Chapter 3
Keep You Safe

Tori

I couldn't help but stare at her. The bruised cheek, the cut lip, the self inflicted cuts being beneath the blankets and out of sight. The news I received from the night before had come out of nowhere to me, yet I had the feeling Cat had been waiting for a long time to tell. I found her hand beneath the blankets but she remained asleep. I still found myself struggling to keep from going into shock. Cat simply seems so optimistic and happy. But it turns out she was being abused. Now that I thought about it I hadn't once been to her house, or heard her talk about her parents. It made sense why.

Never in my life had I felt that protective of someone before. Even if Cat was faking being so happy all the time that didn't mean she wasn't genuinely innocent and sweet. We were still best friends. That hadn't changed and it never would. Not after what happened. The one thing that stunned me the most was that she was cutting herself. I never would have expected that, especially. What had she used? While she slept I had gone to the bathroom to clean it up, wiping her blood and powder from my sink and finding some blood in the toilet as well. Now that I thought about it, she must have flushed the razor or the knife to get rid of it. My parents had been gone the night before, out on a day trip that lasted longer than planned. I told them about Cat staying the night over the phone and they were fine with it. Now, as I laid at her side, staring at her injuries - both emotional and physical, I wanted to help more than anything in the world.

Cat suddenly let out a whimper in her sleep, hugging her hands close to her chest. I released my grip on the one I had been holding, brow creasing in worry. She must have been having a nightmare. Sitting up in my bed I put my hand on her shoulder and gently shook it. She woke up immediately, eyes wide in panic, looking saddened and confused. Giving her a weak smile, she started breathing unevenly in a sort of panic.

"Cat, Cat it's okay. You're at my house, remember?" I asked her carefully. Eventually she calmed down after holding eye contact for a minute or so. She sat up as well, the two of us leaning against the headboard. Her gaze moved from me and stared off into the distance, definitely thinking. Her bruised cheek was facing my direction and I couldn't help but stare at it. When she caught me I frantically looked away.

"Tori..." Her voice cracked. I scooted closer to her on instinct but didn't look her way again, "...he's gonna get mad that I stayed here tonight..."

What she had said made me worried all over again. Her lip started to tremble. I put my arm around her and her head rested on my shoulder, clearly trying to fight back tears. I didn't want her to leave. I didn't want her to go back to her parent's house just to get abused again. I noticed her hands clench tightly into fists and I reached down to pat one of them in a comforting way.

"...You're gonna go back there?" I asked her slowly. Maybe she could stay with me. I had a feeling that Cat didn't want anybody else to find out about her dad, even though I knew something would have to be done soon. My parents might let her stay if I came up with a good enough excuse. It was Trina who would poke and prod in places she shouldn't. When Cat buried her face into my shoulder and let out a single sob I knew for sure that I would keep her here.

"I don't know..." She curled up into a sort of ball, cuddling closer to me. I wrapped my arms around her with a frown. Her hands clutched at the fabric of my sleeve, "I-I'm scared..."

This is so sad... I thought to myself, placing a hand gently on her back. She was shaking again. It was then that I started to feel anger towards her dad. I wanted to yell at him, scream at him, tell him not to hurt Cat anymore. She was my best friend, I didn't want her to feel any pain ever. Her dad hurt her even when he wasn't around.

"You can stay here. I'll make sure my parents say it's cool." Her tears were stopping. I had calmed her down. After a few more seconds she scooted away from me, wiping frantically at her cheeks. I could see the cut on her hand. It had dried blood on it. The cuts on her wrists looked ominous. I slowly reached forward, grasping her wrist and examining the wound. She just watched me. I had to get it cleaned up, "Come on," I muttered, doing my best to make my voice sound sincere. I guess it worked because her expression softened. Cat let me lead her out of my bed and to the bathroom. I locked the door, not wanting Trina or my mom to come in while I dressed my friend's wound.

I practically dragged Cat towards the sink, her entire body nearly limp. I opened a small drawer, pulling out the things I usually used to clean whatever cuts I managed to get. When I rubbed the cotton ball with the peroxide on her cut she hissed through her teeth. I apologized before gently putting the bandaid over the heel of her hand, something that made her relax a bit.

"Thanks..." She said in her small voice. It didn't sound like usual. It was lackluster. Our eyes met and the gaze was held for a while. It was only right then that I started to feel a bit strange. I had only felt like that a few times before. Once with Danny, once with Rider, and again with Beck for a few seconds when we first met. But it wasn't making much sense. I didn't like... girls. And if I did I definitely wouldn't like my best friend...

...but then again, she's my best friend for a reason. Cat is sweet, genuinely trustworthy, compassionate and cares deeply about all of her friends. And obviously she was pretty. Gorgeous. Even with the bruise still on her cheek and the cut on her lip, she appeared perfect to me. I blinked a few times, the realization that I had a crush on Cat a bit overwhelming. She raised an eyebrow at me, looking confused at my expression. I felt my cheeks begin to burn and the eye contact broke immediately on my part.

"You okay?" She asked in her caring, for some reason now alluring voice. This was so weird. Too weird. I found myself at a loss for words. My mouth was hung open in surprise from what I had just found out. My head started to hurt.

"Y-Yeah... I'm fine." I couldn't look at her. How could I have a crush on Cat?! It was only when I felt her soft hand on my cheek that our eyes met again. She was so pretty. Her red hair should have been messed up from sleep but it was straight as a pin. I wanted to kiss her. What?! I screamed at myself in my head. Everything inside of me was so confused. Was I bi? Or a lesbian? Where was this coming from? I reached up and gently grabbed her wrist, managing to give her a reassuring smile as I tugged her hand away. She still looked wounded and broken on the inside.

"Come on, I'll make you breakfast. We've got school soon." I muttered under my breath.

We walked in together. My parents hadn't gotten up by the time we left the house. Cat obviously wasn't ready to expose her injuries so I helped her cover them up. When we were done it was basically impossible to tell. I just hoped that something didn't happen that would wash off the makeup or she would be terribly embarrassed. Trina didn't like the fact I hadn't told her Cat spent the night because she came down the stairs ranting about her date, saying some rather humiliating things. Lets just say Cat and I rushed out.

I was still basically going into shock from discovering my crush. Even though I knew it was impossible I felt like everybody could tell. On the way to school she wouldn't stop thanking me for the night before. She borrowed a shirt from me. It was long-sleeve. She didn't leave my side for most of the day even though we only had one class together. In the halls she would run up to me. It was so strange how she could constantly remain happy throughout the day after what I had seen at my house. It really was just an act but it seemed so real to me, and apparently to everybody else as well.

During Sikowitz's class I noticed that Cat wasn't there. That really worried me since she had been basically on top of me all day. Her seat was painfully empty. My brow furrowed and I couldn't concentrate through the whole period. Finally when the worry started to become too much I asked to go the bathroom. I walked through the halls, calling out Cat's name at a low volume, getting more and more concerned by the minute. Maybe her dad had come to school and taken her home. Maybe she had run off from being too scared. I finally thought of the possibility of the janitor's closet - the place that every girl in our gang (including myself) for some reason naturally flocked to. When I pushed open the door I heard the faint sound of crying in the corner and I immediately felt concern slam into me.

"Cat?" I walked towards her. She was facing the corner but it was obviously her, easy to determine because of her hair. I loved the color of her hair. I knelt at her side, my face contorting into that of pity. She gasped audibly, her head turning in my direction - clearly surprised that I was there.

"T-Tori? Why aren't you in class?" Even though she looked terrified the redhead turned around to face me. I scooted closer to her. The romantic feelings just kept getting stronger and it got me more and more confused. Was I seriously bi? I didn't know and at that moment I didn't care. All I was thinking about was making Cat feel better. I didn't like it when she cried.

"I saw that you weren't in your seat and I got worried, so I came to find you..." I got closer to her, my hand making its way to her chin to aim her face more at me. She looked embarrassed, her cheeks reddening a bit. Her skin felt like silk. Even though I didn't want to pull my hand away, it would get weird soon. I didn't want her to catch onto my feelings, "...what's wrong?"

She was still crying, but since I came in I think that it got less hysteric. For some reason I was good at calming her down. The thought made me almost smile but I didn't. I took both of her hands in mine, something that nearly stopped the tears entirely. She still didn't look at me.

"M-my dad called the school... he didn't know where I was..." I could have sworn she got closer to me but I doubted it was real. I might have liked her but I was positive she didn't like me. My eyes drifted as she continued, still having my utter attention, "...I got scared so I ran here... what if he comes looking for me?" She was starting to cry again, "Tori... what if I can't stay with you? What if he finds me?"

At those words I immediately moved closer and hugged her tightly. She continued to cry, shuddering a bit. I tried desperately to steady her. I wanted desperately to keep her safe and calm. She didn't say anything else but I slowly responded to her, "He won't find you... you're gonna stay at my place I promise." She pulled me even closer, yearning for comfort, "I'll keep you safe."