She is not bad

Chapter 51 : Bruise

When Jane woke up the next day, she felt a strong pain on her shoulder. She raised her tee-shirt and saw the wide bruise. She was glad to not see a hole. She made some movements with her arm with difficulties because of the pain, but she was not too bothered by it. She got out of her bed and went to the living-room. It was empty. Cass' was at work, as usual. But the woman let some instruction on the kitchen unit island: a list of meds she could take, what to do if the bruise was burning, and what to eat for lunch. Jane decided to take her day. She grabbed some food, took some meds, placed an ice pack on her bruise, and sat in the couch to watch TV. She was falling asleep when she heard her phone ringing. It was Mallory.

- "Hello?"

- "Hey, Jane. How are you?"

- "I had worse days."

- "You're becoming optimistic with days," the blonde girl stated with a light forced laugh.

- "Maybe, yeah. And you? Is everything okay?"

- "I...I had better days..."

- "Oh...you want me to come?"

- "I...yes, please. If it doesn't bother you."

- "It never bothers me to see you. I'm on my way."

Jane stood from the couch and got ready as fast as possible before leaving the apartment. After a few minutes of walk, she arrived in front of Mallory's apartment. She knocked at the door, and her friend opened the door. She could see that something was worrying her.

- "What's wrong?" Jane frowned.

- "Come inside."

The brunette nodded and entered while Mallory closed her door. She invited her friend to sit in the bed before grabbing her hand and avoiding eyes contact with Jane. The brunette could feel Mallory's hand shaking which worried her more. The blonde girl took a deep breathing before saying:

- "I haven't had my period for two months...I began to worry, and I tried to think that it was because of the stress or something like that, but I made a test..."

Jane frowned, not understanding.

- "Jane...I'm...I'm pregnant."

The brunette wide opened her eyes, feeling hit by the information. She froze, unable to think.

- "It's not yours," Mallory joked with a light tone.

- "Don't keep it if you don't want it," Jane said.

- "What?"

- "Don't keep it if you don't want it! My parents had three unwanted kids, and they spent their time punishing us for their mistakes! Even if you're not a bad person, nothing can assure anyone that you won't feel hate when you look at it later!"

- "Jane..."

Mallory caressed Jane's cheek before continuing:

- "Your parents were two assholes. Your father abused your mother the three times. It sadly explained their hates for their own children...They were not sane. But I'm glad they kept you. It's selfish because I know how bad you feel."

Jane loudly gulped and nodded.

- "So, what are you gonna do?"

- "...I don't know...I don't think I can keep it," Mallory sniffed before wiping her tears. "I'm a prostitute and a stripper, I'm only eighteen, I've the smallest apartment of the world...This baby won't be able to grow up normally here...I can't keep it."

- "You know you can ask us if you need anything."

- "I know...But I'll miscarry."

- "Okay."

- "Don't think I'm a monster."

- "No, no, you're not a monster. I would never think that. My parents are monsters, but not you. You're a good person," Jane softly said.

- "Thanks."

Mallory began to cry and placed her head on Jane's shoulder, but the brunette started and tensed her face because of the pain of her shoulder. The blonde girl frowned before raising the other girl's tee-shirt and seeing the bruise.

- "Oh my god!"

- "It's fine, it's fine. It's not as bad as it looks," Jane quickly said.

- "What happened to you!?"

- "Someone shot me."

- "WHAT!?"

- "They missed, don't worry. The bullet finished in a book that Cass' bought me week ago. It's just the impact of the bullet against the book which let a bruise."

- "Someone shot you and you didn't tell me!?"

- "For what? I'm fine!"

- "When did it happen?" Mallory asked.

- "...Yesterday."

- "WHAT!?"

- "Relax! Cass' took me to a doctor, I'm okay, I just need to take some rest."

- "Who shot you? And for what?"

- "It was just people. I broke inside houses with them, and they thought I ratted out them because Police let me out."

- "...What? You got arrested?"

- "Yeah, I got caught breaking inside a house. But the woman let me out."

- "I...Too many things happened! Jane! You almost died!"

Jane pouted and shrugged. Mallory stood to sit on the other side of Jane before placing her head on her shoulder and wrapping her arms around her. The blonde girl silently cried. It was too much for her for today. She just learned that she was pregnant and that she almost lost her best friend.

- "Are you working tonight?" Jane asked.

- "Yes," Mallory sniffed.

- "Okay. I'm coming with you."

- "Okay. Please, don't die."

- "Don't worry for that, I'm hard to kill."

Mallory chuckled before gently pinching her waist, making laugh the brunette. Jane sent a message to Cassandra to tell her she wasn't coming back home. The woman wasn't very happy about that, but she was glad Jane told her. Jane wanted to cheer her friend up the best she could, to forget for a moment about their problems.