Chapter 14- Bang, Bang, You're Dead

"Hey"
Liberty looked up and then started to gather her things to move.
"Libby come on!" he pleaded.
"What?" she snapped.
He smiled slowly, hoping to win her over. "I'm sorry about the other night ok? I mean of course you're not with JT. You wouldn't cheat on me."
She narrowed her eyes. "Sean, I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not with you either. We broke up remember? So even if I was with JT, which I'm not, it shouldn't matter to you."
The smile dropped off his face and he sighed. "All I ever did was love you. Why the hell are you making this hard?"
"What the hell are you talking about? And love me, is that what you did? I don't think so. Last time I checked love was nice. What you do, did, is not nice," she snapped.
"I didn't do anything," he said through clenched teeth.
She glared at him. "Then tell me Sean, why do I have to wear long sleeve shirts when it's 70 degrees outside?"
"Because you're clumsy and you fall a lot," he supplied in a warning tone.
Liberty just snorted. "Whatever. Look I have to go. Stay the hell away from me," she said as she got up and turned to leave.
Sean caught her arm and she winced in pain as he grabbed an old bruise that he, himself gave her. "I'm not finished! You are my girlfriend Liberty and I don't know if you know this but girlfriends respect their boyfriends. Or do I have to teach you how?" he threatened in her ear.
She was breathing slowly and controlled, like she taught herself to over the years but inside she was freaking out. She hated him. There was no way that she was going to let him touch her ever again. But she couldn't just let the cat out of the bag and tell people, because that would just make matters worse.
"Hey, what's going on?" another voice asked.
Liberty looked up to see Paige and Marco walking towards her and Paige did not look happy to see Sean.
Sean instantly let go of her and smiled. "Marco, hey!" he smiled as he walked over to his friend. Liberty let her breath out in short spurts as he walked away and her other friend approached her.
"What was that?" she asked lowly.
"It was nothing ok? Just…mind your business."
Paige shot her friend a hurt look. "Liberty, you've been my best friend since we were little. Your business is mine. Especially since…" she trailed off. She wasn't supposed to let her know that JT told her about Sean.
"Especially since what?" she snapped looking into her eyes. She knew Paige knew. Looking into her eyes and seeing the fear and anger in them, she knew.
"Why are you wearing those shirts?" she whispered.
"Because I'm cold. Forget it ok?"
Paige looked over at her boyfriend and his friend and scowled as Sean got up to leave.
"What was that look for?" Marco asked confused as he came over to the girls.
"I just…really don't like him," she finished.
Marco perched on a table and shot her a confused look. "Ok…"
Paige tucked her long blonde hair behind her ear and looked at Liberty. She was going to hate her now, she was sure of that. But it couldn't keep going on like this.
"He…hits-"
"I have to go," Liberty said suddenly as she got up to go.
Paige stood up in front of her. "Show me," she insisted.
Marco looked at Paige like she was growing three heads. "She just has to go Paige. What's your deal?"
"Leave. Me. Alone," Liberty said slowly, tears pooling in her eyes.
"You used to tell me everything…even then things you didn't want to. Remember that? No secrets?" Paige asked as a tear fell.
Liberty sniffed. "I have to go," she said pushing past her and walking out, swiping her eyes as she did so.
"I know that he hits you!" Paige called out to her. Marco stared and Liberty stopped.
"What the fuck is going on here?" Marco asked slowly as he got up and walked over to Paige. "Sean wouldn't hurt a fly. I've known him for years. What the hell is the matter with you?" he asked kind of angrily.
Liberty let out a sarcastic laugh. "Wouldn't hurt a fly. No, just people." She walked back over to them slowly.
"Will someone please let me in on the little fucking secret already?" Marco asked spreading his arms wide, indicating that he was fed up.
Paige grabbed her friends hand, gently and rolled up the sleeve to reveal the black and blue fingerprints on her arm.
"Lib…" she whispered crying with her friend now.
Marco looked at the arm repulsed. "Who did that?"
"You best friend Sean did, that's who!" Paige yelled bitterly.
Marco stood back, floored. "Sean…Sean did that to you? He hits you?" he asked slowly in disbelief, still staring at her arm.
When neither one of them responded he turned to go. "I have to go," he said lowly.
"Marco!" Paige called.
"Where's he going?" Liberty asked in a panic as the door shut behind him.
Paige shook her head slowly. "I have no idea…"

"Will you please just think about it?"
Emma rolled her eyes as she grabbed a lighter to light her cigarette. "Yes Dad, I'll be sure to."
Jimmy scowled as he knocked the cigarette out of her mouth. "And stop doing that shit," he snapped.
"Why? They can't give me cancer. I already have that," she replied looking away.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked her softly. When he found out earlier that day he had genuinely been hurt that she didn't tell him and Manny first, but Jay instead.
"I was going to. And the lady at the hospital said you were free. So I was walking to your house and Jay picked me up. It's not like I planned on telling him Jim."
"And that kiss…."
She smiled. "Was nice."
Jimmy sat up and looked at her, eyes wide. "Excuse me!"
"He kissed me. And then I kissed him ok? He likes me….and I think…I think I like him too," she admitted softly.
"You have no idea what you're talking about."
"Jimmy I have cancer, not amnesia. I know what I'm talking about thank you!"
"Emma…you know that you'll only wind up hurt. And right now-"
"Right now I need to have fun ok? And that's what happens when I'm with him. I have fun," she said as she started to get up.
"Em!" he called after her.
"Call me when you're not going to lecture me ok?" she asked walking backwards into the school.

"Hey Paige, what's going on?" the red head asked as she opened her door.

"Have you seen Marco? He ran off this afternoon and I'm not sure I exactly trust him at the moment-"

"Yeah. He's here," Ellie sighed, opening the door for her to come in.

"So he told you?" Paige questioned hesitantly as she walked in.

"Umm…well he said that Sean was going to die. And that's about it so far. What's going on though? I mean I know Sean is an asshole who can't keep a girlfriend…"

"Yeah…did you ever wonder why he can't keep a girlfriend?"

"Because he cheats on them," Ellie said matter of factly.

Paige snorted and Marco came into the hallway. "Sorry…for this afternoon…" he said not exactly looking at her.

Paige just lowered her eyes as well and nodded. After a minute she looked back up at her qausi-boyfriend. "Just don't…do anything stupid ok? Like don't say anything to him…"

"Paige!" he started.

"I know ok! I know. Trust me you think I wouldn't like to have a go at him? I'll be first in line hun. But you can't ok? Do it for me…for Liberty."

Ellie was watching her two friends like a tennis match before she put her hands up. "Alright…let's play a little game. It's called tell Ellie what the hell is going on. Here's how we play-"

"Sean can't keep a girlfriend just because he cheats on them," Marco jumped in.

Ellie stayed silent and looked at them expectantly.

"Well…."

Paige sighed and closed her eyes as if it pained her to say it. "He beats them," she said softly.

Ellie shook her head as if she heard them wrong. "I'm sorry. Did you just say that Sean beats his girlfriends? See, that's where you're wrong. I've known Sean for years and years…he wouldn't do that. Sorry Paige…but I really think that you're jumping to accusations here," she said crossing her arms.

"El…I've seen it ok? You know he's been going out with Liberty. Well today I saw exactly why she stays with him. If you've ever noticed the girl wears long sleeve shirts. It's like 85 degrees outside!"

"No. You're wrong ok? I know him. He's been there for me when no one else was. And now you guys just think you can-"

"Look. I'm sorry alright? I understand that he's like your brother or something but Liberty has been my best friend since I was in diapers. She wouldn't lie about this…and she's not. The two of us have seen the proof. What more proof do you need?" Paige asked.

Ellie stayed silent for a minute and looked at them.

"You know we wouldn't lie about this Ellie," Marco said quietly.

Ellie shook her head silently, tears forming slowly in her eyes as she heard what her friends were saying. "I know."

The brunette took a deep breath and walked up to the blonde slowly. "Paige, hey," she said with false brightness.

Paige in turn, looked at her coldly. "What do you want Ashley?"

"I just thought that we could…hang out or something. Haven't seen much of you lately," she finished with a shrug.

Paige looked around like she was being Punk'd. "Are you kidding me? Is there a camera somewhere?"

Ashley just looked at her confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I know what you did Ashley. Did you think I wouldn't find out? That little stunt that you did at the dance…drugging Emma's drink? Real cute. What's even cuter…is that you thought it was mine! Funny huh? Well you know what I find funny? How Ellie doesn't even talk to you anymore. That's right. We're friends; me and her. And there's nothing you can do about it Ashley. Drug all my drinks if you want. Don't think you won't be found out," she turned on her heel.

Ashley just stood in the corridor, head spinning. "Who told you that bullshit? I wouldn't drug you!"

Paige just snorted. "Riiight. So Jay and Ellie were lying then eh? Don't think so. Do me a favor…don't talk to me ok?"

Ashley was left alone in the corridor, staring after the blonde. Great, now everyone knows that I fucked up. Wait…what the hell? I helped make that girl! Before me and El she was just a little loser with only books for friends. Who is she to dictate to me who I can and can not talk to? And Ellie just hasn't talked to me because she's been busy. God that girl needs some serious help… she thought to herself as she picked up her cell phone.

"Ellie, hey!" she said happily when her friend picked up. "You will never believe what Paige just said to me! What do you mean you know? I haven't even told you yet. Well where did you get that insane lie from?" she asked putting her hand on her hip. "From me? I never said anything like that! You know I would never do that to someone! Ellie…hello?" she sighed and hung up the phone, cursing herself for talking out loud in front of her friend.

"Hey," Jay said as he plopped down next to Emma at her desk.

She looked at him and gave a brief smile. "What's up?"

"So…about yesterday…." He started.

"What about it?"

"Emma…we kissed…..and you told me…"

"Just forget it ever happened ok?" she asked not looking at him.

"Look at me," he said suddenly.

She closed her eyes and sighed. "What?" she asked more impatiently as she turned to look at him.

"Do you really want me to forget that we kissed? And that we told each other how we felt? Or how about that you told me that you have-"

"Jay! Do we really have to do this? Right here, right now?" she cut him off.

He arched an eyebrow to insinuate the message why not.

She sighed. "Fine. Do I want you to forget it?" she took a breath. She could lie and say yes forget everything ever happened and go on her merry way. Or she could tell him the truth. And the rate that they were going…she was probably better off with the truth. "No I don't ok? But it's better this way. Trust me, you'll see that I'm right. You have your friends that think I'm a hag bitch and I have my friends that would rather die than see me with you. It would just…save both of us a lot of stuff," she finished lamely.

He looked around for a minute and then looked back at her. "Do you think I care? Do you really think I care what my friends think? If I did, I wouldn't have brought you to the dance. And I'm guessing that if you really cared what your friends say…then you wouldn't have said yes. So tell me the real reason here Emma."

She sighed and looked up at him slowly, meeting his electric blue eyes. "I'm not doing chemo," she whispered.

He shook his head as if he didn't get it.

She sighed. "I'm not doing chemo. I'm giving up Jay. Maybe you don't get that. Someday, probably soon I won't be here anymore. And then where will you be?" she asked, her voice getting thick.

His eyes grew softer at that and he smiled and touched her hand. "I don't care about that Emma. What I'm trying to understand is why you don't want to be happy for the time you have left?" he asked as he looked in her eyes.

She looked at his hand and then at him and smiled softly. "I do want to be happy. I just know I'm going to hurt people in the long run."

He stood up, still holding her hand, hauling her to feet as well. "You know what I say?"

She looked at him like he had three heads. "Umm…no?"

"Fuck 'em all. Let's go," he said turning to walk away.

She looked around for the teacher and not seeing her, followed him out.