Beverly Hills: Season 2

Season 2, Episode 8: Hit Me With Your Best Shot

~~~(Riverside by Agnes Obel)~~~
   Israel and Rhyannon walk side by side up the green grass of a cemetery blocks from where they live. Israel is wearing an all black tux while Rhyannon wears a black sweater and jeans, the laces of his black boots swinging back and forth. Israel sees a pretty large group of people gathered around his father's tombstone where he's already put into the ground. Israel and Rhyannon stand next to their mom in front of the other guests as they approach the grave.
   "Israel, your father loved you." Mrs. Sepulveda tells her son, her long black dress stopping below her knees. She's holding a tissue to her nose and her black veil hides most of her face. "No matter what you thought and no matter what he did."
   "I beg to differ." Israel replies dryly as he stares down at the words on his father's stone. He wants to believe that his father loved him but he's convinced otherwise. How could he love him when he hit him? It's not like he didn't mean to. He intentionally meant to hit his own son.
   "You don't have to be sad." Rhyannon whispers to him next. "I'd be just as pissed as you are."
   Israel doesn't say anything. He doesn't know if he's still pissed at the whole battle he was having with his dad or that his last words to him were him telling him that he hates him. Because now he's dead.

   Anna steps up in front of her mirror in her bathroom, staring at her freckled covered face and thin lips. Her dark brown eyes look even darker and her she observes her cheek closely. She can still see the red mark from Luke's hit but not as much as it was seen days ago when it happened. She can almost still feel the sting. Maybe it's just her imagination but even if her appearance doesn't show that she was effected, she knows that her emotions were definitely screwed with. Anna's phone vibrates from the counter and she looks at the screen to see Luke calling... for the twelfth time this morning. She goes to press IGNORE but thinks about it. If she tells him off, he'll stop calling and she'll never have to see him again.
   "Stop calling me." Anna answers the call. "I mean it, Luke."
   "But I love you, Anna." Luke says on the other end, making Anna's heart sinks. "I hated what I did. You didn't deserve that and I'm sorry-"
   "Sorry doesn't cut it." Anna cuts in. "You hit me in the face." She feels tears form in her eyes again as she realizes how hard it is to say this to him.
   "Please let me make it up to you." He begs. "You know that I'm dealing with my anger and I'm taking classes on how to control it. Please, I'm begging you."
   "I can't forgive you." Anna shakes her head, watching herself in the mirror. How can she forgive him for doing what he did? She understands that he has an anger problem and part of her wants to stick around to get him help so this doesn't happen to anyone else he dates but then again, she doesn't know if she even has the strength to go near him again.
   "I can't do this without you." Luke's voice cracks on the other end. "I need you. Without you, I have nothing."
   Anna doesn't stop staring at herself in the mirror. Her parents raised her to do the right thing, always. She grew up in a religious family. She knows that God is watching down on her and even though she isn't as religious as the rest of her family, she's still aware of His presence. He would want her to help him, right? "Fine. We can talk tonight."
~~~(END SONG)~~~

   At school, Kai walks with Harrow into the building, holding the door open for her as they go. He has been in a better mood nowadays instead of feeling so mopey from everything that has happened so far. Now that he and Rhyannon are friends again, Kai doesn't feel as lonely as he did before. He's convinced that he's now out of his low that Rhyannon told him he was in and is sure that things are only going up from here.
   "I can't remember the last time you looked this happy." Harrow tells her brother. "I like that look on you."
   "Same goes to you." Kai replies. He has seen a change in Harrow too ever since she started a relationship with that Emerson guy and the two of them haven't argued in forever.
   "Just promise me that you'll never be one of those stereotypical gay sluts again?" Harrow jokes.
   "I'll try my best." Kai sighs dramatically as the two of them round the corner. Kai's heart sinks to his toes and he stops walking. He flashes back to the night Mr. DeVitis had raped him. He remembers his touches, his breath on his neck, his whispers in Kai's ear. Kai stares into the eyes of his old journalism teacher, unable to move.
   "Kai, you can go home if you want to." Harrow whispers to her brother after seeing Mr. DeVitis come out of his room. "Mom and dad will understand."
   "I'm fine." Kai tells himself- even though he isn't sure if what he's saying is true or not. He never thought that Mr. DeVitis would return. During the earthquake last year, Kai had made him quit his job and promise to never return. But why is he back? And why does he think he's allowed to be here?
   "Hello Kai, Harrow." Mr. DeVitis greets the two of them. His Italian skin looks just as dark as it was last year. His brown hair is longer and his facial hair is more thick. He looks even more like a rapist if he didn't before.
   "What the hell are you doing here?" Kai steps up. He's not the same Kai as he was last year who kept quiet and wouldn't say anything. If Kai has to bring this to the school board, he's more than happy to.
   "That's not a very polite greeting." Mr. DeVitis blinks.
   "You need to leave." Harrow speaks up. "Before we make you leave."
   "I'm more than welcome to come back." Mr. DeVitis glances at Harrow but focuses his attention on Kai. "I told the office I'd be taking a temporary leave and now that I'm back, I plan on staying."
   "You won't be here for long." Kai promises. "I will get you out of here myself if I have to."
   "No you won't." Mr. DeVitis shakes his head. "I'm not going to let some pathetic little student run me out of here again. I'm here, and I'm staying."
   Kai watches Mr. DeVitis walk back into his classroom as he remains in the hallway. He doesn't want to believe that Mr. DeVitis is going to stay and he doesn't want to be pushed back into silence- no matter how hard it'll be.