Abused {ACM}

Chapter 13

"Austin..." I started, looking at the ground. I took a deep breath, trying to get my words to come out in sentences instead of choppy bits and phrases, which happened a lot when I talked about my 'situation.' "None of this is your fault. None of it. You...it barely involves you. I'm not your responsibility, and you don't have to change your whole life so that it revolves around protecting me. I can protect myself."

Austin was silent, and he stepped back from me. His eyes were angry, and I could see a muscle working in his jaw.

"Clearly, Abby..." He spat out, looking at the scrapes and bruises along my arms and legs. I self-consciously hugged myself, wrapping myself in my arms. "Can't you see that this does involve me? I'm not forcing myself to protect you, Abby. I want to. I need to protect you, because I don't want a damned eyelash in your eye to hurt you. I don't want you to even bite your tongue, or get a paper cut, or anything. I would risk my life if it meant saving yours. I wouldn't even blink. Because I fucking love you, Abs." Austin choked. He was half-laughing in disbelief. "God, I love you so much it's ridiculous. It's scary. And to all those people who say we're too young to know what love is - they don't even know...I know that we're real, Abby. Because my heart starts pounding when I look at you while you're asleep, and I want to take you on dates and be your best friend and..."

Austin trailed off, looking at the floor.

I stared at him, and my throat closed up.

A sob escaped my lips, and then I started laughing. It sounded like I was choking, but I didn't care.

He looked up at me, his bright hazel eyes confused. And I ran over to him and smothered his face in baby kisses. I hugged him a lot harder than necessary, but I didn't care.

"I love you, Austin. Have I ever told you that? I do. I really, really love you. Thank you." I kissed his nose, and then his perfect cheekbones, and I felt his wet eyelashes graze my cheek. "And I'm sorry. For making you worry so much."

He sighed a deep sigh and smiled softly, brushing hair out of my face. The gentle brush of his fingertips against my cheeks sent tingles down my spine, and I hugged him harder, looking up at him.

"Don't be sorry. None of this is your fault. We'll get through this, together." He whispered.

"We're all in this together!" I sang.

"No! Abs, never quote High School Musical again. Ever!" Austin laughed. He bent down and pecked a soft kiss on my lips. "But you're right. We are."

We joined hands and walked to my house. The closer we got to it, the harder my grip got on him. He didn't seem to mind - he squeezed reassuringly back. Alex and Zach and everybody else had called him to see if we were okay, and we said that we were having a 'date day', which isn't completely a lie.

Even my lawn was trashed - broken beer bottles strewn everywhere, articles of clothing hanging off of bushes. Some windows were even broken. Austin opened the door, pushing me behind him, to which I rolled my eyes.

The house was abandoned, though, and my dad's car was gone.

"Let's hurry. I don't want them to come back while we're here." Austin ushered me up the stairs. I sprinted upstairs, grabbed clothes, some makeup, my cell phone, shoes, and money, and stuffed it all in my bag. We practically sprinted back to Austin's house, and once we were there we slammed the front door behind us.

"Where is your mom, anyway?" I asked him.

"She's on a business trip this week. That's why she isn't home." He explained. We showered, and I changed into a faded band T-shirt and shorts. I brushed out my hair and grabbed my bag.