~Monique~

I flickered my eyes opened and I was immediately startled at how late it was. The sky was dark, stars were out. I tried to sit up but my head was pounding so I fell back onto the grass. Out of the corner of my eye I could see a chair and I managed to pull myself up onto it, slowly. I sat for a moment, Ietting my eyes adjust to the light and my head clear. I tried to remember what happened and as soon as I did I wished I hadn't. Kyle was a monster, but it was my fault. In the back of my head I really thought he had changed, I was wrong. I sat there and felt sorry for myself for a good ten minutes and then I brushed the tears out of my eyes, stood up, rather shakily, and went inside. It was dark in the house, my mother had probably thought I went out with Kyle. I sure did. My father was out of town, big surprise, so I wasn't worried. I inched around the corner so I wouldn't have to run into Dee or Randolph. Then I bolted up the stairs to my room and when I got inside I pulled out my old cheerleading duffle bag. I began raiding my closet and dresser, throwing everything I could get my hand on inside. When I was satisfied I went to the bathroom to get other important items. When I was finished I swept the room with my eyes just to make sure that I hadn't forgotten anything. I went over to my vanity and took the picture of Scott and I out of the silver metal frame and stuffed the picture into my jeans pocket. Then I walked out and went downstairs. I continued to make sure no one would see me but I doubted it, everyone was off by now. I found the keys to the Mercedes on the wall along with an array of more assorted keys. I pulled them off the wall and clenched them tightly into my fist. The car sat in the garage with the others in a nice neat row of chrome and leather interiors. Luckily the garage door had been left open so I hopped into the Mercedes, started the car and with one last look around, I drove into the night.

~Scott~

I walked into Peter's office and I immediately knew something was wrong . One because Sophie was there looking incredibly worried and because Monique was sitting in one of the chairs when she was supposed to be at home.

"What's going on?" I said looking from Peter to Sophie and then Peter to Monique.

No one said anything but then Mo got up and walked out. Strangely no one went after her, but Peter nodded to follow her. His eyes told me she had something to say, but couldn't say it here. I caught up with her and walked beside her in silence for a few steps. Then she turned to me and I noticed the bluish black mark on her cheek but I didn't ask. Not yet.

"So, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be paying the parents a visit or you couldn't take it anymore and had to come back." I meant it as a feeble attempt at a joke but she didn't even smile.

"You could say that." She said. Then we continued to walk in silence. I placed a hand on her arm and stopped her so that she was facing me. She grimaced with the slight touch but stood there in the darkness, biting her lip and letting tears fall down her cheeks. I pulled the sleeve up where I had rested my hand and there was another bruise.

"Oh my god, Mo."

"I know." She whispered. She slowly began pulling up her shirt up to her ribs. Another bruise, this one smaller but just as menacing. Then she turned around and I could see the two she had on her back. She pulled her shirt down and stood without talking infront of me.

"There are more aren't there." I said more as a statement then a question.

She nodded. "Kyle."

As soon as she said the name anger began to churn up inside me. I hadnt felt this kind of violent anger since my first months at Horizon. It scared me but it felt good. I hated Kyle. Next time I saw him I was going to beat his brains out. She didn't look hurt emotionally and that was what made me nervous. When something like that stops making a dent and starts becoming commonplace, that's when there are problems.

"What happened?" I asked her. She sighed.

"Well, I got home. Everything was peachy as usual, at least to my mother. She decided to surprise me with a little visit from Kyle. She obvioulsy didn't understand the first time I told her I never wanted to see him again. Of course she was always trying to push us together because his father was wealthy, the perfect match. He was the perfect gentlemen, until I told him to get lost and he got mad, etc. Then he decides to add more kick to his words." She chuckled sarcastically at this.

"Monique it's not funny." I said sternly. She stopped laughing.

"What else am I supposed to do mope around. There's nothing I can do, Scott. No one would ever believe that their precious star football player would do something like this."

"You have the bruises, the evidence."

"Like they would care. They all think im loose anyway. I can hear it now. ;That's just what that Payton girl had coming to her.' No one is going to care. So just leave it alone. I'm here now, I'm not going home. Peter already called my mom and she just said to stay. She's coming to pick the car up tomorrow though."

I let her win but I still wasn't happy. "Just be careful okay."

"I will. Nothing can hurt me, I'm safe here. I'm with you."

I said alright but for some reason knowing that still didn't comfort me. I went to sleep that night wondering if Shelby ever went through the same thing.

~Monique~

I bounded out of bed in the morning and I was feeling unusually happy. It was odd. I never felt so light before. Maybe it was because I realized that I did have enough courage to escape and I made it this far so how much more can there be. Peter wasn't happy that I stole my mother's car and ran away but instead of giving me shuns he just put me on kitchen duty. I could handle that. At this moment I could handle anything. I got dressed and today I wore that silver angel. I went down to the kitchen and on my way I noticed a black BMW driving up to the front entrance of the school. It stopped and a woman got out. It was my mom. I walked down to the car and faced her.

"Sorry about stealing the car."

She had pressed her lips into a thin line which I automatically knew meant that she was trying to surpress her anger.

"I'm sure you did." I handed her the keys, that at the last second I remembered to pick up. Last night Peter had said he wanted them. Just in case you decide to run again, were his exact words. As she took the keys I saw the passenger side of the BMW open. I figured it was my father but it wasn't. It was Kyle. Again.

~Scott~

Shelby and I walked hand in hand down to the kitchen because it was our turn for kitchen duty that day. I looked around for Mo and I saw her talking to a women and man by a car.

"Hey, Shel. I'll meet you at the kitchen okay."

"Sure but don't be late. You know how Sophie gets." She pecked me on the cheek and left. I went towards the group and the closer I got the angrier I got. It was her mother. And Kyle Thornberg.

"Scott!" He was the first one to see me and greeted me with a wide friendly grin. I shot a look of venom back at him and his smile faded. Monique saw me standing next to her and she got nervous. Her mother had gone back into the car and I assumed she was waiting for Kyle who had the nerve to talk to Monique. Apparently he was trying to apologize but Mo wasn't cooperating. I was proud of her.

"I haven't seen you in a long time. The team really misses you. It just isnt the same without our other star." He said trying to make conversation. I moved infront of Monique which made me very close to him. I was as good two inches taller than him but we were the same in weight.

"If you touch her again I will personally see to it that you hurt for a very long time." I growled through clenched teeth. He looked shocked but recovered quickly. His eyes narrrowed menacingly.

"I don't know what that whore told you but--.." He began but was cut short by my fist flying hard into his nose. He instinctively held his hand to his nose. Then he reacted with an uppercut to my jaw. Fortuantely I am quick and I kneed him in the stomach, hard. He fell back and I jumped on top of him, throwing furious punches into his face. By this time anyone who was around had stopped and was watching the show. Mrs. Payton flew out of her car and was standing by yelling for us to stop. Kyle was at my mercy and I wouldn't let him forget it.

"How does it feel now that you're the victim! Huh! How does it feel!"

I continued to pound him. I wasn't even thinking about him. It was as if I was just throwing punches into a pillow. His face was bloodied but no amount of pain seemed sufficent, he had to suffer, she had suffered.

"This is for Mo, and for all of the other girls that ever had the misfourtune of being hooked up with you! What kind of coward beats up women! Fight with someone your own size you freaking bastard!"

I punched, pounded and screamed until I head someone scream.

"Scott! Stop!"

It was Mo. Shelby had come on the seen and they both were trying to pull me off of him. After a few more punches, I let them and I stood up, breathing hard. I wanted one more round, just one more. Shelby wrapped her arms around my waist in an effort to calm me and Mo was kneeling next to Kyle who was moaning in pain. By this time Peter and other counselors were there but they were only in enough time for the clean up. The damage had been done.

"Scott, my office. Now." Peter said after he had helped Kyle off the ground and sent him safely to the school nurse. I saw Mo. She was just staring at me like she didn't know me and then smiled a sort of half smile. I knew she wasn't happy but I also knew she was okay. Now to deal with Peter. I could only imagine what kind of cruel and unusual punishment he had for me. But I really didn't care.