Emily P.O.V.
"What was that noise", Maya questioned, staring at the once lively house.
A boy with brownish blonde hair stumbled onto the back porch, his shirt torn in many different places. His face raised to where Maya and I were sitting, his blue eyes held fear in them.
"Get her out of here", Christian said. He could barely make these words out, like the words got caught in his throat. His expression that once hid fear, was now blank.
Maya got up quickly, "What happened to you?"
She placed her hand gingerly on his face. With the light from the house, I noticed bruises that were starting to form, his noise was bleeding.
Christian eyed me again, "Please, Emily", urgency was laced into every word.
The backdoor slid open again, and Hanna rushed over to Christian, carefully examining his face. Maya still wouldn't budge from where she was standing, worry and confusion was written all over her face.
"What's going on", Maya said loudly, this time directing her question to Hanna.
"Leave, Emily", urgency was in Hanna's voice, also.
Maya was beginning to get aggravated, "I'm right here. Talk to me, not Emily."
For the first time since that noise, Christian's eyes traveled to Maya's face. The fear was evident again, and he opened his mouth but closed it just as fast.
He whispered something in Hanna's ear, who just slightly nodded.
"You should come inside", Christian said, this time he couldn't meet Maya's eyes.
I opened the backdoor, and the house was eerily quite. Maya was close behind me, pushing me slightly to hurry up. Beer was all over the floor, from the cups that were just thrown to the ground without being emptied. A lamp was broken next to the couch, and I noticed a girl huddled in the corner of the living room. She was crying.
"Lindsey", Maya whispered behind me. Her eyes were also looking at the girl huddled in the corner, and Maya had noticed who it was almost immediately.
Lindsey flinched, and she turned slightly. Lindsey's eyes were swollen, like she'd been crying for a while now.
"Why are you here", Maya questioned. If she was scared, she didn't show it.
Lindsey didn't answer right away, "Ask him", she pointed at Christian.
I'd forgotten that Hanna and Christian were behind us, and by the look on Maya's face, so did she.
Maya turned slightly, "Why is she here?"
Christian looked at the ground, "I'm sorry, Maya."
"We were just trying to get her drunk, to make her confess or something. Christian and I didn't expect anything like this to happen", Hanna said, the words rushed out of her mouth.
There was a long pause, only the occasional sniffles from Lindsey were heard.
I didn't notice the blood by the kitchen, or the fact that there was a trail that led to the bedroom in the corner of the house. Christian caught my eye, fear was evident, again.
Get Maya out now, he mouthed to me.
Lindsey noticed this interaction, "I think Maya should stay."
A sly smile crept on Lindsey's face, "The police should be here any moment."
"Shut up", Christian sneered.
Lindsey did as she was told, and she turned to face the wall again.
Maya P.O.V.
My eyes traveled around the room, looking at all four people in it. No one would look at me, except Emily. She looked just as confused as I was.
As I was looking at Emily, I noticed a splatter of blood in the kitchen. My eyes followed the small trail that led to the bedroom in the corner. Christian was following my eyes.
"Leave", he said looking at me, "it's just best if you leave."
I didn't answer, I followed the trail. Christian was close behind me.
The door to the bedroom was closed, and it took all the courage in me to open it.
I wasn't expecting what I saw behind it, not at all.
"Christian, what did you do", I managed to say.
Ryan was laying on the ground, barely breathing. There was so much blood, I couldn't figure out where any of it was coming from.
"Don't touch him", Christian said, he looked livid.
"If he dies, something bad will happen to you", I said, still trying to figure out how to stop the continuous bleeding.
"Follow me", Christian said, already heading to the bathroom.
A girl, about fourteen, had wedged herself between the toilet and the sink. She had a bruise on her neck, and she didn't seem to notice us walk in. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her shirt had been stretched, making it look two sizes too big for her.
"Melissa", Christian said, kneeling down next to her.
Melissa flinched slightly, but she reached out to Christian. He took her into his arms, and the resemblance was uncanny.
My stomach seemed to do a flip, was this Christian's sister?
For the first time that night, I really looked at Christian. He looked worn out, his eyes were no longer shinning. He looked almost ill.
"Hanna and I came up with a plan to get Ryan and Lindsey behind bars, it was simple. We were going to get them both to drink a lot, and hopefully they'd slip up. Hanna was going to tap it. Melissa was supposed to be staying at a friend's, but she decided to come home early", Christian breathed hard, "I went to go check on Mel, and Lindsey was by her door. I pushed past her, and I opened the door."
Christian's voice seemed to fade away, and the grim reality set in.
He put his face in his hands, "Ryan was trying to force himself on Mel. I saw red, Maya."
Tears were glistening in his eyes, but he whipped them away before they could fall. His arm was still wrapped tightly around Melissa.
"She's my sister, and I couldn't control what I felt. I called the police after, and I am going to tell them the truth", he finally let go of Melissa and leaned his back against the wall, "I just don't want Mel to see me getting taken away."
Christian finally composed himself, and he picked himself off the ground, holding his hand out to Melissa. She reluctantly took it.
"Mel, this is Maya", Christian said, reaching his arm out to me.
Christian came up behind me, "Just bring her out back or something. Keep an eye out for her till my parents get back."
A knock at the door caused each of us to jump. The police made their presence know, and the rest happened so fast. One second, Christian was sitting on the couch telling them everything that happened, next he was getting handcuffed.
Hanna stood near the door with a blank expression of her face. Even as they pulled the lifeless body of Ryan out of the bedroom, no one seemed to care. Every single person was watching the boy in the backseat of the cop car.
Emily P.O.V.
"Hanna, what the heck happened", I said as the cop car pulled away.
Hanna huffed, "He was defending his sister, and he doesn't regret it. Christian was happy to get that guy off the street, he knows Ryan can't hurt anyone else now."
Maya was sitting on the counter with a cup of coffee in her hands, she didn't say much of anything. She kept eyeing Melissa, Christian's sister, who was sitting on the couch.
A few hours ago, I was cuddled up next to Maya and everything felt right. Now, I am waiting for Christian's parents to get home, to break the news that their son had just got arrested.
"Ryan was a bad guy", Maya say barley above a whisper, and she finally faced us.
"I'm not saying what Christian did was right, but he had his reasons", Maya walked over to the table.
Hanna, Maya, and I continued our small talk for another few hours. Christian's parents were devastated, but grateful that their daughter was okay.
Hanna went home, and I found myself walking with Maya.
"I can't believe it's almost 6 in the morning", Maya said, looking at the pinking sky.
We walked in silence for a while, neither of us knowing what to say.
"So, is this where we kiss goodnight", Maya said as we reached my front door.
It was a small kiss, not nearly like it had been a few hours, ago. But it still felt so passionate, so much feelings behind it.
Maya P.O.V.
"Maya, I would never change what I did. Ryan can't hurt you, he can't hurt anyone. Live a normal life, have fun with your girlfriend. Just promise me something", Christian breathed deeply, "watch after my sister. She could really use someone, my parents aren't always great at the parenting thing."
Christian looked defeated, almost sickly. He didn't smile, and he had a bruise forming on his jaw bone. It had only been a few weeks, and it already looked like he was losing weight.
He kept trying to tell me he didn't feel guilty, that Ryan got what was coming to him. But this would eat at anyone, no matter if they deserved it or not.
Emily was waiting for me outside the jail, "How'd it go?"
"He isn't eating", I said, opening the car door.
Emily stared at the jail in the car mirror, "Has Mel been to see him?"
"I don't think so", I looked into the distance. Melissa hadn't been able to get over what happened to her, and I think sometimes she blames Christian. Not for what he did to Ryan, but for letting there be a party at all.
"Hanna is planning to visit him", Emily said, pulling onto the road.
Emily rolled down the windows, the wind made my hair fly wildly. I couldn't help but lean over and kiss her cheek, and I noticed instantly the spot I kissed flushed.
"Are you blushing", I questioned with a laugh.
Emily's smile made her face glow.
Yes, something bad happened. My best friend is locked up, facing a horrible sentence, but I have someone I love deeply sitting next to me. Emily allows me to let go of the bad and let the new in.
"I love you", I whispered into her ear.
Emily pulled over to the side of the road, "It's a good thing, because I love you."
Emily put her hands on the side of my head and pulled me into a long deep kiss. The world faded, it was just her and me. Nothing else seemed to matter.