Chapter 2: Silence
"Ch…Charlie…I thought you left." Amanda said as she started walking backwards towards her cell phone.
"I told you there would be consequences…" Charlie said as he got up from the chair she had in her room.
"Charlie, stay away from me or I'll…I'll call the cops!" Amanda said hesitantly as she picked up her phone behind her back and held down the "2" button. Kyle was #2 on speed dial. It made a soft beep. Then she shut it and put it in her back pocket to muffle the sound of the phone dialing. She heard the small sound of a voice answering her call; but she couldn't say anything back.
"Oh, I'm so scared!" Charlie yelled sarcastically as he swaggered towards her. She took a step back.
"I'm serious, Charlie. Back off!" Amanda yelled. She reached back and pressed another button on her cell phone, and it made a louder beep.
"Why couldn't you just listen to me and do what I tell you to do!" Charlie snapped. He took a lunge forward and slapped Amanda across the face. She screamed. "You're such a pathetic little girl, Amanda. I don't even know why I put up with you!" He hit her again. She grunted and fell to the floor. She then scooted back.
"Charlie…. please stop…" Amanda cried.
"Shut up Amanda! You're nothing but a worthless girlfriend!" Charlie screamed. He lifted his fists in the air and brought them down fast, hitting Amanda in the face multiple times; knocking her out.
He walked out her room with no emotion and out the front door to get to his car; which was parked a block away. He drove away casually, leaving her there on the floor in complete silence.
0o0o0o0o
Amanda woke up with a start. She wasn't in her house; but she was somewhere familiar. She was in Kyle's arms.
"Amanda, relax. Everything is okay. I'm taking you to the hospital. Thank god for calling me and put your phone on speaker so I can give the recording to the police." Kyle said softly as he sat in the backseat of Nicole's car while she zoomed down the highway.
"Kyle, what's going on? My head hurts…" Amanda mumbled
"I bet it does…But you'll feel better soon. I promise. Your mother Is coming from work to the hospital. But for now, just relax. You're going to be okay. I'm right here…" Kyle said as he gently took her hand; something he has never done before. She smiled at him and he smiled back. She closed her eyes and rested her head on Kyle's forearm.
0o0o0o0o
She next awoke in a hospital bed with her head wrapped in white gauze. She moaned and startled Kyle who was sitting in the chair next to her bed.
"Hi…" Amanda said quietly.
"Hey, how are you feeling? I bet you are you hungry. Your mom told me what you liked, so when you were asleep, I went out and bought Subway for you. I heard hospital food isn't very good." Kyle said pulling a bag from off the floor.
"Kyle, you're so sweet. You're always thinking about other people before yourself. And I love that about you." Amanda smiled as she sat up in the big reclining bed. She rubbed her eyes and turned the lamp up higher so she could see. "Where are my mom and Nichole?"
"Your mom left to go to court and Nicole when to the store for anything you might need and things for me to stay."
"Kyle, you don't have to stay with me, I'll be okay."
"I want to stay until I know you're perfectly fine. I'm never going to let him see you ever again. That's a promise. And you know I never break promises. Your mother called the police and they have found Charlie and he is going to court." Amanda let out a sigh.
"Thank god…" Amanda said as she put her hand on her head. "Ow…"
"He broke 3 bones in your skull; your Sphenoid Bone, Frontal Bone, and your Coronal Bone, all on your right side. When I found you in your bedroom, you were knocked out and there was blood all over the floor. I thought you were…gone." He paused.
"Thank you Kyle, for all you've done for me." Amanda smiled, as she looked him in the eye. Their gaze ended and she took the sandwich he was handing to her. "My favorite…" Amanda said, again with a shy smile.
0o0o0o0o0
The soft rhythm of the heart monitor was a perfect thing to fall asleep to…for Amanda. Kyle had moved the couch cushions to make a bed with 2 sides; just like his tub. But it wasn't working. He had too many things on his mind to sleep. Is Amanda going to make a full recovery? What is going to happen with Charlie? Am I finally going to tell her what has been on my mind ever since I first saw her? How will I say it? What am I going to do? Amanda though, was curled up in the blankets, facing the opposite direction, sleeping soundly.
He was counting the little dots on the ceiling and got up to 16,122. It was one o'clock in the morning and it was impossible for his mind to shut down. So, he just laid there in the dark, with only the soft beeps from the monitor breaking the silence.
It was just about two-thirty and Amanda got up and went into the small room to her right. A minute later she came back and was wiping her hands with a towel. She climbed back into the bed and pulled up the covers. Kyle sat up in his bed.
"Amanda, are you okay?"
"Yeah, just had to use the little girl's room." She whispered.
"Oh...you sleeping good?" Kyle whispered back.
"I…guess so. Not horrible, but I can live with it for a few nights. How you hangin'?"
He sighed. "Can't sleep. Too much on my mind."
"Like what?" Amanda asked, turning on her side and putting her left hand behind her head to support it.
He sighed again. "Everything."
"Come sit over here." Amanda said. So he did. He knew how she might feel after being hurt physically and emotionally, so he kept his space. So he just barely just sat on the edge of the bed. She smiled and sat up. She started rubbing his back. He was startled. Was this a dream? Was it for real? What is he going to say?
"Um…" Kyle mumbled.
"I'm sorry." Amanda said, quickly taking her hands off his back.
Kyle turned around. "No, you just startled me."
"Oh. I thought something was wrong."
"No, nothing is wrong…it feels good. Thank you."
She nodded.
"I brought your favorite movie if you want to watch it. I mean…if you wanted to…"
" 'Dirty Dancing'? Kyle, have I ever turned down an opportunity to watch the best movie ever created?
"Um…no?"
"Exactly."
0o0o0o0o0
Apparently the VCR would re-wind and play the movie over and over after it was finished. It had been playing for hours and they had finally fallen asleep. Kyle was at the foot of her bed with his feet dangling over the edge and Amanda was sleeping the opposite way the bed was made. Her feet were up by the stack pillows and her head was on top of Kyle's shoulder blade. He suddenly opened his eyes. Someone had been in the room. He very slowly slid out from under Amanda and set her head back down on a fluffy pillow. He looked around and saw a bag and a note. He picked the not up and read it.
Dear Kyle,
Here some things you might need while you are here with Amanda: Clothes, real food, money, and some things to keep you occupied. When I walked in, you were both sleeping and I knew I shouldn't wake you guys up. Besides, it was 5 in the morning. Ihave to go out to town with Stephen for , so I should be back late tonight. I will have my phone with me at all times. So if you need me, just call.
All my love,
Nicole
He set down the note and walked back over to Amanda. He gently pulled up the covers over her shoulders and sat down next to her. He grabbed the remote to the TV and turned it on. He was flipping through the channels and stopped on a movie that was playing. It was called 'Titanic'. He set down the remote and leaned back while he watched a girl named Rose jump off a lifeboat and run to a man named Jack. He noticed that they looked joined at the hip and couldn't stand to be away from each other for more than a while. Kyle took his hand and gently rubbed Amanda's back with his fingertips.
About an hour later, Amanda opened her eyes and sat up. She put her arms up and stretched. She looked over at Kyle and saw that his eyes were locked on the TV.
"You like this movie?" Amanda asked him. All he did was nod. His eyes didn't move from the TV screen. "Its another one of my favorites." He turned his head.
"Why do you like romance movies so much?"
"Um…I don't know. I just…do."
"I think I know why you like them." Kyle said as he turned his head to continue watching the movie.
"Yeah? Why?"
"Does your heart skip a beat every time you see one? I think that's what is happening to me now..."
"Yeah…I think that's why I like them." Amanda said softly as she set her hand down on top his. He turned back to look at her. She had a shy smile on her face. He smiled back and flipped his hand over and entwined their fingers.
