Hey all, it's Saturday, which means update time! I have a little surprise planned for next chapter, which might be up a bit earlier for... reasons, but we should get through this one first. Hopefully you lovelies enjoy! ~Shaymie

Alex's POV

"Lo, are you up yet?" I asked as I hesitantly knocked on my girlfriend's door, even though I knew she was awake. She had locked her door last night, a clear sign that she wanted to be left alone, and I could tell she had been having nightmares. It was the day after the incident with Lee, and Madison had told everyone what happened yesterday morning (with the occasional input from me). George had stormed off to his office immediately, saying that he was pressing charges against Reynolds, while Martha had burst into tears, muttering "my poor baby" repeatedly.

Everyone had been less than pleased when they found out that I had known about the James/Maria situation. Laurens, Laf, and Angelica took turns yelling at me in various languages, while the others had given me the meanest of glares. It was hard to pay much attention knowing that Lorin was upstairs, most likely crying her heart out. Yeah, I got it, I messed up. I wanted they would leave me alone so I could be with her.

"Lo, it's time for breakfast. George… George said you don't have to go to school if you don't feel like it."

"I'm coming," she answered quietly, her voice barely audible through the door. She came out a new minutes later, still in her pajamas. Her nose was bright red, as was her face, and she had dark shadows under her eyes. "Did Maddie tell everyone about… you know?"

"He had to, Lo," I said gently, grabbing her hand when she turned back to go in her room. "And I told them about what happened in the library."

"Why?" Lorin's voice trembled as she looked up at me. She couldn't seriously be asking why. My blood boiled just thinking about it, about seeing that creep all over her, and the stupid smug look on his face that I quickly got rid of. It was a miracle that I hadn't gotten in trouble for beating the shit out of him.

"Why? Because that asshole had no right touching you! That fucker basically... Lo, you can't just let people get away with shit like that!" I sighed at the hurt look in her eyes and led her towards the stairs. Yelling at her wouldn't fix anything. She bit her lip as we approached the dining room table. Everyone was here with the exception of Laurens, who had left earlier to "take care of business". Hopefully he wasn't doing what I thought he was.

"Good morning, Lorin! I made your favorite," Martha sang as she placed a plate at Lorin's spot at the table. Lorin nodded and sat down, her hair falling in her face as she stared at the steaming plate of French toast. And then tears started streaming down her face. She raised her hands to cover her face and shook her head.

"I don't deserve this!" she sobbed, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. "How can you be so nice to me? I'm nothing but a worthless slut! I'm… I'm just like my mother!"

"Lorin-"

"I'm going back to my room," she sniffed, pushing me away. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Lorin," Laf called after her before she reached the stairs. She looked back at him, her eyes glassy. It was almost as if she was looking past him. "Don't do anything stupid. We're here for you."

What did he mean by that? I frowned. Lorin looked away and went back upstairs. After a few seconds of hesitation, I followed her. I wasn't sure I could trust her alone, especially not after Laf's warning of not to do anything stupid. I barely caught the door before it shut, wincing as it slammed on my foot.

"Lorin, can I please come in?" She nodded and opened the door, stepping back as I entered. She let me lead her to the bed and sat next to me. She was the first one to speak after a tense silence.

"Part of me still loves him… James, that is. A-And some sick part of me misses him. Some part of me misses Maria. I don't understand… They were terrible, but they made me feel amazing." She looked up at me expectantly, but for once in my life I was speechless. What could I say? She looked down at her feet. "I should have left him the second he hit me, right? But he apologized… He said he only hit me because I talked back to him and I deserved to get punished-"

"What the hell? 'Punished'? That's fucking ridiculous, Lorin!"

"The punishments got worse after Maria was introduced to our relationship," she continued like I hadn't even spoken and started rubbing her arms uncomfortably. "Most of these scars are from Maria's punishments. She'd cut me or beat me with a belt or… Well, you wanted to know where this mark on my hand came from, right? She used me as her ashtray once."

"She put a cigarette out on you? Jesus, what else did they do- you know what, I don't want to know." Just hearing this was making me furious. How could she have put up with that? No matter how much you love someone, there has to be a limit for the level of bullshit you're willing to deal with.

"I thought the punishments were worth it. They took out their anger on me, told me what I should and shouldn't do, and then I'd get rewarded. They rewarded me for being a good girl. They complimented me, most of the time anyway. Even some of the punishments felt good... I keep saying I didn't want it, but part of me did. A lot of me did. They… They made me feel loved."

"Lo, that wasn't love. They were using you! They abused you!"

"I know that now. I know… They didn't love me. Mom… My real mom… She told me that certain people hurt you because they don't know how to show their love. That was her explanation whenever Dad hit her. He'd call her all sorts of things just because she had been with other men before him. He hated the fact that she'd had another child before me, and with another man, no less."

"You're not an only child?" I asked, aware of the fact that she had changed the subject from James and Maria. I didn't mention it. I wasn't sure how much more of that I could take. We'd have to talk about it eventually, with everyone.

"I have an older sister," Lorin nodded, a small smile crossing her face. "She stays with her dad. She doesn't get to visit often because she still lives in Texas, but we talk on the phone sometimes."

Texas, huh? That explained the adorable southern accent that tended to slip out from time to time. She seemed embarrassed by the accent, but I didn't know why. It was one of the cutest things ever, second only to her. We sat in peaceful silence for awhile, even though the clock on her bedside table told me it was long past time for me to leave for school. She sighed and put her head on my shoulder.

"I don't think I can face everyone…" she murmured, leaning into my touch as I held her closer. "I know they'll all be mad. I heard them yelling last night…"

"They aren't mad at you, Lo. If anything, they're mad at me for not telling them sooner. I knew I should have, but I didn't want to betray your trust like that, especially if you weren't ready for anyone to know."

"Thank you…" Her voice was soft and appreciative, and I smiled at her as she kissed my cheek. Then an idea popped into my head.

"Do you want to go out later? We've never been on a real date and it would be a nice way to relax before the inevitable interrogation. I know you don't really like crowded places, but we could go to the park, maybe have a picnic? Y-You don't have to go if you don't want to."

"A date? I don't think I've ever been on one. James didn't believe in dates," Lorin frowned, a blush spreading across her face. This was going to be her first date? I would have to make sure it was absolutely perfect, then.

"There's Lorin Haywood's boyfriend!"

"Boyfriend or fuck buddy?"

"I didn't think she was that kind of girl."

"Charles said that she was easy. Do you think I have a chance with her?"

"Take a fucking picture, it'll last longer!" I yelled at the idiots gossiping a table over. They scoffed and turned away from me. Thankfully the bell rang, signalling the end of the school day. Lee had been spreading rumors about Lorin (I thought he would have learned to keep his mouth shut), and all everyone had been talking about was how they thought Lorin was a slut. It was a miracle I hadn't punched anyone yet.

The next few hours were spent preparing for the picnic. George and Martha had gone to work, which meant that we most likely wouldn't see them for at least a day. They were always at work, it seemed. Laf helped me pack for the picnic, shooting me a not-so-subtle wink as he put a bottle of wine in the basket (I didn't even think people actually bought picnic baskets), while Peggy and Eliza helped Lorin get ready. Angelica was off looking for Laurens, who we hadn't heard from since this morning.

"We're just going to the park, Herc," I sighed as my friend rummaged through my closet, occasionally clicking his tongue as he saw something he didn't approve of. I didn't know why he was complaining when he was the one who had picked out basically my entire wardrobe.

"That doesn't mean you can go there wearing… That!" He gestured at my hoodie and jeans and scoffed as he turned back to the closet. I rolled my eyes and sat on my bed, wondering if Lo had to put up with anything like this. There wasn't any bickering coming from next door like there had been when they helped her get ready for the aquarium. If I strained my ears, I could hear muffled whispers and the rustle of clothes.

I glared at Herc as he tossed a shirt and a dark pair of jeans at me. I opened my mouth to object but snapped it shut when he glowered at me. I knew better than to mess with Herc when he was in a fashion mood. I went to the bathroom and changed into the dark red (or was it maroon?) button up shirt and jeans. I spent about ten minutes trying to fix my hair before Herc banged on the door, telling me that it was going to get dark if I took any longer.

"Don't get your panties in a bu-" I froze in the doorway of the bathroom as I saw Lorin sitting on my bed, a shy smile on her face. A blush spread across her freckled face as she saw me staring and looked away. Damn, she was adorable. Scratch that, she was beautiful. Her sandy hair was done up in an intricate braid, a few stray strands framing her face. She was wearing a black dress with a floral design and strappy heels. She was probably a bit overdressed for the park, but she looked gorgeous.

"It's a bit much for a trip to the park," she frowned as I walked over to her. The blush deepened as I kissed the back of her hand. "I managed to talk them into only making me wear lip gloss. I don't think I'd be able to handle a full face of makeup. Although it probably would have helped. I feel like a mess."

"Nonsense, you're adorable," I grinned, repeating the words I had told her the night (morning?) we'd had our first conversation. It felt like it was centuries ago when really, it had only been a month. And it was by far the best month of my life. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

"Alright, you lovebirds, get outta here," Herc laughed, handing Lorin a tiny black purse. "Don't be out too late, alright? And remember, we're having a talk when you get back."