Down But Not Out

Chapter 18

"I seriously cannot believe you did that Josh" I heard Marie say somewhere above me.

"Someone had to. He was a piece of shit after all" Josh replied and I groaned before slowly cracking my eyes open to see Matt, David and Josh leaning over me. I smiled at them and they all sighed, their combined breath blowing into my face. I rubbed my eyes as they stepped away and I sat up quickly only to groan as I felt light-headed and black spots danced across my vision.

"Lie back down" Josh instructed quietly, lightly pushing against my collarbone. I did as he suggested to see that he'd propped me up this time against some pillows. I smiled and him and his hand travelled down my chest to where my hands lay across my stomach. He smiled at me and I sighed quietly, feeling my eyes drift shut as Josh rubbed circles on the back of my hand. That felt so good! My eyes flew open.

"Summer?" I gasped, pushing myself into a sitting position, but still managing to hold onto Josh's hand in the process.

"I'm here" my best friend replied, walking over to me where she knelt on the floor next to the couch, as I was lying across it. I smiled at her.

"Are you okay?" I asked and she nodded, but her smile said otherwise. I let go of Josh's hand and pulled Summer into me, wincing when it hurt my shoulders. She wrapped her arms around my waist, also aware of the fact that my shoulders were painfully sore.

"Why didn't you come to me?" I asked, sighing into her ear and swallowing. She shook her head.

"I couldn't" she replied and I nodded against her shoulder.

"Yes, you could have. You tell me everything, you should've told me and I would've sorted the bastard out" I sighed again and Summer held me tighter.

"I couldn't because I thought he loved me and I didn't want to risk you getting hurt because I knew you would've tried to hurt him on my behalf" she took a shuddering breath, "-but you got hurt anyway" she finished and I heard in her voice how much that fact hurt her. I shook my head.

"I'm fine, but you've been with him all these months" I sighed before leaning closer to Summer's ear.

"He told me what had happened between you" I breathed in her ear and she shuddered. I felt by the tension in her body how much that horrified her.

"I thought he loved me Liz. But he was too rough. It was then that he changed" she shook her head and I felt my shoulders become wet but I bit back the hiss that wanted to escape as her salty tears hurt my skin.

"When?" I asked and felt her gulp.

"About a month ago" she said and I hissed a breath before pushing her away from me and looking into her eyes before shaking my head.

"You should have come to me" I said, making sure that every word was spoken clearly and firmly. She sighed and shook her head at me. I brushed her blonde hair away from her face and smiled at her.

"Well you need to know that I'm here when you need to talk to me. I don't care what about Sum" I said firmly and she nodded.

"I know that Liz." We gave each other a quick squeeze but I gasped when Summer caught my shoulders. I thought of something that I hadn't asked yet.

"What happened to Theo?" Summer giggled and I frowned at her, but that hurt my head.

"Oh, Josh took care of him. He threatened to call the police if Theo ever stepped anywhere near here as well as calling him a piece of shit for ever laying a finger on a girl" Summer laughed and I looked up to see that Josh was standing in front of me, watching me carefully. He offered me a tiny smile and a small shrug.