Lifeboat Lighthouse

Chapter 7

Suddenly, out of nowhere, two arms held me again in the darkness. I began to push them away until I stopped, struck by an unexpected but familiar voice.

"Hey, hey, hey....what happened, are you okay?" Freen murmured softly in my ear, concern growing with every word she spoke. She held me even tighter, one arm wrapped around my waist and the other wrapped protectively behind the back of my head. I didn't have the energy or will to push her away at that moment and, as much as I was still angry at Freen, I felt safe in her arms. I relaxed against her body.

"You're shaking!" Freen said in a whisper. I involuntarily let out more heartbreaking sobs against her shoulder. "Shh, Shhh," she whispered in my ear. "I'm here, you're okay".

She continued to silently hold me in her arms, running her fingertips through my hair as she rocked me slightly side to side in an attempt to get me to calm down in any way she could. When my sobs finally stopped she spoke again. "I followed you and Seng down here. Where is he? What did he do?"

"Seng, he... I just...asked him to stop." I stammered, unable to put the right words together in my emotional state. Freen understood what I was trying to say and pulled away to look me directly in the eyes. "Becky, did he hurt you? Where is he? I'll fucking kill him!" I could hear the anger in her voice.

"It didn't go any further." I reassured the angry girl in front of me.

Freen's eyes scanned my body, clearly wanting to make sure I was physically okay. Her eyes fell on my hand. I didn't realise until that moment how much it hurt. She gently lifted it to hers to reveal two very swollen, purple knuckles that had completely absorbed the impact of my fist against Seng's face.

"I punched him." I said, answering her unspoken question.

"Good girl." Freen replied, completely impressed. "We need some ice." she stated, taking my uninjured hand and leading me down the hall through a door. She turned on the lights, revealing one of the ships many kitchens.

"Wait here." Freen ordered me, before quickly disappearing into the kitchen. She returned a minute later with what I assumed was some sort of ice bag from the freezer, wrapped in a thin cloth. She lifted my swollen hand into hers gingerly and placed the ice against it. "Tell me if I press too hard."

I looked at her as she looked intently at my hand with so much concern on her face. How could she care so much about my physical pain and yet be so insensitive about my feelings? Now I was no longer in her arms but face to face with the girl who hurt me just a few days before, the anger I felt for her began to boil inside me again.

"First thing tomorrow you have to report that piece of shit. Maybe then his father will be able to see past the halo he thinks his son has on that little curly head!" Freen said, finally looking up to meet my gaze.

"I'm surprised you two don't get along! You're surprisingly similar." I blurted out coldly. The pain on Freen's face as a result of my words was immediately evident.

"I'm nothing like him!" Freen replied, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Using people to get what you want from them! I don't know, sounds pretty similiar to me." I responded sourly.

Freen now had an obvious quiver in her voice. "Are you comparing me to that guy who just forced you to be with him?" The barrier I had put up to protect myself crumbled a little. As mad as I was at the brown eyed girl, she didn't deserve it.

Freen took a deep breath before speaking again. "I don't mean what I said before," she said, exuding nervousness. She swallowed before continuing. "Of course that kiss meant something to me. How could it not? I know you felt it, we both felt it. But there can't be an us. I can't let there be. That's why I was with that guy, who I haven't slept with by the way. I just needed to try and keep my mind off you somehow."