Burn for You

15

Serena
"Tell me what happened?" I sat down next to Christy, my leg going under me, the other up as I rested my head on my knee.

She sobbed and stuttered as she tried her best to get her words out. Christy and I aren't close, we are just neighbors but she's always smiling. Even when I caught her having arguments with her boyfriends in the hallway, a smile was still spread across her face. It drove the boyfriends up the wall but it didn't stop her.

Seeing her choked up, and hardly able to form a sentence without breaking down concerns me.

"Calm down Christy," I said lowly. "You're ok, just breathe." I palmed her shoulders, my thumbs gently rubbing around in circles. She stared at me as she took deep breaths, her tears falling a little slower.

"Tell me what happened," I said slowly.

She nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand as she prepared her words.

"I was with my boyfriend...my ex-boyfriend," she cleared her throat as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't even know what the fuck I did. He just flipped the fuck out! Next thing I know, I'm on the ground and he's kicking the shit out of me." She sighs black dyed tears still rolling silently down her pink cheeks.

She stood and I watched as she lifted her shirt slowly. Black and blue bruises covered her ribs and stomach, some slightly bloody looking. Her ribs looked off as if they shifted oddly.

"I don't know what the fuck to do. He's still in my apartment." She chewed nervously on her bottom lip, her eyes begging for me to help her. "He doesn't even know I'm over here, I told him I was just going to get cigarettes." She chuckled, the end getting caught in her throat as she threw her hands up.

"I'm so fucking dumb. Who falls in love with someone named after fucking liquor?" She chuckled at herself, her head resting in her hands as she sat down next to me.

I hummed "what's his name?"

"Vermouth. His mother was a fucking drunk just like him." She uttered.

"Let's call the police, Christy." Her head popped up, her eyes wide.

She grabbed my hands, holding them together and squeezing them tight.

"No no. You cannot call the police." I raised my eyebrow as I gently pulled my hands away from her.

"Fine. I'll figure it out. Just don't go home." She sighed, her shoulders relaxing as she stared at me, remorse in her puppy dog eyes.

"I'm sorry, S." I shook my head and stood up.

"Don't be. I'll be right back."

I walked out, closing the door behind me.

"Grayson?" I called out receiving no response. "Gray-" I stopped as I turned the corner and found the couch empty.

I sighed, placing my hand on my forehead. I have a headache.

I hope he didn't have anything important to say.

...

"Papa. What would you do if your friend was in an abusive relationship?" He stopped chewing, looking over at me as he wiped the corner of his mouth.

"Who's getting beat up?"

"Papa, you can't say it like that." I chuckled lightly, resting my head on his shoulder.

He sighed and set his sandwich down. "Who is being hurt, Serena." He pushed his eyebrows up, his face asking me if that was better.

I shook my head and crossed my legs. "A girl I know. I also know the guy who's doing it. Very odd how the world works." He cleared his throat before placing his hand on top of mine.

"Well ya know honey, I didn't get your uncle to teach you all of that boxing stuff for no reason." I smiled and grabbed his hand.

"Hmm. You're right, he's pretty skinny. I could probably take him." He chuckled as he squeezed my hand.

"No, but really, just call the police Serena. Whatever reason she told you not to call the police is not a good enough reason to have to prepare for a funeral." I sighed.

"Ok, papa. I'll talk to her."

...

"Serena! I said no police! They'll lock me up before they do anything to him!" She scoffed as she went around my room as if she was looking for something.

"That's better than what could happen, Christy." She scrunched her face up as she glanced back at me.

"Do you think he's going to kill me or something!?" She flipped the covers from the side of the bed before looking underneath. "He's too much of a pussy to kill me." She muttered.

I chuckled at her. "He's 'too pussy'? He beat the shit out of you Christy. He's pussy enough to hit you, he's pussy enough to kill you." She let out a harsh breath of air as she looked up at me from over the bed.

"No. Police."

I thought for a moment.

"Fine. Fuck it." I turned on my heel and rolled my neck.

I took deep breaths as I stretched my arms out.

"What are you doing?" Christy chased after me, a hint of excitement in her voice.

"We can't just let him sit in your house with no consequences Christy. This is definitely going to go bad on my part but it'll be ok."

I slid on the heavy gold rings I got for a wedding a while back. I couldn't look in the mirror or I'd decide to just call the police.

I mean, the police are going to come anyways but I have to do this.

"Sorry, papa," I mumbled as I exited my apartment.