We've officially been through one full round of the new system. I hope everyone understands it now and while you're probably missing the frequency of chapters you used to get hopefully you are enjoying the length of the chapters now.
Guest reviewers please remember to check my profile page for responses within 2 days of leaving your review. About 90% of the time I do respond. Most especially if you are making a request, I am always open to requests but sometimes I have questions, responses or need clarification. So be sure to check the profile page for responses.
WARNING: If you don't like the intense stuff then stop reading when Anson and Clare go into the house. You can resume reading with the paragraph that begins with Finally Anson.
Ch. 10 Feel Like You're Treading Water but The Rip Tide's Getting Stronger
(DALLAS)
"Tris is coming," Owen says when he joins us on the football field Monday at lunch.
"I'm going to The Dot after practice to be with Clare, Fitz should be working so I'll tell him," I comment just as Tris walks up. Cam and Adam are already here and I asked Drew and Bianca to join us as well.
"Okay so why the big secret meeting?" Drew asks.
"Clare admitted to me that her sister's boyfriend is hurting her, she only admitted this after I found bruises on her neck. They won't talk about it but I believe they are getting abused at the house, more than just physically. When I woke Clare and Maya up yesterday morning they both recoiled from me in a way that makes me think they've been woken up for sex before," I inform everyone and they all either go green or they go pale.
"When Clare came to my house for the New Year's party she had broken ribs, she told me she fell. When I took her and Maya home the next day her sister was livid that they'd been gone. I thought it was a little odd but it didn't raise any alarms at the time."
"If we know they're being abused why not just call the cops?" Tris asks.
"Clare tried calling the cops but they weren't able to prove anything and Clare got in trouble for calling. She would barely talk about it. We did talk to Officer Turner about what we could do to help. Clare and Maya won't talk about it but if you see anything suspicious start keeping a record. Write down the date and what it is. Everything from a bruise to the girls acting suspiciously. Anything just write it down, it may not be important in the end but some of it will be. The girls won't keep a record so we have to."
"What good will that do?" Drew questions.
"It will show a pattern of abuse. No one is going to believe they're being abused if they only see one bruise but if we can show them that they had multiple bruises over a period of time it shows abuse," Owen explains.
"The other thing we can do is to make sure the girls know they have safe havens if they need them. I told them both they're welcome at my place any time and Owen told them the same thing," I tell everyone.
"They're welcome at my place too, I'll make sure Maya knows that," Cam comments.
"We've both tried to talk to them. I know Cam has too and they're reluctant to talk, especially about what's going on at the house but gently encourage them to talk. If you push too much they'll just get more silent about it. They're afraid and they probably have good reason to be."
"So we know they're getting abused and all we can do is take notes and tell them to come to our houses to be safe?" Cam asks.
"We can't go to the cops on our suspicion Cam. We have no proof and if the cops go to the house and tell them they're investigating suspected abuse but don't find anything it could make things worse on the girls. We need proof, enough proof that the girls would be taken from the house immediately. I know what Fitz went through and how hard it was to get him out of his house even after several trips to the hospital," Owen says.
"Yeah Fitz got beat up real bad by his stepbrother and stepdad, even spent a couple of days in the hospital but he wasn't removed from the house," Bianca nods.
"I know it sucks I want nothing more than to get them out of that house now but we can't just remove them and neither can cops. Not without either convincing Clare and Maya to leave together and press charges or having enough evidence to show the cops and get them removed," I reply.
Everyone is silent for a moment before either nodding or saying okay and then we go our separate ways for lunch. I know Adam usually eats with Clare and I start walking off with Owen and Cam to eat with the rest of the team when Adam calls to me.
"Dallas wait up."
"I'll meet you guys in the caf," I tell Owen and Cam. They nod and keep walking and I turn back to Adam.
"Clare's birthday is in a few weeks. It's going to be a hard one for her anyway because it will be the first without her parents. Knowing what she's going through at home she probably won't want to celebrate but she should. I was thinking a little party at our place, I'm sure I can get permission from Mom."
"Yes Clare should celebrate, see what she says. If you need help convincing her to celebrate I can help," I tell Adam and he smiles.
We part ways to eat lunch and I go into the caf to eat with the team. When Owen and I get to photography class I smile at the sight of Clare. She smiles back and I sit next to her. We can't really talk during class because the teacher is lecturing for an upcoming test and we're taking notes.
"Can I walk you to class?" I ask Clare when class is over.
"That would be nice," she smiles.
I offer her my arm and she links her arm with mine. I walk her to her introduction to anthropology, psychology and sociology class. Adam has the class and is walking to the room at the same time and when he sees us together he smiles.
"I will come to The Dot after class and stay for the rest of your shift," I tell Clare leaving her at the door.
She smiles and walks in with Adam and I walk to my business leadership class. When class ends I go out to the bus and go to practice. I put things out of my mind for practice, I have to or I wouldn't be a very effective captain. After practice the bus takes us back to the school and I walk to The Dot to see Clare. She's busing a table when I get there but smiles when she sees me. While Clare is busing the table I go up to Fitz at the counter. Just as I go up Meghan comes out of the back.
"Hey Dallas what can I get you?" Fitz asks.
"Just coffee right now but can I talk to you both at some point? Alone and away from Clare?" I request. Fitz and Meghan exchange a look before answering.
"Uh yeah Clare is off at ten and we're both off at eleven," Fitz replies.
"Great I'll come back after I walk Clare home."
Fitz nods and hands me my coffee, I sit down at a table near the window and watch Clare as she works. She doesn't have a long break this shift because it's a shorter shift but when she does take her break she sits with me. I stay at the café and start on my homework until Clare is off. I plan to walk her home but just as I'm gathering my stuff to walk her home Owen walks in.
"Hey what are you doing here?" I question.
"Came to get Clare," he says and I pinch my eyebrows at him. "Maya came home with Tris to work on homework, she's staying over and I figured Clare shouldn't go home," Owen explains.
"Good call, she's in the break room getting her stuff."
"Hey Clare you're sleeping at our house again," Owen tells her when she comes out of the back.
"No I need to go home tonight," Clare argues.
"Maya's sleeping at our house which means so are you. I'm not taking no for an answer," Owen stands firm on this subject and Clare relents.
"Okay," she nods but looks afraid and I know she's not afraid of staying at Owen's so she must be afraid of not being home so many nights in a row.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I tell Clare with a smile and she nods leaving with Owen.
"Marianne," Fitz says poking his head into the back, "can you watch the front for a couple of minutes?"
"Sure," a female voice replies. A second later a woman comes out of the back, she looks like she's in her thirties which is older than most of the employees here but she does work in the kitchen.
"We can talk in the employee lounge," Fitz tells me. I follow him and Meghan back to the employee lounge and Fitz closes the door.
"A couple days ago I was skating with Clare and she was wearing a scarf. I moved it a little and saw some bruising, and after promising not to do anything about it and letting her cry she admitted that her sister's boyfriend did it. Owen told me he's seen her with cracked ribs before and Maya with at least one bruise. And then the other morning I woke them both up, they stayed the night after the party, I went to wake Clare up and she shrunk away from me. It wasn't just that she curled up into a fetal position when I touched her it was that in a terrified and pleading voice she said no not now," I inform them and Fitz looks like he might throw up. Meghan already looked horrified at the thought of them being physically abused but she doesn't quite seemed to have made the connection of what I just told her. "When I woke up Maya she reacted in exactly the same way. The fact that they both did it and in such a similar way makes me think that they must have been awoken for sex before."
Now Meghan goes green and looks like she might throw up. Fitz doesn't look any better, somewhere between pale with horror, green with disgust and red with rage. All the colors and emotions are mottled on his face and flesh. Meghan asks about calling the cops when she has the ability to speak and I tell her exactly what we told the others earlier. Fitz doesn't ask about calling the cops because he knows from his own experience.
"They can always come to my place too, or call me any time day or night. I'll make sure Clare knows when she starts her shift tomorrow," Fitz says.
"They can come to my place too I guess but I don't live very close," Meghan says almost apologetically and I know she wants to help.
"That's okay they have lots of safe places they can go if they need somewhere safe. Fitz you've been in this sort of situation before talk to Clare, and Maya if you can and encourage them to talk about what they're going through. Convince them to go to the cops or Children's aide if you can. I know that won't be easy. Meghan watch them, Clare especially since she's here a lot working but Maya too when you can. Take note of any frightened, skittish behavior, bruises or other injuries, all of them even if they don't look suspicious. Keep a record of them and mostly just remind them that they do have safe places and people they can talk to."
"We will," Meghan says and Fitz nods.
"Thanks, I'd better get home and let you guys get back to work. Owen and I told Adam, Tris, Cam, Drew and Bianca all of this at lunch. We also talked to Officer Turner without telling him it was Clare and Maya. He'd have to investigate if he knew and the one time Clare called the cops she got punished for bringing the cops to the house, she wouldn't tell me how because she wouldn't talk about it but I could tell it was severe. Anyway keep an eye on them and let them know they're safe, for now it's about all we can do."
I follow Fitz and Meghan back to the front and wave to them as I leave. I start to walk home at first picturing what horrors Clare and Maya are possibly subjected to at their house. But that soon becomes too angering and depressing so I stop thinking of that and just think about Clare and then I'm smiling the rest of the way home.
(CLARE)
"You're birthday's coming up," Adam reminds me as we eat lunch Tuesday afternoon.
"Not for three weeks and I don't want to do anything," I shake my head.
"I thought you'd say that but you need to celebrate Clare it's your seventeenth birthday and it deserves to be celebrated. Mom said we could have your party at our place you can choose the guest list," Adam asserts.
I bite my lip rolling it between my teeth and thinking about this. I don't want a birthday party and I don't feel like there's anything to celebrate or that I'm worth celebrating. On the other hand it is time I get to spend with my friends and out of the house.
"Okay you and Mike, and Drew I mean it will be at your house. Maya of course. Alli, Dave, Jenna, K.C. and Connor, and Mick. Owen too, he can bring Tris. Maya likes Cam and he's Mick's brother and then Justin should probably come. And if Drew's going to be there then he can bring Bianca. Oh and Fitz and Meghan, if they're not working that is."
"Perfect I'll let everyone know and we'll take care of the rest," Adam grins. "You're coming to the game on Friday right?" Adam asks after a few minutes.
"Yeah I have the night off, Maya's coming too," I reply.
"Cool you and Maya can come with us in Drew's car," Adam tells me and I smile.
We finish lunch and walk inside to our lockers, Adam says he'll see me in last period and I walk to photography and digital imaging class. Grace is at her table across from mine and I wave to her as I sit down. Owen and Mike walk into class together a moment later, Owen sits at his spot next to Grace and Mike sits next to me. After a short presentation the teacher tells us that we're going to be doing photo essays, pairing off with the person sitting next to us which means I'm working with Mike. The teacher tells us the essays are due the Monday after next which means we have the rest of this week, all of next week and two full weekends which is a good thing when I see the parameters of this assignment. We have to come up with a subject for the essay but it cannot be a person or single event such as one sports game or a single birthday party. However, if the subject of our essay is sports or birthdays we can take photos of several of these events. We need a minimum of fifty photos showing our subject but can have as many as we want. We cannot use words or text to show what we want to convey it must all be done through the pictures. The teacher gives a sheet to fill out to each pair, we need a title for our photo essay and we need to describe what we're going to do and explain why we want to make this our subject. We need to give the paper to the teacher by the end of class today. All subjects have to be approved by the teacher but she says she's open to nearly anything as long as we present a valid reason and a clear argument for why we want to do it.
"So," Mike says slowly looking at the sheet, "any ideas?"
"No I'm better at writing, doing something entirely in pictures is whole new territory for me," I shrug.
"Hey what if we did music and it's effects on people," Grace suggests to Owen and I look over to see him smile.
"Yeah I love that idea," Owen says.
"Well that was easy for them," I remark.
"Maybe we can do something on the written word?" Mike suggests but it's more of a question.
"I suppose so but what? We can't just take pictures of written words and we need to present an argument as to why we want to do that subject," I remind Mike.
"True, so we could…" Mike's sentence trails off as we try to think of ideas.
"Well Owen and Grace are doing something on the power of the music maybe we could do something on the power of the written word. No I'm not sure how we'd do that without taking pictures of people reading a newspaper or something, then we'd need to show what the person had been reading," I sigh feeling at a loss for this assignment.
"Hang on a sec," Mike says getting up from the table. He goes up to the teacher talking to her for a minute before he returns to the table. "We can't write any text but I asked the teacher if we can take pictures of words and we can but it has to be a word that's up somewhere we can't just write it out or go flipping through a magazine. I don't think we'll have much time this week with my practices and your work and the school newspaper but we could drive around this weekend. We can take my car and look for words, as long as it's up somewhere that we can take a picture we can use it. After we take the pictures of the words we can take pictures of things that correspond with the words," Mike suggests.
"That sounds great but what do we call it? I mean we have to present it as a subject. Anf just so you know I have a little bit more time after school now because I quit the newspaper," I admit to him.
"Why'd you do that?" Mike questions.
"I don't have time for newspaper any longer, I can't give up school and I need the job at The Dot so I had to give up newspaper staff. It's okay I wasn't exactly writing hard hitting pieces of journalistic integrity," I comment.
"Well you should still keep up writing, Adam tells me you're an amazing writer," Mike says and I smile. "Why don't we write up our argument for what we want to do and we can think of what to define the subject after," Mike suggests.
I agree this is a good idea so I write down exactly what Mike suggested. We even write up an argument for it saying we picked this subject and want to do it. After looking at the written description of what we plan to do I'm still not sure how to define this subject. I finally settle on calling it Depictions of Lexeme.
"What's lexeme?" Mike questions.
"A unit of language in other words it's a fancy word for word," I explain and he grins.
We turn in our paper, the teacher reads it over and approves it. Since we're done and the bell is going to ring soon we're excused from class. Owen and Grace have also finished and theirs was approved so they're excused at the same time. Grace waves to us and walks to her locker, Owen has a spare this period and decides to get started on his homework. Mike walks me to my locker and says he'll come by The Dot after practice and take me home. With nothing else to do in the few minutes I have I just walk to the classroom and sit down near the door waiting for third period to get out. When the bell rings and the kids begin filing out of class I go in, Adam comes in a few minutes later. When fourth period ends Adam walks me to The Dot, he hangs out for a while doing homework before Drew comes in, the two of them wave to me before they leave. It's pretty busy this afternoon and I'm only working until six so I don't even have a dinner break just a fifteen-minute break about half way through the shift. When it's my break time Mike isn't here yet so I go back to the break room, considering how busy we are I'm surprised when Fitz follows me back to the break room.
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm here if you ever need to talk, and that you and Maya can come to my apartment if you ever need somewhere safe. You can call me anytime day or night. I know it's hard to talk about and you don't think anyone will understand but I will, better than most and you should know that. You can talk to me and I'll listen and I won't try to fix it I'll just be here for you," Fitz tells me.
"Thanks Fitz," I smile at him appreciatively and he grins back before leaving the break room.
I eat a small snack and do a bit of homework before getting back to work. I'm only back a few minutes before Mike comes in. I smile at him and get him a coffee and donut when he orders it. He sits down and does homework while I finish my shift.
"I'm just going to grab my stuff," I tell Mike when my shift is over and he nods. It's now that I notice Anson has pulled up outside and is staring right at me. "Actually it looks like I have a ride home," I comment to Mike motioning out the window with a slight nod of my head. Mike tenses up and clenches his fists ready to go out and confront Anson but I catch his arm. "Mike don't it won't help anything," I beg him in whisper but of course now everyone in the café is wondering what's going on.
"Dallas just stay in here," Fitz says coming over to him, "I know how you feel but you'll only make it worse," Fitz reminds him and Mike relaxes very slightly. "Clare will you be okay?" Fitz asks me and I nod.
"Okay you're not working tomorrow so I'll see you Thursday," Fitz tells me.
I nod again and go into the back to get my stuff. I decide to go out the back door instead of walking out the café. I go around the corner and into Anson's car before Mike or anyone else can come out of the café. Anson doesn't say anything he just makes the short drive back to the house.
"Your sister wants to talk to you," Anson tells me when we park at the house.
"About what?" I inquire getting out of the car and walking into the house followed by Anson.
"I don't know," Anson shrugs.
Just as we come in the door I hear Maya whimpering and shrieking in pain upstairs. I start to run upstairs but Darcy grabs my arm and squeezes hard. She pulls me from the stairs and slams me into the wall, it's more shocking than anything else it doesn't hurt that much.
"Maya is being punished, and turns out Katie has a sick mind," Darcy tells me with this wickedly lecherous grin.
"Punished for what?" I ask.
"You two have been out of the house too much," Darcy replies.
"We have school, Maya has band and I have newspaper, and I have a big project due in a couple of weeks I'll need to be working on that a lot for the next couple of weeks. Katie's already left school if we stop going or our grades slip too much people will start asking questions, you don't want that do you?" I ask her trying not to show how afraid I really am.
"You still can't be out of the house so much, when you're not at school or doing something for school you need to be home," Darcy tells me with a tone that's almost whining yet also annoyed.
"We can't just stop our lives a…"
"QUIET," Darcy screams kneeing me in the stomach, "don't talk back to me you stupid bitch just do what I tell you to do. I had to come back to take care of you so you're going to fucking listen to me." Then she lets go of me and looks at Anson, "I don't want to deal with her anymore you punish her, can I have some of the sweet stuff?"
He pulls a little bag of tablets out of his pocket and puts one under Darcy's tongue. She smiles and goes to the sofa, if whatever she just took wasn't enough to take her out of reality she's also got a drink in her hand. I watch my sister as the drug begins to take effect, it wasn't always like this, Darcy has had problems in the past but she wasn't always like this. Even when she first came back it wasn't like this, she was resentful of having to stay but she wasn't like this. It wasn't until she got a job as a bartender and met Anson and then started taking drugs that she turned into this.
"You're mine for the night," Anson grins pulling me to him. He tosses me over his shoulder and Darcy laughs as she becomes lost in whatever drug induced illusion she's enjoying.
Anson takes me upstairs and I hear Maya shriek and sob in pain. I wish I could go to her and help but there's nothing I can do. When we get to the master bedroom that he shares with Darcy Anson tosses me on the bed.
"I got some new toys to use on your sister, she likes them let's see how you enjoy them," Anson tells me. "Undress," he demands and of course I do as ordered. "Don't worry I won't make any marks, well not many and not any that boyfriend of yours would see, at least he better fucking not," Anson comments as I finish undressing and sit on the bed.
I'd argue that Mike isn't my boyfriend but it wouldn't matter so I just stay quiet. The first thing Anson does is put a ball gag on me, it's not only incredibly uncomfortable but it's terribly demeaning, dehumanizing me to an animal or an object. To further dehumanize me Anson forces me to my stomach and then hog ties me with my arms and legs behind my back. When he seems satisfied with my bindings, that are incredibly uncomfortable, he rapes me, hard and brutal but fast. After he pulls out he leaves me hog tied with the gag in, I expect him to take a few seconds to recover and then release me but that's not what happens. He gets up and gets something from the closet, at first I'm not sure what it is until I hear the cracking sound of tightening leather.
The sound makes me shiver, a pit opening in my stomach because I know what's coming. I try to brace for it, tightening my stomach but it doesn't help. The belt makes a swish sound as it cuts through the air and then a loud CRACK as it hits my skin. I pull in a painful breath but stifle any sounds of pain because Anson enjoys hearing me in pain. I can barely take a breath before he whips me with the belt again, and again a second later. For what feels like an eternity he whips my buttocks with the belt until they're red, stinging hot and throbbing but also beginning to turn numb. I have no idea how long it was but it felt like a very long time, and then he stops.
A moment of reprieve, a moment to breathe and I take the deepest breath that I can manage. Tears stream from my eyes, a salty waterfall of agony that had been held back. I hide my face attempting to hide my tears from Anson. I hear Anson drinking something that I'm sure is alcohol. My reprieve only lasts a moment before I hear Anson tightening the belt in his hands again.
I attempt to take a deep breath but can't even exhale before Anson hits me with the belt again. This time however it's not the doubled leather strap but the buckle end. The metal bites into my already tender skin, ripping through with a hot sting and I scream out in tormented misery. My body tightens and contorts as he does it again and again, too many times for me to count. I'm sobbing and nauseas from all the pain, I even vomit a little but since the ball gag is still in I swallow it again. When he finally does stop I know I'm bleeding because I can feel the blood.
Finally Anson releases me from the binds and my muscles relax, he takes the ball gag off and I take a deep breath. Anson tosses me over his shoulder again and takes me to my room, he sets me on my bed and leaves the room. Maya's in the room sobbing quietly but she doesn't say anything. When Anson leaves the room I get up to put the padlock on the door. Moving is incredibly painful and I wonder how I'm going to be able to move tomorrow without people knowing I'm in pain. I lock the padlock, lie down and try to sleep. I listen to Maya sob for at least a couple of hours before she stops and I'm not sure if she's asleep or just has no more tears. I can't get to sleep all night, I lie awake in pain at first wondering if Maya and I will ever make it out of this house alive. When that thought just becomes soul crushing I start to picture Maya and I getting out of this house alive and a future away from our sisters, Anson and Vince. It's a hope that I must hold onto.
I get up early, before it's even light outside and get dressed. It's too painful to wear panties so I wear some loose sweats. Maya wakes up as I start getting ready for school and without a word she starts getting ready for school as well. When we're both ready we leave the house and start walking to school, it's barely dawn and school isn't open but The Dot will be and I know we can go there.
"What'd they do to you?" I ask Maya after we've walked slowly for half a block.
"Katie watched while Vince raped me. Then he watched while she spanked me and he raped me again," she tells me quietly. I'm sure there's more, further debasements and humiliations but we don't like to talk about it, not even to each other. "Are you going to make it today you look like you're in a lot of pain," Maya comments as we approach The Dot.
"There's some aspirin in the medical kit in the back I'll take some aspirin and I'll be okay," I assure her trying to smile.
Peg and Ray work the morning shift and they're behind the counter. They nod to me and I order us some coffee and breakfast, I pay for breakfast and tell them I'm going into the back to use the employee washroom. Since I work here it's fine and they just shrug. I go to the employee lounge take some aspirin and go back out to the front, Maya's already eating. I try to sit down and eat but as soon as I sit I'm in terrible pain and bite the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming. If I can't sit I'm not going to be able to get through school. It doesn't escape everyone's attention that I stand while eating but nobody asks. At least not until Cam walks in with Mick and Justin. As soon as Cam sees Maya he grins and the way he grins makes me smile.
"Hi Clare," Mick greets and Justin nods to us.
"Hi Maya," Cam smiles and Maya grins back.
"We just came for breakfast but I guess you guys did too. Cam has an early practice and needs to be at the school soon. Why are you eating standing up?" Justin questions and now Cam looks at me like he just realized I'm here.
"I just…my…leg…fell asleep," I stumble over a response and now everyone is looking at me.
"Let's get some food I need to be at the school for the bus in ten minutes," Cam tells his brothers and they go up to the counter. They order breakfast to-go and come back to us. "You two should come with us, Dallas will be there and you can stay with Mick and Justin in the school," Cam asserts.
Maya and I have finished eating so we take our coffee in to-go cups and go with Cam and his brothers to Mick's car. Now I have to sit down and I do all I can to not touch the car seat which isn't easy. It's also incredibly obvious to Mick that I'm doing my best not to sit down on the seat, he doesn't mention it though. When we get to the school I see Mike is here already, so are Owen and Luke, the Ice Hounds coach and the bus. Mick parks and we get out walking to the gathering Ice Hounds.
"Hey Gorgeous what are you doing here so early?"
"We couldn't sleep and were eating breakfast at The Dot when Mick, Justin and Cam came in. They told us we should go to the school and hang out," I tell him.
"Hey Dallas," Cam calls to him and Mike looks over to see Cam waving at him.
"Be right back," Mike tells me and I see Cam waving over Owen as well. When Mike leaves Maya comes over to me.
"Cam wants to have lunch together," she grins and I smile. I hope that Cam can help her forget everything that happened last night.
"Clare," Mike calls for me so I walk over to him, Owen and Cam. Maya follows me either suspecting they were talking about us or just to stay close. "Are you hurt?" Mike questions.
"No I'm okay," I reply timidly while looking at Mike's Ice Hounds jacket so as not to meet his eyes.
"No she's not," Maya speaks up, "she is hurt she can't even sit."
"How were you planning to make it through school?" Owen questions and I can only shrug.
"We have to get going, call Fitz he'll come get you and you can hang out at his place for the day," Mike asserts.
"No I can't I have t…"
"Yes you can, you don't have work today, Adam and I can get the homework for you and Maya can tell the secretary that you're sick. Call Fitz or I'll skip practice to take you to my place," Mike asserts.
"Clare you won't make it through school and you'll be safe at Fitz's place," Maya sort of pleads with me.
"What about you?"
"I'll be fine," she insists.
"We'll take care of her," Owen assures me just as the coach blows the whistle for the team to get on the bus.
"Okay I'll call Fitz," I give in.
While I get out my phone to call Fitz Cam tells Mick to stay with me until Fitz picks me up. Fitz doesn't even ask questions just tells me he'll be at DeGrassi in a few minutes. Maya, Justin and Mick all wait with me until Fitz pulls up and then Maya hugs me.
"Don't go home this afternoon, not without me," I whisper to Maya and she nods.
I wave to them and get in Fitz's car, he gives me a compassionate smile when I get in but doesn't say anything. He drives us back to his apartment building, it's not too far from K.C. and only a few blocks from our house. I follow Fitz inside to his apartment on the fourth floor and he unlocks the door. It's a small one bedroom, from where we come in I see a small galley kitchen, a small balcony and a living room/dining room although Fitz doesn't have a dining table. I also see a door leading to the only bedroom so the washroom must be in there because it couldn't be anywhere else.
"I have to get ready for work, the washroom is through the bedroom. Make yourself at home, get anything you want from the kitchen. Meghan is out of school a little after one, she'll come and check on you and Dallas can come hang out after school, or after practice I guess. Owen can give him my address, if you need anything at all call the café. Is there anything you need right now?" Fitz asks.
"Ice," I reply quietly.
He smiles and grabs some ice from the freezer, wrapping it in a towel before giving it to me. Then he gives me the TV remote and goes into the bedroom to get ready. I turn on the TV and lie on my side on the sofa, it takes a moment to get comfortable and another moment to get the ice positioned between me and the back of the sofa so that it's soothing the right place. When I shiver I pull the throw blanket from the back of the sofa over me. I hear Fitz showering and getting ready and he leaves about an hour later, reminding me to make myself at home and call him if I need anything. When Fitz locks the door I begin to cry and can't seem to stop.
Update soon will pick up in either Maya or Cam pov and begin with their lunch date.