This Is for Keeps

“You have some balls to tell me that I’ve changed, when you show up, different attitude, hair style, change of clothes, hobbies! That is stupid Cody!” I yelled. I was shaking in anger. We were alone in my room alone now, the others had left right after I snapped at Cody.

“That’s different.”

“Enlighten me on that.”

“Because, I’ve gotten a reason to change.”

“Oh yea?”

“Yea.”

“What is that reason?”

“Cadance.” he said. My jaw dropped immediately and I stared at him in shock, In my old school, Cadance was the queen bee, the princess, the man stealer. I say the last because she really is one, she gets close to guys with girlfriends, and when the couples fight, she becomes the shoulder to cry on, then gets even closer to her. She’s done it to three of my old friends.

“Cadance!” I hissed.

“You’ve been cheating on me with Cadance! I should’ve known! It all clues together, you wear loose clothes because Cadance hates guys with tight jeans, you surf because Cadance spends her time at the beach, prancing around in that skimpy see through bikini, you have an attitude because she loves bad boys. Fucking figures! I should’ve known that tramp of a whore would pull that! ” I screamed and ripped off the necklace he gave me and threw it at him, tears streaming down my eyes as I did so. He cringed and without me even noticing until the hit, he had brought his hand back, and slapped me hard in the face. I blinked and gasped, shocked. I brought my hand to my face and held my cheek.

“You can’t fucking do that!” I screamed. He had brought his hand back and did it again. He grabbed my wrists with one hand and held them down to my stomach so I wouldn’t move them.

“Oh, but I did. You don’t ever say shit about me or Candace. I’ve been done with your scrawny ass for the past three months. You just never had the slightest idea, those times that I’ve been spending my Saturdays skating with Derek, guess where I really was.” he said and pinned me to the wall. I whimpered at the impact.

“All I did was love you...”I whimpered. He chuckled and brought his mouth to my ear.

“Baby, you have no idea what love is.” he said and nibbled on my ear, kissing along my jaw line and then forcefully on my lips. I squirmed to get out of his grip but he just pinned me harder, and began to hit me several times in the stomach.

“I think we should have some fun though, don’t you?” he asked. I shook my head and he punched me hard in the stomached once more.

“Yes you do, you see, I thought I loved you Shaea, but then I had met Candace, and then I really realized, I didn’t, at first, I didn’t want to break your heart, I mean, just throw two years away just like that? That would be rude. So I kept staying with you, making you believe every word I said, every lie I told, and here we are now.” he said and let me go, dropping me to the ground. I whimpered, curling into a ball, clutching my stomach, trying not to cry out from the pain, but I failed, a loud groan emerged from my lips and Cody narrowed his eyes down at me.

“Now Shaea, if you keep making that noise, you are going to have to pay for it.” he said and forcefully brought his leg back and kicked me multiple times all and over where he had punched me just moments ago. I cried out in pain and just as he was about to go for a second, my room door burst open and in ran in Tom. Cody grinned and kicked me again.

“This is what I meant by flirt Shaea, don’t you see, you seem to it with him all the time.” Cody spat and attempted to punch Tom in the ribcage. Tom had caught his fist and twisted his arm around his back and pinned Cody down to the floor.

“Gerard! Get into Shaea’s room!” he yelled, no sooner than five seconds, my dad had run in, with everyone else behind him, trying to see what the commotion was. I was still on the floor, crying.

“Oh shit!” my dad yelled and ran to me with my uncle at his side, and Bob and Ray to Tom.
As my dad and Mikey tried helping me up, I let out a loud scream, seeming as Cody had kicked at my ribcage the second time. I cried and curled back up into a ball, and watched as Bob and Ray had dragged Cody off somewhere and Frank trying to get everyone to leave. I finally found the strength to sit up right and position myself up against my bed. My dad and Mikey left to go get ice heat packs.

“Tom,” I whispered as he was one of the last to walk out. He stopped in his tracks and turned around. He looked down at me and I stared into his emotionless caramel colored eyes. He walked towards me, and fell down at his knees in front of me. I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around me and patted my back.

‘Thank you, thank you so much, if you hadn’t come in he would’ve done worse.” I sobbed . He rubbed my back gently in a circular motion and nodded.

“You’re safe now, don’t worry. Ray and Bob took him down to the station.” he said softly. It was some what comforting but it wasn’t enough. My sobs continued until my dad reappeared in my room with Alicia and ice packs and a first aid kit.

“Shaea baby, we’re going to need to lift you onto your bed, so we can check out the bruises. Tom, would you mind helping?” my dad asked.

“Not at all.” Tom said and easily lifted me off the floor and on top of my covers of my bed. My dad sat down next to me and sighed.

“Shaea, I’m going to let Alicia help you, I’ll be right next door if you need anything. Tom, thank you so much. I think we should leave the ladies to their privacy now.”

“No...I want him to stay.” I said, my voice was weak and no better than a whisper.

“Bu Shaea honey, we need to take your shirt off.” Alicia said.

“He’s already seen me in a bikini.” I whispered. She looked at my dad and my dad sighed and nodded.
To nodded and sat down next to me. I pulled off the black shirt and then the long sleeve, I had already had small bruises and cuts forming all over. Alicia gasped and opened up the first aid kit. She pulled an alcohol cloth and began dabbing away at the cuts, on my stomach and the one on my face. Every now and then I would wince or cry out whenever a new bruise was found, accidentally. Tom’s face was so content, like nothing was even wrong with me, even when I would squeeze his hand. When she had finished, she handed me a pair of my night shorts and a white tank top and helped me change in them. When I had laid back down, she kissed my forehead and walked out my room, leaving just Tom and I alone.

"Tom, I don't ever know how I could pay you back." I whispered sitting up and wrapping my arms around my legs.

"You don't have to Shae, he was a dick.”

“I don’t know why I bother with guys, they are such assholes.”

“Thanks.”

“What? Oh, no I mean, not all of them, but still, you know what I mean.”

“Yea, sure. Well, I’m going to head home then, I’ll see you tomorrow.” he sighed, getting up and ready to walk out my door.

“No, please Tom, stay with me, please, I don’t....”

“Don’t?”

“I just don’t want to be alone right now, please.” I whispered, my voice was cracking. He sighed and sat back down on the edge of the bed. He took off his shoes and hat and I smiled smally.

“I’ve never seen you without a hat.”

“Really? I could have sworn you have.”

“Nope.”

“Oh...well, you should get some sleep Shae, you’ve had a rough day.” he said and laid on top of my blankets. I snuggled under them and scooted close to him, snuggling my head into his chest. I wrapped an arm around my body and rested his chin on my forehead and then kissed it. Twenty minutes past and neither of us wee sleeping, we just laid there quietly.

“Shaea , I know I shouldn’t be telling you this now but...”

“What is it Tom? You can tell me anything. “

“Shaea, I have feelings for you, and I’m sorry for letting you know now, and I can understand if you do not return those feelings.”

“Tom...I-i do have feelings for you as well and I appreciate you telling me.” I whispered, my voice was a bit muffled due to the fact my face was still buried in his chest. He brought my face up to his and stared into my eyes, before gently pressing his lips to mine softly, then pulling away soon after.

“Good night Shaea.”

“Good nigh Tom.” I said and closed my eyes, drifting off to a dreamless slumber, right into Tom’s arms.