Breaking Boundaries (unordinary love story)

MISTY'S POINT OF VIEW - Chapter 40: Crime And Punishment

MISTY

Rick defending me was pretty awesome. It showed how loyal he was to me. However, I had been scared he would give Zach a brain injury or worse, by the way he was pounding Zach. It had scared me so badly, not for Zach, but for Rick. I didn't want him to get in huge trouble. Turns out he did anyway. I was currently outside the principal's office, where Rick was getting interrogated.

Rick came out from the door.

"Tell me about it?" I said.

"Not now," he said. "The detective wants to talk to you."

"Oh," I said, suddenly nervous.

"It's nothing. You did nothing wrong."

"I know," I said.

He grabbed my hands. "You'll be fine. I'll be here for you. As always."

"Thanks," I said. I went into the office.

"You must be Ms. Gates," said someone who looked like the detective.

"That's me," I said. I sat down. I could not believe I was missing out on physics class. Ugh. Now that was a real bummer.

They asked me questions about what happened, my relationship with Rick and Zach, and everything I could remember, including tiny details. I answered honestly, because I had nothing to lose. I was the victim. However, Rick did. He could get convicted for what he had done.

Before, I'd witnessed Rick and Zach explode into physical blows. This was not going to be over soon. Or even later, for that matter.

Detective Roth planted his feet so that the soles were flat on the floor below. "Do you, by any chance, know why Zach did what he did to you to start off all this?"

I looked down at my shoes before answering. "Zach's a bully."

"That's about right," Mr. Coleman backed me up, lifting the corners of the papers in his binder. "He has a history."

"So this Zach kid just laid his hands on you for no reason? Not as a reaction to something?" asked the police, putting his hands on his hips.

I nodded. "Pretty much."

"OK, well that explains a bit more," said the detective. "You were a big help. Thanks, Ms. Gates."

"Yup," I said, lifting myself from my seat. I reached for the doorknob, yanked open the door, and walked out.

Outside Rick was there. He saw me and walked over. "Well that was fast. How'd it go?"

I shrugged. "Nothing much happened, really."

"Alright." He leaned against the wall.

"Next time, just...don't go too hard on someone for me. That's, like, my brother's job, and he got beat up already."

"I did it for you," he said, and tears welled up in his eyes. "It hurt me to see him do that to you."

"Thanks," I said quietly. "I appreciate it." I clutched the necklace around my neck, the one Rick gifted me.

He pulled me in, his hands against my back. "At least you're safe. Don't worry about me."

My head was against his chest. He smelled good. I leaned my head back to look up at him. "You've done stuff like this to me before too."

"Oh, right. I'm so sorry, Misty. But that's history now, is it?"

"Yeah."

"Do you forgive me?"

"Yes," I whispered. "That Rick isn't the one I know today."

"Thanks," he said.

Forgiving is important. I've known that since I was a kid. To not hold grudges on people, and to not be a hater. I pondered about Rick hating his mother who abandoned his family, and that broke my heart. If he had been hating her for thirteen years straight, I could only bring myself to think about how much that would have ripped him apart.