Safe With Me

Chap. 15: Walk Over Here {redo}

• Elle holding the gun •

        The smell of bacon and eggs fills the air. Everyone eats besides Elle. She stares at her food with a trembling lip. Riley has to help her get out of bed and get dressed. Brody had suddenly disappeared. He wasn't there when she woke up and he didn't show for breakfast.

             The blonde's body aches from the beating, dark bruises apparent under her clothes. Jaelynn and Paige stare at the small scar on the side of her face. Brody's knuckles had put it there when he knocked her out. Elle tries to comprehend why the gang would do this to her.

              They're evil. Elle tightens her jaw as she stares at the untouched food beside her, They're all evil and they enjoy hurting people...especially young girls. It's how they get off.

             Molly sits across from Elle, a smug smile on her face. From the next room, the men go about their breakfast casually. Ezra stalks the back of Elle's head. A twisted smile on his dark face.

              "Not so pretty now, huh?" The blue eyed blonde whispers under her breath.

               Riley glares at Molly, wanting to slap her. The other girls all can't believe that the men beat Elle up. They don't understand why other than Ira was behind it. It seems that is all they can assume anymore.

              Suddenly, the intercom goes on. Elle jumps at the loud beeping sound that fills the air. Flashbacks of her head being dunked in and out of the icy, dirty water haunts her.

             "Boys, get in my office. Now!" To everyone's surprise, Ira's tone is calm. "And bring the girl."

                The fear of what could be next for Elle leaves the blonde is tears. Her body begins to shake. Her hands tremble as they hold her fork. A hand gently grabs her shoulder. The blonde jumps and begins to panic.

              When Elle turns to see who it is, her brown eyes meet Happy. Sadness is in his eyes. He nods to her.

               Happy gently tells her, "Come on."

                It takes Elle a few minutes but she eventually gets up and follows Happy. Ezra waits at the door for them, a smug smirk on his dark face. Happy gives him a death glare.

               "Fucker, don't you even." Happy pulls Elle to his other side, away from Ezra. "Stick with me, Kid. You'll be all 'ight."

               "Like last night?" Elle manages to mutter, fear and pain in her eyes.

                  Happy doesn't look back at her as they walk. From the corner, Brody emerges from the gym. His hands are bruised and the skin on his knuckles is torn. His ocean blue eyes meet Elle's briefly but he quickly looks away. He falls in line on the other side of Happy. Ezra follows close behind Elle. As they walk, Elle can't help but notice the grim expression on Happy's face.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

         When they all are able to shuffle into Ira's office, the doors slam shut. Elle looks back at them, feeling as if she has met her end. Jared and Jesse, the two youngest of the gang, shoves Elle's small body in front of the gang. She falls onto her bad hip, where she guesses one of the men had hit her with a metal pipe or bat. She softly cries out in pain, wincing. Tears flow down her soft cheeks.

          Ira rolls his eyes at her tenderness and nods at the men. "On her feet."

           Jake and Alex grab her biceps and jerk her up onto her small feet. Brody watches from the side, frustration in his ocean blue eyes. His face stoney.