10 Minutes Earlier

Nazz: Eddward Rockwell is on campus. He was just at the house. Please be safe honey! I love you!

"Kevin. I.." Nat was at a loss for words. He didn't know what to tell his best friend. He couldn't lie to him. Or at least he felt he couldn't. He sighed heavily.

"Yes, Kevin. He is. He's been at the school for almost 6 months now. He didn't want me to tell you." He looked up, expecting Kevin to be angry. He was surprised when he saw he was smiling. The first genuine smile he's seen on Kevin since he's known him.

"He's really here? Does he want to see me? Does he want my number? Can I see him? I need to talk to him. I have to explain that he isn't at fault for what happened. We were just kids. Nat..." He stopped talking midsentence. Nat waited for him to catch his breath, to think. "Does he want to see me?"

Nat looked down. "Of course he does. But he doesn't want to mess anything up for you. I'm sorry, Kevin..."

Kevin's face fell. But only for a moment. "That's okay. I'll see him when he's ready to see me. Is he doing okay? What has he been doing?" He was giddy with excitement. After five years, he couldn't believe he might have a chance to see him. Nat answered all of his questions, much to Kevin's chagrin it was too slow. Nat would be in the middle of answering the first question and he would fire off another one. At one point, he had to stop Kevin so they could drive to the house to get the book he needed. "Oh yeah. I guess we should go do that."

Twenty minutes later and they pulled up. While Kevin ran inside, Nat looked across the street and spotted Dee. He sighed, preparing to walk over for a moment. But much too soon, Kevin came running out of the house. This worried Nat. "Kevin, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. We have to get to class."

Nat looked up at the window to the house. Nazz was angry. But what for? What had happened in the time it took Kevin to get his book and now? He looked across the street at Dee. He was seething with anger. Did he know what happened? He'd have to ask him later. For now, he and Kevin had to get to class.

Natty Butt: You can talk to me about it.

Fiery Red Head: Not right now.

Natty Butt: When you want to, please, come talk to me about it. I'm here for you.

Fiery Red Head: I appreciate it. I do. I just don't know if I can right now.

Kevin put his phone down. He couldn't tell his best friend where he was. After they had gotten to the theater building, he told Nat he needed to go to the bathroom and that he would be a few minutes, to go on without him. He went to the nurse instead. Thankfully, one of the Kanker sisters had a knack for the medical aspect of life. Marie had been the only one to graduate early and go on to college. She was doing her rotations right now and the college they attended had a spot open for this rotation.

"Kevin...you realize this is the tenth time this month you've come in here. Why haven't you reported her yet?"

"I don't know."

"That's bullshit Kevin. That girl has been abusing you for as long as we could all remember. You deserve better than that."

"I know Marie. I'm sorry."

"Kevin...sweetie, don't be sorry. You're not at fault for this. You're never at fault for something like this. It's the abuser who is at fault. I just want you to be safe. We all do." Marie looked at him with sadness in her eyes. Kevin leaned over and rested his head on her shoulder. He hated putting his friends through this. "Do you know think that Dee knows?"

Marie startled. "What? Eddward Rockwell is on campus? When did this happen?"

"Apparently six months ago. Nat knew but didn't tell me. Only because Dee told him not to. He didn't want to ruin my way of life here." He said after seeing the look on Marie's face. She stared at him for a few minutes. "Do you really believe that's the reason?"

"I absolutely do not think that's the reason he refuses to see me right now." Kevin didn't think Dee gave Nat the real reason he didn't want to see him. He wanted to track down the tall lanky boy and ask him himself, but he didn't know where to begin. He knew that if he asked Nat for his number he wouldn't give it to him. Nat was loyal like that, he didn't give anyone's number to anyone unless given permission. He knew he wouldn't go back on that for anyone, not even for Kevin. He sighed and Marie looked sad for him.

"You know, after ya'll broke up in high school, he was a wreck for a while. It tore him apart to give you up to that she-devil. But I bet if he had known what would've happened he wouldn't have done it. He loves you to pieces. It took me days just to get him to eat something. Took me longer to get him to go to school."

Kevin looked at her. "What?"

"Yeah. Dee was a wreck. He loved you then I think. Still does to my knowledge. He hasn't really settled down and he burns through relationships like he burns through joints. They don't last very long."

Kevin stared. "I need to get to class. Nat is going to wonder where I'm at if I don't show up." He picked up his bag and walked out of Marie's office. She sighed, rubbed her temples. "You're going to have to tell him, Dee. He can't keep going on like this with her." She turned around.

"How did you know I was here?"

"Your cologne is poignant. I'm surprised Kevin didn't notice it. But I'm sure he's forgotten the smell. He's not doing good, Dee. He comes in here more than the other students do. At the beginning of the year, he was here at least ten times in the first two weeks. 'Oh I fell' or 'I just ran into the door' or 'I tripped on the steps coming in.' It's heartbreaking to see him like this. I love you both to pieces, but if you don't do something soon, he's going to get hurt. Or worse." She looked Dee. She could tell it was bothering him that he couldn't talk to him.

"I can't go near him right now because of her. She has people watching him at all times. I can't get close to him without her knowing."

Marie looked at him, stunned. "How the fuck did you find that out?" She asked, incredulous.

"I slept with one of the girls she has watching him. It was easy to get it out of her when she didn't know who I was. She also can't hold her liquor. No, Marie, I didn't take advantage of her. We met purely by chance. It was accidental that she told me. I just asked the right questions."

She sighed heavily. "I don't think anyone knows just how bad it is for him. It's no wonder he's always so tense. He only seems to calm when he's with Nat or myself." She pinched the bridge of her nose. If she wasn't worried before, she was now. His safety was important and if Nazz was that insecure, that controlling to have people following him, he was in more danger than they all thought. "What are you going to do?"

"I have to get proof this is even happening. I can't go to him without it. He might not believe me." He was worried, that much she could tell. She stood. "Dee, you might not get the proof you need, but I can tell you one thing, if you went to him right now and told him, he would believe you. He already knows that he's in a situation that he should never be in. He needs you, now more than ever. And I think you need him just as much. I know you have your regrets and I know that you hated leaving him because you thought you were doing what was best for him. But he needs to get away from her."

He sighed, he knew he needed to get him away. But how? Just then his phone went off.

Nathaniel: We need to talk.

D. Delicious: About?

Nathaniel: About this. *Picture*

Dee stared at his phone. It was clearly an old picture of Kevin. But the bruise just below his collar bone was unmistakable.

D. Delicious: How did you get this?

Nathaniel: I had to take it when he was drunk. He doesn't let anyone see his injuries.

D. Delicious: When was this?

Nathaniel: Last month. I'm sure he still has it but it's covered up pretty good. Either he learned to use foundation or she covered it up for him. I never saw it again after this.

D. Delicious: I think it's time I saw him.

"Marie. Do you keep a record of his injuries when he comes in?"

"Of course. I'm obligated to. I'm the only one who only ever sees what she does to him. Why do you ask?"

Dee showed her the message Nat sent. She gasped lightly. "I remember when this happened. She beat him after he refused to have sex with her. Again. She has this twisted fantasy that you're supposed to have sex with your girlfriend whenever she demands it. But Kevin is asexual. The boy literally is not attracted to her."

Dee thought for a moment. "Is he not attracted to her or is it really because he's asexual?" Marie took a moment to answer. "He's always just said he isn't attracted to her. I assumed he was asexual."

"I know it goes against HIPPA, but could I take a look at his medical records?"

"Dee. You literally run a clinic. You're a doctor asking about your new patient's medical documents. I have no problem showing them to you." Marie handed over a thick file with Kevin's name on it. The rest of the afternoon was spent coming up with a plan to get him to meet Kevin and get him away from a girl who cared nothing for him.