Amanda.

It was going to be a long day. I got home around one thirty, and to my relief, my house was silent. My hair was windblown, and Kim wasn't around, her bed empty. I took a hot shower to warm my skin. I was so cold, I felt it had frozen, and would never thaw out. The blood pulsing through my veins was ice water. I was trying to rationalize what had happened with Olivia. Maybe I would try to talk to her tomorrow. I can't imagine what I would do if someone found out about what went on here, if I hadn't meant to tell them.

Dammit I got soap in my eyes, they burned. Maybe I would react in the same manner. I wouldn't mean to be cold, it would just happen. I reasoned it was her defense against nosy little people. Probably why other people hadn't asked her, even Alex, and Casey. After getting out of the shower, the cold hair hit me like a truck, and I decided to talk to her tomorrow no matter what, but for now, I was going to bed. Sleep was the best place for me I decided.

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Casey.

After Alex dropped me off, I saw Olivia's lips move as I went inside. I couldn't read them, so I just smiled and waved. Amanda had been quiet on the ride home, and I wondered why. On the way over, she was talkative, her sense of humor something else that was an endearing quality. I was happy to have met her. Not to mention she played Softball. We could always use new players. Half the ones we had, were afraid of getting their nails broken. And you could infer what that means for our chances of winning anything.

Tossing my school bag next to the door in my room, I headed to the kitchen to grab a sandwich. I had been too preoccupied with talking to Olivia and working on our last project of the semester to eat anything at Alex's house. As I was looking in the refrigerator, the front door slammed, I guess Dad's home. "Caseee, where you at?" Grabbing all the necessities of a sandwich, I set them on the counter and kept quiet. It's always better for me when I keep quiet, hold my tongue, though that's the last thing I would rather do. My Dad is rather misogynistic at times, but I've just smile. After he came home from overseas, and Mom died, he's been different. He's all I had though, so I would deal with whatever nonsense he spouted grin and bear it, as Mom always said.

Sometimes my Dad get's so drunk, he forgets who I am I've decided. Or that is what I decided towards the fact, that he grabbed my wrist and squeezed until I was crying, my back against the wall. I don't think he knew who I was. Sloppy tears ran down my cheeks, with a chorus of "Dad stop. Dad."And three minutes later he's passed out and I'm in my room with an icepack. I've thought about telling Alex,and Olivia or Munch who has the cutest little glasses and controversial stories ever, but I wouldn't want them to be sad for me. There is too much sadness in this world already.

I know Olivia knows. I've watched her wear long sleeves in the Summertime, and cover up the bruises with thickly caked makeup. It's a good thing we went to drama camp in the fifth grade, or she would be a walking pallet of bruises. My wrist hurts, I move it around to make sure nothing is too entirely hurt. That makes it hurt even more. Awkwardly sitting up from my warm and toasty bed, I garner a trip to get some Tylenol but I am worried he's still my door it squeaks, "Daddy?" His snores echo from the bedroom, it's safe.

In the bathroom, the harsh light makes me look paler than I actually am. My arm throbs. Opening the medicine cabinet, I find just the right bottle I am looking for, and empty one, two, three, four pills into the palm of my hurting hand. It's more than you're supposed to take, but I am tired and nobody will swallowing the pills, I hit the mirror one day I can kick ass, put away those people who need help, like my Dad or whoever is hurting Olivia. But for now, I am tired, the sleepiness is weighing on my eyelids and I think it's time for a nap.

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Olivia.

I watched Amanda walk outside, and my mouth felt as if it was stuffed with cotton. What could I say that would help anyone? She had just admitted that she knew what I was going through, and in a sick way we were kindred spirits. Kindred spirits of child abuse, I wondered what the patron Saint of that would be. I'd have to ask Casey on an off day, she was Catholic after all. I should have followed her out, I thought to myself after a few minutes. Licking the last of the whip cream from the china cup, I pulled a few dollars from my pocket and left it on the table with Amanda's money. I couldn't stay here any longer. I was cold, tired, and I had just hurt the person who might have been able to help me the most. I saw it in her eyes. Walking back to my apartment, I let my fingers feel the cold metal of the fence posts. Kicked the rocks as they appeared under my feet. Anything to keep me from getting where I was going.

The apartment was locked when I got there, a good sign if anything. She was either out, or sleeping, and I didn't have to deal with her either way. I shivered, taking off my clothes. A warm wash cloth to wipe the makeup off. My face looked horrible. My body felt horrible. At least if I was sleeping, nobody wouldn't be hurting, I wouldn't be hurting. Yes, sleep was a welcome.

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The next few days were quiet. Amanda was still upset from the way Olivia acted and what she said, and Olivia didn't know how to apologize. After that night with her Dad, Casey was also preoccupied with something she didn't care to tell anyone. Not even Munch when he said how cute she looked in her teal rimmed glasses. Despite the quietness of the group, they welcomed another new member to the group, her name was Melinda and she was a scientific genus, as Alex found out that first day when Melinda basically called Sonia an idiot in not so laments terms with a cliché filled scientific description of stupidity. Alex could tell that Fin liked her, he always got quiet when she was around, and this made her smile. "I'd smile more though,"she said to herself as she watch them all interact around the lunch table, all of them not quite honest, "If I knew what the hell was going on."