That one exception

Part 2

"Shut the fuck up...your no more a pussy than I am" I pushed him back and held onto his shoulders till he looked up at me. "what did she say to get you not to fight back?"

He looked a little stunned "how'd you..." he cut himself off, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes he started to tell me what had happened "the first time it happened I grabbed her wrists and pinned her to the wall to stop her...she got some bruises on her wrists, which she told people I did when I tried to force myself on her...the next time she told me that if I touched her she would call the police and tell them that I tried to rape her, and that they would believe her over me because of the bruises from last time" He looked up at me with a tired and apologetic expression. I leant against the sink next to him and put my arm around his shoulders.

"how long has this been going on?"

"since about two weeks after she moved in" he hung his head again knowing what I was going to say next.

"why the fuck didn't you say something?"

"I couldn't she was always within earshot...it's over now anyway, I threw her out and changed the locks that's why I missed my flight"

I sighed and looked at the bruising on the side of his face "you're going to have to tell the guys"

"NO!" he got up and moved away from me

"Mini one side of your face is covered in bruises they are going to notice something like that" 

"you and Evan didn't notice last night" He turned and looked in the mirror inspecting his face "I've had to hide worse" he muttered pulling a bag out of his wash bag, inside was a couple of tubes one green the other flesh coloured.

"Make up?...how often have you had to do this that you know how to put on makeup?"

"Enough to know what type to use so it doesn't look like I'm wearing makeup"

I felt sick realising that for the last ten months I had not noticed that one of my friends had been beaten so often he had some form of bruising every time I'd spoken to him. I watched as he started covering the evidence. I left the room long enough to grab the breakfast off the side and hand it to him.  For a second he looked confused but I soon saw a genuine grin spread across his face when he saw the sandwich, devouring half of it in one mouthful.

"Jesus Mini slow down!" I chuckled as he makes an exaggerated blissed out face.

"but is so good!" he half yells around his mouth full of food

"oh god!..stop being gross and finish putting your face on princess" I grin at him when he scowls at me

"don't hate me because I'm beautiful"

I laugh and move back into the other room "I'll be watching TV so just shout if some goomba pops out of the toilet and tries to attack you ok?" I hear him start laughing as I settle on the end of the bed and turn the tv on.  Twenty minutes later he came out with the coffee in hand and looked at me side ways

"uh would could you check this make sure you can't tell" he muttered pointing at the side of his face.

I stand up and step over to him, he fidgets and stares at his feet  "well look at me then so I can see"

"sorry...having someone knowing is kinda new to me still" I saw a slight flush of colour to his cheeks as he tried not to make eye contact with me.

"looks ok...turn your head a little to the light" he does as I ask and turns his face to the light, I notice a line of make up right on the edge of his jaw "there's a line there" he reaches up and rubs his jaw but the line remains "still there...want me to...?" he hesitates then nods, I reach up and smudge it with my thumb trying not to put too much pressure behind it knowing that there was a bruise there somewhere. "ok your good"