Rachael slowly poked her head through the door of the house. She looked around and sighed in relief knowing that her father wasn't home and probably wouldn't be home for awhile. After that horrible day her father hit her, she became very fearful f of her father. She stayed in her room whenever her father was home. She wouldn't even come out to eat. She just sat on her bed thinking of how to get away from the hole she called a home.

Rachael walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge to find something to eat. She found a sandwich and sat at the dining room and ate. When she finished eating her sandwich, she heard a noise from outside the door.

Rachael got very nervous. She looked out the window and saw her father walking up the driveway. She ran upstairs to her bedroom and locked her bedroom door. She heard the door open and being slammed shut. Fear rose in her heart even more as she pondered what mood her father was in.

"I hope he isn't mad. If he's mad then he might take his anger out on me.", Rachael thought.

Rachael heard her father mumble some words then that's when her heart almost stopped beating. Her father screamed her name from the kitchen.

"RACHAEL!", Her father hollered.

Rachael slowly got up from her bed and went downstairs. She saw her father looking very angry, of course.

"Where's my sandwich?", Her father said low but angrily.

Rachael was speechless. Her heart was beating so fast that she couldn't open her mouth to say something.

"Where's my sandwich!", He said louder. "I've been saving it for dinner from work!"

Rachael finally found the words to say.

"I…I…ate it", Rachael said nervously.

Her father just looked at her with sincere anger. He slowly walked to her as Rachael backed up. Her father took a small portable lamp without her noticing and hid it behind his back. Rachael stopped when she realized that she hit the wall and couldn't back up any further.

"Dad, please! I didn't mean to! I didn't know it was yours!" ,Rachael said remorsefully.

"That's not good enough", her father said coldly.

Her father raised the lamp and hit her repeatedly with it. The only noise that was heard around the house was Rachael's painful screams. Her father smacked her repeatedly until she was bloody and bruised.

He stopped and looked at her. He gave her a wicked smile and kicked her in the ribs. He dropped the lamp.

"Make sure you clean up the floor when I come back", He said to her without a care for his bloodied daughter on the floor slipping in and out of conscientiousness.

He walked out the house and closed the door behind him. Rachael laid there trying to stay awake, but slowly got up and tried to clean up the mess though she needed medical attention.

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Gar walked to school early in the morning when he saw a figure slowly and limply walking along the sidewalk across from him. He looked and saw that it was Rachael. He smiled and ran over to her. He saw her and his smile suddenly fell. The girl he saw infront of him wasn't the strong Rachael he knew. This Rachael was bruised. He looked at her with loving care and confusion. He slowly came up to her ,but she backed away with tears running down her face.

"Rachael…", Gar said with care. He stretched his hand out for her, but she shooked her head.

"Rachael please. I want to help….I'm your friend remember?", Gar lovingly said to the girl in pain.

Rachael looked at his hand and slowly took it. Gar gave a small smile to her and gave her a hug as she cried on his chest. He hugged her and comforted her.

"Rachael, what happened?", Gar said in concern.

Rachael looked at him, the tears spilling as she looked at him.

"My father…beat me yesterday with a lamp.", Rachael said as she silently cried.

Gar looked with complete astonishment and anger. Who could beat this dark angel that was crying in front of him?

Gar looked at her. "How long has he been beating you?", Gar asked with concern.

Rachael wiped the tears off her face. "He's never really been beating me. This is the second time he beat me, and he's been beating me up for the most stupid things! First, it was for talking back and now it was for a sandwich! I don't know what other stupid thing he'll beat me up for the next time.", Rachael sobbed.

"We have to call the cops. That's child abuse!", Gar said angry at the man that his angel.

"No!", Rachael said quickly "If they lock him up then they'll send me away to a foster home!", Rachael said fearfully.

"We'll think of a plan later. Right now, we need to make sure that you're alright, Gar said. "When was the last time he beat you?", Gar asked.

"Yesterday evening", Rachael replied.

"Well did you treat the wounds?", Gar asked

"No not really. I stopped the bleeding, but I couldn't find any bandages so I just left it" ,Rachael said.

Gar looked concern. "That's not good. It could get infected. Come on, We have to get them treated." He said.

"Where are we going?", Rachael said nervously.

"To my house. I have some bandages and treatments that'll help you." , Gar said.

"I don't know. What would your parents think if you brought in a beaten girl.", Rachael said.

Gar smiled at her and said "Don't worry about it. My parents are at work."

"What about school?", Rachael said.

"You're way more important than school.", Gar said as he smiled at her.

Rachael smiled as he helped her walk to his house.

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"OW!", Rachael said as Gar rubbed the treatment alcohol on her wound.

"Oh calm down", Gar laughed as he gently rubbed the alcohol on her leg.

"Are you finished yet?, Rachael asked in pain and annoyance.

Gar wrapped her leg tightly in the bandage. "There, finish."

Rachael sighed in relief "Finally! Now let's get to school before they start calling your parents."

They both head out of Gar's bedroom and went down the stairs leaving the house and walking to school.

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Gar entered his third class undetected as it was the beginning of the class, but it doesn't go unnoticed by his two friends.

"Yo man! Where have you been! You missed like two classes.", Victor said to his friend.

"I had to help out a friend.", Gar said.

Richard turned to him. "What friend?", Richard asked.

"Rachael." ,Gar said.

Victor looked confused. "Rachael? You mean that goth girl that you invited to sit next to at lunch?", Victor asked.

"Yeah.", Gar said.

"What happened to her?", Richard asked

"I can't say.", Gar said.

"Come on man! You can't leave us hanging like that.", Victor said.

"Sorry Dude.", Gar turned around as the teacher stood before the class talking about the lesson, but Victor and Richard couldn't help but wonder what their friend was hiding from them.

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Rachael started walking home until she heard someone running after to her calling her name. Rachael turned and saw Garfield running to her. She looked at him and gave him a small smile.

"Rachael, you can't go back home with your father there.",Gar said.

Rachael looked at him and sadly said "But I don't have anywhere to go."

"You could stay with me!", Gar said cheerfully.

Rachael looked at him skeptical. "You really think your parents wouldn't mind having a random girl living with their son in the same house.", She said.

"Alright you have a point there.", Gar said defeated.

"Ok if you say so, but take my number just in case." ,Gar said as he gave her his cell phone number.

Rachael took the piece of paper and smiled at him. She quickly kissed him on the cheek and walked away heading home.

Gar stood there shocked and blushing. He soon came to his senses and gave a smile as he raised his fist in the air cheerfully.

I knew I would get her out of her shell!" ,Gar thought to himself as he happily walked home.

-( * )-

Hey guys! I hope you like this chapter! PLEASE! Give me a review of whether you liked it or not and if I should change something or not. I really would love to see your feedback.