Two Years Gone

Chapter 7: One In a Million

2 Months Later…

"Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Miley! Happy Birthday to you!" everyone around me sang.

Ok, I guess you're wondering why we skipped to my 18th birthday, well that's because nothing happened over the course of the past two months that was anything important, anything you guys didn't already know. I still was dating Todd, was best friends with Leslie, was Justin's toy in Math class and I still hid all of my pain. So I decided that instead of telling some long story, I'd just skip to my birthday, the best day of the year. Now, back to the story.

"Thank you everyone." I said, blowing out the candles.

"Happy Birthday babe." Todd said, coming over to kiss my cheek.

"Thank you for all of this babe, couldn't be any better."

"Anything for you."

Throughout the past two months, Todd really didn't ask about that night or what the problem was because I promised that I would come tell him when I was ready and I don't think I ever will be. I felt horrible though because I wanted to tell him but couldn't in fear of him. Exactly what he said would happen, happened; I lived in fear, fear of everything. I've gotten better about Todd being lovey dovey and such but that's because I haven't thought about the first day it happened since the day I broke down, two short months ago.

I went and sat in a booth in the club Todd had rented for my birthday and Todd quickly followed.

Sitting next to me and holding onto my hand, Todd spoke, "You ok Miles?"

"Yeah, of course I am, just needed to sit down for a few."

"You need me to stay or are you good by yourself?"

"I think I'll be alright."

"Ok babe, see you later."

I should have been with all of my guests but I had already started calculating. 'Ok so there's exactly 6 months left of school, including Thanksgiving and Christmas Break which is really 5 months and a week and with the months that's 184 days, minus weekends that's…133 days left of school. You can make it Miley, 133, 133, 13…' but then I suddenly stopped, seeing someone I knew was going to come tonight, but definitely didn't want to be there and that was when I broke down.

"Todd…" was all I could get out, in a light whisper yell, if that's possible. "Todd…" I said a little louder. That's when he heard me.

"Yeah…"

"I…I…I…"

"What?"

"I…I…I…Todd…I…"

Realizing that I needed him, he sat down, "Ok, what is it Miley?"

"He…I…"

That's when Todd began looking around and finally saw the reason why I had been scared the past year and now 7 months, but he still didn't know that it was him, that he had been causing me so much pain.

"Are you talking about Justin?"

I shook my head, wanting not to tell him.

"Hey…" Justin said, coming over to the table.

"Hey…" I replied.

"Can I sit?"

"Sure." Todd interrupted

Scooting into the other side of the booth that Todd and I were on, I was now surrounded, on one side by my boyfriend, the other by my ex. I looked at Justin and that's when I got the message.

"Todd, can you go get me something to drink?"

"Sure babe, be right back."

"Thank you for that Miley." Justin said, scooting closer to me.

"Whatever."

"Now, this is what all those math classes have prepared you for." he said, placing his hand on my leg. "I'm staying like this until Todd gets back and you're going to act like nothing wrong, right in front of him."

"Justin…please.", but as soon I said please, I felt the blade against my leg. "Ok…"

"You need to act perfectly normal, one false move and he's dead, Miley, you'll be in charge of killing your beloved boyfriend." That's when he squeezed my leg, signaling that the round had begun and signaling that Todd was coming back.

"Here's your drink." he said, sitting back down.

"Thanks." I said, Justin's hand now traveling up my thigh.

"So, Justin…" Todd moved on, "How have you been lately?"

"Perfect," he replied.

"Well, you seem a tad close to my girlfriend, so I'd appreciate it if you moved away slightly." Todd said.

"No, no, Todd, it's fine. You just have to be close so you can hear with all of the music."

"Well, I'm going to get all of your gifts so you can open them, be right back." Todd stated, getting back up again.

As soon as he left Justin began talking, "Thank you baby. That was your birthday gift, Miles, hope you had a great one." he then, walked out of the club like nothing had happened.

"I really don't like that kid, Miles." Todd said when he returned.

"Don't call me Miles…"

"What?"

"Just don't."

"Miley…"

"I need to go change, I'll be right back."

I ran to the restroom and did the same routine that I did everyday. My leg was now beginning to scab from the days I spent trying to get the germs, the guilt, the pain off of my thigh. Today was different, I was humiliated, disgraced, in front of my own boyfriend and I wasn't able to do anything. I started crying, scrubbing as hard I could, taking off as many layers of skin to get to new layers, ones that had never felt his hand, never felt the pain. When I was finally satisfied, I put on my jeans and walked back out, tear stains covering my cheeks. As soon as Todd saw me, he ran over.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong? Come sit…"

After we both sat down, I began talking, "Todd, I can't tell you."

"Miley, I already know partially what's wrong."

"How?"

"Because the last time you acted this way I didn't know what it was from, but now I know it has something to do with Justin, because as soon as he left…"

"Todd, you know nothing about what's happening."

"Babe, just tell me."

"You…I…no…can't…hurts too bad…don't…don't make me."

"Then I'm just going to sit here and hold you until you feel comfortable enough with me to tell me."

And we sat, and sat, and sat, three hours later, still nothing and the club was beginning to close.

"Ummm…birthday girl and boyfriend, it's time to go." the manager of the club came and told us.

"Is there anyway we can stay here?" Todd asked.

"No, I'm sorry that's against company policy."

"What if I give you a check for 1000 dollars and we promise to not move from this spot, you can look on that camera right there tomorrow," he said looking up, "And if we've moved,

aside from leaving, I owe you another 1000."

"Ok, sir, but please tell no one of this." and so Todd handed over a check for 1000 dollars.

"Thank you very much; we greatly appreciate it, mam.

"Whatever." she said leaving the club.

"Todd, why did you do that?" I asked

"I told you we're staying here until you tell me."

"Todd…"

"Miley…"

"Todd, I can't."

"Miley, he's not here, you're safe."

I looked around and then decided that maybe I should tell him, "I need to hold your hand…"

"Ok, whatever you need." he said, his hand grabbing mine.

"Well, about a year and 7 months ago…"

"A YEAR AND 7 MONTHS!"

"Please don't get mad…" I said, starting to cry all over again.

"Ok, I just didn't know it was going on so long."

"Well, I was…was…shoved into a closet."

"Into a closet?"

"Yes…and a blade was put to my…my throat…and I…I…I was told a story of would happen if I didn't follow orders."

"What blade? What orders?"

"A knife, and I…" I stopped, crying into Todd's chest.

"Miles, look here," he said, my eyes looking into his. "I won't be mad at you for whatever happened, just tell me, I'll be here, I'll be here."

"Ok…he…Justin."

"Was he the one in closet?" he asked, me just nodding, "Ok, continue."

"Well, he put the knife to my throat…and told me that I had to let him…"

"Let him what? Miley, I'm here."

"T…touch me."

"WHERE?"

"Don't…don't yell."

"Ok…ok…sorry."

"Every math class…he touched my thigh and then slowly went up my skirt."

"Miles, where did he touch you?"

"Just…just my thigh."

"Ok, but every math class…"

"Every single one."

"Oh, babe. Why did you do it though?"

"Because…because of you."

"Me?"

"He was…going to kill you."

"Are you serious?"

"Please don't get mad. I'll be right back."

I went back into the restroom and put back on my skirt.

"Why did you put on your skirt?"

"I wanted to show you something."

I raised my skirt just a little to show him the scars forming on my legs.

"That's from him."

"No, me, scrubbing off everything."

"Baby, come back here."

"No, there's more."

I lifted it up a little more to show him the scar from the first and only cut I received.

"Miley, what is that?"

"He cut me with the knife, the very first day."

"Why?"

"To show me what would happen…if I didn't come to school."

"Miles…come here." he said, me walking towards him and sitting against his chest in the booth.

"The…the day I got so mad, was the day I remembered all of what happened, detail by detail and I couldn't be loved that day, I didn't deserve it. I needed you to yell at me, I needed to feel no love. But then you wouldn't listen, and just kept, kept being you and I hated it. You, you, can't always be perfect to me Todd and that is why I got so mad."

"Ok, I understand now. Everything's coming together. I don't like it, but it's in the past. I can't wait to kick his…"

"No, no, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone. You'll be killed."

"If I'm killed, defending you, your honor, your dignity, I will have died for a purpose."

"You can't tell anyone."

"Miley, we have to; I can't let you go to school, knowing that this will happen everyday."

"It's only 133 more days. I can do it. I've survived this long."

"I'm not letting you go through with it any longer."

"Please Todd, don't."

"Why? Tell me one good reason why."

"BECAUSE I'LL LOSE YOU," I began, standing, "GOD, THE ONLY REASON I DIDN'T RUN AWAY OR COMMIT SUICIDE IS BECAUSE OF YOU. I CAN'T LOSE YOU TODD, YOU ARE THE ONLY REASON THIS HAPPENED BUT YOU'RE THE ONLY REASON I CONTINUED, GOD, SERIOUSLY THIS IS HAPPENING."

"Miley, I'm sorry, ok, I understand, sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen, I just, I don't know what to do, I have to do something. I can't just sit here and watch you suffer."

"You're going to have to; he'll stop once we graduate."

"That's too long, you're not going back."

"Todd…"

"Miley…come let him try to kill me, because seriously every bone in my body will fight against him, he hurt the woman I love for more that 1 and half years, god dammit! I'm not sitting here any longer Miles. You just said you almost committed suicide. He drove you to this, he put you through so much pain and suffering that he needs to know what it felt like."

"Don't confront him…I can't risk losing you."

"Then we're telling the police."

"No…what if he finds me?"

"Stop worrying about him, he's not worth your time, he's

ruled your life for so long. Tell him no for once."

"Can I tell him at school Monday?"

"You're not going back to school."

"But as soon as I don't show up, he'll know I told. Todd, if our plan is going to work, if we're going to get Justin to stop, I have to go to school."

"So, we're actually doing this? We're telling the police."

"We're telling the police." I said, breathing deeply all of the pain from the past hour drifting away.

"I'm sorry for yelling earlier."

"It's ok, the situation was fit for it."

"Come sit here." he said patting his lap.

"I'm sorry for not telling you earlier."

"It's ok." he said, my head now on his chest, my lips barely touching his neck. "I understand, at least you told me."

"I…I…never actually tried…"

"Tried what?"

"To kill myself, I just thought about it, but I have too many reasons to stay, one, being the ring on my finger."

"The other…"

"My friends…"

"And…"

"My parents…"

"And…"

"That's all"

"Miley!"

"Ok, you, babe, it's all you."

"Thank you. Can I kiss you now?"

"Yes, you can." our lips meeting as soon as I finished. I turned around my arms now wrapped around his neck and my legs now straddling his.

After a minute or two, we parted and Todd whispered in my ear, "I want to be the only one aloud to touch you."

"And you will be." I said, turning back around and sitting in his lap.

"You ready to go Miles."

"We rented this place for 1000 dollars; I say we use it for what it's worth."

"We're sleeping here?"

"Why not?"

"Ok, Miles, whatever you say."

"You know Todd, I looked information up on the internet and 1 in 7 girls is abused by an ex."

"Really?"

"Yeah, and one in four are abused by a partner sometime in their life."

"He didn't hit you while you were dating, did he?"

"No, he never laid a hand on me."

"Good. I have something to tell you. I found this poem online and I want to tell it to you."

"Ok…that's cool."

"In life, we are given two hands to hold, two legs to walk, two eyes to see, two ears to listen. But why only one heart? Because the other one was given to someone for us to find."

"That's a cool poem."

"You know people say that there is only one person in the world you can love which means that it's like a 1 in 6 billion shot." he said.

"But then you can really only meet someone in the U.S., unless you travel a lot, which is only like 1 in 300 million."

"And then if you never travel out of Florida it would be a 1 in 18 million."

"And then if you never travel out of Tampa it would be a 1 in 300 thousand."

"Then if you never traveled out of the neighborhood it would be a 1 in maybe 250 shot."

"And finally, if we never left this club, it would be a one in one shot to find the one I love." I finished

"That won't be hard." Todd finished, lightly kissing me.

"When I first decided that I wanted to date, I thought that it would take forever to find someone I truly cared about. When I met Justin, hold on, still have chills. Ok, when I met Justin, he treated me so well and I thought he was an overall good boyfriend, and then I met you and blew Justin right out of the water. And I was wondering, 'This would have never happened if it weren't for Les.'

"Yeah that is true. Us, is all because of her. She is the reason we got here."

"But, I knew when I saw you, there was something there…"

"Something more." Todd finished for me.

"Yeah, like nothing could stop us."

"Like I was already in love…"

"Exactly."

"I thought it was too good to be true Miley, I mean think about it, the first girl I ever date, is going to my wife one day."

"I wanted to get down from the cloud I was on, because I thought it wasn't real. And because of what all happened with Justin I thought all guys were the same."

"I remember the first day I saw your picture Miles, it belonged in a magazine."

"Which picture was it?"

"You were on a swing in the park, wearing a pink shirt and faded blue jeans with pink sneakers, the wind blowing your hair and you just looked at the camera and gave your sweet innocent smile, and I was lost right then."

"I don't remember that picture."

"Leslie told me you were 14 in that one, so I knew you must have only gotten prettier."

"Todd…"

"It's the truth."

"And I had never seen you."

"Did I meet your expectations?"

"You actually were more than I expected." that's when Todd flashed me his award winning smile that made his green eyes sparkle and made me fall in love with him all over again.

"We've been through bad times though, Miles."

"But every time I've been mad at you, you always come through, you tell me to get in your lap, even when I don't want to and you make it all better."

"So according to our calculations, finding each other was a million to one shot right?"

"Yep."

"I guess Miley, that means you are my one in a million."

(A/N): So yeah, that's it for now. Look back tomorrow or Friday and the last part will be posted. A review would be nice, but just you reading it is fine...thanks (once again) for reading. Adios.