~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~

I met everyone at the bar. Shane was there with his girlfriend Torrie, Jeff was there with Trish, and Matt was there.

"Hey Amy." Torrie said.

"Hi Tor. Hi everybody." I said, sitting down.

"Hey Amy." Jeff, Shane, and Trish said in unison.

I noticed Jeff, Matt, and Shane had beers in front of them. Shane looked kind of drunk. "This is the lightest thing he's had all night." Trish said.

"Yup!" Shane said proudly. "You know I go hard." He added.

"He had about four shots of Tequila, some Rum, Gin, and a little Bacardi." Torrie said.

"God, you're gonna throw your guts up." Jeff said, laughing.

Shane shrugged.

"Oh, hi Matt." I said sarcastically.

"Hi." He mumbled.

"We didn't order our drinks yet. We were waiting for you." Trish said.

"Oh, you didn't have to." I said.

"No, we wanted to be polite… unlike some." Torrie said, nudging her boyfriend.

"You know I'm the man!" Shane said, slurring his words. He began giggling madly.

"Wow." Jeff mumbled.

A waiter came over and asked us what we would like to eat.

"Nothing, thank you. But can I have a Margarita?" Trish asked.

"Okay. And you, miss?" He asked Torrie.

"A Piña Colada." Torrie said.

The waiter jotted that down, too.

I sat there rubbing my temples.

"And you?"

"Straight Vodka." I said.

Everyone stared at me.

"Amy…" Jeff said.

"Straight Vodka? You'll be so sick." Torrie said.

"You sure?" Trish asked.

"STRAIGHT VODKA! WOOO!" Shane cried.

"You can't handle that." Matt said.

"Try me." I mumbled.

"Okay… a Margarita, a Piña Colada, and… straight Vodka." The waiter repeated.

"Yeah." Trish said.

"And can I get you guys anything else?" The waiter asked.

"MORE BEER!" Shane yelled.

"A Corona." Matt said.

"Same." Jeff said.

The waiter nodded and left.

"Straight Vodka, Amy?" Torrie asked.

"That's what I said."

"Are you okay?" Trish asked.

I shrugged.

"Amy, you hardly drink. Are you sure you can handle straight Vodka?" Jeff asked.

"Nope." Matt mumbled.

I rolled my eyes.

"She can handle it! Go Amy!" Shane cried, trying to give me a high-five. He missed and hit my shoulder.

"Ow." I mumbled.

"WOO!" Shane screamed.

A little while later, the waiter came back with our drinks and Shane passed out.

"We'll help you get him home." Jeff said. He, Torrie, and Trish struggled to get Shane out of the bar.

Matt and I sat there in silence. "So what happened to your eye?" He asked.

"Look, I don't wanna talk about it okay?" I said. I took a few gulps of Vodka.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, sweetie." Matt said, lowering my glass. "A few sips at a time."

"I'm stressed out." I told him.

"So then maybe you shouldn't be drinking." Matt said.

"No, I'm fine." I said, taking another sip.

"It could become a habit."

"It won't… I'm not much of a drinker."

Matt nodded, taking a sip of his own drink. "And why are you stressed?" He asked.

"Well… Jas –"

"I KNEW IT WAS THAT BASTARD!" Matt yelled.

I stood quiet.

"He was the one that hit you, wasn't he?" Matt asked. "Admit it, Red. It was him!"

I shook my head.

"There you go, lying again! Why can't you just tell me the truth?"

I ignored him and took another sip of Vodka.

"Red, stop drinking and answer me."

I took another sip.

"You're killing me." Matt mumbled.

"I'ma puke."

"What?"

"I feel sick."

"It's that damn Vodka. I told you you couldn't handle it." Matt said.

I shrugged and took another sip.

"Red!" Matt yelled.

"God, I feel sick." I said again.

"Stop drinking!"

I was about to take another sip when Matt snatched my glass.

"Hey!" I yelled.

Matt laughed.

"Why you laughing?"

"You're so fucking drunk, it's pathetic." He said.

"No I'm not!" I yelled. I began to laugh.

"Like hell you're not. Come on, let's get you home." Matt said, standing up.

"I don't wanna go home." I said.

"Don't worry." Matt said, helping me up. I stumbled.

"I am drunk." I admitted.

"I know it."

"Don't let me fall." I said, holding on to him.

"I won't. Stop talking, your breath is killing me."

"You're an asshole."

"Yeah." Matt said.

~*!*~

"Watch your step."

"Okay."

"Sit right here, I'll go get you something to wear." Matt said.

I sat on the couch and looked at my feet. "Where am I?" I asked.

"My place." Matt called from his room.

"You have a place?"

"Yes." Matt said, coming back with a white T-shirt.

"Is that for me?" I asked.

"Yeah. Lift your arms up."

I lifted my arms up and Matt took my shirt off of me.

He stared at my body.

I laughed. "Matt, we're just friends. Stop checking me out!" I said.

He ignored me and traced his finger over bruises and scars.

"What happened to you?" He asked.

"I got drunk."

"No… where are all these scars from?"

"I am a professionalized wrestler."

Matt sighed. "I'll ask you when you're sober." He pulled my pants down only to see more bruises. "Oh my God." He whispered.

"My God, too!"

"You're not going back home." He said firmly.

"I know… I'm spending the night at your place." I said.

He put the T-shirt on me and took my scrunchie off. My red hair hung loosely at the sides of my face.

"Come on." He said, helping me up.

He helped to his room and in his bed.

"Your bed is comfortable." I said, slurring my words.

Matt smiled. He kissed my cheek. "Go to sleep." He mumbled.

"Thank you." I whispered.

~*!*~

My eyes slowly opened. The room I was in was still dark. I looked at a clock. It was four thirty in the morning. Someone was holding on to my waist. I thought it was Jason, but he has short, curly hair. The person holding me had long hair. It took me a while until I realized it was Matt.

"Matt?" I whispered.

"Hmm?" He mumbled.

"What are you doing in my bed?" I asked.

"You're in my bed, hon."

I sat up. "Why?" I asked.

"You got drunk. Please go back to sleep, the sun isn't up yet." Matt mumbled. He kept his eyes closed while he talked to me.

I lay back down. I sat up again. "I have to go home!" I yelled.

"No." Matt said.

"Jason… he –"

"Is an asshole, I know." Matt said.

"No… he's gonna be mad."

"Shut up and lay down."

I lay back down again. I noticed Matt's arm was still wrapped around me.

I turned over and his arm slipped off. He put it back and pulled me closer to him.

I turned over again… he pulled me again.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Sleeping." Matt mumbled.

"What are you doing to me?"

"I'm holding you."

"Why?"

"Because I want to. Now will you shut up?"

I laughed. "But why are you holding me?"

"So you won't leave."

"I'm not gonna leave. You can let me go."

"Please don't make me."

I sighed. "Okay."

"Thank you."

~*!*~

Matt rolled over and went to put his arm around me. His arm landed on the bed with a loud thud. He opened his eyes to see that he was the only person in the bed.

"Fuck." Matt mumbled, getting up.

He walked into the kitchen to see me eating a bowl of cereal.

"Good morning." I said.

"Good morning." Matt said with a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"I thought you left."

"Oh… no." I put a spoonful of cereal in my mouth. "I would've made you breakfast, but you live off of cereal, ice cream, and mustard… not very appetizing."

Matt smiled. "I'm never home. What's the point of having food in the house… it'll just spoil."

"True." I said, putting my hair up in a ponytail.

Matt walked by me and pulled the scrunchie out of my hair.

"Hey!" I yelled. "Why'd you do that?"

"You look better with it loose." He said, looking in the refrigerator.

"But it's all in my face. And I'm trying to eat."

"Tough cookies."

"You're mean."

"Yeah." Matt said, still looking in the fridge.

"All you have is condiments." I told him.

"Yeah I know… I once had a bowl of ketchup for dinner."

"That's disgusting." I said, putting another spoonful of cereal in my mouth.

Matt laughed and sat next to me. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Didn't give me much of a choice there, huh, sweetie?" I said sarcastically.

"I'm serious, Red."

"Alright, what is it?" I asked, smiling.

"Last night… when I went to put the T-shirt on you… I noticed you had a few scars and bruises…"

My smile faded.

"… Who are they from?"

"Why are you assuming it was a person?" I asked.

"Because scars don't magically appear."

"I could've fallen."

"Alright." Matt said, sitting up. "You tell me how you fall and get a bruise on your thigh."

"Not all my scars are from falling."

"Then tell me about the ones that aren't from falling."

Matt wasn't stupid. I knew it would be hard to keep something like this from him… but like I said earlier, I couldn't drag him into my mess… into my personal life. I know Matt has better things to do than to play hero and to come save the damsel in distress.

"I was a tomboy when I was younger." I said.

"I know you were… you still are. But those cuts and scars and bruises are too fresh to have happened so long ago."

"I'm not that damn old, Matt."

"I didn't say you were. But you're too old to have such a fresh bruise from such a long time ago."

"I heard you the first time."

"So then why do you keep lying to me?"

I ignored him.

"You know I already know the truth –"

"Then how come you keep bugging me about it?"

"Because I have to make sure I'm right. What's the big deal? Why can't you just tell me? I just wanna help you, Red."

"I don't need any help, Matt." I whispered.

"Yes you do. You have to get out now, Li. And I know you can't do it on your own… and that's why I hafta help you. But baby, I can't if you don't let me."

I didn't know what to say.

"I can't let you go back there."

"Back where?"

"Back home." Matt said. "He's killing you slowly, and you know it."

"Will you just shut up?" I yelled.

Matt stared at me.

"Stop assuming that it's Jason, okay? I'm a clumsy person; I could've walked into something. You're not my savior. You can't help me. Quit being so goddamn nosy and just stay out of my personal life."

"Red –"

"I'm serious, Matthew. You're not my boyfriend. You're just a friend… a friend who's heart is too damn big. You want to help anything and everything that walks and you get mad when you can't. Don't you know how fucking annoying that is? You're not Jesus."

Matt didn't say anything.

I stood up and went into Matt's room. I took off his T-shirt and put my own clothes on. I walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Matt asked, standing up.

"Home." I said, unlocking his door.

"No! Wait. Please." Matt said, running towards me and pushing me out the way. He stood in between the door and me.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Please. Don't go."

"Well, I don't wanna be here." I said, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"But I want you here… I want you anywhere but there."

"But where?"

"HOME! God, Red, I told you this a million times, I don't want you near him!"

"And who the hell are you?" I yelled, getting offended.

"Please… please, just listen to me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm so worried about you."

"Well don't be." I said, trying to get to the door. Matt stood in my way. "Move."

"No."

I frowned and tried to hold back my tears. "I have to go home." I said with my voice cracking.

"I can't let you." Matt said softly.

"Get out of my way." I asked calmly.

Matt stood right where he was and didn't say anything.

He looked at me. "Let it out." He said, knowing I was about to cry.

"No… please, just let me go home." I begged.

"I told you, I can't."

I frowned again. A single tear rolled down my cheek… another… and then another. "Matt, you said you know, right?"

"Right."

"Then let me go now, before we both know what's coming, comes harder."

Matt looked up and closed his eyes. "God, don't tell me that shit." He said fiercely.

"I'm sorry… but I had to."

Matt stayed in the same position for a few moments before slowly moving from the door. He placed one of his hands on my cheek. "You call me… if anything happens. I don't care what time… just call me."

I nodded.

Matt pulled me close to him and hugged me.

~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~*!*~