The Death Kiss (Nanowrimo)#wattys2017

Chapter 2: The prison van

The longest day of my life was about to begin. I woke up an hour earlier than usual, to find enough extra time to take a relaxing bubble bath. Last night, when Chase dropped me home, I slipped in my bed and fell asleep without saying a word to Marie.

I knew, Marie was waiting for a period of 2-3 hours to prove her point to me, which wasn't possible at 2am at night. She wanted me to confess that dumping Chase was a bad decision.

I sat in the bath tub, and closed my eyes. Nothing could compare to the feeling of a good bubble bath. I was about to return to my teen drama life in an hour, my school, Aidan's high.

There was a sharp knock at my bathroom door.

I muttered, " Wait Marie. I'm taking a bath."

The door burst open, and Marie walked in, rubbing her eyes.

"Sorry, but it's urgent. Guess what, Nathan apologized and he asked me out for the prom too."

I turned my head towards her as much as I could.

"Don't you DARE forgive him. Don't forget you stayed at my place, lying to your parents about some test that we had to take during holidays, just because of that bruise."

Marie stroked her cheeks like she was touching an invisible wound.

"But he...." She tried to explain.

I cut her in the middle," No but, or if. He had hit you once; he'll do it again too. The only reason I broke up with Chase was because he was friends with Nathan. "

"I told you, you don't have to leave Chase for me."

"I can't tolerate being around friends of the guy who hit my best friend." I could hear my heart thumping against my chest loudly.

Nathan Martin, the captain of football team, was a man monster. He was tall, muscular with a square face and broad forehead. Marie and Nathan started dating 4 months ago. She had never mentioned that their relationship was nothing ordinary. He used to abuse her, and often hit her on her back so hard that she had finger marks there.

I would have never known this, till the last day of our school before a week of holidays. Marie didn't come to school, later when I reached home; she was standing outside the door. My mom and stepdad were not home. They took Aaron to the hospital for vaccination.

I came to know about her abusive relationship that day, from the fresh bruise on her cheek. I wanted her to tell her parents about all this, but she was scared of Nathan for some unknown reasons. She had to go to Portugal with her parents for holidays, but she cancelled that. She called them, that she won't be able to reach the airport as she had some other summer plans.

It was so hard for us to convince her parents and my parents because of her sudden stay at my place.

Marie nodded, "I understand but what if Nathan is really sorry this time."

I sank deeper in my bath tub, and closed my eyes.

"I don't care. But you have to choose between me and Nathan this time."

She frowned, "You don't have to be such a bitch, Lily."

She slammed the bathroom door behind her. Marie was angry, but I knew what was good for her. She was my childhood best friend and I won't let a worth less guy like Nathan ruin her life.

I got out of the bath tub and wrapped a towel around me. I heard the bedroom door closing, and I knew Marie went downstairs for breakfast.

I got dressed in a knee length printed white and purple skirt and a plain white shirt with quarter sleeves. I went downstairs and sat next to Mom at the breakfast table.