KORY'S POV

Tears streaming down her face, she ran as fast as she could. Where? She couldn't say. She just had to get away…away from him. What had seemed like a perfect relationship had gone terribly wrong.

Her boyfriend, Xavier, had started drinking every night, saying his life was miserable. When he was drunk, he made Kory's life miserable. She'd often get a call from him late at night. Since her parents were never around, she'd throw on some clothes and groggily drive to his apartment. She always knew what to expect, but what was she supposed to do? ignore his phone calls? No. Then he'd be even more pissed. If she ignored him, he'd drive to her house, and if he hadn't gotten into some horrible car accident…her punishment would be worse. So even though her whole body shook as she pulled into his driveway, she never turned back.

Once she got to his house, she'd turn the key he had given her a long, long time ago, (when things were happy), slowly in the lock. Peering in, she'd see him slumped against one wall or another. Taking a deep breath, she would silently walk over to him and start cleaning up around him. This meant picking up empty bottles and whatever household items he had chosen to break this time around. She would do everything to postpone the inevitable. After everything was done, and she could avoid him no more, she'd turn to him and try to get the half full bottle of gin from his twitching hands. It was a real battle of wills, and he was strong, but sooner or later, she'd win and, sobbing, she'd turn to face him after putting it away. She never let him keep it: and he never failed to punish her for it.

The first blow came quick and hard, knocking her over onto the floor, the taste of blood filling her once smile-prone mouth. The next five to ten were delivered worse than the first. They'd strike her anywhere and everywhere. After he had worked himself into exhaustion, which usually took a good twenty minutes at the least, he'd collapse on the floor in a fitful sleep, and she'd pick up her aching body and drive home.

She knew why he did this, and she knew it probably wouldn't ever stop. He was one of those people who've never really belonged. Sure, he had had friends…like Kory and….Kory, but he had never really known where he was meant to be. One day, he was a bad boy, coming in with his slick leather jackets and parking his new Harley by Kory's silver BMW expedition. The next, he was the school jock, trying out for some sports team or another. One thing was for sure though: he was gorgeous. His ebony locks were long and in a skater cut. He had to shake his head often to get them out of his eyes, which Kory simply loved. He had an even tan, and a tone body, though not as tone as Richard's, Kory had to admit-

"Richard!" she said aloud. Why hadn't she thought of him before? Richard was her best friend, and she knew she could count on him to know what to do…but should she call this late at night?

Kory stopped running to take a breath. She slowly turned around to see where her feet had taken her. She had run out of Xavier's house and down the street, over two blocks to the left, and down the next street to the right. She knew this street well. She used to walk around the neighborhood, just because, with Richard. Then Xavier came into the picture…he was always the jealous type. She came to a stop under the big oak tree that had been on that street for as long as she could remember. Kory got out her cell phone and dialed Richard's number, slowly, trying to ignore the pain coursing through every inch of her body.

This night had been different...it was worse. She had finally stood up for herself, and had paid dearly for it. After about three blows, she had knocked over the stand next to his couch and stood up, cursing at him over the sofa. His shock quickly turned to anger at her defiance. Once she had realized her mistake, it was too late. He charged her, grabbing her around the waist and pinning her down. He punched her rapidly, and she screamed bloody murder. After about five intense minutes, Xavier left Kory more bruised, bloody, and sore than he had ever left her before. As she sobbed, too sore to move, something in him changed. He seemed to have realized what he had done this time, because he started crying, too. He came over to her and picked her up, saying how sorry he was, but she pushed him away and somehow managed to muster up the strength to flee. He had called after her, but she was over it. She knew she couldn't take any more of his abuse. She finally realized, it was over.

Richard's voice on the other end of the line threw her thoughts off course once more.

"Hello?" he asked groggily. Kory felt bad for waking him up. She bit her lip in guilt, but stopped immediately once the taste of blood worked its way to her tongue.

"Rich…I'm so so sorry to wake you up like this but-" Kory began, but she was cut off.

"Kory?" He didn't sound tired anymore. Kory knew he had liked her for some time, and she secretly returned the feeling, but she couldn't bring herself to endanger the best friendship she'd ever had. "Kory, what's wrong? Why are you up so late? Have you been crying?"

In the background, Kory could hear Rich getting out of bed and probably reaching into his dresser drawer to pull out a shirt.

"Look, I can't talk about it here but…Oh Rich!" She felt the tears coming again. "Please just…just come and get me. If its not too much trouble, I mean, I could always walk home…or call a cab-"

"Where are you?" Rich asked firmly, as if he wouldn't ever let Kory walk home alone at night.

"I'm on Staples Street…about three blocks south of…of Xavier's apartment." Kory answered, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'll explain everything when you get here. Please, just hurry."

Kory had chosen to end the conversation there, because she saw something that shook her to the bone. Her car was making its way quickly and dangerously down the street. But cars did not drive themselves, and she knew who was behind the wheel.

RICHARDS POV

"Stay strong, Kor-I'm on my way." Rich hung up the phone with a strong serge of anger coursing through his veins. He knew Xavier had something to do with this, and if he found out that that jerk had hurt Kory in any way…Rich was a master of revenge.

In a matter of seconds, Richard was out of his mansion and into his car…er…one of his many many cars.

Richard was not an ordinary boy. He was heir of Wayne Enterprizes, and his father, (adopted father), Bruce Wayne, was head of it all. In short, they were borderline rich-multimillionaires. Rich's real parents had perished some time ago, in a freak accident. Aside from Bruce, Rich, and Alfred, (the Wayne family's loyal butler), the only people who knew every detail of Rich's tragic past were Victor Stone, Rich's best guy friend, and Kory, Rich's best friend in the world-not to mention passionate but secret love interest.

The only detail Rich had left out of his whole life tale when telling Kory everything, was how much he loved-

For the umpteenth time this night, something had shaken some heroic team out of their intensive thoughts. This time, it was Rich who's thought train crashed, just as he watched everything that matter in his life crash right before his very eyes.

He had turned onto the street that Kory was on, and he saw Kory. But that's not the only person he saw. Xavier Red was holding her by the hair and trying to force her into the backseat of her own car. She flailed helplessly, and managed to sink an elbow into his ribs, only to be pulled back and receive a smack in the face. She fell to the floor, and Rich felt his heart do summersaults. Quickly, he pulled his 2006 black Mercedez Benz over to the side of the road and jumped out before it reached a complete stop. Running over to Xavier, he grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pushed him up against the big oak tree that Kory's car was (somewhat crookedly), parked under.

"Let's get a few things straight, okay buddy?" Every bone in Richard's body seemed to be shaking in anger. This jerkwad had hurt Kory…RICHARD'S Kory.

"Number one. You are no longer a part of Kory's life. You will not speak to her. You will not look at her. You will not think about her. And you will most definitely NOT touch her, ever, ever again. Understood?" Richard was speaking slowly, syllable by syllable, trying to force himself not to break every bone in Xavier's body.

"Yes." Xavier was sending silent death threats to Richard, but at the moment, Richard could care less. Richard continued.

"Number two. If I ever see you within a continent and two states of Kory, Kory's house, or anything that relates to Kory, you will pay through the nose, and I will be the one rubbing your broken face into the dirt. Understood?"

"Yes." Its amazing how Xavier could talk while he was making a grimace like that.

Using one hand to hold Xavier to the tree, Rich reached into his back pocket, dialing three numbers quickly, and slowly putting it to his ear in a gesture of torture.

"Hello, yes I do have an emergency. My girlfriend was just abused by her ex, and she's bleeding on the ground. The address is 57682 Staples Street, and I have him right here. I'm holding him against an oak tree. I'll be fine. Yes he is dangerous, but my girlfriend is the one I'm worried about right now so if you could send someone as soon as possible, that would be nice!" After a few more seconds, Rich said thank you and hung up the phone.

Silence filled the street for quite a time, until it was broken by Rich.

"The police are on the way to come and collect before I scatter your pieces." Rich said, but Xavier wasn't listening. He was glaring at Kory.

"You cheated on me? What did he mean…by 'his girlfriend'?" Xavier almost whispered. However, this is the kind of whisper you don't want to hear. This is the kind of whisper you almost wish was shouted instead.

Kory shivered, and looked at Rich with a meaningful stare.

"I didn't cheat on you, Xavier. You cheated on me. You put your alcohol before me, and now, you are my ex. I don't want to see you ever again, Xavier. We're over."

"You can't break up with me, you stupid bi-" Xavier began, but the sounds of sirens echoed off the houses and bounced back at the teens in an unreal, almost movie-like manner. Before they knew it, Xavier was hand cuffed and taken away in a squad car, still cursing at Kory as she leaned into Rich's embrace, sobbing. Rich's arms immediately went around her waist protectively, and he wouldn't let the police ask her anything until the morning, when he agreed to come into the station at nine.

The drive home was basked in uncomfortable silence, and it was quietly agreed that Kory would stay the night at Richards, in the guest bedroom down the hall that had been pretty much hers since about third grade. She already had a closet full of possessions in the room, and another closet full of shoes.

They pulled into the twenty-plus car garage and Rich looked over at Kory, grabbing her hand protectively when he saw her blankly stare out of her window. She looked over at the sudden contact, and slowly looked into Rich's eyes, tears filling her own. She spoke for the first time since her outburst at Xavier.

"Rich…did you really mean what you said…about me being your…girlfriend?" She asked almost timidly. She was totally and secretly in love with him, and for him to say no would be too much to handle in one night.

"Yes…I mean…if you wanted…"

"Rich…can I stay in your room tonight? I mean…I'll sleep on the floor and all, but…I'm scared…" she said, cutting him off embarrassedly.

"No, don't be silly, I'll sleep on the floor! It's no big…wait…was that a yes?" He asked, surprised at his boldness.

Kory leaned over and swiftly kissed him on the cheek, smiling for the first time in what seemed like years to her. "Yes" she said softly, and let go of his hand to duck out of the car.

Rich touched his cheek gently, hardly believing there could be a happy ending to such a horrible night, before he followed suit.

So what do you think? Should I end it there, or keep going: review please.