Thanks to You

Guts

     Maxs fist collided with my eye causing me to fall backwards against his coffee table. I yelped in pain as I lay crumpled on the carpet. "You can't break up with me!" He shouted before kicking my stomach. I coughed up blood and started choking. "Get up bitch!" He said pulling my hair. I scrambled as he jerked me around and smacked me again. This had been going on since this morning. I took Alex's words and decided I was done feeling sorry for myself. Big mistake.

    "You know what? Fine! Go! Have a nice life!" He barked dragging me to the door. He shoved me and I fell down the three concrete steps and onto the sidewalk. "You're better off dead!" He spat before slamming his door shut. I laid there shaking and crying. My eye was killing me and blood dripped from my mouth onto my clothes. I could barely move but I could see through one eye. I moaned as I pulled out my phone from my pocket, the screen was smashed. I dialed my mother number.

"Hi honey." She said completely unaware.

"M-mom I-I need help." I sputtered through uneven breathing.

"Sweetie? Sweetie what's wrong? Where are you?" She asked in panic.  I took a deep, sharp breath, "Max's." I said.

~Five days later~

-Alex's POV-

   

    I was starting to freak out to say the least. It had been five days since I had seen or even heard from Summer. I tried calling her phone but nobody ever answered. I didn't know where she lived so I couldn't visit her. I didn't know any other number of hers either. I went to a nearby school I assumed was hers but never saw her around. I started to fear the worst. She had just shown me her.. Cuts.... And now I had no clue where she was or if she was OK. "I need to go somewhere dad! I'll call you later!" I shouted to the back of our store. "Where-" I cut him off by bolting out the front door. I grabbed the first bus and rode it to the school I had visited before.

    Letting out a nervous breath I opened the glass doors and walked into the office. I got a few glares and whispers but ignored them and cleared my throat. "Excuse me." I said. An older woman with glasses slid down to the end of her nose looked up from her papers. "Can I help you?" She asked. "Do you know if a Summer Green goes to this school?" I asked as I started to lose my confidence. "Are you family or friend?" She asked with suspicion. "Friend, I haven't seen her for a few days and I'm worried about her. Can I get her address?" I asked letting out more emotion than I had intended. She scanned my face and could see I was honestly concerned. "Sure." She replied.

    I was now standing on her front porch with shakey legs. I checked the last numbers written on the paper slip to make sure they matched. I nodded and shook the fear out of my head. I knocked three times and waited. I could feel my chest tighten when the door nob twisted.

    A woman slightly shorter than Summer opened the door. "Mrs. Green?" I asked. She nodded, "Yes, may I help you?" She asked. Our heads snapped to the right as we heard a faint noise from the top of the staircase. "Mom who's- Alex?" Summer said shocked. I almost feel to my knees when I saw her broken frame. Her eye was bruised along with her cheek and split lip. She was wearing shorts and a tank top. I could see her skin dotted with bruises all over from purple to green yellow. "Summer..." I half whispered. She hurried down the stairs and jumped into my arms.

    I wrapped my arms tight around her waist with hers around my neck. I petted her long soft hair, "Summer I was so scared..." I whispered with my eyes close to tears. I picked her up and carried her bridal style to her couch and sat down with her next to me.

     She crept up to my side and burried her face in my shirt with her battered arm around my waist. "What happened to you?" I asked lightly rubbing her arm careful not to hurt it.

-Summers POV-

     "What happened to you?" Alex asked with his voice cracking. He lightly grazed my arm with his hand to comfort me. "I tried to break up with Max.." I whispered. "I'm so sorry Summer, I should have been there to protect you." He replied. I shook my head, "It was a stupid idea, and you could have gotten hurt." I said cringing at the thought. He lifted my chin with his index finger,"I would rather it be me than you Green, it kills me to see you hurt." He whispered. I frowned and rested my head on his chest again. I started rubbing circles on his stomach with my finger, "I'm sorry I let this happen to you." He whispered. "Its not your fault you didnt know, and its not your job to protect me." I replied.

     He shook his head, his eyes were misty again. "It is, it is my job. I'm your friend and I let you get hurt. I should of had the guts to confront him when I saw those scars on your arm." He said starting to shake from anger. I tried to sit up and touched his face. "Alex Gaskarth you're not my friend..." He looked at me confused. "..you're my best friend. And you are the toughest person I know. Do not blame yourself for this." I said sternly. His face relaxed and a small smile crept onto his face. "Best friend?" He asked stoking my wet cheek. I hugged his waist and set my head on his chest, "Yes you idiot." I laughed.

    Alex stayed with me the rest of the day and let me fall asleep on him. I was near sleep but could hear voices around me. I heard my mom ask if he was hungry and he declined. "Actually I should be getting home soon, is it okay if I take her to her room?" He asked as he looked down at my face. "Sure, its the last door on the right." She replied. I felt Alex slowly lift me up bridal stlye and carry me up the stairs with ease. Next he set me down on my bed and pulled up the covers. I felt him sit down on the bed and brush a piece of my hair back from my face. He leaned down kissing my forehead and whispered something I swear sounded like "I love you."

-Alex's POV-

    I carried her carefully up the stairs and into her room. I grinned as I looked around her small room. The walls were blue and covered in band posters. I recognized every single one from my own collection except for one. It read 'All Time Low' and had four boys hand drawn on it. She took every detail I had mentioned about my band members and used it in the poster. I noticed she took extra care in my character, not a hair was out of place.

    After setting her down in her bed I pulled up her white and green covers. I smiled as I pushed back a strand of hair from her pale and bruised face. I don't know what came over me but I suddenly felt a ping of protectiveness shoot through me. I promised right then and there that I would never let anything hurt her ever again. I leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I love you Green." I whispered just barely.