Just One Simple Hello

My best friend

While walking home from school Friday, I saw this girl. She was absolutely gorgeous. But for some reason she was crying....She looked helpless. And me being me I decided to walk over to her. "Hello?" I said to girl. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing..I ju..just need..." It was hard to tell what she was saying. I felt bad for her. I understand how it feels to feel helpless. But I didn't understand how to help her....
"What happened" I asked.
"I Don't know...Do you have a place I could stay for the night..I pr..promise I won't bother you to..too much" " she said crying..To be honest, my heart was racing out of my chest. I could tell that she had been beaten by somebody. She had bruises on face and arms like someone had tried killing her.
"Okay, follow me." I said.
On walk home she was pretty much silent except for a few weeps here and there. When we finally got to my house I Asked the girl what her name was.
"Annabeth...but everyone calls me Anna" she said quietly.
I had her go upstairs to my room so I could talk to my dad alone.
"Dad?"
"What happened to that girl, Alex!? She looks like she was just beaten up" Dad was really concerned... At this point I was about ready to break down...I felt so bad for her.
"Dad" I whispered "She needs a place to stay...."
Dad decided to let her stay here as long as she needed. He obviously didn't want her going to back home.
When I got upstairs so I could Anna that she could stay as long as needed...but she was already passed out on my bed. "I guess I'll have to tell her in the morning." I said to myself.

I woke up to Anna cleaning her room. "Anna? What are you doing" I asked.
"I figured I should clean. To thank you for letting me stay"
She's so polite, I thought.
"Hey Anna, my home is your home, you can use whatever you want."
"....well" she said. "Could I use the shower?"
I kinda laughed at that. "Of course you can"
Alex and I spent a lot of time together and eventually she became my best friend. Her and I did everything together. And being around her made me forget the bad parts of my life. After about a week, my father asked about her family...Right away she broke down crying. She told him about how her father is abusive and her mother is an alcoholic. She rolled up her sleeves revealing the bruised she got from her father. "This is wh..why I was afraid to go home last week." "I thought they were going to kill me. I though this time they might actually quit threatening it and do it!" By this time she was balling her eyes out. I hated seeing my best friend cry. Just it was horrible.

That night, my father called social services. 3 Police showed up at my house and asked my and Anna several questions. When we were brought back in the same room, she hugged me. "Thanks for everything, best friend.."
Then she left with my police.
Dad said that They were taking Anna to see her parents. This crushed me. I know what they would do to her when she gets home. What if they kill her? What if they kill my best friend!? My heart was racing out of my chest! I've never felt this scared before..not even when I was nearly killed by Stephnie last year. This pain was different
This pain was worse. And I know it won't go away until I know that my best friend is safe.