It had all happened so fast. I couldn't even wrap my head around what had just happened at this moment in time. I lifted my head from the cold concrete ground and gazed up at Takumi's face…it looked horrified at first but then….turned as cold as stone. His hard face stared down at me. "If you don't want anything like that to happen again…then I suggest you do what I say" With those harsh words he stomped away leaving me bewildered on the hard ground.

I couldn't believe that Takumi would do something so…..violent. I mean I knew he had violent tendencies but nothing even close to this had ever happened before. All I wanted to do was go home to my safe haven and cry. I never thought that I would refer to my home as a haven. For almost my whole life it had been anything but that! Now that I felt unsafe in the outside world….this was the only place I wanted to be. As I walked down the gravel path I caught site of my house. The moment I saw that gleaming red door I swear I almost ran to it! I can't recall ever being so happy to see something material in my life.

I cautiously opened the door and made my way over to the stairwell when I felt a light touch on my back. I gave a tiny yelp. "Whoa ! Hey its just me." Sayu's voice never seemed to give me more comfort in my whole life than at that very moment. "I just wanted to tell you that-whoa what happened to your cheek?" I looked into her deep blue eyes, full of concern and love. A look I had never before seen cross her face. "Huh? What? Is there something on my face?" I reached up to touch my soft cheek and winced in pain. "Your cheek is all swollen and I think you're getting a bruise"

"Oh! I'm so clumsy! I accidentally walked into a door as someone was opening it. Guess I should look where I'm going." I let out a forced giggle which I hoped Sayu wouldn't notice. I couldn't tell if she was seeing through my lie or not. If she found out the truth she would without a doubt tell my parents. And if anyone found out….Takumi would for sure come after me and hit me again…or worse.

Sayu studied me over very carefully. "Well if you're sure your alright…..Oh! Sora just called and he says you can call him back if you want." I had nearly forgotten I was supposed to call him! I felt a huge smile creep across my face. Without another word I rushed down to my bedroom in the cold basement, threw down my stuff and pulled out my phone. I could feel my fingers rushing to dial his number almost like lightning. And when he said hello I don't think I could recall ever hearing a sweeter sound.

After talking for a little while we decided to have Riku, Namine, and Roxas join in. We must have talked for hours! But it never felt long enough. Eventually everyone else hung up and it was just Namine and I. "Hey uh Namine…." I could feel her voice raise with concern, since I only started conversations like that when things started to go bad. "Kai what is it? Is everything alright?"

"Its uh …..umm…Oh nothing! I must be getting tired." I yawned as I gazed over at my clock. 1:45 a.m. "Oh Namine. Its getting late I better go to bed! But I'll see ya later!" I let out a slight giggle, it might've been a little forced. "Well…Okay! See ya tomorrow Kai! Night!"

"Night!" I hung up and could feel this pit in the bottom of my stomach. I didn't know why I couldn't just tell Namine what was going on. I mean she was my best friend. I then laughed sarcastically to myself. If there was one thing I knew, is that Namine would not put up with anyone bullying me. Even if it was my boyfriend. That could get me hurt…

Several months had passed and it was finally prom….Takumi had given me and ultimatum. Either go to Prom with him….or get hurt again. For the past several months he had been hitting me and not just across the face as he had the first time. It would be the most miniscule things that would set him off. I was spending too much time with Sora, or I embarrassed him, even down to not looking like he wanted me to in a certain outfit…

It was hard to hide it but I had managed to for all these months. And the crying started to occur less and less. I looked in the mirror at the girl staring back at me. I had lost at least 15 lbs since 5 months ago. My long red hair was curled into ringlets and I wore a long elegant violet dress. I was ready for tonight or at least I had hoped. The one thing that gave me comfort was that I would have all my best friends together beside me.

I heard a knock at the door and it was Takumi and Sora. "Hey Kai! Wow you look really nice!" Sora had a huge grin spread across his face. Meanwhile I could see fiery darts shoot from Takumi's eyes. Takumi held out his long slender fingers to me and held my fragile hand in a tights grip. I could tell this was going to be a rough night.

Our limo slowly pulled up in front of the nicest hotel on Destiny Islands. It was a tall structure that glistened in the night sky. Almost like a thousand stars. Riku was the first to step out of the car and extend his long arm out to Xion, who stepped out in a long, black mermaid style dress with her short black hair in a side sweep hairstyle. Next was Sora. He practically leapt out of the car about ready to head in until Riku gave him a stern look.

Sora sort of hung his head in shame and stood up completely erect trying to appear like a gentleman. He extended his arm out to Olette who was in a simple orange caped sleeve gown. She pulled her chocolate locks into a gorgeous sophisticated updo. Roxas then poked his spikey honey colored hair out of the car. He slowly turned around and extended his long slightly defined arm to Namine who stepped out in a long, gorgeous, satin blue dress. Her long blonde hair curled in a side ponytail. I swear I had never seen him look happier. Lastly Takumi stepped out of the care ever so gently extending his arm to me. I gingerly grabbed it as we all headed inside for what was supposed to be one of the most magical nights of our lives.

The dance floor was filled with teens of all shapes and sizes dancing the night away, having the times of their lives. Takumi's eyes lit up when he spotted Ayu , Cloud, Serah, Snow, and Light who had actually come with a date to everyone's surprise! She was clinging onto a boy with short dark brown hair who had a scar that went in between his two eyes, and was all dressed in black.

"Hey Kairi, lets go over and hang with them!" He casually said pointing out the group. I pulled away slightly afraid to ask …."Well…um Takumi is it alright if I hang with Namine and Sora tonight?" His eyes lit and I was sure he could spew fire right at me. He grabbed my arm so hard I was afraid it might fall off. "Listen Kairi, this is one of the most important nights of my life and I won't have you ruining it by hanging out with those losers" He grabbed my arm callously and dragged me over to the group and at that moment something in me just snapped. I started trying to pull away even resorting to hitting his arm discreetly so that no one would notice. He then turned quickly towards me "Are you trying to embarrass me?" He said it with so much hostility it was hard for him to keep it a whisper. I could feel some sort of power building from inside me that it made all my fear disappear. "Why don't you just hit me right now in front of everybody? Then you can have the whole school see what kind of guy you really are!"

I had never seen his eyes filled with so much rage as I did at that very moment. He then grabbed my arm and dragged me out the doors into the parking lot. All Takumi did for only a moment was just stare blankly at me, then the rage started to build up inside him. His hands balled up into a fist and I felt his hand swipe across my face with more force than he ever had before. I laid on the ground powerless to move. Then I felt a swift kick in my stomach and I heard a blood curdling scream from behind me. It was a boys voice.

"KAIRI!" I could hear the pitter patter of footsteps running towards me. I looked up and saw Riku and Sora's concerned faces staring down at me. I could tell the rage was building up inside Sora. This was a side I had never seen before, I was frozen and not just because of the blows to my stomach and face. "ughhhhh YOU LOW LIFE JERK!" Sora left over me and lunged at Takumi. I used all the strength I had left in me to push up from the hard concrete ground. Takumi and Sora were going at it, and Riku was standing over me in a sort of protective stance, using all the strength he had in him to hold back from beating Takumi senseless. Sora landed a right hook right into Takumi's jaw then Takumi's face filled with so much rage that it was almost looked as if he would kill Sora.

I rushed right into the middle of them hoping to stop the fight. I let out a loud scream "STOPPPPP!" I suddenly felt a large blow right into my head I fell to the ground. Everything was fading into black, I was beginning to pass out. Right before it became pitch black I saw four figures racing over to the scene but I was only paying attention to one thing. Sora.

"Kairi? KAIRI! Riku, come help! SOMEBODY HELP!" And then I slipped into unconiousness.