This chapter is a little short, but the next one will be longer.

Chapter 7

Stan is home lying on his bed. He has an icepack over his head. His mom comes in the room.

"How's your head honey?"

"Ugh, it's better I guess."

Sharon sits down on his bed. "I'm getting really concerned Stan."

"About what?"

"All these recent injuries and the drastic weight loss. Is there something you want to tell me?"

"Not at all mom."

"Are you sure? Because I'm getting the feeling that there's something you want to get off your chest."

"There's nothing, I swear."

"Well you know I'm here if you want to talk about it."

"Thanks mom."

She kisses him on the forehead. "Get some rest sweetie and let me know if you need anything."

"I will." Sharon leaves. Stan closes his eyes just as his cell phone rings. "Hello?"

"Hey dude, it's Kenny."

"Hey, what's up?"

"Dude, you're in deep shit with Coach Fields for not showing up to practice."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. He's pissed that you didn't let him know. He wants to see you before the game tomorrow."

"Oh shit, he's probably going to bench me or something."

"Maybe, but he didn't look too happy. By the way, are you ready for your trig test tomorrow?"

"Not really. I better start studying. I don't want to fail that stupid class."

"Yeah and then you'll get kicked off the team and we can't have that. We need you."

"I better start studying then..."

"What happened to Wendy helping you out?"

"She's been too busy."

"Then you really should consider asking Kyle again."

"I can't do that."

"Well I don't understand-" Kenny's line beeps. "I'll call you back, I have another call."

"Oh ok."

"What's up sexy?"

"Hey Kenny. I have to tell you something." It turns out to be Red.

"You better not tell me you're pregnant. I'm not trying to take care of a kid right now."

"No it's nothing like that. It's about your friend Stan."

"What about him?"

"I think his girlfriend is abusing him."

"What makes you say that?"

"Today when I was going to my locker I saw her slamming his head into his locker repeatedly. He was begging her to stop, but she wouldn't. She ended up pushing him down and started kicking him."

"Are you serious?"

"I wouldn't make this up."

"Damn, that explains all the scars and bruises. She must have been doing this for awhile."

"Yeah…"

"I always knew Wendy was mean to him, but I had no idea she was like that. No wonder why he's so terrified of her."

"You guys never picked up on it before?"

"Not at all. We just thought Stan was pussy whipped."

"Oh that he is."

"Yeah, but either way she has no right to put her hands on him. I really can't believe I didn't see this before. I should've known something was up when he said he was whipping himself."

"Whipping himself?"

"Yeah, when he was in the locker room I noticed he had a bruises all over his back and he said that he had been whipping himself."

"I'll bet Wendy was probably the one whipping him…"

"You're probably right. I'm going to give him a call. Thanks for letting me know."

"No problem. Talk to you later."

They hang up and Kenny immediately calls Stan. "Hello?"

"Stan, we need to talk."

"About what?"

"About you…"

"Dude, I told you I have to study…I can't fail this test."

"I know, and I'm sorry to interrupt but this is important."

"What is it?"

"Someone told me they saw Wendy beating you up today."

"Who said that?"

"It doesn't matter. This person told me they saw Wendy slamming your head into a locker and kicking you."

"Oh that." Stan chuckles nervously. "We were just playing around."

"Well from what this person told me, you were begging her to stop. That doesn't sound like playing to me."

"That's all it was."

"Are you sure? If Wendy is abusing you, please tell me. Maybe I can help."

"Wendy would never abuse me. She loves me too much."

"I hope you're telling the truth."

"I am. But hey, I have to get back to studying. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Ok, later."

They hang up. "Shit, he knows. What am I going to do?" Stan asks himself. He calls Wendy.

"What do you want Stan?"

"Kenny knows…"

"Knows what?"

"About you hitting me…"

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?" Wendy screeches. "You told him?"

"No! Someone else did."

"Bullshit Stan! No one else knows!"

"Somebody does. He called me and told me that someone saw what happened at school today."

"Who was it?"

"He wouldn't tell me."

"You're lying to me! I can't believe you told Kenny! What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I swear I didn't. I denied everything."

"I don't believe you. I told you before that whatever goes on between us stays between us. What part of that doesn't your stupid ass understand?"

"It has, I'm telling you the truth. I didn't tell Kenny or anyone else anything."

"Come over here."

"Wendy, I can't. I have to study for my trigonometry test."

"I wasn't asking you, I was telling you."

"Can't we talk about this tomorrow?"

"We're going to talk about it when I say, and I say we talk now! So get your ass over here within the next ten minutes or else!"

"But-" Wendy hangs up. Stan buries his head in his heads. "I shouldn't have said anything. What was I thinking?" He puts his jacket on and heads to Wendy's house.