don't deserve this, you know. No one deserves to be treated the way your dad's treating you." She didn't reply. And so we sat there in silence for about half an hour, lying on the bed, Jade's leg thrown over mine, my arm around her waist, until she finally spoke.

"So you're not angry?"

I chuckled. "Not at you, of course not. But at your dad, yes. He'll be getting a piece of my mind tomorrow."

Jade looked up at me, blue meeting brown. "Babe, I appreciate your concern, but don't try anything with my dad. He'll hurt you."

I widened my eyes, faking offence. "What, you don't think I could take him?"

"Beck, I know you couldn't," Jade told me with a smirk.

"I actually happen to have a black belt in karate, Jadelyn."

"Well, I'm sorry but that isn't going to come in handy when you're against a man that's 3 times your weight."

And so our evening ended with playful arguing, the occasional make-out session, and pointless conversation, the way it should be.