AN: Hey! I'm SO glad you guys liked my last two chapters. I know I've said this before, but every review makes me feel fuzzy inside and motivates me to update sooner. Anyway, I have a feeling this is the chapter many of you have been waiting for ;) I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 41

Waking up for school the next morning was more difficult than I could have imagined. My body was aching with every move, my head was pounding, my stomach was doing barrel rolls, and my raccoon eyes had trouble staying open.

It was what I liked to call a post-opening-night hangover.

I greeted Spencer tiredly as I dragged my weak body into the kitchen before I left for school.

"You look terrible" he huffed out, receiving a not so thrilled glare from my end.

"Thanks Spenc, I didn't notice" I scoffed while pouring an extra cup of coffee. He sipped his, sensing my exhaustion and not pushing further.

"Oh, uh I almost forgot. Can I sleep at Ari's on Saturday after our last performance?" I flipped my tone to a more cheerful sound, trying to kiss up a bit hoping he would let me go.

"Uh- why doesn't Ari come here?"Spencer purposed, a bit anxious.

"Oh, uh because she has a home theater in her basement and like, every movie known to man, so we wanted to have a movie marathon" I replied, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

"Uh, I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with letting you sleep out. Why doesn't she just bring the movies here?" Spencer said hesitantly.

My plan was failing.

"Spenc, seriously? It's just a sleep over. We'll probably be too worn out to stay up past midnight" I assured him. He kept his expression blank.

"I'll call you when I get there is it makes you feel any better" I smiled nervously, trying to get him to cave. He thought for a minutes, then gave in.

"Alright, fine. But I'm picking you up at noon on Sunday" Spencer said sternly. My sleepy mind did a little victory dance.

"Thank you Spenc, gotta go I'll see ya later" I pecked him on the cheek and headed out the door. My excitement lasted all of ten minutes, then my body and mind fell back on the exhaustion track.

"Is it time to go home yet?" Ari moaned to Matthew and I, the both of us thinking the same thing. To our dismay, it was only third period.

I felt as if I was in a fog, staring into space, only able to focus on the immense amount of pain my mind and body were enduring. The combination of sleep deprivation, a weakened immune system, my every day thoughts, and the fact that I had to worry about Spencer on my case about absolutely everything, I shut down.

"I'm too tired for this, I'm going home. I'll see you guys tonight" I announced, monotone, and pivoted on the balls of my feet and signed out at the attendance desk. I heard Matthew and Ari call after me briefly, but I didn't bother turning around.

I took the local bus back the square and walked around for about a half hour, making sure that when I entered the apartment Spencer had already left for work. I arrived at around 10am, tossed my bag on the coffee table, changed into sweats, and flopped down on the sofa in the living room while letting out an elongated sigh. The space was so quite you could hear a pin drop, cradling me off to a much needed, dreamless sleep.

I was woken up hours later by a continuous knocking at the front door. I looked at the time, and it read 2:30.

"Who the hell..." I mumbled while leaping off the couch and rushing to the door. Looking through the peephole, I saw Matthew standing on the other side.

"You woke me up" I said slightly angrily after I opened the door to let him in. I wiped the underneath of my eyes and smoothed out my tangled hair, a small clump of it detaching from my scalp and residing in my hand. My eyes widened and I somewhat panicked, dropping the bundle onto the floor so Matthew didn't notice.

"Jenna, what's going on with you? I'm worried" Matthew explained from the couch. I stood over him, picking at my nails while my heart began to throb.

"There's something wrong, isn't there?" He assumed gently. I sat cross legged next to him as my eyes became hot. Just like with Spencer, the walls that I hadn't been able to rebuild were being trampled.

I knew coming clean was my only option, I put the last of my trust in Matthew.

"I- I uh,um" I stammered, trying to find the right words.

He was waiting, and I couldn't form a sentence. I took a silent inhale and slowly pushed up both of my burgundy sleeves with shaky hands, revealing my hacked up, scar scattered skin.

I heard Matthew gasp quietly, and the tears that had been threatening to fall finally made their way past the threshold and slid down my cheeks.

"Jenna..." Matthew whispered. I looked up to see tears streaming down his face as well.

I could feel my heart cracking piece by piece.

"Sp-spencer found out" I choked out through the lump in my throat.

"He...he also found my food journal" I let a tiny sob escape, cupping my mouth with my right hand.

I didn't need to say anymore, he already knew what I was confessing.

"W-why?" He asked desperately, delicately running his thumb over my deep scars.

"There's so much I wish you knew" I cried.

"Then tell me, please" He begged, tears overpowering the two of us.

"My-my uncle...h-he'd get really drunk a-and at first he just hit me. The beatings were horrible,-but then once I hit puberty, he...he started using me to fulfill his 'needs'" I blurted out in between sobs.

Matthew didn't make me go on, he put two and two together.

It wasn't everything I wanted to say, and only a fraction of history, but it was a start.

"Jenna..." He whimpered, trying to be as consoling as possible. I was bawling, and rightfully so.

He took me into his embrace and stroked my thinning hair as I sobbed. I felt entirely safe I his hold, like the evil world surrounding me couldn't penetrate our own little space.

"You don't have to go through this alone" He spoke softly into my ear.

I'm not sure how long we were like that for, but eventually we both drifted off to sleep, not shifting our intertwined bodies.

Matthew gently shook me awake around 4:30.

"Jenna, Jenna we have to go, curtain is in a few hours" He murmured, smoothing out my muddled strands of hair.

"Okay" I slurred, not wanting to part from Matthew's warm body.

"I love you Jenna, you know that right?" He assured me as I gathered the items I needed for the approaching performance.

"I love you too, Matthew" I grinned, genuinely meaning it.

And just like that, we were off for another night's performance.