Chapter Seven
It had been a month since Mako broke up with Lee and things couldn't be better. Of course except if Mako was my boyfriend that might make it better. We have spent the last few weeks on the boat, going to parties, and so fourth. I continued to go to the city and help with the kids, the machine shop closed and moved to another town so I would have to find something else to do. We would be going to a party tonight at someone's house. It was three now so I put on some shorts and a tank top and went for a run. When I got back it was six. I took a shower and started to get ready. I decided to wear a red cocktail dress with spaghetti straps that tie around the neck and matching shoes. My hair was wavy from the shower so I left it down. I put on some mascara and some eyeliner. A light coat of blush, a little lipstick, and I was ready. The party was kind of black tie. The
girls would wear dresses and the guys would wear slightly formal clothes. Last year Mako, Bolin, and I crashed the party by wearing really torn up clothes and had dirt all over us. A lot of people were not happy with us, Asami included. This year we decided to dress up like the other people. When I walked down stairs it was eight. I went into the living room where Mako and Bolin were waiting for me.
"Okay lets go." I say. The response I get is a wolf whistle from Bolin, who is now use to my outfits, and an open mouth stare from Mako. "Oh come on. I thought we were through with the staring." Mako quickly shuts his mouth. " Now can we get going?"
"Oh, um yeah." Mako says. We go to the car and get in. when we get to the party people ooh and ahh at the way I am dressed. They have never seen me look like this ever. Mako helps me out of the car just to be a gentleman. One of the popular girls walks up to us and tells us that we make the perfect couple, we immediately back away from each other. Sometimes I wish Mako could see that I actually like him and I'm not like all of those other girls who only date him for his money. Oh God I could write a Taylor Swift song. When we walk into the main hall people stop what they are doing and stare at me. I spot Asami and start walking over to her, all the while people stared at me as I walked across the room.
"I see you don't need my help anymore with the whole dress thing." I twirl for her.
"Nope." The rest of the evening was a rush of colors and dancing. I was standing next to the refreshment table when Mako was suddenly next to me.
"Excuse me Milady but would you care to dance?" he said bowing at the waist and holding out his arm. I saw girls all around us glower at me.
"Why thank you kind Sir." I say accepting his out stretched arm. We walked out on to the dance floor as a slow song came on. He put one hand on my waist and clasped my hand. My other hand went to his shoulder. We danced, he twirled me around, the whole time we smiled at each other. When the dance ended I was reluctant to stop dancing but I had to. We let go of each other and we heard aw's all around us. I then noticed that everyone else had stopped dancing or what ever they were doing and were staring at us. I blushed and me and Mako took hands again and took a bow. Then we went our separate ways. At eleven we went to the after party. There is usually a lot of drinking and making out at the after party. I never drink at the party but this year might be an exception. When we get there I walk right over to the alcohol table and pick up a beer. As I put it up to my lips to take a drink a hand grabs on to my arm and stops me.
"What do you think you are doing?" Mako's angry voice growls at me.
"Having a drink. What did you think I was doing?" I say back. It was kind of obvious with the beer in my hand.
"No you're not. You never drink and you're not going to start now. You hate the taste of alcohol, you always have. What's gotten into you?" he gets a worried tone in his voice.
"I'm just trying have fun."
"No your trying to get yourself hurt and I'm not going to sit by and watch you do that. Now put the beer down."
"No." with that I take a swig of it. Mako was right I hate the taste of alcohol but I wasn't going to let him see he was. A few years ago we had all tried it but we all cringed at the bitter taste and the way it burned your throat.
"Is there a problem here?" A new voice asks. It was Tanho. He was the most self-righteous person, egotistical, jerk I have ever met and his hair looked like a girls.
"No not at all. We were just leaving right Korra?" Mako says putting forced niceness in to his voice. He starts pulling me towards the door.
"No we weren't." I say pulling back.
"Good." Tanho said slipping an arm around my waist. I tried not to shutter at his touch.
(Mako POV)
I couldn't believe she would walk off with that guy. There was definitely something wrong with her, she had been acting strange all summer. I guess to her so had I. Like when we were in the pool and I had my arms around her and then when I past her the plate and I felt a strange tingle go up me arm. And when I kissed her the first time I had no idea why I did it I just got an irresistible urge to kiss her and before I knew it I was. I kind of hoped that Lee had walked in that time and we could have gotten it over then. Then when I went to the machine shop she seemed mad at me. I was about apologize for going there when she did, it made me a little happier. After that when the car door shut it was like all I wanted to do was kiss Korra. I knew there had been some strange feelings
lately from me, I don't know about her but for almost two years now all I wanted to do is be around her. I use to think of her as one of the guys and now I just want her to be something else. It worried me when she did things that could get her in trouble or hurt. Like when she gets in fights at school or when she jumped off the boat and ran in to the woods.
(Flashback)
I strolled down the hallway watching the other student past when I heard a loud bang a little ways away. I figured it came from some of the football guys messing around, but boy was I wrong. As I got closer to where a crowd had gathered I saw that to was two girls fighting. One girl was sitting on the other one and basically beating the crap out of the other. The one on top had light brown hair that was flying wild and you could tell she packed a punch. Korra. Why did she have to get into things like this. Honestly I was getting really worried about her. I had been getting strange feelings when ever I was around. My heart would do summersaults when ever I saw her and when ever she touched me my skin tingled. The other one was one of those really preppy girls who think that they are better than everyone else. I think her name was Sky or something. Suddenly more preppy girls fell on top of the other two to try and help their friend. That's when I decided to break up the fight. Tapping some of my friends on the shoulder we get the girls separated before the principle could come and yell at them. I was holding on to Korra who was struggling to get free of my grasp. When she figured out she couldn't she just hung there loosely. Then the bell rang for school to be out I let go of Korra and waited for her to straiten her clothes and grab her bag. I think Asami had started to rub off on her because she was wearing tight jeans and a semi-loose slight V-neck T-shirt so you could actually tell she had curves. I tried not to stare at her much now. I noticed that she had a bloody lip and was starting to get a black eye. Boy were her parents going to freak out when they saw her. When she was ready we took my car to her house so I could drop her off. I parked the car and went inside. When I found her she was in the bathroom trying to clean up her lip but kept flinching when the rag touched it. "Need some help with that." I said leaning against the doorway. She jumped when she heard me.
"I thought you left." I walk over and take the rag, pick her up and put her on the counter, and start to lightly dab her lip.
"I was but I figured that you need help hiding this from your parents." I smile at her when she tried to smile a thanks that quickly turned in to a wince. When I was done cleaning up her lip I washed the rag of and set it on the counter beside the sink. "Now how do you want to explain the busted lip and black eye?"
"I don't know. I can't tell them that it was a fight because they said that if I got into one more fight I would be sent to military school." She says looking down. Military school?! I could not handle it if she left.
"Korra what are we going to do with you?" I say shaking my head and smiling at the same time. She just laughed and shrugged. That was when we heard the door close and her parents yell for her. She looks at me with a scared look on her face. I knew how she felt. If they knew that she got in a fight they would send her away. That was if they found out. I yanked her off the counter and dragged her to the kitchen. I sat her down on a stool at the island and grabbed a rag and wetted it down with cold water. When her parents walked in I heard her mother gasp.
"Korra what happened?" I turned to see Senna grasping her daughters face. Her father, Tonraq, looked concerned and angry at the same time. Korra looked at me for help.
"Oh Korra's fine, she just ran into a door." I said as I handed her the rag to put on her eye. She mouthed a thank you over her shoulder as her mom lead her away. I stared after her. I turned when her father started to chuckle. I looked at him with curiosity.
"Son I know that look all to well." I just kept looking at him. "Come with me." He waved me after him as he walk out of the room. He took me to his study and made me sit in the chair across for his behind the desk. "Mako I know you probably feel a little confused right now and I think I might be able to help you."
"Sir you are right. I am very confused but I wonder how you are going to help me."
"That look you had on your face when Korra left the room is not the kind of look a friend gives another friend. How do I know this? Because that is the same look that I give her mother. Now Mako I can see that you are falling for my little Korra. Your parents and Senna and I knew it would with how much time you two spend together. Now I wouldn't mind if you dated my daughter, I know you would treat her with all the respect that she deserves, but if you ever break her heart I would have not have a problem with teaching you a lesson." He said getting up and walking around the room. I stood up to face him while I talked.
"Sir I promise you that I will never hurt Korra nor will I let anything harm her." I said taking on a serious tone. Tonraq grinned.
"That's what I like to hear." He said clapping me on the back.
(Flashback Ends)
Now with the beer and walking away with Tanho that just ticked me off. I know she hates alcohol and that egotistical moron. I went and sat on a bench where I could watch Tanho. If he so much as touches Korra the wrong way he's not going to have any hands left. After awhile Bolin and Iroh came over and sat down, one on each side.
"I see the seething beast is back in town and what do you think is causing this Iroh?" Bolin said with a hand on his chin.
"I think it is from a certain blue eyed girl walking away with a beer in one hand and a strange guy in the other." Iroh says back.
"Yes, yes I think you could be right."
"Shut up you guys!"
"Ohh someone's in a bad mood." With that I pushed him off of the bench. After about ten minutes Asami came over and got Iroh and Bolin left to case some girl in a halter top and mini shirt. I sat there for the next hour and a half watching Korra and Tanho drink what looked like a keg of beer(Tanho drinking the most of it) at one point a cup of beer got split on her dress. She must have decided to go clean up because she got up and started to walk away. Instead of going to the house she walked out of the gate and into the street.
"Shit." I walk after her and told Bolin where I'm going. At some point she dropped her keys but doesn't notice and keeps walking. I pick them up and get in her car. I know its hers because she has the only black 98' charger around here. I start driving along behind her I get up beside her.
"Korra get in the car and I will take you home." She ignores me. "Korra!" she looks over at me. Just by the way she looks you could tell she was drunk. "Get in the car. Let me take you home."
"NO!" she yells and keeps walking but stumbles. She takes of her shoes and ties them to her purse. Then continues walking down the sidewalk.
"Korra get in the car!" I yell. If anyone were to look at us they would think that we were boyfriend and girlfriend fighting or breaking up.
"You get in the car."
"What?" I don't think she even knows what that means, I don't even know what it means. "Never mind. Korra get in this car now or so help me I will drag to it and put you in the trunk! " I slam my fist on the car door. My anger rising.
"Noooooooo." She slurred and fell on to the sidewalk giggling. She crossed her legs I guess not caring that I could see her underwear.
"Korra so help if you don't get in this car right now I'll…." I started but was cut off.
"You'll what? You wont hurt me." She says defiantly. She was right I wouldn't hurt her, I couldn't hurt her. Suddenly another car came up behind me.
"Hey there Cutie. I was wondering where you went. Why don't you came get in my car and we can have some fun." It was Tanho again. Why did he keep showing up when I didn't want him, which was all the time. Korra got right up and got in his car. He drove off burning rubber. I slammed my head on the wheel. How could I let her go off with him again, and now I can't be where I can keep a close eye on them. I did the only thing I could think of. I called Bolin.
"Hello!" he shouted above the music.
"Hey bro we're in trouble."
"Hold on let me get to where I can here you better." Minutes later he spoke again. "Okay what's going on."
"You know how I went after Korra? Yeah well I was trying to get her to get in the car and then Tanho came and she went off with him and I don't know where. I'm really worried about her."
"Okay just stay calm, go back home she is bound to go back there at some point, I'll get Asami and Iroh, and we'll meet you there."
"Okay thanks."
"Anytime Korra is like family and I care as much as you do about her." Probably not as much I thought. Trying to stay calm like Bolin said to I drove her car back to our house. When I got there I kept pacing the living room until they got here.
"Geez someone's breeches are in a bunch." Asami says as she walks through the door. I notice that I had started to wring my hands.
"She just left with him like it was nothing. Just got in his car and left." I sounded crazy but I was really upset at how she did that. Bolin put his hands on my shoulders.
"Listen to me its going to be fine. She is probably going to walk through that door in the next half hour. Okay. Now let Iroh take you to your room and Asami will get you a glass of water." As I left the room I saw Bo whisper something to Asami. Shortly after we got to my room Asami brought me a glass of water and two pills.
"What are these?" I ask holding up the little white pills
"There to calm you down, now take them." They stood there and watched as I took the pills. Then they left and after about ten minutes I was fast asleep.
When I woke up my anxiety returned when I remembered Korra. I almost jumped out of bed and I ended up tangled up in my sheets and fell on the floor. Once I untangled myself I rushed to her room. It was just a few doors down from mine so I was there in no time. I knocked on her door and got no answer, I knocked again and this time I got a groan. I walked in not really caring if she was decent I just wanted to be sure she was okay. I found her in her bathroom sitting beside the toilet, with her head between her knees.
"Korra? Are you okay?" I ask
"Noooooooo" and with that she passed out on the floor. I took a wash cloth, ran it under some water, and wiped of her face. Once she was cleaned up I picked her up and took her to her bed. She hadn't gotten anything on her clothes so I didn't have to change them, she was wearing a loose T-shirt and shorts, I tucked her under the blankets. When I picked her up her shirt came up a little and I thought I saw a strange mark on her back. When I laid her down I lifted her shirt slightly and saw bruises all over her side and I didn't want to know if there was any more so I slid she shirt back down and went to clean up the bathroom. It didn't take me very long and soon I was back in my room. I took a shower and put on a grey T-shirt, swim shorts, and sneakers. I kept trying not to think about what I saw on Korra's side and I wondered if she had more bruises and what they were from. I went down stairs to find breakfast ready and on the table. At the same time I walked through one door Bolin and Asami walk through another.
"Hey." They said at the same time.
"Hey? What's going on here?" I ask looking at the two of them and then back at the food on the table.
"Breakfast." Asami says.
"But you guys never make breakfast. Why now?"
"Because we decided to. Now sit down and eat." She says in a warning tone, Bolin was behind her nodding his head. We all sat down and started eating. I have to say it wasn't the best meal but we didn't tell her that. She may be a multi-billion dollar heiress/princess, but she could still kick our butts if she wanted to.
"So how's Korra?" she asked
"Last I knew she was back in her bed where I put her." They gave me some strange looks. "I found her laying on the bathroom floor passed out and hung-over. So I cleaned her up and put her to bed." I didn't want to tell them about the bruises until I talked to Korra about them.
(Korra POV)
This morning I woke up with a massive headache and the urge to throw up. I immediately ran to my bathroom to do so. After awhile I heard a knock but I just groaned, then Mako came in and asked if I was okay all I thought of was no. How could I be okay I was sitting on the floor of a bathroom groaning with vomit on my face. Then I kind of blacked out. When I woke up again I was in bed and my headache was gone. I looked at the clock beside my bed it was eight at night. I hurt all over and I knew way.
When I got in to Tanho's car (I wasn't drunk enough to forget stuff yet) he took me to his house which wasn't far from mine. I think he knew what he was doing because he tried to get me to have sex with him. When I refused he pushed me on to the ground and started to kick me and beat me. I didn't cry out but the pain was so bad I almost blacked out then. He only hit the top half of my body and then when he stopped hitting and kicking me he tried to have sex with me again but this time I made a run for it. I could hear him yelling "Keep quite you little bitch or you won't get away next time!" I hoped the wasn't a next time. I just kept running until I got back home. I took a long shower to get the feeling of his touch off me, put on a loose T-shirt and some shorts, and went to bed.
Now all I wanted to do was clear my head. I decided to go for a run, despite my aching muscles. I got up and changed only pausing to look at the bruises on my back, sides, chest, stomach, and shoulders. I hoped they would fade soon, I couldn't let anyone know they were there especially Mako. He must have gotten really worried last night. Once I had put on a loose shirt, shorts, and running shoes I went down stairs. I found Bolin and Mako in the living room watching TV.
"Hey." I say
"Hey. I see your feeling better." Bolin says. Mako won't even look at me, he seems distracted by something.
"Yeah much better. So much that I'm going to go for a run." At this Mako looked up at me, there was a strange look in his eyes maybe concern. "So I will see you later." And then I walked out of the house. I put my head phones in and ran. I kept running until I was free of the of the brush. Then I realized that I was in the clearing again. I had come here a few times since Mako and I found it but not very often. I went of over to the tree and sat down. I sat there and thought about things that have happened lately. The bruises. How it happened. And lastly me and Mako. My thoughts were interrupted by heavy rain. It was coming down hard so I ran back to the house as quick as I could. I guess I really had been lost in thought because it was now ten and the boys had gone to bed. I went up stairs, dried off, changed, and went to bed.
