𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐒, ꜱʙɢ

22

Maybe it was because they were slightly scared of the damage she had done to Mike; a man twice her size, or maybe it was because they were too caught up with him to notice that she had been hurt too. Not just physically, but mentally. They had completely ignored the fact that Mike had her in a chokehold; and that like any other person in that situation, she had panicked and done anything possible in her power to get out of it.

They didn't know for sure. But what they knew for certain was that they had to apologise to a certain red-haired friend that they had grown to love more than they had first thought.

Dominique slammed the door of her house her breaths coming out panicked and shaky as she placed her palms against her face, the tears streaming down her cheeks burning her eyes with salty regret.

The feeling of Mikes hands around her throat had triggered something deep inside her. She panicked- and she mixed protecting herself with unbridled rage that had bubbled and poured over in the worst way.

Her mind was interrupted when a harsh, strong tug met her scalp, pulled back as she met her father's infuriated eyes.

"I'm gonna make sure you remember we don't slam doors in this fucking house."

She let out a cry as he dragged her down the hallway by her scalp, yelping as he threw her against the living room wall, the sunlight streaming through the windows illuminating her crumpled figure and bloodshot, tear stained eyes.

Aiden had remembered where Dom lived from his first day at school. She had walked out of her house to get to the bus parked outside her front lawn. The group had rung her phone a couple times since her small breakdown at the graveyard, but with no reply, they grew more concerned.

So now, thanks to Aiden, the group walked up to her front door, each with remorseful looks on their faces as they stared at the pavement of her driveway.

They all huddled around her house, Ashlyn at the front of the group as she hesitantly raised her fist, sending the group behind her an affirming look, to which they nodded lightly, light smiles on their faces at the thought of seeing Dominique.

As Ashlyn's fist rasped against the wood, she stepped back from the door, quickly brushing herself down as she tried to rid any dust from her outfit. It was late afternoon now, a couple hours after their morning training session and the group had finally worked up the courage to apologise.

But what they didn't expect was a battered and limping Dominque to answer the door. She had a bruised cheek, gashes across her collarbones, purplish bruises over her arms and god knows what else.

Dominique's eyes widened, and she quickly tried to close the door against the frame, not wanting the group to see her in her shit-broke condition.

But before she could, Tyler put his foot in the doorframe, stopping Dominique from closing her door as he pressed his shoulder against her force, sending Dom stumbling back as the group stared at her beaten body with wide eyes.

Tyler cupped her jaw with soft hands as she trembled in her clothes.

"What happened...?" He whispered, Dominique looking into his eyes with hollow eyes. She quickly grabbed his shoulders, her fingers shaking in fright.

"You need to leave! Please guys, you need to go." She begged, trying to push Tyler out the door. The group had never seen Dom so fragile, and Tyler looked her over with a concerned glint in his eye - As if she were glass and one harsh glance would send her crumbling.

Taylor made her way through the doorway next, catching Dominique as she stumbled lightly, trying to carry her own weight. Aiden pushed the swinging door open, his smile vanquished as he looked at his teary-eyed friend.

"Who's this?"

Dominque figure tensed, her eyes blowing wide in horror as she spotted her father down the hall, a whiskey in hand as he sent a discreet, angered look at Dominique.

"Nobody! They were just leaving!" Dominique stuttered out, backing away lightly from her father and towards the group in the doorway, who looked at each other in knowing. As Dominique parted her lips to usher her friends out the door, Taylor spoke up.

"Actually, if it's okay, sir, we were wondering if Dominique could come hangout with us for the afternoon! We have a project to catch up on." Dom turned around, shooting Taylor a panicked glance as she trembled against her hand on her shoulder.

"That's fine." He sent the group a charming smile as he sent a darker, more sinister look toward Dom. He walked away, going up the stairs to his room as his shoes creaked against the floorboards.

Dom knew she was going to have to pay for that later.

"Let's get you out of here." Tyler whispered, pulling her up by her shoulders and pressing a soft, comforting kiss to her scalp.