Broken

Jenny sat at the lake, her legs pulled to her chest, her painted toes just touching the water as it rolled back and forth lazily. She was gazing blankly. Her thoughts far away to where ever Nathan had left to. Her eyes were swollen and red, from crying. It had been a week since he left without even looking back. She had eaten, only the minimum, and she had slept only a few hours a night. When she closed her eyes he was always there. His face the same expression since before they were teens, blank, and empty. He'd tell her he loved her and then he'd straddle his motorcycle and leave.

Jenny would wake up slowly from her nightmare. Her eyes fluttering, batting away tears that would eventually fall. She would wake each morning with stained cheeks, and sore eyes. Her parents had tried everything to cheer her up. They'd make her breakfast each morning, her father brought her flowers home every day on his way home from work. All of it was ineffective. Her lips would turn up in a half smile, that didn't reach her eyes, and she'd thank them quietly.

She had been leaving for the lake every day since the day after he left. It was the only place she could find that was quiet, and theirs. No one had found her there yet, no one had ever found them there.

"Hey, Carter." Jenny jumped at the sound of James voice, and turned, leaning on her hand as she looked behind her.

He stood alone, look of pity on his face. She sent him one of her half smiles, and turned back to the lake. She stretched out her legs till her feet rested in the water, the chill causing shivers to run up her legs.

"Hows it goin'?" He sat next to her on the ground, and she'd be lying if she said it didn't bother her.

That was Nathan's spot.

"Fine." Jenny still stared at the motionless water.

"I heard Brady took off." His words were neutral. He couldn't have cared less.

She only nodded in acknowledgment and pushed herself up. As she stood James grabbed at her wrist and pulled her so she was leaning over him.

"I'm here for you Jenny." He was soft spoken, and his eyes were soft. Jenny nodded and stood back up, tugging her wrist free she left him there at the lake.

Jenny coughed, pain shooting through her ribs as she curled into a ball on the living room floor. Her skin was cold, but she was sweating, her skin glistening in the dim light of the lamp that stood in the corner of the room.

"That prick is back, bet you're so happy, huh?" He was bent down, resting on his feet as he looked down at her,his words were vicious.

He pushed her shoulder and rolled her over onto her back. Jenny groaned as the pain in her ribs throbbed with the movement. She pulled her arms up to her stomach in defense, and he pried her arms open and held them at her sides.

Jenny's chest heaved in a trial to breathe. The taste of iron on her tongue, and the stinging of salt in her eyes were more reminders of the bed she had made for herself.

"Listen up Jenny, listen close." He smacked her cheek to get her attention. Jenny struggled to open her already inflated eye. One eye closed she stared up at him in panic.

Her lip was split down the middle, blood poured onto her tongue, her stomach lurched in preparation to vomit,she struggled to hold the bile down. James was holding onto her chin painfully tight. She could smell the alcohol on his breath as he moved closer to her face. His heated breath scorching her skin.

"If I find out he's contacted you,I"ll kill him, and make you watch." Jenny's lip began to quiver and she forced her head to turn from side to side. A grin broke out on James's face and he chuckled.

"Baby girl, what are you going to do about it?" His fingers tightened on her chin, she felt her bones tremor under his hold.

The house was silent other than his words. Her heart rate quickened. She was already shaking. His face was enraged, his eyes vacant. He raised his hand in formation to strike again.

Jenny forced her head to move, she nodded quickly. He lowered his hand and reached forward, gripping her sweat slicked, blonde hair in his fist he pulled her into a kiss. He kissed her split and bloodied lip roughly before letting her head fall back to the floor with a dull thump.

She lay still, on her back, hands around her stomach, staring up at the cracked ceiling of what was once her parents home, and she let her bulging eye shut. Now blind, she could hear him shuffling about in the restroom, and then finally he slammed the bedroom door shut.

She'd be sleeping on the living room floor that night.