Bruises ; O2L

13

I didn't know where Sam lived, but anywhere was okay, as long as Jc wasn't there. It seemed like It'd been 20 minutes before we got to Sams house. When we arrive, we sit in the car for a minute.

Sams pov

I notice Cora's in deep thought. She stares at her hands. I lean down and look into her sad eyes.

"Cora..do you wanna go inside?" I ask. I see a tear fall from her face. "Cora? Do you wanna tell me what really happened?"

"Can we go inside first?" she sniffles. I get out and open the door for her. I walk slowly beside her. I unlock the door and take her into the living room. We sit down on the couch and she puts her face in her hands. She cries, continuously, I know something has to be wrong. I take her hands in mine and stare at them.

"What are these?" I ask, looking at the bruises. She pulls away and covers her face as she cries. "Cora, what happened? Please tell me, I want to help you."

She looks down and her wrists, there's cuts too. I shouldn't say anything, I don't want to make her cry more. Another time. I lift her face up by her chin with me finger. It wasn't until now that I realized the bruise on her cheek. I turn her face.

"Cora!" she turns her face away.

"Please don't tell Connor!" she cries. "Or Jc.." she mumbles.

"When did this happen? Was this from tonight?" I ask. I try not to yell, but I can't help myself.

She nods. "He tried to, you know, and I wasn't ready. We just started dating today, he gave me the beautiful necklace when he asked, I said yes. But I wouldn't let him do anything to me, and I couldn't get him off me, I kneed him in the gut and he punched me." she says. She starts to shake and breathe quickly.

"I..I can't breathe Sam." she says out of breath.

I pull her into my arms and stroke her hair. "Shh, shh, it's okay. Calm down. You're probably just having an anxiety attack."

She starts crying as she continues to breathe quick. "Sam, I can't breathe!" she says gasping for air.

"Cora! Sh. Here." I pause. "See that chair over there?" I ask.

"Yeah," she says out of breath.

"See the lamp? The white one with a blue shade?" I ask.

"Yeah, Sam how is thi-"

"Listen! See that green leafy plant?" I ask.

"Yes." she says, she's now breathing normally. "I..I can breathe. Sam how'd you do that?"

"Instead of focusing on not being able to breathe, focus on what's around you.."

"Why are you so good at this?" she asks.

"I used to have them. Now, we need to tell Connor. You need to get out of that house, you can't continue living with Jc." She looks at me, she's so sad. Someone like her doesn't deserve so much sadness.

"You can stay the night here, I'll call him and have him come over tomorrow. We can tell him together." I suggest.

"Okay," she says and yawns.

"Do you want something to sleep in? You can sleep in my room," I tell her. She nods. I take her up to my room and give her light grey sweats and a black tshirt.

"Thank you," she says. I leave the room to let her get dressed. "Goodnight Sam!" she yells.

"Goodnight." I decide to text Connor, maybe he'd see it in the morning.

To: Connor 🐱
Come over tomorrow, when you wake up. It's important.

I grab my laptop and start to scroll through tumblr and go through social media on my phone.