Sorry if it sucks.

Keith awoke early the next day to the sound of crickets. It was Saturday, and the sun had not yet risen, but he felt as if something was wrong. Unable to sleep, he got out of bed and moved towards the window. Below, a dark figure stumbled down the street. Keith caught sight of long dark hair and gasped. He made his way down the stairs and outside where he confronted the familiar face.

"Andrea?" he questioned.

Sure enough, Andy looked up, her eyes red and puffy and her face pale. "Partridge?"

"What are you doing out so late?" Keith asked.

She snapped, "None of your business, Partridge! Just leave me alone."

"Is that a shiner?" he asked when he noticed a dark circle around her left eye. As he grabbed her hand, he felt a sticky substance coat his fingers. "My God, you're bleeding!" he gasped in horror.

Andy simply winced and ground out, "I'm warning you, Keith; just go away."

"Not a chance!" he said, "Let me help you, Andrea!" As she protested he simply said, "No excuses! You're obviously hurt. I'm taking you to the hospital."

"NO!" she cried, "No hospital. I'll do whatever you want. Just don't make me go to the hospital. Please."

"Okay." he said, "Come inside with me. I'll see what I can do."

Reluctantly, Andy nodded and walked with him into the house. She was obviously tired and shook, stumbling slightly, but he put her arm around his shoulders and helped her walk as best he could.

As soon as they shut the door behind them, Shirley Partridge's voice made it's way into the living room. "Keith, what is going on?" she questioned, but once she made her way down the steps, she froze in shock and worry as her eyes fell on Andrea.

"This is Andrea Decker, Mom. The girl I told you about." Keith said simply.

"I'm so sorry to trouble you, Mrs. Partridge." Andy groaned, but with a polite smile.

"Don't you be silly." Shirley said, "Your hurt. Who would we be to turn you away? Keith, take her upstairs. I'll try to find some bandages."

Keith nodded and the two made their way towards the bathroom on the second floor. As they did, Andrea's eyes grew wide like those of a child, making Keith shiver as she looked around. "This is where you live?" she asked in surprise.

Keith nodded. "Problem?"

Andy shook her head. "It's nice."

She was so busy eyeing everything that she stumbled and fell back, forcing Keith to catch her. Her face flushed as his hand moved around her waist to hold her up, as though they were dancing. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's my fault." he told her.

Once they were in the bathroom, he set her down on the toilet seat and held up her hand. It was still bleeding, but not as badly as he had expected. "What did you do?" he asked.

"Punched a widow." she replied tiredly.

"Why would you punch a window?" he asked.

"Just let it go, okay?" Andy asked, "I'm really too tired to argue with you, but please, just drop it?"

"Okay."

That was when Shirley made her entrance, carrying some gauze and towel. "How is she?"

"Tired but I think she'll make it." Keith told her.

The two continued to wrap her hand as Andrea looked across to see a photograph on the wall. The entire family was in the picture.

"You have a big family." she remarked

Keith nodded. "What's your family like?"

"It's just me and my dad."

"Does he know you're out this late?" Shirley questioned.

"He doesn't care what I do." she replied, "He's drunk 90% of the time."

That made them both stop working. "What?"

"Is that why you did this?" Keith asked her in shock.

"Had to get out." she mumbled, "So tired," Her eyes closed and she rested her head on Keith's chest. He felt her warm breath through his shirt and shivered, a deep blush coming over his cheeks. As Shirley felt her forehead, he tried to control his rapid heartbeat, wondering why his mother wasn't stopping to question why it was so loud.

"Keith, can you help me get Andrea someplace where she can lay down?" Shirley said once her hand was wrapped.

"Andy." the girl interrupted, "Call me Andy."

"Andy," Shirley amended, "You can stay here for tonight. Tomorrow we'll figure out what to do."

"Thank you." she mumbled before silence overtook the room and she fell int a deep sleep in Keith's arms.

Keith don't know what happened. Before he could not have cared less what happened to Andrea Decker. Now, here he was, watching her sleep like a lion babysitting it's cub. Even when his mother went to bed, he still watched her, curled up on the couch with such a peaceful expression. She almost seemed normal. Cute even.

Wait, what?

But she was - who was he kidding? Her hair was brown and long, down to her waist in fact, her skin pale beige, her lashes long and dark. Something about the way she slept, with the faint trace of a smile as she curled up like a cat, made her seem like...well, a girl. Not the tomboy that Keith had known. There was nothing left of the Andrea he knew before.

No.

She wasn't Andrea to him in this state. She was ... Andy. She was someone else entirely.

That was when Keith realized it; he had never really known her. He felt guilty for his comment during detention that day before. Now that he understood, it made him want to curl up in a ball, too. How could he have been so horrible to her? What was wrong with him?

Well, he knew he would have the next day to make it up to her as best he could. And tomorrow, Shirley would have to decide what to do with her. She couldn't go back home in her condition.

Keith's gaze drifted to her black eye and he swore he would be damed before he let her got back to the one who did that to her.