The Ignored Princess Meets the Tortured Prince

Chapter 32

Kirsten

I wanted to race straight to the hospital as soon as the final bell rang, but I knew I needed to go home first. I was planning on staying with Lucas all afternoon, until the nurses kicked me out, so I was going to have to do all my homework up at the hospital. One problem; one of my books that I needed for some homework was at my house.

When I walked inside, the house was really quiet and still. If I hadn’t seen my parents’ cars in the driveway, I would have thought no one was home. Not wanting to draw their attention, wherever they were, I tip-toed to my room and quietly slid the book I needed into my bag.

I thought I was in the clear, but as I came down the stairs into the living room, I saw father sitting in an armchair and mother standing a few feet away from him. Neither one looked all that happy to see me.

“And where were you last night young lady?” mom asked. “You were out entirely too late.”

I narrowed my eyes, ready to give them an ear full, but father spoke before I could. “You were with that boy, weren’t you?” His voice was even, calm, not filled with anger like mother’s was.

“Yes, actually, I was.”

“I knew it!” mother yelled. “You were out at all hours of the night with that crazy boy!”

Father shook his head. “I told you to stay away from that boy Kirsten, he’s bad news. I thought I-” He looked up and stopped talking when he saw the tears coming down my cheeks.

“Well I’m sorry but I’m not going to leave him alone in a hospital room when he could be dying, because my ignorant parents said so!” I quickly wiped the tears away and worked on stopping more from coming out.

I looked to mother but she was speechless so I looked back to father. He looked a little sorry for what he said and a little upset for me, but still pretty stern.

“Let me guess, it’s drug related?” he asked. “Because you really shouldn’t feel sorry for people like that, it’s their own fault and-“

“NO!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “Lucas doesn’t do drugs!! He’s in the hospital because his step dad, who used to constantly beat him until he moved out, attacked him in the park with a baseball bat!”

Father immediately jumped up, his whole attitude changed. “What!? What happened? How do you know this?”

“You could just look at him and it was so obvious what Roger was always doing to him, but nobody ever did anything. Lucas stuck it out though, until Roger hurt his little sister, and she’s only five! So Lucas took Ally and moved out. I guess Roger wasn’t too happy about it though because he attacked Lucas in the park. I’m the one that found him.”

I looked up at dad, tears back in my eyes. “He was just so still and there was so much blood everywhere.”

Mother was too shocked to move, but dad quickly raced forward and hugged me close. “Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry you had to see something like that. Is he alright?”

“He made it through the night, so they think he’ll be okay but he’s in pretty bad shape.”

“And you’re sure his step-dad attacked him?”

I pulled back, narrowing my eyes. “Yes I’m sure. You should have seen how Roger always acted toward Lucas! He was just trying to defend himself and protect Ally.”

He nodded quickly, hurrying to his office and gathering some things up. “Yes, yes, I believe you, I just had to be sure.”

“Why?” I asked, wiping the last of the tears off my cheeks.