Running Into You

Audrey's P.O.V.

Zack and I went over to my house for a couple of minutes so I could grab the needed things for my stay and tell my friends where we'd all be staying.

Now, we where all back at Zack's hosue and talking in the living room, minus Alex.

Everyone was nice enough to sidestep asking what happened, but finally, Jack couldn't help himself.

"So, what'd you do when you came back?" he asked.

I sighed. "Well, at first, I just kind of moped around the house. THen, I decided I couldn't do that for a whole six months, although I do choose that over what actually happened," I began.

"Wha--?" Jack started.

"So, I went out to the beach," I started back up. "I met this guy Seth."

"But you were holding hands with Zack earlier?" Jack cut in again.

"He was abusive," I stated simply, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice.

"WHAT?!" Rian yelled angrily.

I just nodded and looked down.

"I'm sorry that happened to you, Audrey," he said, giving me a hug.

"Well, it's over now," was all I could say.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is it happened, and that guy is an assshat who needs to get his dickk ripped off and shoved down his motherfucking throat," Jack said, coming to hug me too.

I smiled meekly and stretched.

"Well, I'm gonna go to bed. It's late and it's been an eventful day," I said.

"Goodnight!" everyone called.

"I'll be right behind you in a second," Zack whispered as I got up.

I nodded and started up the stairs.

When I reached the top landing, I ran into Alex.

"I'm sorry about what happened," he said.

"Aren't we all?" I asked, trying to sidestep him.

"I don't just mean about that abusive guy. I meant about breaking you and Zack up," he said.

"I appreciate it," I assured him.

He held out his hand. "Friends?"

"Friends," I said, shaking it.

--
Zack's P.O.V.

I sat on my bed as Audrey changed into her pajamas in the bathroom.

"Zack? WIll you toss me the pink shirt in my bag?" Audrey asked, the door opened a crack.

"Sure," I said, reaching over to her bag and sitting up when I had found the pink shirt.

When I sat up, I saw a sliver of her back in the mirror. It was horribly discolored.

Instead of tossing the shirt to her, I stood up and walked to the door.

"Zack?" she asked.

"Here. But turn around for a second, okay?" I said, handing her the shirt.

"Zack," she sighed.

"Please?" I asked.

She sighed again and bit her lip. Slowly, she turned around to where her whole back was facing me.

"Oh my God," I muttered, seeing the one big bruise that seemed to replace her back.

I reached out and touched her back lightly.

She winced and sucked in a quick breath.

"Zack," she said, sounding near tears.

I nodded and turned around, heading back to my bed so she could finish getting dressed.

--
When she finally came and sat down, her eyes were glistening with undshed tears.

Wordlessly, I took her into my arms, where she began sobbing.

"Where else?" I whispered when she had calmed down.

She lifted up her shirt to show the left side of her ribs.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to her.

"It's not your fault," she said.

"Yes, it is," I told her. "If I would have never--"

She cut me off by placin her lips gently on mine.

"It is my--" I began aain when we broke apart.

She covered my mouth with one of her hands.

"FIne," I said, my voice muffled by her hand. "But I swear to you, nothing like that will ever happen to you again."

Content, she removed her hand from my mouth and snugled up under the covers. She was asleep within moments.