Secrets of an outcast

Email

"It's a home issue." She mumbled.

I looked at her with a puzzled expression plastered to my face.

"My cuts and bruises" She clarified.

Hmmm so was it a family thing...I gave her a sympathetic look, as my heart constricted once more for her. I hated seeing people in pain, as any rational human being should, but I for one had always had a strong opposition to those who inflict pain upon others. When you think something is right in your mind, it often means that it is wrong to the rest of the world.

We walked into her office where she already had the email open for me to examine it.

"Well here it is" She notified me.

I stood up behind her chair, leant over it and read the offending Email

To : Stacey Penkins, Alpha Software

From : Hidden Address

RE : New Job

If you even lay an eye on him I will personally come over and beat you, regardless of who is watching.

Careful.

"Oh my god!" I exclaimed as I stumbled backwards, I had to clutch the side of the desk for support.

Great, my entire time here I had never had a drama worse than somebody snapping a fingernail, but now it appeared that my life was turning slowly into one of those ridiculous movies.

"Don't worry, it's nothing. Your receptionist is just making something out of nothing, look" She pointed at the screen "we don't even know who it's from, Sorry for wasting your time."

"Stacey, this is not just nothing, this is a threat to your safety and I have a responsibility to keep my staff safe, and I fully intend to do so." I almost shouted. This was a serious matter! How dare she brush this off like that! I believed that this was the same person who was hurting her, and the reason she felt the need to defend them was due to the fact that they would probably do something a lot worse than just a beating if anyone was to find out.

"Please, don't worry about it" She pled.

"I will worry! I will find out who this is." I snapped

She looked horrified as soon as I had shouted at her. I felt it,too.

Her head bowed down and she stood there for a moment in perfect silence.

"I think I know who it is" She whispered, resigned.

"What?" I gasped, not entirely surprised.

"I think I know who it is" She repeated.

"Well,why did you not say? Who is it"I demanded

"Because I can't tell you, I can't."

I gave her a sceptical look and my eyes shot up to meet hers, they were full of horror and hurt, A lone tear trickled down her cheek.

"Stacey..." I sounded choked.

Her tears flowed freely from both eyes for the second time in 10 minutes.

She held her breath trying to calm down. What should I do? I yearn to reach out to her and embrace her but i knew my touch would be unwelcome after I snapped at her.

She didn't deserve to be unhappy.

"Stacey-" I begun, again but my voice just wouldn't work.

"Its good, im fine" She wiped her eyes with her creased pink cardigan sleeve and tried to regain her composure, by the looks of it she had become a master at doing so quickly.

"I should probably get to work, I have lots to do...Sorry for bothering you" and with that she tried to walk off, but i grabbed her wrist as she turned.

She stared at me with raw eyes.

I just gazed into her crying eyes, I knew she was suffering a lot but I couldn't do anything about it, the thought of her being hurt and in pain brought a tear to my eye.

"Tell me, Please. I can help you- I am not your enemy, Stacey."

I released her wrist and slowly made my way out of her office, dragging my feet as I left. I could feel her eyes heavy on my retreating figure