Beach Angel

Girl Talk

"Okay so what do you wanna talk about first?" She asks.

I bite my lip before saying, "My past."

She nods, signaling for me to go on.

"Okay so you have my trust that I can tell you anything. Please don't tell anyone any of this."

She mocks locking her lips and throwing away the key.

"You have my word," she tells me.

And so it begins.

"Okay so when I was thirteen years old, when I lived in a small town in California, my dad passed away. He suffered from throat cancer for two months before dying in the hospital. Out of my entire family, my mom, my 24 year old sister, my 16 year old sister, and my 14 year old brother, I was closest to him. We did everything together. So the day my dad died, I told myself that if I ever fall in love it will be with a man that treats me like my dad treated my mom.

"When I turned 16, I met Brady. He was so kind and thoughtful, plus my first boyfriend. I though that he was all I ever wanted. We said the 'l' word after two months together. On our five month anniversary, a month after I turned 17, we went to his house and hung out. He got me a soda and I noticed it tasted funny. Suddenly my entire body was numb, I couldn't move at all. Blake put some sort of sedative in my drink before he-"

I can't manage to say the word, but Zoe gets it.

Tears rush down my cheeks as Zoe gasps. Zoe also has tears rushing down her face as she pulls me into a hug.

"Oh my god," she sobs into my neck.

I wrap my arms tightly around her.

"I love you so much babe," Zoe manages to say.

"I love you so much, too, Zo."

We both finally calm down some and settle back down so I can continue.

"Well a few days later, I found out I was pregnant. Brady refused to have anything to do with it. When my mom found out what he did, she called the cops on him and got him arrested. I went through school with people calling me a 'slut', 'whore', 'attention-seeker', etc. So I dropped out of school and did home school. After I had the baby, Lindsay and her husband agreed to adopt my daughter. Thank god she has none of Blake's features. My only friend that stuck with me was Alana. So a few months after I had Henley in July, Alana and I packed up our bags and moved to North Carolina to finish our junior and senior year of high school. But Blake got out after a year, followed me, and went to my new school. He thinks I got an abortion. I never told my mo, because he never talked to me or hurt me. I've lost so many friends, Zoe, please don't let me lose you."

She laughs and wipes tears from her eyes.

"Babe you couldn't get rid of me even if you wanted. But now I see why you won't go out with Joe."

I sigh and nod before saying, "I haven't dated a guy since Blake and I can't stand for my heart to be broken again. I am still healing from him!"

Zoe's eyes light up.

"I have an idea!"

I give her a confused look as she opens the door and calls Joe into the room.

"What do you- Savanah whats wrong?" Joe asks rushing to my side.

He sits next to me and cradles me in his arms. I look to Zoe who mouths 'dad.'

"I'm just thinking about my dad. How much I miss him and stuff."

Joe kisses my forehead and rubs my back.

"Joe we have to ask you something," Zoe says leaning against the wall.