Liar, Liar

Chapter Seven - Secrets & Lies

{7}

I stared at Colton for what felt like ten minutes. How had I not thought of that? My world was spinning and my vision started blacking at the edges. All this time I had tried so hard to keep the truth from everyone; never slipping up, always making sure to stay in the house when my dad was out, so he wouldn't do anything bad in public.

But now, I made this stupid mistake. And it was all my fault. I fell down the stairs? Really? Wow. Pathetic.

"Colton," I grabbed his hand tightly, tears springing to my eyes. It was time to come out with the truth. "I'm so scared."

He didn't hesitate to reassure me; squeezing my hand back and rubbing his thumb over the back of it. "You don't have to be anymore, Andy." Colton kissed me on the forehead, "do you know you did this? I'll kill them. I will, Andy. For you."

My eyes widened. His hand was getting tightening on my hand. "You're hurting me..." I wheezed out. My lungs felt like they were going to burst out of my chest. Colton loosened his grip on my hand and sighed. "Colton, this has happened before."

I was going with the slow approach.

"I know who it is." Taking a breath, I took my hand from my best friend's. "It's..."

Suddenly the door burst opened and in walked a woman in a white coat wrapped around her wife waist. She had short brown hair, with amazing yellow-green eyes that made shivers run down my spine.

"Uh, Miss Owens, you're awake." Her voice came out quite deep and raspy. "I'm Dr. Herondale. We haven't put you threw surgery, as we feel -"

"I'm sorry," Colton cleared his throat from next to me. "But my friend and I were having a conversation. Could you step outside?"

"Colton!" I hissed under my breath. He just shrugged. Dr Herondale glared at Colton for a second, but then nodded and walked out of the room.

"So?"

"It's my dad." It just slipped out. I didn't even mean to say it so quickly, or loudly. But I did. Like word vomit, from Mean Girls. Out of nowhere I just blurted out all these problems, the whole time Colton staring at me shocked. "He beats me. Some days more and worse than others. It's horrible, Col." I sobbed into his hand. "I'm so scared of him."

Colton stared at me for a long time, before, "I'm going to the police." He stood up and put his hands on his head. "Why didn't you tell me before, Andrea?"

"No! No, you can't tell anyone. Please, please Colton, you can't." I shook my head, struggling to get out of the hospital bed. "I've kept this secret -"

"Long enough!" Colton yelled back at me. "You were four when you're mother died, Andy! Four!"

Colton was pacing back and forth now. I watched him walk around the room continuously, his hands on his head.

"You never told me!" He shook his head. "I should have known... It all makes sense now. Oh, god."

"What? What're you talking about Colton?" I walked over to him, the needle jabbed in my arm nearly ripping out. He hadn't noticed I was out of the bed yet. "What makes sense? Colton, talked to me!"

When I touched his arm, Colton spun around, worried. "Lay down. Why're are you... Ugh, Andy. You're such trouble." He pushed me gently down on the bed.

He seemed to have calmed down a bit now, so I spoke slowly. "Col, I love you, understand?"

He nodded his head.

"But I swear to god, if you go to the police, I will kill you." I started to lay down, then paused half way. "Kill you."

Colton collapsed I'm the plastic chair beside the white bed and put his head in his hand. "Andy..." He shook his head, sniffing. Was he crying? "I have something to tell you. I-"

That's when the door opened again and everything went into slow motion.

Dr Herondale walked in first, and a man with brown hair and a growing beard on his chin. He had blue eyes and a large build.

Dad strutted in behind the doctor, making me wince.

No. No, no no. This can't be happening.

As soon as he saw me, my father put on a fake-concerned face and rushed over to me. "Andrea, baby. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you when you fell down the stairs!" He gushed. Oh, I'm pretty sure you were there. "I was so worried when the doc called and said, you-you..." He broke off into fake tears and pulled me into a hug.

When I looked over at Colton, I was expecting him to be pulled into the trap, and have an accusing face pointed at me for 'lying'. But that wasn't his expression. He looked like he was about to jump on my father and bet the crap out of him.

"Let's get you home, honey."

I can't wait.

------

"And how dare you think you can call your friends? To our house? And then get them to take you to the hospital! Doctors and cops are practically related, Andrea!" He threw a punch at my jaw, sending me to the living room floor. Never mind that I had a concussion, and Dr Herondale told dad that it was best I didn't get thrown around too much. Actually, at all. But oh well. "What if the police questioned you? Huh?" He glared down at me. "I'd go to jail. What'd happen to you, bitch? That boyfriend of yours wouldn't see you anymore."

He threw another kick in my ribs. When he was going to do another one, thankfully the doorbell rang.

"That's my pizza, seeing you couldn't make me dinner. Get to your room, slut." He left me on the floor to help myself up. Great.

I got up off the floor - with the help of my old couch - and limped into the hallway that lead to my room. When I heard a familiar voice at my door, I turned slightly and looked to see that standing at my door was a dark-skinned, muscular, sexy man was standing at the front of my house with a pizza box in his hand. James Davidson.

Before he could see me in this mess, I limped the rest of the way to my room, closing the door quietly.