Safe and Sound (13 page)

 
“
Bob
. Please
,” Lana called from the bed.

 
Lola stared at him, loathing oozing from her very being.
Do your worst
.

 
“She needs to be taught a lesson,” he
said
, glaring at
Lola
.

 
“Like how you’re going to teach me how to be a whore?” she shot back
, unable to stop the words in time.

 
Bob
’s eyes widened. “
You little bitch,
”
he said under his breath.

 
“
Bob
? What is she talking about?”

 
His hands left her arms and immediately went to her throat. Lola
pulled at
his hands, but they wouldn’t budge.
He squeezed and
Lola fought to breathe.

 
“You’re lucky I don’t kill you,” he whispered.

 
Do it.
Lola closed her eyes, willing him to do so and end her misery.

 
“
Bob
!” Lana said in alarm. Lola watched
over
Bob
’s shoulder
as
her mom
finally got out of the bed and rushed over to them.
“Let her go. Please.”

 
Lola couldn’t move, could barely breathe.

 
The pressure disappeared as
Bob
released her. Lola sucked in a staggering breath
of air, hands on her neck.

 
“Get your ass out of here before I change my mind,”
he said for
her ears
only
.

 
Lola stared at him, imagining all kinds of horrific ends to his life.

 
His fist punched the wall above her head and she flinched.
“
Now!
” he roared.

 
“I hate you. I hate you both,” Lola said evenly, though she was quaking on the inside.

 
Bob
backhanded her across the face. Lana cried out. Lola glared at him, a hand to her stinging cheek.
She didn’t say anything more, but she thought
things. Oh, the things she thought.

7

 
Lola went to the window and opened it from the outside.
She climbed inside, shut the window, and went to the mirror. Her hair was wild, her eyes too.
Lola didn’t recognize the girl staring back at her. She looked crazy,
out of control
.
There was an unnatural light in her eyes, a set to her jaw not normally there.

 
A glance at the clock told her it was second perio
d at school. Lola maneuvered the dresser back to its spot along the wall.
She put all her anger and hurt into it, pictured it was
Bob
, and shoved with all her might.

 
“What the hell is
all
the
racket?” he shouted through the door, banging on it.

 
Lola fisted her hand, strode to the door, and slammed her hand against the door once.
There was a moment of silence and then she heard his retreat.

 
Her breath left her in fast, shallow bursts.
Bob
was going to be abusive to her whether she behaved or not; whether she did something right or wrong.
Lola’s head lifted and her back straightened.
There was no point in being scared;
the abuse
would happen regardless.

 
All she had left was the ability to fight back.

 
The fear melted awa
y.
Lo
la felt lighter, freer.

 
She put on makeup for the fir
st time in close to a year.
The shadow of a bruise was taking place of the one above her eye, only this time on her cheek.
Her neck was unmarred, at least for now.

 
Lola fixed her hair
and grabbed her backpack.
             

 
She
walked down the hallway of the school like a new person. She didn’t clutch her books to her chest and avoid eye contact. She looked straight ahead and strode with purpose.

 
The bell sounded, signaling the end of second period.
The gym door opened and there was Sebastian, hair damp from a recent shower. He smelled good. He had on a black buttoned-down shirt and dark blue jeans with black boots.

 
H
e paused when he saw her
.
Roxanne wasn’t far behind him, arm wrapped around one of his, clinging to him.
She had on a tight red shirt and
jeggings
, brown boots
up to her knees.

 
Lola’s newfound confidence fledged. She
swallowed
.

 
“What. The—
“ Roxanne
began, but cut off when Sebastian gave her a look.

 
Kids bustled around them, propelling the trio into the
hallway more. Lola stood there a moment, not sure what she should do.

 
Then she saw him.

 
Jack ambled down the hallway, hands in pockets. He wore a black tee shirt with the word ‘Muse’ on it and jeans. His
eyes
zeroed in on her.
Jack
looked at her like she was the only person in the hallway.
Her heartbeat picked up.
One half of his mouth
quirked and
her palms turned sweaty.

 
“Hey. I was wondering where you were,” he said, eyes searching her face. They lingered on her cheek and thin lines formed around his lips. Then
his gaze lifted to her eyes
and
asked a silent question.

 
Lola
gave an
almost
imperceptible nod.

 
“Lola?” Sebastian was watching them like a hawk, taking in their exchange.
“Did you need to talk to me about something?”

 
She remembered Sebastian then.
He
stood near her, almost hovering over her protectively.
He didn’t look happy. And behind him was Roxanne, silently fuming and promising retribution.

 
“Uh…no,” Lola said, eyes on Jack.

 
“Let’s go before we’re late. Some of us don’t especially
like
detention.” Roxanne tugged on Sebastian’s arm.

 
Jack gave
Roxanne
a mocking smile.
She pursed her lips
, but otherwise pretended he wasn’t there.

 
Sebastian seemed to shake himself.
“Right.”
He gave Lola a lingering look. “If you need anything…”

 
Lola didn’t respond, well aware of how Roxanne would react to her asking Sebastian for help of any kind.
Not well. Not well at all.

 
The hallway was emptying around them. Sebastian and Roxanne
left
.
Or rather, Roxanne dragged Sebastian away with dagger eyes directed at Lola.

 
Jack’s eyebrows lifted. “So…
that was fun.”

 
“Hardly.”

 
“Y
ou look different today.”

 
“Oh?
Must be the new bruise.”
Lola started to walk.

 
“That’s not it,” he told her. Jack reached for her hand, halting her.
“What happened?”

 
Lola shook her head. “I can’t talk about it now.”

 
“Okay. But when you want to, I’m here.”

 
For the first time she noticed how long and thick his eyelashes were
; saw the flecks of gold in his green eyes.
His
lips took on a sensual quality
. She
was
stunned to find she
thought
him beautiful.

 
He tilted his head. “What is it?”

 
Lola closed her parted lips.
The final bell sounded.
“Nothing.
I have to get to class.”

 
Jack
slowly let his fingers caress her arm and hand as he pulled away. “See
ya
, Goody Two Shoes.
” He smiled and Lola’s pulse tripled in tempo.

 
She hurried to Biology
,
flushed and giddy and having no idea why.

*
**

 
It was the end of the school day. Lola had gotten a warning
from the principal
about leaving school early the other day and showing up late that day. She was supposed to bring a note from home excusing her absences.
Lola had one in her backpack, already forged and ready to go.

 
Thoughts on what to expect when she arrived home, Lola wasn’t aware of anything until she tripped over something and went sprawling to the hard floor.

 
Cruel laughter
sounded from above
her.

 
Her chin hit the
linoleum, jarring her;
Lola’s
backpack skidded across
to the other end of the corridor
and was kicked by stampeding feet eager to leave the school.
Someone stepped on her
hand
and a cry of pain left her.

 
“What the
hell
, Roxanne!” Sebastian shouted, dropping to his knees beside her.
He pulled her up, studying her face. “Are you okay?”

 
“She tripped. I didn’t do anything,” Roxanne
said in a rush, voice high.

 
Sebastian
shot Roxanne a look over his shoulder.
Lola watched Roxanne go still, too
k in the details of her face slowly falling
.
She look
ed
scared and
worried.

 
He
tipped
Lola’s
chin
up
and let out
a sigh. “Your chin is split and
bleeding. Probably need
s
stitches.
” His eyes narrowed. “Did you hit your cheek too?”

 
Lola swallowed. His touch was warm, gentle, and familiar.
She shook her head.
Her chin burned
and
also
felt kind of numb
, but wasn’t excruciatingly painful.

 
She
put her hand against
her chin
, surprised to find it wet.
She looked at the warm red liquid covering her fingertips
and blinked
.

 
“I didn’t
do
anything, Sebastian!” Roxanne cried again.

 
Sebastian’s jaw tightened and he turned his head so he could see her. “I
saw
you. She didn’t trip. You stuck your leg out and
made
her fall.”

 
“But—“

 
“Go home, Roxanne.” Weariness resonated from Sebastian’s voice.
“Just go home.”
He turned back to Lola. “I’ll drive you to the clinic. My mom’s working today. She’ll fit you in.”

 
Sebastian helped Lola to her feet. He didn’t look back at Roxanne, not once.
A broken sound came from Roxanne.
Her
conscience gave a twinge and she briefly wondered how she could feel bad for someone so abhorrent to her every chance she got.

 
Lola knew he heard it too in the way h
is
back stiffened.
Sebastian
had that stubborn set to his jaw and Lola knew he wouldn’t be dissuaded from his c
urrent thoughts or emotions any
time soon.
If Roxanne was smart she’d leave him be.

 
“Sebastian,” she pleaded, “I didn’t mean for her to get hurt.”