CHAPTER TWO: Finding out the truth...
"Cammie, what happened to you?" Violet demands forcefully, as she looks down at the scratches and bruises all over her best friends shoulders, and arms.
Cammie continues crying hysterically. "Vi, I don't think that you can help me."
"Well, I'm going to get Rachel or Lil then ok?"
Cammie hesitates for a minute and then nods, as her head falls into her hands. "Please just get someone to help me." Cammie adds quietly, before Violet runs out of the room.
"Lil! Lil!" Violet yells loudly.
"Geez, Jersey, what is so important?"
"It's Cammie. She's hurt."
"What?" Lil replies, confused.
"And upset...and she won't tell me what's wrong." Violet continues. "She has these bruises that.....
"OH NO!" Lil interrupts. "I knew that it would happen again."
"Knew that what would...." Violet begins to say.
But Lil has already run to the other side of the bar and grabbed the microphone. "I'm sorry everyone but we're closing now. An emergency has come up. Please come back at the normal time tommorrow."
"Lil, what are you doing?" Rachel screams from on top of the bar.
"Rach, Zoey, come here." Lil yells at them. She isn't angry at them, just upset about Cammie. "Lou, make sure everyone gets out of here now." Lil orders the security guard.
Rachel and Zoey immediately jump off the bar and run towards Lil.
"What's wrong?" Zoey asks, looking a little scared.
"Just...come with me." Lil replies, as she leads them towards the storage room. Violet follows them quietly.
"Cammie, what is it? What happened this time?" Lil says, a little too quickly.
Cammie continues to sob, and becomes a little embarassed because all her friends have to see her like this.
"What's wrong?" Rachel asks, confused.
"Look." Lil replies, as she lifts Cammie's sleeves.
"Oh no..." Zoey mutters quietly.
"Hey hey," Rachel begins to say, "Don't jump to conclusions now, Lil."
Violet looks confused, and sad at the same time.
"Cammie, who did this to you?" Rachel demands.
"It...was....nobody. I just...." Cammie begins to say.
"Cammie Michelle, if you have one decent bone in your little body, you will not lie to me right now!" Rachel screams, getting frustrated.
"So much for not jumping to conclusions!" Zoey giggles.
Lil gives her a stern look, that basically says, shut up now.
"OKAY IT WAS AL AGAIN!" Cammie begins to cry hard.
"Shhh...." Rachel says, as she leans down to hug her friend.
"Cammie, this has got to stop!" Lil announces.
"I know!" Zoey agrees. "You can't keep going back to him, honey."
"I know, but he always apologizes, and I really think he means it and he might stop eventually...." Cammie says, wiping tears from her face.
"Cammie, you deserve so much better than that jerk." Rachel tells her.
Cammie nods. "But it was mostly my fault. I didn't have his dinner ready on time and..."
"Cammie! You know that's no excuse, don't you?" Rachel asks her. "He has a problem~a serious one."
Cammie nods, and bites her lip.
"Can someone fill me in?" Violet asks sweetly.
Rachel stands up, and motions to Violet to follow her. I'm going to go get you a drink, okay Cam?"
Cammie nods, and halfway smiles at Rachel as she leaves. Lil and Zoey continue to comfort Cammie.
"Who is Al? Her boyfriend?" Violet asks, as Rachel fills up a water bottle for Cammie.
"Yeah, soon to be ex-boyfriend when I get through with him." Rachel says angrily.
Violet giggles slightly. "What are you going to do?" she asks, folding her arms across her chest.
"I wish I could kill him, but we both know that I can't. Rachel says sarcastically.
Violet laughs, and Rachel smiles at her. That was the first time that Violet had ever truly seen Rachel smile.
"See, Cammie and Al have been "serious" for about two years. A few months after they started dating, bofore you starte working here, he got drunk and beat her up pretty bad because of some silly little things that she forgot to do."
"Do they live together?" Violet asks.
"Oh....no" Rachel laughs. "Cammie has never lived with a guy her whole life."
Violet's eyes widen. "Wow....I thought she...."
"Yeah, that's what she likes to make people think. She's the "Russian Tease" It really is just a nickname. But anyways....she had to go to the hospital and we told the doctor that she fell off the bar. I thought it was a one-time thing, but I guess not. Every week she started coming to work with bruises. None of the attacks were as bad as the very first one, but they were all bad. Cammie didn't want anyone to know about it, but me and Zoey always have a way of getting her to talk. Lil always told us that it would could happening again and again. I just never wanted to believe it. Cammie just loves Al so much, don't ask me why. I wish I could change everything for her." Rachel sighs. "I just feel like I need to protect her."
"Do you think he cheats on her?" Violet asks, with seriously.
"Oh yeah. Zoey caught him one time at the mall with another girl. He said it was his "sister" Pleaseeeeee!" Rachel answers, shaking her head in disgust.
"Well, just tell me what I need to do." Violet assures her. "Anything for Cammie."
"You really mean that, don't you?" Rachel asks, as she pick up Cammie's drink.
Violet nods.
"Ya know what Jersey? I'm glad that you started hanging around Cammie, and me too. You're not half bad.
"Thanks." Violet giggles. "I think."