Sacred.

Where was she? I had been waiting here for two hours now. I heard a rustling in the forest, and Kayleigh appeared.

“So sorry.” She mumbled, collapsing to the ground.

We had agreed to meet at ten, yet it was now midnight.

“Are you okay?” I rushed to her side, panic setting in.

She was still in a nightie, so she’d run straight from her room.

“I was at Dad’s tonight.” Was all she managed to choke out before bursting into tears.

I held her in my arms, rocking her slowly. Eventually, her tears slowed.

“What happened? Can you tell me?”

“I was at D-D-Dad’s house. I was p-pretending to sleep, and he c-c-came in and was g-going to… he was t-t-touching me…” tears strangled her voice, and she collapsed from exhaustion.

I had gotten the vague gist of what she’d been stammering. She fell asleep in my arms, so I carried her back to her mother’s house. With any luck, she’d be okay in the morning. I returned to my house, only to meet Tom at the door. He saw the expression on my face, and instantly knew something was wrong.

“Bill, are you… is she… okay?”

“Yes to me, no to her.” I replied.

“What’s wrong?” he watched my face.

“I… I can’t tell you.” I stuttered.

“I understand.” Tom nodded, then reached out, took my hand, and lead me up the stairs.

With any luck, she’d be okay.

* * * * *

We sat in English. Boring as. Despite last night, Kayleigh had been at school today. Today, being Friday, she was gonna sleep over tonight.

“I swear that clock ticks backwards.” She complained.

“Yeah, agreed.” I sighed.

“Wanna go catch a movie and eat out tonight?” she asked.

“Well, I’m up for anything.” I grinned.

“Sweet.”

The bell rang.

“Home timeee, yay!” she jumped on my back.

I took our books and piggybacked her to the lockers. Tom and Georg muttered something about a street wear store, and being home late, as they walked past us. I linked my fingers with Kayleighs, and we began the walk home.

“Are you okay after last night?” I asked when conversation lulled.

“I don’t really want to talk about this.” She stated bluntly.

“Please, Kayleigh, are you okay?” I pressed.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” She seemed annoyed that I perused the topic.

“Kayleigh, you weren’t fine when you collapsed in my arms last night.”

She stopped and looked into my eyes.

“Bill, please.” Tears were forming in those beautiful green eyes.

“Okay, sorry I care.” I threw my hands up in the air and continued walking.

I knew that it was the wrong reaction, that I should have been nicer, but for some reason, my emotions turned on my common sense.

“You gonna be like that? Then come with me.”

Now she sounded pissed off.

As she charged forward, she took hold of my elbow, holding it painfully hard and dragging me along.

When we arrived at my house, she marched me upstairs and into my room, locking my door behind us.

“Fine Bill, sorry you care.”

She tore off her shoes, socks and shirt.

“Sorry you care.” She repeated, ripping off her jeans.

“Sorry you care.” This time, her voice was low and quiet, dripping of lethal venom.

Her underwear fell to the floor. She tugged my curtains closed as an afterthought, then stood before me. Even though Tom would have used this as an excuse to perv on her perfect, beautiful, skinny body, all I could see is what she was showing me. The cuts on her arms, the scratches on her body, and the bruises.

“What are the scratches from?” I asked quietly.

“When he rapes me, Bill, when he rapes me.” She said, her voice indifferent.

She said the words so harshly, I felt myself flinch as they hit my ears.

“A-and the bruises?” I was almost too scared to ask.

“Those are from when he hits me to keep me quiet about the rape.” Her voice, whilst still quiet, had lost it’s visciousness.

“I’m sorry…” I looked down.

“Why, yes you are.” I could feel her stare.

When I looked back up at her, I noticed something I hadn’t before; a skull carved onto her left breast, where one would assume the heart lies. In that one mark, I could see all the hurt and pain of her multiple situations. As I brought my eyes back to hers, I saw the tears streaming down her cheeks.

“I love you Kayleigh.” Was all I could say.

But it was also all she needed to hear. Just that someone loved her. I went to her, and she allowed me to dress her. When she was fully clothed, we lay on my bed, my arms wrapped around her protectively.

“I can’t wait until I’m old enough to leave this hell.” She whispered.

“Kayleigh?”

“Yes?”

“What are you going to be when we get out of school?”

“I’ll be a singer.” She replied, a definite note in her voice.

It was a likely possibility; she had an amazing voice.

“I’ll buy all your CDs.”

“Thank you.” She sniffed.

“I’m sorry Kayleigh, I know what I said and well… how I reacted-”

“No, Bill, sshh.” She put a finger over my lips.

I parted my lips slightly, the tip of her finger slipping into my mouth, coming to a rest on my teeth. She removed her finger gently, then turned slightly and placed her lips over mine.

Sweetest damn thing I ever tasted.

There was a knock on my door.

“Bill, Kay, dinner soon.” Mum called in.

“Yep.” I called back.

We got off my bed and headed downstairs. After seating ourselves at the table, Mum came by and looked at me.

“Bill, have you seen that brother of yours?”

“Tom went somewhere…”

“Yes, I’m well aware of that.”

“He and Georg went to a street wear store. He said he’d be home late.” Kayleigh informed Mum.

Ah, that’s right. I remembered him saying something at the lockers.

“Thank you, Kay.” Mum’s worried expression softened, but didn’t completely fade.

“No worries, Mrs Kaulitz.”

Mum served us food, phoned Tom, then apologised for having to leave, and went to drag him back. Joy…

We ate, then returned to my room.

“I’m tired, Bill. I know that usually, we’d stay up until all hours talking, but I haven’t slept properly in over a week.” Kayleigh yawned and stretched.

“That’s okay. I could do with some sleep myself.” I hadn’t been able to sleep last night out of worry.

The awesome thing about being best friends first was that parents were used to sleepovers by now.

“You know what’s not fair?” she began as she changed.

“No, what?” I took off my shirt, flicking it at her.

“You’ve seen me naked, yet I’ve only ever seen you shirtless.”

I wasn’t about to point out that I hadn’t been paying attention to her body, but to the damage inflicted on her body.

“How do I fix this?” I joked, taking off my jeans.

I can sleep in boxers.

Kayleigh stripped down again, then pressed herself to me. Slowly, her hands travelled to the waistband of my boxers, which apparently, I didn’t need anymore. The skin on skin contact sent shivers and electricity down my spine. We got into bed like that, my arms wrapped around her protectively.

“No one’s touching you tonight.”