Chapter 5
Danica's POV
I stared in shock as the James, Carlos, Kendall, and Logan walked up my driveway. How did they find me? Wincing at the pain in my throat, I asked, "Are you stalking me?" James laughed and walked closer to me. The smile vanished from his face as he got a good look at me.
"To answer your question: no, I'm not stalking you. We were just driving around and I entered this neighborhood. What the hell happened to you?" I glanced down at the bruises. "Oh, um, nothing. I fell," I said. That was a lie and I could tell James knew it, too.
James said, "That's not the truth and we all know it. Logan, you have to help her." Logan had some medical background.
I protested, "Oh, no. I'm fine, really!" But I involuntarily swayed on my feet. I was getting dizzy. Logan said, "We should probably take her inside. She needs to lie down." He meant inside my house. I backed up as James approached me.
"Really, there's no need. I'm okay- "He cut me off with, "No you're not. I know you're in pain. Just relax and let us help you." Carlos said, "Yeah, you look really bad- I did NOT mean that how it came out!" Kendall laughed. I swayed on my feet again. James noticed and said, "We'd better get her inside. She looks like she's about to pass out." Without asking, he swooped me up in his arms. He noticed me flinch and said, "Relax, I'm not going to hurt you."
He walked to the door. Kendall turned the nob, but it was locked. He turned to me and said, "Do you have a key?" I nodded. It was on a chain around my neck. James pulled it off and handed it to Kendall. Kendall unlocked my door and James carried me inside. He placed me on the couch. He lifted my head up and sat down. I felt really awkward with my head in his lap.
Logan crouched down next to me and took my arm, examining my bruises. I winced as he touched them. I was suddenly aware of the fact that I was still in my pajamas. Not only was my head in a boy's lap, but I was also not wearing a bra. I was starting to freak out in my mind when a sharp pain in my side interrupted my reverie.
I cried out in pain and tried to move away from Logan. "Hey, that hurt!" James held me in place as Logan spoke, "You have two or three broken ribs – " Whatever he was going to say was cut off by the front door slamming. Oh, no. My dad was home.
"Y-you g-guys need t-to l-leave now!" I stammered, on the verge of tears. Right then, my father walked into the room. He was drunk.
"WHO ARE YOU SONS OF B******! GET THE H*** OUT OF MY HOUSE!" He shouted. James looked at me and understanding shone in his eyes. He knew the reason I looked so afraid and how I had gotten these injuries.
James' POV
A man James took to be Danica's father walked into the room. The man shouted at him and his friends. The man was obviously drunk. James looked at the frightened look in Danica's eyes and knew instantly why she was so scared. He also knew how she got her injuries. That man, her own father, had beat her cruelly and there was no denying it.
Anger built up in James. But before he could explode at Danica's father, Danica's small and fragile voice reached his ears, "Please, j-just g-go!" And just like that, he decided to leave. It broke his heart to know that when he left, that cruel man would probably beat the crap out of this beautiful, amazing girl. But the only reason he got the other guys to leave with him was the thought that if they didn't leave, Danica would be hurt even more by that monster that called himself a father.
So rather than cause Danica more pain and stay, James and his friends left. But he would be back to help her. That was a promise.
Danica's POV
I started crying as I knew what was about to happen. At least James, Carlos, Kendall and Logan had left. If they didn't, her father would have been even more angry that usual. I went flying through the air as my father backhanded me. I could already tell that he was very mad right now. Tears fell down my cheeks as he picked me up and threw me across the kitchen. I hit my head on the counter and the world went dark.