Still Waters

Chapter 25

                                     **STRONG LANGUAGE AND VIOLENCE AHEAD**

An hour hadn't even passed before Collin came back over to apologize. He asked me to meet him in the parking lot so we could talk.

Of course I did it.

"I'm so sorry, baby," he said as soon as I climbed into the seat next to him. Cautiously, he leaned over to kiss my cheek. I flinched. "Are you ok?"

"Yes," I answered quickly, still not meeting his gaze.

"Can you see?"

I looked over at him. "Yes." The colorful splotches had gone away a short time after they appeared.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated quietly, caressing my ear. I held on to the door handle and willed myself to stay put. "I didn't mean what I said." He turned my chin gently towards him. "I would never kill you. I would never even hit you," he looked earnestly into my eyes. "Do you believe me?"

"Yes." Of course I didn't.

"I'm so, so sorry, Tash. I really...I wouldn't even kill your friend. I know how much you care about him. I...would never do that to someone you care so much about." The way he said it, like he had already done something to Kenney and was trying to cover it up, sent a chill through me, but I still refused to meet his gaze. "Natasha?"

"Yes?" I finally looked over at him.

"Do you believe me?"

"Yes."

After that, he kissed me and said goodnight. Shayna and Drama were pulling up just as I was going back into the apartment. I waved to them, then quickly went to my room and locked the door behind me. I didn't come back out, after that, until the next morning.

Before I got dressed, I looked in the mirror and checked out my shiner. It wasn't so bad. One side of my face was a little swollen, but you couldn't really tell unless you knew what to look for. My eye had a slightly dark ring around it, but nothing big. Taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped out into the living room.

Shayna was sitting at the breakfast table when I walked into the kitchen. She jumped up as soon as she saw my face.

"Holy shit!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her no-cussing ass cussing at the top of her lungs.

"Shayna...it's ok..." I began.

"It's ok?" She squeaked.

"Yes. And I'm not in the mood for this crap right now, either, so just drop it." Then I grabbed my books and headed for the door, leaving her staring after me with her mouth hanging wide open.

When I came home later that day, I found Shayna pacing and ranting in the middle of the living room, with Drama in front of her on the sofa and Kenney in an armchair perpendicular to them. Kenney and Drama were both leaned forward, staring at her in disbelief, looking like they were about ready to kill somebody. As I walked through the door, though, everybody closed their mouths and turned towards me.

"What?" I snapped, full of attitude and locked the front door.

Drama was the first to say something. He walked slowly over to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Natasha...are you ok?"

"Yeah, why?" I stepped away defensively.

Inspecting my black eye and tapping the plastic cast on my wrist, he said "Just asking." Looking back at Kenney, he stepped closer to me. "Anything you want to tell me in private?"