Stronger

New Arrangments

Chapter 9

"Amber, where in the FUCK were you?!" shouts Scott. I knew I couldn't stay happy even for a few minutes.

I turn around and say, "I stayed the night over at a friends house" I turn my face down a little so he couldn't see the bruises on my face.

I feel his hot, sickening, breath my face as he steps closer. I can tell he had been drinking. When isn't he?

"I know you didn't stay with a friend, I saw you on the porch with him, you little shit. Don't you lie to me!" He says as his left hand connects with my face. The force throws be back onto the stairs and I start to feel the harsh stinging on my cheek.

Before I can even create a thought, he picks me back up from the stairs and throws me into the wall.

"Now, why don't you tell me what you were doing with him. Hmmm? Did you stay at his house last night? Is that where you were? Answer me you whore!" All I can do is whimper, unable to form words.

"Not gonna answer? Fine!" Then he goes to slap me again and I close my eyes as hard as I can as I wait for the unbearable pain that I'm about to receive.

But, it doesn't. I open my eyes to see Scott being pulled from me by Harry. 'How did he get here' I think. But all I can do is slip down to the floor, for I have no more strength to hold myself up, and watch as Harry throws Scott onto the floor, climb on top of him, and start beating him.

'Why am I not stoping this?' I ask myself. 'You have to stop Harry!'

I make myself crawl over to Harry and try to stop him.

"Harry! Harry, stop!" I touch his arm and he stops. As if my words and touch had physically forced him to stop. He looks over at me, almost as if he is in a daze. It takes him a few moments to realize the situation and then throws himself off of an unconscious Scott and makes his way over to me.

My mind is screaming at me to be scared, for this man is very capable of killing someone. I don't know him, I had just met him. But, I can't seem to make my body move away from Harry as he steps in close and embraces me.

"I am so sorry Amber. I just came back to return your school bag when I heard yelling. I came in to see him try to hit you and I just lost it. I'm sorry. I didn't want you to see me like that" Harry continues to make apologies but I can't see to figure out why I'm not frightened. Scott is just laying on the ground unconscious and I'm acting as if its perfectly normal.

I snap back to reality as Harry starts leading me up the stairs.

"Which one is your room? You are not staying here anymore. There is going to be new arrangements. You are going to stay with me and my mom" he finds the door to my room and finds a suit case and throws it on the bed. I go to my closet and start piling clothes on my bed. Then I go to my dresser and discreetly try packing a few undergarments without him noticing.

He notices.

I feel my face flame up instantly as I try to send him a glare, he just smiles, his gorgeous eyes sparkling. I shove as much as I can into the side pockets as he zips it up. When we finish, he picks it up and carries it down the stairs. When we reach the bottom, we see Scott sitting on the couch, trying to ice his wounds. Harry glares at him, as if begging him to say something to give him an excuse to beat the shit out of him again. He says nothing.

When we are outside I see him start waking to a car that is parked across the street to put the bag in it. I then realize that it is either Harry's or Anne's. 'I can be so slow sometimes' I think to myself as I roll my eyes.

Harry opens the passenger door for me and I slide into the car. He gently shuts it and makes his way over to the drivers side.

"You ready?" He asks. I nod and he starts the car to head over to his house.

All I can think about now is, 'what's going to happen now?' and rest my head against the window.