Dark and Dirty Like You've Never Seen

Flashbacks

I sat in the passenger seat of the car, clinging to Frank and letting my tears flow freely. I know I look like a wreck right now. My makeup was smeared and I was practically snotting all over myself with my sobbing. Frank gripped me back, and I could tell he was shaking. I leaned back and took a closer look at him. Both of his eyes were blacked and his lip was swollen and bloody. It looks like they knocked his lip ring out. He had a cut across the side of his face. One of them must have been wearing a class ring. I hugged him to me again and I heard him wince in pain. I let him go and watched as he leaned back in the driver’s seat and lifted his shirt up to reveal the bruises all over his torso. He let out a long sigh and slumped in his seat.

“Angela… I’m so sorry.”

“Sorry? Why are you s-sorry?” I asked as I wiped the back of my hands across my eyes.

“I told you I could handle it. I thought I would be able to take care of this and I just got the shit kicked out of me. I don’t want you to think that I can’t protect you. I can. I knew I didn’t stand a chance against the two of them, but if it meant that they would leave you only, I was willing to do that. I just wished it didn’t hurt so bad…” he said, groaning in pain and holding his stomach. He looked over at me and managed a weak smile. “I’m just glad you didn’t have to see it.”

I bit my lip and nodded, the tears starting to flow again. I told him I heard the yelling and saw the two guys running from the fight on my way back from lunch. I told him I was trying to get to him but I didn’t want to risk getting in trouble again. He believed me. I couldn’t tell him about Aaron. I didn’t even want to think about it. The second I found myself thinking about his hands on me, pinning me down, his hot breath coating my face … I couldn’t stop myself from crying. Frank mistook it for being upset I couldn’t be there to stop the fight. I couldn’t risk having Frank going after Aaron again if he knew what really happened. Especially now with how weak he is. I gripped his hand and mine and brought it to my face, kissing his knuckles.

“I’m sorry Frank. I’m so sorry …”

“Angel … please don’t. At least it’s over now.”

“What are you going to tell your dad?”

“Might as well tell him the truth. That I got in a fight. This isn’t the first time, so he won’t be too surprised.”

“That doesn’t mean he won’t be upset.”

“I know …” He sighed and closed his eyes. I wish I knew what he was thinking right now. He slowly leaned forward and started the car. He reached around to put on his seat belt and winced in pain once more.

“Frank, let me drive.”

He looked at me and sighed in defeat. I wasn’t trying to make him feel helpless but we both knew he was in too much pain to do much of anything right now. He carefully climbed out of the car and switched me spots. I was able to compose myself enough to get back to Frank’s house. We sat in the drive way for a moment before finally making our way into the house. We quietly made our way back to his room but before we could make it to the hall way, we heard Frank’s dad calling for him from behind.

“Frank, what in God’s name happened to you?”

We turned around and saw his dad standing in the kitchen. He must have been in the basement. I looked at Frank and he squeezed my hand.

“I’ll see you in a minute.” I let go of his hand and made my way back to his room. I could hear Frank and his dad’s muffled voices as they discussed what happened at school today. I detoured into the bathroom for a moment, locking the door behind me. I flipped on the light and stared at my red rimmed eyes in the mirror. My nose was also slightly red from rubbing it. I grabbed some tissues off the roll and wiped the smeared makeup under my eyes as I took a seat on the edge of the tub. I winced, my legs still sore from earlier. I buried my head in my hands and let out a long, shaky sigh. I don’t know if not telling Frank was a good thing, but right now I couldn’t handle reliving that experience again. Before I had a chance to think on it anymore, there was a knock at the door.