Dark Scene of the Crime

Alex’s POV

After I took Rowan home, I had been extremely happy. She had responded when I kissed her for the first time. I had kissed her about 3 or 4 times, and every time she did nothing. She just stood there or pushed me away. But this time, she had put her hand on my cheek. It was a simple gesture, but it was a response! It had put me in an extremely good mood.

The whole weekend, I hadn’t seen Rowan, or spoke to her that much, for that matter. I had texted her on Saturday and asked her if she wanted to hang out, but she had replied with a simple ‘Can’t. Sorry.’ I asked her on Sunday too, but she said the same thing. That was the only contact we had over the weekend. She said she was busy, which worried me, but I shook it off. What trouble could she be in at home? Home is a safe place.

I shook the thoughts off again. I was on my way to the school, and was excited to see Rowan. I pulled up to the school and parked in my usual spot. Grabbing my backpack, I jumped out of my car, locking it in the process, and ran inside the school. I spotted Rowan by her locker as usual. She was wearing black skinny jeans and a black and white hoodie, the hood over her head. I smiled and ran over to her, slipping my arms around her waist from behind. She cringed and moaned in what sounded like pain.

“Hey Rowan,” I said cautiously.

“Hey Alex,” she replied in sad a voice.

“Are you okay?” I asked concernedly.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled. I put my hands on her hips, resulting in her cringing again, and spun her around towards me. I looked at her face, gasping at what I saw. There was a long, red gash along her right cheek, just under her eye. Her eyes held a painful look as she stared up at me.

“Rowan, what happened?” I whispered. She shook her head.

“I can’t say it right here in the hall, someone might hear me,” she whispered back. I took her hand cautiously, looking up at her and silently asking if it was okay and it didn’t hurt her. When she nodded, I pulled her along the halls and outside to the back of the school.

“Now tell me what happened,” I said as I turned towards her and pulled down her hood. Her hair, which was usually down, was up in a messy ponytail. The gash on her cheek stretched from her nose to just before her ear. I was still in shock from it.

“Well my dad…” she started, talking in a low voice. “He beats me, you see. Ever since my mom died when I was eight years old, he’s always beaten me. He’s hardy ever home, always at work. But when he is at home, he’s drunk. And when he’s drunk, he tends to hit me. When I came home Friday night, he asked where I was. I told him I was with you, and he got mad that I was with a boy. I don’t know, he’s let me be with boys before. He must have just been extra drunk that night, or something. Anyway, he just started hitting me, and when I woke up on Saturday, he was gone. But he came back later that night, and started hitting me again, for no reason at all. And on Sunday, the same thing happened. I left this morning before he even woke up, but I’m sure I’ll get it later tonight, unless I go to sleep before he gets home, or he goes somewhere else, or stays late at work.” By the time she had finished, her voice had reduced to a whisper. I stared at her in shock.

“Are you serious?” I asked her. She nodded, pulling up the sleeves of her hoodie. Her arms were covered in purple blotches I’m assuming were bruises. She then pulled up the hem of her shirt just a little over her bellybutton, bruises covering her silky smooth skin there, too. I stared at her in horror. She nodded, tears streaking her face.

“Those aren’t the only ones,” she whispered, dropping her shirt back down.

“Oh my god, Rowan…” I whispered, grabbing her and hugging her tightly to my body. She cringed. “Oh right, sorry.” She shook her head as I loosened my grip.

“Don’t let go,” she whispered. I nodded and held her tightly. She sobbed into my shirt, clutching onto me as though I was her life preserver. I knew that I was now, I promised myself I would be.

“Its okay Rowan, I promise I won’t leave,” I whispered. She nodded. “Lets go, I don’t think you need to be in school today.” I grabbed her hand and led her back into the school. She quickly pulled her sleeves back down and her hood over her head, ducking her head down. I squeezed her hand as I led her through the crowd of people. I pulled open the school doors, taking her to my car. Pulling open the passenger door for her, she got inside and closed the door. I dashed to the driver’s side and got in, starting the car. “Where do you want to go?” I asked her as I pulled out of the school parking lot.

“I don’t know, anyone where calm and peaceful,” she said quietly. I nodded and decided to take her to the little meadow I brought her to on Friday. The ride was silent the whole way there. As we pulled up to the park, we both got out of the car. I took her hand gently, lacing my fingers with hers, as I pulled her through the park and through the trees. When we there, I pulled her over to the stream, taking a seat a pulling her into my lap. She sigh and slung her arms around my neck, resting her face in the crook of my neck. I put my hand on my back, trying to comfort her as I could hear her faint sobs, muffled by my neck.

“Shhh, its gonna be okay,” I murmured. She calmed down slightly. I started humming soothingly, hoping it would calm her more. It did, and she relaxed in my arms, turning her head towards me so she could see my face.

“Thanks,” she whispered. I stroked her cheek.

“No problem,” I whispered, gently kissing the gash on her cheek. She flinched slightly, but relaxed again. I stared at her for a second before moving my face closer, my lips hanging just an inch above hers. My eyes searched her face and landed on her green irises. She was staring at me, her eyes silently begging me to kiss her. I don’t think she noticed the look in her eyes, but I did. I closed the gap between us, pressing my lips to hers lightly. We stayed like that for a few minutes, my lips on hers. I pulled away slowly, resting my forehead on hers. She put her hand on my cheek, rubbing it lightly. A smile spread across my face as she yawned. “Are you tired?” I asked her. She nodded.

“I barely got any sleep last night,” she said quietly, yawning again. I nodded and laid down, pulling her down next to me. “You’re not gonna rape me are you?” she asked jokingly, laughing.

“Of course not,” I said with a laugh, kissing the side of her head. She smiled and cuddled into my side, as we both closed our eyes and fell asleep.

I woke up to the sound of someone crying. Sitting up, I looked around me at the meadow. Rowan was sitting by the stream, curled up in a ball and sobbing. I stood up and walked over to her, sitting down next to her and pulling her into my lap.

“Shhh,” I murmured soothingly, rubbing her back. “Shh, calm down, what’s wrong?” I asked her.

“My dad…I have to go back tonight,” she whispered.

“No no no, you can come to my house, my parents won’t care if they know why,” I whispered back,

“Are you sure?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. I nodded.

“Of course.” I pulled out my phone and looked at the time: 4:17pm. “Now come on, I’ll take you home and you can get some clothes and then come back to my house.” She nodded as I pulled her up. Taking her hand in mine, I pulled her back through the trees and through the park back to my car. The drive to her house was silent, neither of us speaking, and her occasionally sniffing. I pulled up to her house, looking at her. I put my hand on her cheek, leaning towards her and giving her a soft, gentle kiss before pulling away. “Come to my house when you’re ready, okay?” She nodded before getting out of the car and scurrying over to the front door, letting herself in. Reluctantly, I backed out of the driveway and drove away from her house.

As I drove away from Rowan’s house, my cell phone started ringing. Picking it up, I answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hey Alex,” Jack’s voice came from the other end.

“Hey man. What’s up?” I asked.

“Can you come get us from the school?” he asked.

“Sure, be there in a few minutes,” I said as I turned down a side street that would take me to the school. A few minutes later, I pulled into the school parking lot, spotting Jack, Zack, and Rian by the stairs. When the saw my car, they ran over and got inside, Jack in the front seat, and Zack and Rian in the back.

“Thanks for the ride,” Zack said.

“No problem,” I told him.

“So where were you all day? You weren’t at school,” Rian said.

“You know that girl you guys dared me to ask out?” They nodded. “And you know how I went to fix things after jack ass here told her it was a dare?” They nodded again, so I continued. “Well I was with her. She had a bit of an…emergency, so we ditched school,” I told them.

“I think Alex here is in love,” Zack declared.

“What?” I asked incredulously.

“Ally is in loveee,” Jack cooed.

“What makes you think that?” I asked.

“Oh come on, we dared you to ask her out, and you decided to fix it after she found out it was just a dare, which is out of character for you, and then you took her on this awesome date that sounded really romantic, which is also out of character, and then you ditch school with her, again, out of character. Come on Alex, what more evidence do you need?” Rian told me.

“I’m not in love with her,” I said.

“Yes you are Alex,” Jack said.

“Fine, maybe I am, so?” I asked.

“SO, you should say something to her, tell her you love her,” Zack encouraged me.

“No way asshole, get out of my car,” I said as I pulled up to Jack’s house.

“Aren’t you coming?” Jack asked as they all got out of the car.

“No, Rowan is coming over to my house,” I told him.

“Like I said, LOVEEEE,” he cooed.

“Shut up,” I grumbled as I sped off towards my house.

I woke up to the sound of my doorbell ringing. I looked at the clock: 12:42 am. I had tried to stay up and wait for Rowan, but she never came and never called, and I had fallen asleep. Walking down the stairs, I sleepily opened the door.

“Rowan?” I asked as I opened the door to reveal her, standing in the rain and crying. Her clothes were soaked and her hair was done and sticking to her forehead and neck. “Oh, come in.” I grabbed her hand and pulled her inside.

“Sorry I never called, but my dad was home,” she whispered as I pulled her into a hug.

“Its alright, I’m just glad you’re here. Are you okay?” I asked.

“I’m alright, just a couple new bruises, I’m okay though,” she whispered.

“Come on, you need dry clothes, you can wear some of mine,” I said as I took her hand and pulled her up the stairs towards my room. She followed me up the stairs and into my room. I dropped her hand and walked over to my dresser, pulling out boxers and a v-neck shirt. “Here, you can change in the bathroom,” I said as I handed the clothes to her and pointed to the bathroom. She nodded and disappeared to the bathroom. I yawned and sat down on my bed, waiting for her to come back. When she did, she set her clothes on the floor next to my bed. She stood there for a second, awkwardly standing by the end of my bed. My v-neck came just below her waist, and my boxers fit her perfectly. Her long legs flowed out of the bottom of them, looking silky smooth in the moonlight shining through my window. Her hair was now pulled away from her face and up into a ponytail. “Come here,” I said as I grabbed her hand and pulled her to my bed, sitting her down next to me.

“Thanks Alex,” she whispered. I nodded.

“Anytime,” I whispered back. She yawned. “Lets get some sleep,” I said as pulled back my covers and crawled inside, followed by Rowan. I put an arm around her wais and she cuddled into my chest. Her green eyes settled on my face, as my brown eyes settled on hers. I stroked her cheek with my thumb, running it over her gash, which was still bright red. She only cringed slightly this time. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. “Goodnight Rowan.”

“Goodnight Alex,” she whispered before her eyelids drooped close and she fell asleep. I pulled her close to my body and let my own eyes close, drifting off to sleep.