XIV

I put my stuff into one small suitcase and a large tote bag. I walk back over to Calum with everything in tow.

My dad's sitting up leaning against the nightstand and Calum's still sitting on the edge of my bed watching him closely. I take note of how Calum's eyes are filled with hate as he glares at my dad.

"Where's mom? I haven't seen her very much today." I ask as I walk in.

"Bitch left. Gone to some shelter for 'battered and abused women' or some shit like that." my dad says putting air quotes and using a high pitched, girly tone for the phrase 'battered and abused women'.

"Good for her." Calum says and I nod.

Although I'm glad that she's out of the house and I won't have to worry about her being alone with him anymore, I'm a little sad that they're apart.

It's sick for me to be sad about it since they're both so screwed up, especially my dad. But if nothing else they've always been together.

Not anymore, I suppose.

I think about it for a second longer and begin to feel happiness for her well up inside of me.

She got out. She left. Good.

"Ready to go?" Calum asks and I nod, tears threatening as I look over at my dad.

"You heard me - stay away." Calum growls at my dad as he gets off of my bed and walks over to me.

He wraps his arm across my shoulders and we're beginning to walk out with my bags when I hear my dad scream "You think you're gonna take her from me, fucker?!"

I turn quickly, dropping my bags and ducking from instinct as my dad charges at us.

Calum on the other hand, uses my dad's close proximity to his advantage as he raises his elbow and hits him square in the mouth.

Calum didn't move, my dad's momentum is what hurt him, but his mouth is bleeding now and he looks completely shocked.

I must be wearing the same expression because I've never seen him bleed like that.

"Put an ice pack on that so it doesn't bruise so bad." Calum says to my dad as he picks up my bags and grabs my hand, towing me down the stairs behind him.

"You're okay. I'm here. Come on." he says as he opens the passenger door to his car.

Once I'm in he puts my bags in the back seat and while he's starting the car I realize how badly I'm shaking.

Then the tears come again.

I can't help it.

After about five minutes of that the tears won't come, but I'm still gasping and sobbing.

"I - I - I'm so, so, so sorry! You hardly know me! Why are you doing this?" I choke out.

"Hey, don't be sorry. You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm doing this because you don't deserve to be treated that way. You're better than that. And I like you, remember? So please don't cry. Everything's gonna be okay, you'll see." he says pleadingly, trying to comfort me by squeezing my hand with his free one.

"I'll call Ashton to pick me up from your house." I choke out.

"You can stay at my place. It's fine. Honestly." he says, offering me a sympathetic smile.

"Ashton won't mind." I counter.

"Jackie, relax." he gently orders.

I just give in, nodding and sobbing, recounting what just happened.

Nodding and sobbing.

Then some more nodding and sobbing.

Truth is, I've spent the night at Ashton's house a few times before when shit like this happens. I never stayed any longer than a night or two. But I was always sure to hide or cover up any marks or bruises left behind. I didn't want him worrying about me more than he already did. He always knew enough to know why I had needed to stay with him those few times and he never asked questions about it, which I appreciated.

We pull up to Calum's house.

"Are your parents home?" I ask, praying to God that I don't have to meet them like this.

"My mum is but she's probably asleep already." he says, pulling into the driveway.

He gets out of the car but I don't move. Not yet.

He comes around to my side and opens the door, looking at me closely.

I'm studying the pained look on his face as he whispers "I'm so sorry this happened to you.", more to himself than to me it seems.

I finally undo the seat belt and step out of the car slowly.

Once I'm out I wrap my arms around him and nuzzle into his neck, breathing him in.

"Thanks for saving me." I say at a volume that is barely even audible.

"No, I think you saved me." he replies, looking down at me.

Calum's POV:

We finally break away from one another and walk towards the front door. I glance sideways and see Jackie shifting from foot to foot while I unlock the door.

It broke my heart to see her crying like that.

I fucking hate her dad for doing this to her.

Jackie's picking at a rose bush by front door, seemingly numb to the world. She brushes her thumb over one of the many thorns that protrude from the stem.

She's beautiful.

She's more than beautiful if that's even possible.

I break out of my trance and choke out a "Careful." as she lightly squeezes a stem between her thin fingers.

"Uh, yeah." she says, clearing her throat.

"C'mon in." I say nervously, gesturing for her to follow me inside.

"Do you want to shower?" I ask her as we walk down the hall, side by side.

I really want to hold her hand right now.

"Yes, please." she says quietly.  

Jackie's POV:

I need to wash today off my body.

I walk into the bathroom to shower, locking the door behind me and turning the water on. I turn it way hotter than it should be just because I crave sensation, good or bad.

At some point I start crying again, but my tears mix with the water so it's not noticeable to me until I get out and see my bloodshot, puffy eyes and bright red cheeks.

My clothes have some blood on them from my hand, and for that reason I refuse to wear them ever again.

I curse myself when I realize that I didn't bring any of my clothes into the bathroom with me.

I don't want to wear my dirty clothes so I wrap the towel around me and peek my head out of the bathroom door. I don't see anyone.

It'll be fine. The bedroom door's right there. I can make it.

I hold the towel securely to me and begin to walk briskly across the hall.

Once I'm about halfway there Calum materializes in front of me, standing in his doorway.

I can't help noticing Calum's wide eyes as I freeze under his gaze.

Calum's POV:

"New rule." I say, closing the small distance between us "You don't get to traipse around here in towels or undergarments of any sort. It makes it too hard on me." I say, clutching at my chest in mock pain.

She may not be tall but she's got gorgeous legs.

And her bare shoulders.

And she's trying to tug the towel down to cover herself better. She shouldn't do that.

And I really want to kiss her.

And I need to stop.

"Sorry, it won't happen again." she says, laughing as she shuts the door between us to get dressed.

...

"Are you hungry?" I ask from the hall once the door's reopened and she's fully clothed much to my disappointment.

She still looks really fucking hot laying on the bed like she is, clothed or not.

"Cal, I'm fine, really." she laughs.

I love her laugh.

"Yeah, okay. But it's all right to not be fine sometimes." I say to her.

She doesn't need to be this strong. Not with me, at least. Not strong in this way.

I start to step away from the guest room and toward my own despite the fact that I want to spend the night right next to her and knowing that she's right down the hall's gonna be driving me mad all night long.

"Lay with me." I hear her say quietly as I turn.

Can she read my mind?

"You sure?" I ask. I want to comfort her, God, I do. I want to hold her, to tell her everything's fine. But I'm not sure that everything really will be fine. I'm not sure that I won't end up breaking her more than she already is.

She nods slowly, pulling me down by my forearm to lay next to her.

"Talk about a long day." she sighs, nuzzling into my side as I lay on my back with one arm around her waist.

I can't ignore how amazing it feels to lay with her like this. I'm not usually one for being close to girls in this way, but with her it's different. With her it's natural and comfortable.

"Yeah." I say in response, my mind scanning back over today's happenings.

Within minutes Jackie's breathing slows and the soft sounds of sleep fall from her lips.

God, those lips.

I shouldn't think about this right now.

A chunk of her chocolate-colored hair has fallen over her face and I'm really fighting the urge to move it. Fighting the urge to run my hands through her hair. Fighting the urge to touch her anywhere and everywhere.

I finally give in and move the piece of hair gently, tucking it behind her ear.

She doesn't move at all. She's exhausted. I would be too.

I watch her for awhile.

She's beautiful when she sleeps. What am I talking about? She's fucking gorgeous all the time.

I can't sleep as thoughts of this haunted girl and her haunting father swirl through my head.

I slip out from underneath her, resting her head on the pillow. She doesn't stir. I quietly move down the hall, toward the kitchen and pull a carton of mint chip ice cream from the freezer.

Spoon in hand, I sink down into a dining chair and think about today.

A/N: So there's some POV switches in here. What do you think? Yea or nay? Lemme know in the comments, puh-lease.

Thanks for reading! Please vote and comment, I'd appreciate it immensely!