When I got home, I didn't see anyone. I walked to my room.
Memories started flooding into my mind.
You should respect her.
I will do what I want in my relationship.
I grabbed my guitar and put the strap over my head.
I just think you should respect her (Respect her…respect her…)
I started playing, walking around my room.
I won't lie to you/ I know he's just not right for you/ And you can tell me if I'm off/ But I see it on your face/ When you say that he's the one that you want/
Her eyes when she left with him, popped in my head.
And you're spending all your time/ In this wrong situation/
I remember what Maya said about him texting her all night after we went to the movie.
And anytime you want it to stop
I know I can treat you better than he can/ And any girl like you deserves a gentleman/
The way Derrick looked at KC as she walked away the day we went to Marley's place resurfaced.
Tell me why are we wasting time/ On all your wasted crying/
I remembered her birthday when she walked out of the hall with tears in her eyes.
When you should be with me instead?/ I know I can treat you better/ Better than he can
I'll stop time for you/ The second you say you'd like me to/ I just wanna give you the loving that you're missing/ Baby, just to be that for you/
KC looking back at me before leaving the school after we finished our project…it's like she hesitated to leave.
Would be everything I need, and this could be so different/ Tell me what you want to do
'Cause I know I can treat you better than he can/ And any girl like you deserves a gentleman/
Everything I that told him at the party, I meant it.
Tell me why are we wasting time/ On all your wasted crying/
I remember when Maya told me she heard her crying in the bathroom.
When you should be with me instead?/ I know I can treat you better/ Better than he can/ Better than he can
Give me a sign/ Take my hand, we'll be fine/ Promise I won't let you down/
She grabbed my hand when I put it on her shoulder for comfort.
When she was leaving with him, I grabbed her hand. I didn't want to let her go. I wanted her to stay where she was safe.
Just know that you don't have to do this alone/ Promise I'll never let you down
She let go. She left with him.
'Cause I know I can treat you better than he can/ And any girl like you deserves a gentleman/
"You don't even deserve her."
Tell me why are we wasting time/ On all your wasted crying/
Her tear-soaked face when he held her against the wall resurfaced in my memory.
When you should be with me instead?/ I know I can treat you better/ Better than he can/ Better than he can/ Better than he can
I stopped playing. I started taking steady breaths.
"Hey," I heard my mom say.
I turned around and saw her in my doorway.
"Hey," I said.
"How was school?" she asked me.
"Good," I answered.
"So what was the live home performance about?" She asked, with a smile.
I took off my guitar and set it on its stand.
"Nothing, it's j—" Just a song… "Just letting out some thoughts."
"Really?" She asked. "About who?"
I sat on my bed.
"My friend," I started (I am my own friend right?), "saw something happen between his friend and her boyfriend."
She nodded.
"The boyfriend is a jerk to her, but my friend thinks he's the only one who realizes how bad it is," I told her.
She sat next to me, concern showing on her face.
"How bad what is?" She asked.
"Their relationship," I said. "How he treats her."
"What did you see?" She questioned me. I didn't look at her. "Hey." She lightly moved my face to look at hers. "What did you see?"
"I just see how bad he treats her," I admitted. "He doesn't deserve her."
"You said your 'friend' saw something happen," she reminded me.
"He had her pinned against the wall," I told her, "and the way he talked to her was like he was an animal." I looked in her eyes. "She doesn't deserve whatever he's doing to her. He doesn't deserve her. I want her to be safe. I want her to be with someone that treats her right. Not someone that looks at her like a piece of meat. She's beautiful, inside and out. But what's on the inside is more important that her body, because that's who she really is. And it feel like he's killing that part of her."
"It sounds like you love this girl," she suggested.
"I can't, mom. She's in a relationship," I tried to explain. "And besides, that would be adultery."
"No, it wouldn't be," she told me, putting her arm around me. "You're not lusting after her. You care about her and want her safe. That's love."
"I begged her to stay. I grabbed her hand and begged her to not leave with him. She left with him anyway. I could see the pain in her eyes, mom…" I told her, helplessly. "I don't know what to do."
"You should tell someone else that can help," she said, "or at least tell me what her name is."
"She'll just deny it," I said, getting tears in my eyes, "just like she has been." I looked at her again. "Can I be alone now?"
"Sure," she said.
She stood up and left my room.
I took out my phone. I texted KC.
Please let me know you're safe.
At ten, when I was about to go to bed, my phone buzzed.
I'm safe.