Shelby removed Nicks hand from her knee. "Nick stop. I don't need you to try and comfort me."

"I still care about you."

"Fuck off Nick! You don't give a damn about me. You are just sad and lonely because you have no one anymore!"

Nick raised a hand and slapped Shelby across the face. "Shut up you little bitch!"

Shelby placed one of her hands on the spot where Nick had smacked her. The door to the house came open. Shelby looked over to see Angie standing there.

"You alright Shelby?" Angie had seen the exchange between Shelby and Nick.

"Everything is fine Angie." Shelby gave Angie a weak smile.

"We'll come help me start dinner." Angie wanted to get Shelby away from Nick. She didn't know their history but it clearly wasn't good.

"I'll be there in a second." Angie went back into the house and closed the door. Shelby turned her attention back to Nick. "You need to leave."

"Oh come on princess. I didn't mean it. You just made me angry." Nick took a step towards Shelby but she took a step back.

"I said you need to leave." Shelby was making her way to go around Nick to head inside. He caught her wrist and pulled her backwards. Shelby lost her footing and fell onto the wicker table that was in front of the chairs.

Angie was watching from inside the house and saw Shelby fall. "Kelly!! Scott!!" Angie shouted for the two before she ran outside to help Shelby.

Angie ran over to her best friend and started to try and help her up. Kelly and Scott came running out the door a few seconds later.

Kelly saw Shelby on the ground and then saw Nick. "What the hell Happened?"

"She tripped." Nick had this smug look on his face.

"Bullshit! I saw you Nick. You grabbed her arm as she was walking away from you. You pulled her back and she fell!" Angie was helping Shelby sit up. "Oh and what she fell into your hand when I watched you smack her?!"

Kelly was getting ready to punch this guy but Scott stepped in front of him. "Kelly go help Shelby." Kelly was fuming. Andy and Matt had come outside as well.

Matt put a hand on Kelly's shoulder. "Kelly listen to Scott."

Kelly looked to Casey and nodded. He then walked over to where Shelby was sitting on the ground. He picked her up bridal style and carried her in the house. Angie following behind him.

Once the door was closed Scott, Matt, and Andy turned their attention to Nick.

"It was an accident fellas. She's fine."

Scott got in Nick's face. "Leave now. That girl is like a sister to me. I will not hesitate to punch your face in."

Nick looked behind Scott to see Andy and Matt ready to back him up. "Whatever." Nick pushed pass Scott and left.

Kelly carried Shelby into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. Angie following close behind.

"Guys I'm fine really." Shelby went to try and move but winced a little in pain.

"Shelby just rest. That fall look like it hurt." Angie could sense Kelly wanted to talk to Shelby alone so she excused herself.

Kelly waited for the door to close before he started to ask Shelby questions. "You want to talk about it now?"

Shelby sighed and nodded her head. "Chris knows nothing about any of this and I would like to keep it that way."

"Okay."

shelby took a deep breath. "When I first got here to Miami I had no intentions of getting in a relationship or making friends. It just sort of happened. Chris and I got partnered together in biology. We clicked and became close. I was at her house almost everyday. I had started to develop a crush on her brother. He was a sweetheart and older. So my naive self fell for him. He had just ended a serious relationship. He took advantage of me being young. We dated but I couldn't tell anyone. If anything went wrong he would blame me. Everything was my fault. He had started to hit me but I felt I deserved it because he said it was my fault." Shelby had tears falling from her eyes.

Kelly moved closer to her and wrapped her in a hug while she continued talking. " I tried to end it but it didn't work. Then at the end of the school year he ended it because he was getting back with his ex. I was devastated. I know you won't understand. Hell I don't even understand why I still care about him. He had me so confused and fucked up that I didn't know what to think or believe." Shelby didn't even want to look at Kelly. She felt weak. She felt damaged.

Kelly could sense Shelby was blaming herself. He lifted her chin up so she was looking at him. "He's an abuser. That's what they do."

Shelby snuggled into Kelly. "Thank You."

"For what?"Kelly wrapped her in a tighter hug.

"For not calling me stupid or running away."

"I could never do that. Everything makes so much more sense now and I promise to take care of you." Kelly stopped talking for a moment. Fighting with his inner self for a moment. But then he found his voice. "I love you Shelby."

Shelby stopped crying and pulled away from Kelly so she could look at him. "What?" She wasn't sure she heard him right.

"I love you."

Shelby smiled and then leaned in and kissed Kelly. "I love you too."

Shelby felt relieved that she had finally told someone the truth. Maybe things would start to look up. Maybe Kelly wasn't like Nick. Shelby had been fighting with herself for months afraid Kelly would turn into Nick. She new realized that was never going to happen and let herself be happy and fall for Kelly even more.