But It's Better If You Swear to Shake It Up.

Brendon's P.O.V.

I clambered into the closet and listened through the closed door. I heard the other door open and someone walk in.

"Hey, did you hear me? I said I was here," I heard a guys voice say, the same one from the phone.

"Yeah, I was in the bathroom. I just got out of the shower," I heard Cali say. I noticed I could see through the key hole of the door and looked through it. I watched him walk over to her and kiss her softly, but she pulled away after a few seconds and smiled.

"So what did you do last night?" He asked and sat on her bed.

"Just hung out. Went swimming. A usual Thursday night," She said, shrugging.

"Miss me?" He asked smiling a little too largely.

"Of course," She said unenthusiastically as she sat on the opposite edge of the bed.

"Well then, let's make up for lost time," He said and moved closer to her and cupped her face in his hands as he forcefully pressed his lips to hers. It made my stomach churn to see it and I felt as if I would throw up or blow up if I kept watching it. So I leaned back against the closet wall and just sat and listened to what I hoped would be nothing.

I didn't look until I heard Cali speak.

"Travis, no. Not right now."

"Why not? It's been a whole week," Travis said.

"I'm just not in the mood," She said.

"You're always in the fucking mood!" I heard him yell.

"Well I'm not now," She said.

"Oh come on! What's your problem?"

"I told you, I'm not in the god damn mood!" She said starting to yell.

What happened next made me almost jump out of the closet. I watched as Travis got really close to her, almost pinning her to the bed, but she punched him in the face and knocked him off of her. Before she could get up he grabbed her wrist and threw her down on the bed, holding it above her head. She got enough force and kicked him right in the groin and he backed off.

"God you fucking bitch! Whatever, I'm leaving!" He said and got off the bed, but when she tried to get up herself, he smacked her right across the face and she fell flat to the ground. He then walked out slamming the door and I waited until I heard a car speed off outside before I rushed out and over to her side.

"Cali, babe, are you okay?" I asked, picking her up and cradling her in my arms.

"Yeah. I'm fine," She said, but I knew she wasn't. You could see a red blotch marking the spot he had slapped her. She was furiously wiping tears from her eyes as she tried to turn her head and hide the still reddening mark on her cheek.

“No you're not! What the hell is wrong with him?” I asked pulling her closer to my chest.

“He's just drunk,” She said as she tried to slip away from me.

“Just drunk?! Cali he assaulted you!” I said as I stared at her walking over to the mirror to check on her face.

“Mhm,” She said noting she wasn't listening. Then she turned to me and I could still see the tears running down her cheeks.

“Cali, come here,” I said as I beckoned her back over to me. She crawled back into my arms and silently cried.

“This is why I can't break up with him,” She said suddenly.

“What?” I asked unsure what she was talking about.

“Why I haven't broken up with Travis. I don't love him, and I know he doesn't love me. I'm just scared of what he'll do if I broke up with him. Trust me, I'd be long gone if I had the choice,” She said as she looked at me.

“So he does this a lot? You can't keep this up, honey. What if it gets worse than just that?” I asked.

“I know, but he terrifies me when he gets this way. And he's drunk a lot.”

“Well remember, I'm always here for you. I'll never let him hurt you, I promise,” I said.

“I love you,” She said with her head on my chest.

I totally froze after she said that. I didn't know what to say. Did I love her? Was it too early for it? All these thoughts swarmed in my head.

Then Cali started in, “Oh shit! I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say it. I know it's way too early-” I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers.

“I love you too,” I whispered after I pulled away. I really did, and I knew it. She rested her forehead against mine and looked me in the eyes lovingly. I swear I could totally lose myself in the perfect blue of them. They were as deep as the ocean and as blue as the sky.