*The Morning After*

I couldn't sleep without nightmares plaguing me so I hopped in the shower hoping that I would feel more like myself after I had washed away what Nathan did.

I scrubbed my skin until it was raw but I still felt dirty. The water had turned ice cold and I knew that I had to get out.

The sun was beginning to rise as I finished dressing. After I finished dressing I headed back to Hope's bedroom, I grabbed my phone and noticed that I had fifteen missed calls. My hands shook as I noticed Nathan's name under the missed calls section.

"What happened?" Hope asked.

"Nathan called me."

"Just ignore it until we change your number."

"He left a voicemail, should I listen to it?"

"Why? What's he going to say thats going to change what he did to you? I think that you should delete that message and not let him hurt you anymore then he already has, but it's up to you. You need to do what's best for you."

"I can't ignore him. He's not just going to go away, I have to know what he wants from me," I said as I played his message.

"Madison, it's me...Nathan. I was really messed up last night and I don't remember what happened. When I woke up you were gone...my knuckles are bruised and there's blood on the bed...and I'm afraid that I hurt you. Will you just call me back so that I know you're okay."

I threw the phone across the room. How could he forget what he did to me? How could I call him back? What was I supposed to say to him?

"What did he say?" Hope asked as she stared at me.

"He doesn't remember raping me...he doesn't have a clue. How can I tell him what he did to me? Should I tell him? I can't talk to him...I can't face him," I stated in between labored breaths. I felt like my chest was caving in, my head was pounding, my stomach was churning, and my hands were shaking.

"It's okay...you don't have to talk to him. You're going to be okay, nobody's going to hurt you ever again."

I sat down on Hope's bed wondering if I would ever go back to the girl that I used to be.

XOXOXO

*Suspicions Over Breakfast*

"Hey Madison, my dad called and he wants us to go have breakfast at his house this morning. I said that we would go and he's on his way to pick us up, but if you want I can call him back and tell him that you're sick or something," Matthew stated as he walked into Hope's bedroom.

"No, I'll go." I stated. I couldn't hide out from our parents forever. Sooner or later I would have to face them.

I headed to the bathroom to get dressed and headed out with Matthew.

The doorbell rang and I knew that Victor was here. I finished applying the concealer to my face, not that it helped much, the bruise was still fairly noticeable and then I headed out to the living room.

"Oh my god, Madison!" Victor stated as he rushed to my side. "Who fucking laid his hands on you?" he asked as he traced the bruise on my face.

I tried not to react, but my body flinched away from his touch and I could hear myself telling him not to touch me.

"Who did this to you?" he asked again as he pulled his hand away from my face and took a step back from me.

"Nobody hurt me...I...um...I fell on some ice. Can we just go?" I asked hoping that my cover story was the same one that I had used on Cole. I had lied so much in the last couple of days that it was becoming hard for me to keep them straight.

"Sure, let's go," Victor stated as he looked at me suspiciously. I could tell that he wasn't buying my cover story, but hopefully I could convince him that I was fine over breakfast.

-

"Madison, what happened?" Tea asked when we walked in the door.

"It's nothing, I'm just a clutz and I fell down."

"On some ice, right?" Victor questioned as he walked in after us.

"Yeah."

"That's terrible," Tea stated as she pulled me into a hug.

Once again I flinched and my hands started shaking and my breathing began to accelerate. I hugged her briefly back and then pulled away before I started hyperventilating.

"Are you feeling okay?" Tea asked.

"I'm just tired...I didn't get much sleep last night."

I tried my best to be happy, energetic, and friendly throughout breakfast. Tea seemed to buy into my act, but Victor looked concerned.

I needed a moment to collect myself so I excused myself from the table and headed into the bathroom. On my way back I froze...I could hear them talking about me. They couldn't see me, but I could hear them so I stood there and listened to their conversation.

"Matthew, I would really appreciate if you wouldn't lie to me like your sister is," Victor stated.

"I'm not lying, she slipped on some ice, like she said."

"I'm sorry, but that story doesn't make sense. If she fell on the ice like she claimed then she should have scratches on the palms of her hands and there should not be a bruise on her face."

"Victor, if she says that she fell on the ice, then I'm sure that's what would she lie to us?" Tea asked.

"Come on Tea, how many people fall forward without putting their hands out to brace themselves against the fall. It just isn't ringing true. I'm convinced that Madi is lying to protect the son-of -a-bitch who hurt her."

"You're just being paranoid," Tea stated.

"Am I? I know what a traumatized girl looks and acts like. She flinched when I touched her face and when you hugged her. The look in her eyes...I've seen that look before in her mother's eyes...she's scared. Not to mention, she's not acting like herself, I'm not buying into the charade that she's happy when her eyes tell me a different story. "

"I'm not lying...I'm fine and you don't have any proof to the contrary," I stated as I rounded the corner.

"Madison, I'm just worried about you. You're my daughter just as much as you're Todd's. I love you and I know you better than you think and you're hurting inside."

"I know that you love me, but I need you to trust me. I would tell you if somebody had hurt me...I wouldn't lie to you about something like that. Can you take me home now? I'd really like to get some sleep."

"Okay, I'll take you home, but I want you to know that if you ever want to talk to me, I'm here for you."

"I know."

Victor dropped me and Matthew off at home. I was grateful when I realized that my parent's car was gone. I didn't have it in me to deal with any more questions about my bruised face.