What the *** is a kilometer?

~7~

POV Dominic:

Lizzy has been gone for a few hours and I have been cleaning the house for her, trying my best to show her that I am still worth staying with, I wonder where she has been, actually I can answer that question for myself, I hope she tells me that she was with a friend, even though I know that will probably be a lie. As soon as I hear her keys in the lock, I try to pretend that I was just about to start dinner. "Dom, are you home? The door wasn't locked?" "I'm in the kitchen." I hear her footsteps coming closer. "Where have you been Liz?" "Just at a friend's house, venting." I reach out to give her a hug to let her know everything is calm again, I see her hesitate but she takes my hand anyway. As I hug her, I smell a perfume that is very familiar to me. "Are you sure you were with a friend?" I let go of her and she immediately takes a step back.

I look at her piercingly. "Lizzy, who were you with, I know you are lying to me." I clench my hand into a fist, trying to control my anger, but I can't, all the feelings I've felt for the last few months are coming out in this moment. "Don't lie to me Lizzy!" I yell at her. "What do you want to hear, Dominic? You insist on hearing his name, that's what you want, isn't it?" "Say his name Lizzy, say it!" "I was with Logan!" I slam my fist down on the counter, she tries to take a step back but I grab her wrist, she kicks my leg but I don't notice. "How dare you still go to him after all my warnings! Does this relationship really mean nothing to you anymore?" I feel my grip on her wrist tighten. "Ouch Dominic, let go of me, you're hurting me!" I let go and push her backwards, she loses her balance and hits her head on the kitchen stool. Tears stream into her eyes again and she begins to scream. "Dominic, go away! I want you to pack your things and go back to your parents! I need space to think! Look what you have done to me! You should get help because there is something really wrong with you!" I hear her words but they don't impress me, I take a step in her direction and she ducks. "Go away, go away, go away!" Her panicked sobs and gasps for breath bring me back to reality and I'm startled to see her sitting on the floor, a bit of blood running down her hair, I want to go over to her side to get a better look but she pushes me away roughly. She finds the strength to stand up. "Now Dominic! Get what you need and be gone in half an hour! If not, I'm calling the police!" "If that's really what you want, then fine." I turn around and start to get the things I need.

This time I really messed up for good. My hands were still shaking with anger as I grabbed my suitcase and walked into the living room where Lizzy was lying on the couch with a bag of ice on her head. "So?" I'm not really sure what to do, if I should just leave or say goodbye to her. "Just go." I hear her mumble. I see Logan's number pop up on her phone and immediately turn and walk out the door. If I ever run into Logan again, I won't let him go that easily.

POV Alex:

"Alex! Alex! Alex! Wake up!" I slowly open my eyes to see Lily standing in front of me with my phone in her hand. "What is it? I finally fell asleep." I rub my eyes and look a little annoyed. "I told you to go to bed, but Logan tried to call you a couple of times, I turned it off twice, but when he called the third time, I thought it might be important." I look at her with a raised eyebrow and sit up straight on the couch, taking my cell phone from her and actually see that Logan has called me. "Could it have something to do with Lizzy?" I shake my head. "I don't know..." I can't finish my sentence before my phone rings again and I answer it.

"Logan, what is it that you've been calling me so many times?" "I'm at Lizzy's door, she called if I wanted to come but she won't open now!" I can hear the panic in his voice. "Did she say what's wrong?" "Her boyfriend hit or pushed her again, I couldn't tell from the conversation I had with her. I called her, knocked, rang the doorbell, but no answer, what if something bad happened Alex?" Lily sits beside me with her ear on the otherside of my phone, listening. "Are her neighbors home?" "How am I supposed to know if the neighbors are home!" Logan sounds offended, but he doesn't understand my question, he's clearly panicking and Lily grabs my phone out of my hand. "Logan call the neighbors and ask for a key, I'm sure someone has an extra key, or ask if you can climb over the balcony if they have one!" "Lily act normal, you can't let him climb over a balcony if she lives in a high apartment and he will fall!" Lily makes a hand gesture for me to be quiet. "Logan, are you still there?" "Put it on speaker, Lil!" Lily switches the phone to speaker. We hear a doorbell ring and a moment later a door opens. "Hi, can I help you with something?" A voice echoes through the room. "I, I, I was wondering if you might have the key to the neighbor's front door?" "Why do you want to know?" "Logan, show the neighbor your messages that you know Lizzy." I yell at him. "She asked me to come over she had a fight with her boyfriend but she won't open up." There is a moment of silence on the other end of the line. "Okay, I believe you, but don't get anything crazy in your head, I've seen your face now." Lily laughs next to me. "Logan, will you let us know as soon as you know something?" "Yes I will, thanks for the help, I really didn't know what to do for a while." "No problem, good luck!" I hang up, look at Lily and sigh.

POV Logan:

When I get inside I run into the living room, I find Lizzy on the couch, it looks like she is sleeping, there is a half eaten bowl of ice cream on the table and I walk over to her. "Lizzy! Liz!" I shake her back and forth, noticing the blood stain in her hair. My heart rate increases again and I gently run my fingers over the back of her head. She has a cut on her head, I shake her back and forth a little harder, hoping she will wake up. "Lizzy please wake up!" I hear her moan a little from the pain she must be feeling. "Lizzy oh God you're awake!" She slowly opens her eyes and looks at me a little confused. "Who are you?" "Logan, you called me yourself." She looks like she has a concussion. "Where is Dominic?" "With his parents." "Why?" "Come on, sit up and I'll get you a glass of water." I give her the glass of water and sit down next to her on the couch and start to tell her everything, it takes a while before I get an answer. "How can I not remember all this?" I take her hand and place it gently on the back of her head. "Didn't you have any idea how bad it was?" "I remember being tired and falling asleep, but everything before that means nothing to me. I didn't even recognize you." "Let me introduce myself again." I try to make a light-hearted joke with her and it works. "You can do that anytime." I hold out my hand and she takes it. "Hi, my name is Logan." I pull her closer and whisper. "And I'm going to make sure this never happens to you again, I'm going to steal you away from your boyfriend." I hold her for a moment and feel all the tension leave her body. She looks at me and I can see in her eyes that she trusts me. "Come, I'll take you to bed, we'll wash your hair carefully tomorrow." I let her go and stand up. "Will you lead the way?" She giggles and goes to her bedroom, I make sure she can change in peace before I come back into the room with her.

"Will you stay with me Logan?" She asks once she's in bed. For a moment I hesitate, I want to help her but I feel uncomfortable staying here. "I can't do that Liz, I can't just stay here in this room, in your house." "Please, until I fall asleep? Stay with me? You don't have to sleep here, I have a guest room, but I don't want to be alone right now." I finally give in and sit down on the bed next to her. "Can I cuddle with you for a moment?" "Sure." I lie down next to her and she lays her head on my chest. I feel my heart beat faster and I get hot, my thoughts wander again. I know for sure now that I like her and I will really do everything to get her away from this Dominic.