Chapter one:

Rachel was the girlfriend of Stuart Hordley, they had met at a nightclub, then they met at School, but it wasn't long till her relationship with him started to go down hill, Stuart had turned violent, he was on drugs to and would take his anger out on Rachel, leaving her arms covered in bruises and sometimes she would come into school the next day with a black eye or her side of her face would be all bruised. Rachel was living with Stuart but she wanted to move back in with her mum where she felt safe.

It was a Tuesday, Rach had woke around 3am she had gathered her stuff, got changed into her school uniform and headed downstairs to the front door, Today was the day where she was going to leave Stuart for good. It was still dark out but she remembered the way to her mums, she had a baggy jumper so the hood would cover all of her face.

She had her bags on her back and had her earphones in, she walked down the street and passed the school, she stopped then decided to go into the school, no one was there but she knew all the security codes that stopped the alarms going off, she made her way to her mum's office and sat on the sofa before putting her head down onto the pillow, she closed her eyes for a few minutes before falling asleep.

As it was now 7:00am, Frances was on her way in, she pulled up in the carpark and got her stuff before walking towards the doors, she saw that the alarm system had been deactivated, she didn't know that Rachel knew the codes so she thought that the school had been broken into so she hurried up to the office. She got to the office and went in and looked around she didn't notice Rachel's bags that was on the table next to the desk. A few seconds later she noticed the bags then she noticed Rach

"Rach sweetie"

she said softly as she went over to her, Rach never heard her and was fast asleep.

"Rachie honey"

she said softly but a little louder as she gently nudged her to get up

"What?"

She mumbled in her sleep not wanting to get up

"Its time for you get up"

Frances said before going over to put the kettle on to make two cups of teas.

"No I don't wanna" Rach mumbled again

"Rach you're asleep on my office sofa so you have to honey"

Rach groans before slowly waking up "Ergh what time is it?" She said as she stretched

"Its 7am honey"

Rachel nodded and rubbed her eyes

"Mum can we talk?"

"Talk about what honey?"

"I don't know"

she was scared to tell her mum the truth, she had tears in her eyes, Frances finished making the two cups of teas then sat next to her.

Frances tried to pull rach's hood down "Don't,please don't" she said as she moved away a little and let the tears fall, Frances knew that it wasn't like rach to keep her hood up and to react like that.

Frances saw the tears and pulled her into a hug

"Hey, you know you can talk to me about anything"

"I can't I'm scared"

"Scared of what sweetheart?"

"Stuart, The way you're gonna react"

"React to what?"

"Promise you won't say or do anything?"

"I promise"

Rach slowly took her hood down her right side was all bruised and she had a black eye

"Did he do this?"

"Yeah" she said quietly as She nodded slowly.

"I'll kill him!"

"You promised you wouldn't do anything"

"No one hurts my baby girl and gets away with it"

"Just leave it, please"

"The police needs to know about the attack"

"Mum! I said leave it!"

It was now 7:30am the rest of the teachers had started to arrive, Eddie how was Rachel's best friend was on his way in, he knew that Rachel would always arrive early, he had brought her a few presents just to cheer her up a little as he didn't like seeing her sad.

Rach was cuddling into Frances as she couldn't stop the tears from falling as she was telling her mum everything that Stuart had done to her

"Hey its going to be alright because you got me and Eddie"

Frances paused as she looked up at the office doorway and saw Eddie standing there, she gave him a gentle nod to come in to the office.

"I'm scared! I can't stay here, not when he's gonna make my life hell"

"Sweetheart you don't know that he's gonna make your live hell"

"Yes I do!, he always does"

"Honey shhh"

"I can't mum!"

"I think i know who just might be able to cheer you up"

"No i don't want anyone"

Rach continued to cry into her,She had hid her face into Frances top, Frances knew that Eddie should be holding her. Frances got up and moved over so it gave Eddie enough space to sit down next to Rach. Once Eddie had sat down and got himself comfortable before frances put Rachel's arms around him.

"Hey, It's okay", Eddie said softly to her while rubbing her back

"Dont make me go back" She said crying into him

"Im here"

"Please dont make me go back"

"Hey, Its Okay, Im here, I promise that I'm not going to let him hurt you again"

"but what if he does?"

"Rach honey, shhh, I'll take care of him"

Rach was now silently crying into eddie, He felt helpless,He had tears in her eyes, He couldn't stand seeing his best friend hurt and upset, he just sat there rubbing her back gently and kissing the top of her head.

Eddie looked over at frances who was now sat at her desk

"Can we stay in Here during assembly, So that Rach won't be laughed at?"

"Course you can, You don't have to explain yourself Eddie, I know what you meant" frances said softly to him.

it was now 8:30am the bell had gone for assembly. Frances made her way to the hall, Rach and Eddie was still in the office, Rach had fallen asleep on his lap from all the was gently stroking her hair while she slept.