A/N: Okay thanks to one review, I have decided to continue.

Just hearing one person likes your story makes you want

to continue. So here it goes Thanks to LTJM!

Chapter 2

After lunch both Ray and Sunshine walked with me. "Wow, I can't believe its really you Ronnie!" I was smiling. "I actually really know someone here!!" Ray cleared his throat. "Sorry, but could you give me and Ronnie a moment alone?" Ray walked away but I could tell that he was upset about it.

"Ronnie, I.."

"You what?"

"I missed you."

"Same here, let me guess you think that we should get back together?"

I got kind of hurt by that. "Well..don't you?"

He paused for a second. "Moving helped me realized what is really out there Heather.. I love you don't get me wrong, its just...our relationship wasn't the greatest. We fought and challenged each other all the time."

"But we still loved each other, didn't we?" he was silent. "Why did you grab my knee?"

"I don't know out of habit, I guess."

"I thought seeing you would be a good thing...evidently I was wrong. I thought time apart would help you stop being such an asshole." And with that I walked away from him.

I could feel his eyes on me as I walked away. Ray came up to me. "Are you okay? What happened?"

I looked down. "He still is the same."

"You know Sunshine? Were you guys friends?"

"More, like my steady boyfriend."

He was silent. "Oh, and you two are getting back together?"

"No, not now."

He smiled. "Well in that case would you like to go out to dinner tonight?"

I hesitated. "Um, my dad is really strict. He'll want to meet you. Why don't you let me talk to him tonight and maybe you can come over for dinner tomorrow?"

He smiled again. "Okay. Well, can I drive you home?"

I smiled and nodded. I went to all of my classes the last one I walked in and saw Gerry. I smiled. "So you and Sunshine?"

"Yeah, but not anymore."

"Oh, what happened?"

"He was kind of a jerk to me. Not always just in the end. And as I found out today, nothing changed."

"Sunshine. Ronnie Bass?" He seemed shocked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I know, surprising. I think I might give Ray a try."

"Really? Just be careful, I have seen him in his worst moments. He is...very...how can I say this, a little crazy when in comes to his girlfriends."

"Really? I can deal with it." Gerry got this uneasy look on his face. "I can."

He smiled and nodded. After the bell rang I went to my locker and Ray was waiting there. My locker was already open, I put my books in there. There was no homework so I was able just to go home and relax.

Ray drove me home and I sat there for a minute. "Mary, I really like you, you aren't like any of the other girls around here."

I smiled. I was happy that someone noticed that. "I like you too. I will talk to my father tonight and hopefully you are allowed to come over tomorrow to meet him and maybe after that we can go on a date."

He smiled. "I like the sound of that."

I smiled and walked inside. I saw my mom sitting there with a shorter woman with reddish hair. "Heather, this is Mrs. Bertier."

"Bertier? Are you Gerry's mother?"

"Why yes, yes I am. Was that Ray that dropped you off?"

"Yes."

"Ray?" My mother asked.

"He is a guy I met at school today."

"Oh, Ray is a lovely boy." Mrs. Bertier said. "Him and Gerry have been friends for years and years. He is a good boy. I think that he would be good for her. He comes from a good family."

My mother smiled. "I'm sure he will be better then Ronnie." I looked down. My parents stopped liking Ronnie when he stopped having the "perfect" image. When his hair got long they saw him as a hippie. And he was no longer good enough for their little girl.

"We should have him over for dinner so you and dad could meet him." I said.

"Oh, yes, have him come over tomorrow? Lets say five?"

"Oh, you will have to make it around six. Gerry doesn't get home from football practice until a little after five."

"Football?" My mom said. "Wow, your father will like that."

I smiled. I went upstairs and listened to my record player. I didn't know what else to do. I decided to go out for a walk. It was already a bit chilly. I was so use to California. I couldn't believe that I was a little cold. I walked around the block a few times. I heard someone honk behind me. It was Gerry. "Do you need a lift."

"No, I'm just walking around."

"It's a bit chilly, why don't I drive you home."

I nodded I got in and felt the warmth of his car. "So how was practice?"

"Good, we are shaping up to actually be a good team."

"I bet."

"So Ray said he is going to your house for dinner tomorrow."

"Yeah, he is."

"Sunshine, looked a little upset. I think maybe you should talk to him."

"Why? So he can throw everything in my face about how our relationship sucked to him and how unhappy he was."

"Look, don't do this to him, you or Ray."

"I'm not, he wanted us to be done. So we are. I am moving on and like I should have done months ago."

I showed him my house, he dropped me off. "At least think about what I just said." I nodded.

I slammed his door and walked inside. Dinner was ready and we all sat down. "Heather, so you have already met a guy?"

I nodded. 'Yes, his name is Ray."

He looked frustrated. "You just got out of a relationship, you don't have to just jump into another one."

"I'm not."

We argued back and forth about it. Finally he lost his temper and I felt his fist come into contact with my face. I looked up at him. I ran up to my room.

I sat on the bed crying. I wanted to talk to Sunshine. He was the only one who would understand. He always had. He would protect me. His dad and him never stood for this and I knew I should tell him, but I realized that I couldn't.

My mom walked into the room. "Ray, can come over tomorrow. But your father said that is it, he will never want to see him again. And if he likes him you guys can date."

I nodded. I didn't care. I didn't want Ray to meet my dad, I didn't want anyone to. The next day I got up early and tried to cover the bruise on my jaw up. It didn't work. I walked outside and Ray was sitting in his car waiting for me. It was on my right side, so he couldn't see it while he was driving. I was thankful. We got there and we both got out.

We walked to all the guys in the team. We sat there talking to everyone. I was talking to Gerry about our class, and how much we were gonna hate physics. I saw him glance at my cheek. "Oh lord, what happened to your jaw?"

I looked down. I touched it. "What are you talking about?"

Gerry pushed my face up, "Your jaw, it is bruised. Really bad."

"Oh, it must of happened this morning, I'm getting use to this new house, I hit my face on a cabinet. It hurt."

He laughed at me. "A bit clumsy are we?" I nodded.

Ray looked at it. He whispered in my ear. "That looks a bit big to be a cabinet."

"Thats what happened though. I hit it pretty hard, maybe thats why."

"Maybe," he said.

I looked at Ronnie and he was looking at me. I looked away. "Mary can I talk to you really quick?"

I nodded, we walked away from the group. "What really happened."

"You heard what I said."

He sighed. "Was it your dad?"

I looked down. "Things got really bad whenever you moved, he saw it as he was allowed to beat me around again. I stayed out of his way...if I even look at him the wrong way he'll hit me." I was close to tears.

He brought me into a hug. "Heather, I promise, I will make it stop, I don't care what I have to do."

I looked at him and pushed him away. "No, Ronnie...I mean Sunshine, its not your job anymore. You don't want to be with me...that is really my boyfriends job to do and you no longer have that title."

He was silent. "Heather, I'm sorry, I don't know what to say...we just couldn't see eye to eye on anything."

"Sunshine, you were the one that was unfaithful..that was where most of our problems came from."

He looked down. "I know. But we still fought all the time."

I laughed. "Because of that girl. Look, I'm not doing this anymore!" I walked away from him and started walking towards my locker.

I heard someone at my heels. "Heather!" I turned around to see Ray.

"Are you okay? What did he say to you?"

"Nothing...are you still coming over for dinner?"

He smiled. "Yes. What time?"

"Six."

With that he grabbed my hand and walked me to my homeroom. The day went by, Sunshine tried to talk to me, and I ignored him. When I was with Ray he would ignore me and at the moment that was how I wanted it.

Ray gave me a ride home and I went inside, he went to football practice after he dropped me off. I went in and inspected my jaw. I heard a knock on the door. I ran down, but my mom had already answered it. I saw Sunshine walking through the door. "Hello Mrs. Beck."

"Ronald?"

"Yeah, my dad got located here. Ironic isn't it? I was wondering if Heather had made it home yet."

I walked around the corner. "What?"

"I need to talk to you, please."

I walked on the porch with him. "Heather, you can't let your dad do this to you."

"I don't plan to. Trust me, I have a plan."

He looked down. "I want to talk to Colonel about it. Please. We can put a stop to it."

"Ronnie. I have it covered, I don't need your help."

He glared at me for a minute. "Fine. Be that way, all I want to do is help."

"Once again, I don't need your help. Sunshine...you were right there is more out there. And we didn't have the perfect relationship..but I still loved you, but I am going to move on now. I want you out of my life..."

He was hesitant. "I don't want that, but if that is what you want, then so be it."

I looked away from him and walked into my house. "He isn't going to start all that with your father again is he?" I could tell she was worried.

"No, I made sure of it." She smiled. "Ray will be here at six."

"Your dad will be home around five or so. I am going to start dinner then."

I nodded. I sat down and watched tv. Finally it was six, and I saw Ray knocking on the door. He was wearing a button up shirt, jeans, and his letterman's jacket. I smiled at him.

He walked in, I introduced him to my dad and my mom. They smiled and shook his hand. We sat down and ate dinner, they asked Ray all about football and what position he played and what not. A few hours later, we were finished eating and him and my dad were still talking.

"So would it be possible for me to take Heather to get some ice cream? Most of the team is usually down at the ice cream parlor."

My dad smiled. "Yes, just have her home by ten please."

"I can do that sir."

We walked to his car when we got in we started driving. He drove to the park and turned the ignition off. "Heather, I need to ask you something."

"Okay, what would that be?"

"Sunshine, came up to me after practice. He said that he was worried about you, he said it wasn't his place to say and that I should question you."

I looked down. "It's my dad.."

"Did he do that to your face?" I was hesitant for a second, but I nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?"

I sighed. "Its embarrassing...I hate people knowing. Only Sunshine and his dad know."

"I'm sorry, I will help, if you ever need me to do anything just let me know please, I won't hesitate to help you."

I smiled at him. "Thank you so much, Ray that means a lot to me."

He smiled back at me. "Heather, I really like you."

"I really like you too. You are the first guy I have been able to like since Ronnie and I broke things off. I think that is a very good thing."

He smiled "I do too." He looked at my jaw again. I felt his lips kissing where my bruise was and then I felt him kiss my lips. I kissed him back. And then I smiled.

"So are you ready to go home?"

"No, but I know I need to."

He drove me back to my house. He hugged me and walked me up the walkway. "Goodnight Heather." He gave me another kiss and I walked in the house.

My dad was sitting there waiting. "So you are already kissing him?" I looked down, "I did not raise my daughter to be like this. I did not raise you to be a whore."

That last statement hurt. I didn't want to deal with this, I started to walk up to my room, but I instantly realized that was a mistake. "Why was Ronald here today?"

"He lives in this town." I was mad and you could tell by the way I had just said that.

"Don't talk to me like that!" I felt his fist hit my face. I fell down because of the impact. I felt him standing on top of me and his fist coming into contact with my face over and over. I didn't know what to do.

After five or six punches, everything got fuzzy and then everything went black.

End Chapter 2

A/N: I wanted to take a different approach, but I didn't want to steal

LTJM's ideas, so I took my own appoach.

REVIEWS PLEASE!!!!!!!

Mary