My cheek burns as the sound of his slap reverberates off of the walls. Zack's eyes are wide, shocked.

"Katie-" he begins, but I turn away and run towards the door.

He grabs my arm, but I dig my fingernails into his skin. "Get the hell away from me!" I exclaim. I halfway open the door, but he puts a strong hand on it, closing it with a bang.

I cross to the other side of the room, placing a hand on my tender cheek. "Leave me alone…just-just let me leave!"

"Katie, I'm so sorry!" he exclaims. "I-I didn't mean to hit you! I don't know what came over me!" He is still in shock, looking as if he's in a bad dream.

"Shut up, okay?" I say to him. "I don't want to hear it."

He crosses the room to come to me. I flinch away, but he grabs both of my hands.

I see a tear roll down his cheek. "I'm so sorry, Katie. Please just-just don't leave. Don't hate me. I love you." He pulls me into an embrace, where I reluctantly pat his back.

"Why'd you have to hit me?" I ask, beginning to cry. "I-I-I thought you loved me."

He pulls back, putting my face in his hands. "Of course I love you, sweetie. I don't know why I hit you. I'm sorry for pressuring you."

"Can I just leave?" I ask quietly.

"Please don't," he says. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I say tearfully. "But can I just have some time to think?"

He steps back. "So you aren't breaking up with me?"

"No," I say, no emotion in my voice. "But if you lay a hand on me ever again, I swear that I will." He pulls me into another hug, and kisses my head. If he does it again, I'm going to break up with him.

We all make promises that we don't keep.

...

He's just had a rough day, Katie, he's just had a rough day, I think over and over again as Zack shrieks at me for spilling Coke on his history paper. It's been two weeks since my birthday party, and until now Zack and I have been acting like normal teenage lovebirds. He even left flowers for me at home the other day, with a note reading, 'Yours Always, Zack'.

But now, even though he has another copy of it in his desk drawer, he's shouting me down because I ruined his paper. I wince when he steps too close, and he grabs my arm, squeezing extremely hard.

"Ah!" I exclaim breathlessly. I promised myself that if this happened again….

No, Katie, he doesn't mean to do it so hard! I scold myself. He lets go and storms to the other side of the room.

I speak up timidly. "What about the one in your…in your desk drawer?" I ask him quietly.

His head snaps up. His features are no longer twisted in anger, and I feel a weight come off my chest. I think I've just stopped his tantrum in its tracks.

"Oh, yeah," he says in realization, snapping his fingers. His eyes widen. "Oh, hell, Katie I wouldn't have…"

I wave a dismissive hand, but inside I'm screaming. "It's fine, Zack."

He walks over to me. "I'm sorry," he says sincerely. I feel like crying, knowing that he really is.

"Just go get your paper. It's fine." He kisses my cheek before he leaves.

When he shuts the door I break down. I lean against the wall and slide to the floor, my face in my hands. I remember my promise that I made only two weeks ago.

If he does it again, I'm going to break up with him.

I push that thought from my mind. This didn't really count as hitting me; it was probably an accident. He didn't mean to squeeze my arm so hard, I reason. He just wanted me to listen to him.

I am still crying though, and I stand up to go to the bathroom and cover up the bruise that's already forming on my left bicep. I walk past the cardboard cut-out of Kendall, which sends a twist of some emotion I can't describe up my stomach. I feel bile rise in my throat, seeing my brother's smiling face, knowing that this doppelganger saw everything that just happened.

I sprint into the bathroom, barely making it before vomiting. I stand up, turning to the mirror. My face is flushed, the ghost of the first slap still present on my cheekbone. I used makeup to cover that, also, but finally stopped two days ago.

I look around for something that I can use, and finally decide on using liquid foundation as a cover-up. Dabbing some on my finger, I rub it over my tender arm. Tears are still running down my face when the bathroom door opens.

"Shut up, Logan, maybe you shouldn't have bought me three drinks!" Haile is laughing as she enters the bathroom. She stops dead in her tracks when she sees me, though. Her face is shocked and confused, her eyes on my bruise, which is only half-covered with the tan foundation. I turn away, sniffling, and hear the door shut.

I turn around, but she is still standing there. Her arms are crossed.

"What's wrong?" she asks, concerned. I just shake my head. "Tell me."

"I'm fine, I just hit my shoulder really hard," I lie, and she sees through it.

She walks toward me, lifting my arm gently. "On someone's hand?" she asks doubtfully, cocking an eyebrow. She tucks a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear.

"It's nothing," I say. "He just got mad-"

"Who?"

I bite my lip. "Zack."

Her eyes grow wide, and she steps forward. "Katie…what did he do?"

"I spilled some Coke on his history essay." I rub my arm lightly.

"And he did this?" she asks, looking pointedly at my arm again. I shrug.

"I shouldn't have-"

"No, just stop," she says, closing her eyes. "He shouldn't be hurting you even if you did do that."

"Well, it's just this one time-"

"And where did that come from?" she asks, pointing at my cheek. "I noticed it yesterday." Damn, I think.

I scramble for an excuse. "Um, I just hit it on the…wall." I nod quickly.

"A hand-shaped wall?"

I sigh. "He did it on the night of my birthday."

She widens her eyes again. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Because," I mumble, looking at the floor. "I didn't want anyone to make a big deal out of it."

"It is a big deal though!" she exclaims, then adds quietly, "Why'd he do it?"

I hesitate.

"Katie? You don't have to tell me…"

"He did it because I wouldn't…you know…" I trail off, looking up at her again.

She rubs the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes. "Oh, Katie, he didn't."

I nod tearfully. "Yeah, yeah he did." She steps forward and hugs me. I am completely comfortable with it though, I need the comfort. And honestly, she is the only one that I trust with the knowledge of Zack's infrequent abuse. Kendall, the guys, Jo, or Mom would go completely off, resulting in the murder of my boyfriend. But I think Haile knows that I can make my own decisions, and that she doesn't want to involve herself or get in my business.

She says, "Why don't you just break up with him?"

I pull out of the embrace. "Because I love him," I tell her like it's obvious. It's true, though, and I can feel it in my heart.

"I can see why you would think that," she says. "But, Katie…this isn't good."

"I know," I sigh.

There are a few moments of silence, and then she surprises me by saying, "If it happens again, I'm telling Kendall."

"I can handle it myself," I tell her stiffly.

"I'm serious," she says. "I know that you want to make your own decisions, but this is serious." I feel warmth for her swell in my chest as her eyes fill. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

I smile slightly. "Nothing will," I promise her, knowing in the back of my mind that I might not be able to keep it.

There is a sudden knock at the door. "Haile, what's taking so long?" Logan whines playfully from the other side. She rolls her eyes.

"I'm adjusting my makeup!" she exclaims towards the door, giving me a look that says, Boys, you know how they are.

She opens the door, to Logan's glee, but his face becomes puzzled when I follow her out.

"Um…" he says, taking in my soppy appearance and wrinkling his nose in confusion. Haile holds up a hand.

"Don't ask," she says, and I know that he won't.

Of course, then the front door opens. Kendall, James, and Carlos march in, laughing about something. They freeze when they see me. There is only silence, and then Kendall looks at Logan and Haile.

"What's wrong?" he asks suspiciously, his eyes wide.

I search for some kind of explanation, and then nearly jump when one hits me. "These are happy tears," I say, wiping my face. "Zack told me he loved me!" I exclaim, putting a fake, bright smile on my face. They don't know that he has told me he loves me, only Carlos does. He and Kendall both narrow their eyes, but for different reasons.

"Don't you think things are moving a little fast?" Kendall asks.

"No, I don't, so shut your mouth," I say, even though things are moving fast, way too fast.

Carlos gives me a knowing look, one that means, We'll talk later. I nearly groan at the thought; there's no way I'm telling him.

I see James's reaction for the first time, and feel a jolt as I take in the look on his face. He looks extremely surprised, remorseful, and confused all at once. I honestly didn't think he would really care that much. He also gives me a knowing look, but I can't read this one like I did Carlos's.

Kendall heads to his room, and so does Carlos. Haile and Logan head to his room, which I know my mom wouldn't approve of.

It's funny how often they leave James and I in a room alone.

He shuffles his feet, looking at his black Converse like they're the most interesting things in the world. I roll my eyes.

"So," he finally says. "He said he loves you?"

I nod, rocking back and forth on my toes and looking at the couch.

"That's great," he says, but it's not that enthusiastic. "But, Katie, I'm worried about this whole thing." He sounds like Kendall; I feel a surge of relief at this, because it explains all of his weird behavior lately. He's just been trying to be brotherly and protective. It's like I've been holding my breath, waiting for confirmation on whether or not he has feelings for me, too. It closes the door on any thought that he might actually return the love I have for him.

I lock that metaphorical door by saying, "You don't need to worry. I love him back."

He is frozen for a second, and then seems to realize that he hasn't said anything. "But…you guys are moving so fast."

I cross my arms. "You sound like Kendall." I frown at him, and he doesn't answer.

"Have you ever noticed that if you turn the Converse star sideways, it'll look the same?" he asks me, looking at his shoes again. I furrow my brow and throw up my hands.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I dismiss the question. "The thing I'm trying to say, James, is that you and Kendall needn't be in my business. I can handle myself."

He looks at me doubtfully. "Why were you crying?" he asks suddenly.

I look at my hands. "I told you why."

"I don't buy it. You're the toughest girl I know, and you don't cry at happy things." He doesn't miss much, I'll give him that. He knows that I scoff at movies where the heroin tears up on her wedding day.

"Sure I do."

He steps toward me, until he is inches from my face. "What's wrong?" he asks softly.

I open my mouth, then close it before saying, "Nothing."

He smirks slightly. "I'm not buying it." But his face is still worried, and his eyebrows are drawn together in concentration, trying to read my expression.

"Well, get ready to make a purchase," I say. "Cause I'm telling the truth."

Now there is no amusement on his face, and he walks toward his room. He turns around to me before asking, "If something really was wrong, you'd tell me, right?"

Guilt floods my brain, but I say, "Of course," smiling and nodding. He opens his door slowly, and then closes it as he goes in, leaving me to wonder what the hell I'm going to do now.

Thanks to all my lovely reviewers, especially ToriKinzLovesBTR, for giving me quit a laugh when you said my sister's character was 'kind of unnecessary'.

And why does Katie lie to James? WHY? (**remembers that she has the power to make them do otherwise**) Oh, what the heck, let's make the readers squirm :)