Chapter 2
"Jared...For the last time, me and Shane are just friends...forgive me...my God...I haven't talked to him in two ficking years!" she screamed at her boyfriend.
"Don't fucking raise your voice at me! And I told you that I didn't want to see you around other guys!"
"You don't run my life!" she said as he slapped her. She knew it was coming. She held her face and looked at him.
"What? You want more or something?" he said as he hit he again.
"Jared! Stop!" she sceamed in pain.
"What? No tears?" he said as he flung her up against the wall. She fell and he kicked her stomach and back repeatedly. He stopped after a while and left her laying there, like he did night after night. No one knew about it, except her, and she refused to tell anyone. She had tried to break it off with Jared many times, but he wouldn't let her.
The next day, Matt invited a bunch of people to his pool, just to hang out. Without thinking, Nicole went. She didn't dare get into her bathing suit, so she sat next to the pool and watched everyone having a good time. Shane walked up to her a few minutes later.
"Hey, how come you're not swimming? You used to love it."
"Yeah, well, things change...I'm just not that much into it anymore." she lied. She hated lying, especially to him.
"Oh...well, I'll keep you company then." he said, sitting down next to her.
"You really don't have to...yo should be having fun...I'm probably going to head out of here anyways..."
"No, I'm good...I heard you took a couple days off work...how come?"
"Oh, so I can heal...I mean...get some rest...tired ya know?"
"Heal?" he asked.
"Huh?"
"You said heal..."
"I meant rest..." she lied again.
"What's going on with you?"
"Nothing Shane..." she stood up. "I'll talk to you later." she said as she started to walk out. Jeff saw her try to leave and jumped in front of her.
"Jeff, move..."
"No, why are you leaving?"
"Because I want to..."
"Nicole, you didn't change into your bathing suit once...what's going on?"
"Nothing...ok? Why won't y'all just leave me alone?"
"Because something's wrong...come here." He said as he took her hand and pulled her into the pool room.
"Ugh...what?"
"Look, talk to me now, we're alone..."
"No, I want to go home..." she said trying to get to the door, Jeff held her back.
"Is it Jared?" he asked. He'd met Jared a few times and didn't like him at all.
"What?"
"Is it Jared?" he repeated.
"No..."
"Put your bathing suit on."
"No...I didn't bring it.."
"Bullshit...it's in your bag."
She rolled her eyes. "Jeff...just let me go home."
"No, not until you tell me what's going on."
"Just leave me alone." she said.
"Ok, fine, but give me a hug first..." he said. She hugged him and he pressed on her back, she cringed and pulled away. "What happened to your back?"
"Nothing...why?"
"Because...let me see it..."
"No..."
"Nicole, I'm not asking you...turn around." he said as she turned around. He lifted her shirt up and saw a huge bruise on her back. He lifted up more and saw more bruises. "What the hell happened?"
"I...fell....down some steps..." she lied.
"Bull...I know when your lying...Did Jared do this to you?"
"No Jeff...Ok, just leave me alone..." she said as she took off.
"Shit, what am I going to do?" He asked himself.