When She Cries

I sighed. "Please not now, Zacky."

"Elle, if you tell me I might be able to help. I promise I won't tell anyone."

I looked up into his green eyes and saw he was telling the truth. "It was when they would still get really mad at me... I would always do something to screw up, but not on purpose. I was just always in the way..." I took a deep breath. "It was the last time that I ever danced, they made sure of that." I could feel the tears pricking my eyes, but I pushed them away. "They took a bat to them, pretty much every single bone in each foot was broken, even the smallest ones. They couldn't be set back right, so now when I dance, they swell up and bruise." I couldn't believe how good it felt to get that off of my chest. No one knew that about me.

He didn't say anything, he just pulled me into his arms. "Why didn't you tell us earlier, Sweetie?"

"Because I was ashamed," I mumbled into his chest.

"Ashamed of what? This is not your fault in any way."

"Then why does it feel like it?" He didn't answer me. He just held me as he rocked me softly.

"Zacky?" My body tensed when I heard Christy's voice.

"Better go," I said, pulling away from Zacky. I got up and went to my room. I pulled the sweatshirt off and saw that most of the cover up had stayed on. I applied a little bit more, before going back outside.

"Oh shit, it's the sign of the Apocalypse!" Jacoby said, throwing his hands in the air.

"What is it with you obsessing over whether I have long sleeves on or not?" I asked him, as Papa slapped him upside the head.

"I was just pointing it out. Gees, no need to get abusive, Papa," he mumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"It's not abuse. It's violent love," Jimmy said, smiling.

"Very funny, Sullivan."

"Elle! Come back in the pool," Mike said, waving me over. I noticed that he was the only one in there, and got a bit nervous. I sat on the edge of the pool near where he was standing, and slowly eased myself into the later. "What happened to your sweatshirt?" He asked, getting extremely close to me.

"It was soaked, so I took it off and just put more cover up on," I said, looking down at the water.

Suddenly, he was even closer to me and took my left hand in his right. "Trust me," he whispered. I looked at him confused, but gasped when I felt his left hand at the top of the bottoms.

"Mike, everyone is right behind us," I whispered harshly.

"So? Just act like we're talking normally. It'll be fine," he said, squeezing my hand. I wanted to rip away from him and run to any one of the guys, but I knew that wasn't an option. "Take a deep breath," he said. I did so, and I felt his fingers push into me. I gasped at the pain as he stretched my muscles. "God, you're so tight," he moaned softly, pushing even further.

I whimpered in pain as I squeezed my eyes shut. "Mike, please, not here." This just made him rougher.

"Hey, guys! Food's done!" Dad called.

I silently thanked him as Mike pulled away from me. We both got out and headed over to them. "You okay, Elle?" Ray asked as I sat with my knees pulled to my chest in between Uncle Jimmy and Brian.

"Yeah, the sun's just draining me," I said, smiling softly.

Everyone ate and talked, and I pretended to eat. Mike kept sending me glances from across the table, as did a few others. It was starting to get annoying, to say the least.

"I'm going to go change," I said, getting up and walking into the house.

I felt more comfortable once I was changed. When I started walking down the hall to go down stairs, I heard some noises that I didn't want to coming from one of the spare rooms. I cringed, and hurried down stairs.

"You might want to burn the sheets in the guest room." I told Val as I grabbed a bottle of water.

"They aren't," she said, putting her hand on her hip.

"Oh, they are," I said, shaking my head in disgust.

"I'm going to have a talk with a certain Zachary Baker later today," she growled, while putting the rest of the dishes in the dish washer. I felt a sudden pain in my side and gasped, holding onto the counter. "What's wrong, Sweetie?" Val asked, immediately jumping into Mom Mode.

After a few deep breaths, it was gone. "Nothing, just a random pain. I probably drank my water too fast."

"Are you sure?" She asked, stroking my hair.

"Yeah, I'm... I'm just going to go sit down," I said, walking outside.

"Are you sure you don't want to go to the doctors?" She asked, following me outside.

"Why would she need to go to the doctor?" Dad asked.

Thanks, Val...

"It's nothing, just a random pain," I said, trying to brush it off.

"Come here, Baby Doll," Brian said, opening up his arms. I walked over and climbed onto his lap. Yes, Brian and I have gotten closer and closer lately.

I was slowly falling asleep as he continued to rub my side. About thirty minutes later, another shot of pain went through me. Apparently Brian felt my body twitch, because he stopped rubbing my side. "I'm fine," I mumbled into his chest.

"If it keeps happening, then we're taking you," he said softly, but warningly.

I was in and out of it when I felt myself being lifted, and a few minutes later, being set back down. "I know she'll want this," I heard Uncle Jimmy whisper, then I felt something being placed over me... My comforter.

"How can she sleep like that when it's still so warm?" I heard Tobin ask.

"It's like a comfort zone for her," Jimmy explained.

Oh how right he was...

I felt so violated from earlier, that I felt like I was going to need more than my comforter.