Hey you! After the encouraging reviews from last chapter and after making some free time here goes Chapter 8. Just FYI I have a two week break from school very very soon so there is gonna be a chapter every day! Hopefully you will follow me through that journey. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, the characters belong to Dick Wolf but this particular plot is all mine!
I never felt like this with somebody
I never thought I'd feel like I do
I never felt this close with somebody
Somebody, somebody but you
~Somebody, Dagny
Rafael was the first one to arrive at the park and approach the bench the girls were sitting. Before saying anything he grabbed both of them and took them into his arms.
"Okay, Raf, unless you want us dead due to asphyxiation, I would suggest you let go." Olivia said, her tone light, trying to calm down her obviously very worried guy friend.
Rafael cleared his throat and let go off both of the girls. He looked at Olivia and gave her a smile and then his eyes lingered over Amanda. He extended the hand that was holding her backpack in order for the blonde to take it. She took it, her hands slightly touching his, and gave him one of her softest smiles.
"Thanks." Was all she said.
A very awkward silence fell upon them and no one knew what to do or how to react to the news. For the love of God, they were only seventeen years old. Abuse, addiction and loss wasn't the teenage problems they had expected when they were thirteen and carefree.
Amanda started getting frustrated. "Are we seriously gonna act like this from now on? There are gonna be long pauses, you will all be too afraid to talk because your friend is a battered little dog? C'mon, guys, I can't have that. I prefer to go back home if that's gonna be the case." She threw her backpack on the bench and took a cigarette to light, the fifth for the night. She light it up and turned her back tonher friends.
When Olivia went to say something Rafael stopped her with his hand. "Give her a second." He mouthed at the brunette who nodded in understanding.
A few seconds later, the Latino boy was approaching her from behind. He softly place his hands on her shoulders and span her around. When he took a look in her eyes and saw how glossy they were from unshed tears he took her into his arms. Amanda leaned into his touch and hid her head in the crook of his neck. A tear left her eye, wetting the exposed skin of the future DA.
"Amanda look at me for a sec, will ya?" When the blonde girl raised her head, still in Rafael's arms, he continued. "We are not gonna treat you any differently. I am not gonna treat you any differently. But you got to understand that this," he pointed with his head toward the bruising on her face, "This is all new to us. We are still trying to figure out what to do, how we should react. Do you trust us?" When the southern blonde nodded, Raf placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Okay, now, wipe those gorgeous eyes of yours and get yourself ready because I see Fin coming and he looks a bit pissed." He pulled away from the hug and let the blonde straighten her shirt and wipe the remnants of tears under her eyes.
Olivia, who had watched the scene unravel in front of her, realized that there was a lot more to discuss than she initially thought.
"Okay, someone care to explain why the fuck am I at Central Park at 6am in the morning?" Fin yelled standing right behind Amanda who was still smoking her cigarette in hopes that the nicotine would calm her nerves down. She then turned around to look at Fin.
"Good morning to you too, Tutuola!" She said with a wide smile on her face.
Fin was ready to yell something at her but held back when he took in the appearance of the blonde. The messy hair, the bloodshot eyes from crying, the exhaustion, even the fact that she was wearing the same outfit as the day before. He also took notice of the bruising, that seemed to be pretty much all over the place.
"Babygirl, what happened?" His tone now soft and with a hint of worried.
And just like that, Amanda began narrating the story of the past year and a half, putting on the 'apathy' facade once again. As she was talking, she could see Fin's facial expressions: worry, sadness but most of all, fury. He had to sit there and listen to his friend, describing the abuse she has been suffering on her own for such a long time and feel like a complete idiot for not paying closer attention.
"So yeah, that's pretty much it." The blonde finished putting out her cigarette and dumping the cigarette bud in the dumpster next to the bench.
"You say it like it's not a big deal, babygirl, but it is a big deal. A huge deal to be precise." Amanda shrugged it off like it was nothing.
'God, this is stupid.' Amanda thought. Or at least she did but when her friend's outburst occurred she realized she had said it out loud.
"Stupid? Really, Rollins? Stupid? That's the word you wanna go with?" An outraged Olivia yelled. "You know, I have sat day after day, with you holding me and telling me that abuse is not okay, my mother treating me like that, beating me, is not okay and I have to stand here looking at you acting like it's fucking nothing when it concerns yourself?" She started pacing up and down in front of the bench.
Olivia's words were like stab wounds in her chest, tearing her heart in half. She lowered her head, suddenly too ashamed to look at her best friend, any of them for that matter. She slowly took her backpack and placed it on her back, readying herself to leave.
"Where do you think you are going?" Liv turned around and came to a halt before the blonde.
"You are right, you shouldn't have to look at me. Not you or any of you. So, we can go back and pretend that this conversation never happened. I shouldn't have said anything in the first place, if it wasn't for that damn poem you would still be fucking oblivious and if I am being honest I preferred it like that. So, I am gonna take off, and go home to my sister who will be back from her sleepover soon." As she was ready to stand up and leave, three sets of hands pushed her gently back down.
"If you think I am letting you go home, you are wrong." Rafael stated firmly.
"Oh really? And what do you suggest, babe? I move into your house forever? I don't think Mrs. Barba is gonna be too happy to hear that her son's girlfriend is going to be camping on his bed!" She said sarcastically not second thinking the words flying from her mouth. When what she had said registered in, her face turned red. When she was ready to try and explain her words, Rafael's voice stopped her.
"You know what Amanda? You might be my girlfriend but you are also my friend and I am not letting you go home knowing that not only someone else is gonna hurt you but you might actually hurt yourself." He sat down next to her in the bench and took her in his arms. "It hurts too much knowing that you can't see you through my eyes. Because if you could, God, you'd see how absolutely amazing you are." He kissed her temple and she snuggled further into his arms, like a small baby in need of some love and warmth.
"Well, clearly Barba has little hearts in his eyes when he says that but, and I think I speak for both me and Fin when I say that, you would see the same thing from our point of view too." And just like that Liv joined the hug, and then a bit more reluctantly Fin did the same. "Sorry for bursting out on you like that before."
"S'alright, I probably deserved it." Amanda said sniffling.
"Shut up!" Said all three of her friends together. That made Amanda laugh with her heart, something that she hasn't done in days.
"Okay, I know you all are worried but I really need to get home. My sister is gonna need me, I really need a shower and my mom might be worried if she calls home and I am not there." Said Amanda when the group freed her from the hug, all except for Rafael.
"When I say I am not letting you go, Amanda, I mean it. You can call your sister and tell her to stay at her friend's for as long as she can. Meanwhile, I remember from a couple of months ago, that you can sneak into your house through a back door. So, you are gonna sneak in, pack a few things and then we are gonna go back to my place." He said tightening his grip around her just a little, in order to reassure the blonde.
"And what if things get out of hand? And Kim takes the fault or my mom? I mean she is going to be in Atlanta for at least one more week but after that? Plus I don't think your mom would appreciate my presence." She turned her head a little to look up at him. He gave her one of his most charming smiles and she sighed in surrender. "Fine, you win. I am staying with you. For this weekend and this weekend only. Have I made myself clear?" He nodded, not very willingly but he didn't wanna push it too far.
"Okay, now that we figured out a plan to keep you safe, short of, when the hell dis this happen?" Liv said pointing her finger between the couple.
"Overnight. Literally." Amanda chuckled. Olivia started the 'aws' along with Fin. "Don't push it." The southern girl said strictly and removed herself from her boyfriend's embrace. "Liv, what are you gonna do? You can't go back at your house either."
Liv puffed and made a gesture with her hand. "She will be sober by now, so that means I am safe." When she saw the unconvinced look that Amanda was giving her she rolled her eyes. "Seriously, I am going to be fine. I promise if something happens I will call you." Somewhat reassured the blonde stood up.
"If we wanna make it home before the beast wakes up, we need to hurry. My place is closer from here so we are going to mine's first. Then we are leaving Fin and then Liv, I am personally going to walk you through your apartment's door and then tack you into bed." When nobody moved she raised her voice. "Move your asses people! It is 7am, I am incredibly cold and I need sleep, all of us do. So the sooner you move the sooner you rest." That was enough to get them all moving.
After they went to Amanda's, for her to grab a bag of clothes, a toothbrush, some tampons, cause you never know, and some books for school and literature just for fun, they left without any turmoil. When they dropped of Olivia, Amanda kept her promise and literally tacked her into bed, the time was 8:30 in the morning and they had just walked into the Barba apartment once again.
"Where were you? Do you know how-" Mrs. Barba started talking, incredibly worried, but stopped when she looked at Amanda. "Oh, I am so sorry I didn't mean..." she trailed off.
"No, I am the one who is supposed to be sorry. I am sorry for dragging your son out of bed in the middle of the night, for taking advantage of your hospitality and... well I guess for short of camping at your place." Amanda chuckled through the last few phrases. "Ma'am, I know I look like a mess. Well, I am a mess, I suppose, considering my disheveled appearance, but I don't want you worrying about me. I will be fine." She gave her a warm smile and headed for Rafael's bedroom unable to take any more peaty from the older woman.
"Just, give her some time, mother? I basically forced her to stay with us this weekend so, just go easy on her. Quit the looks and all, just be like the first time you met her, before you saw the bruises." When his mother nodded, he gave her a kiss on the cheek and went to follow Amanda.
This was going to be a very long and interesting weekend.
That was it! The next chapter is gonna be their weekend together. There is gonna be a little smut and some serious talk and a talk with Mrs. Barba and Amanda! Ain't that gonna be interesting to read. Leave reviews and tellme what you think. All love, have a nice day or night!