What Now?

Just tell yourself everything is going to be OK.

Chapter 5

We arrive at the hospital, and Jason checks in. Who's hurt, is the only question in my head right now.

"Ok, so they said we have to wait and they would call for us."

"Ok.. So can you tell me why we're here and who's hurt?"

Jason looks down for a second, then he looks up and begins talking.

"Ok, well, Annabelle and Conner were hanging out this morning, yes, those two. Conner was driving, and Annabelle was telling him something about last night. Something about her parents? I don't know, but she was really shaken up about it.

Well she forgot something at her house so Conner drove back. She went inside and she was in there for about thirty minutes, her dad walked out, saw Conner, and walked over to him. He walked to the car to talk to him and said 'Annabelle won't be coming out, she told me she was tired and wants you to leave.' and with that he walked to his car and drove away. Conner didnt believe him so once he saw that the car was gone, he ran inside.

Luckily the door was unlocked, and he was able to get in. He ran through the first floor and couldn't find her, then he went upstairs and slowly walked through the hallway. He walked past a room and heard crying. He opened the door and saw Annabelle laying on her side, facing the wall away from the door. He sat next to her and turned her so that she was laying on her back. May I remind you that she was in a storage closet. Not even a real room, a freaking closet!

He flipped her over and.. When he saw her face, he.. Started crying. Conner, started crying. He admitted it to me. He said his tears were just falling down his cheeks. He touched her face and she cried out. Her eyes were closed. Not like she was closing, more like they were forced shut. 

Her dad had beat her. Bad. Her eyes were huge and purple like they had been punched over and over again. Her mouth was swollen, she couldn't talk. Her nose was bleeding, like gushing blood. Her skin was torn and split in her swollen cheeks from where he punched her so much in the same spot. Her shirt was ripped in places where it looked like she tried to run and he pulled her back. He lifted her shirt and she had bruises all over her stomach, like her stomach was one big purple and black blob.

Her hair was a mess, there were pieces of her torn out hair all over her clothes and in the corner of the closet was a bunched up wad of hair. Her arms were bruised with finger marks, there was blood all over her pants and pink shirt. She had one shoe on, and the other was tossed in the same corner of the hair. Her pants were half way down her legs, her underwear... Oh god, he said her underwear was stained with so much blood. He didn't just beat her, he raped her. And this wasn't just the first time, obviously.

Conner immediately picked her up and took her to his car. He laid her in the backseat, closed the door to the house, came back and drove here."

I had tears in my eyes. My bestfriend has been raped for God knows how long, and she never told anyone. She always looks so happy. That explains why she never wears shorts and short sleeve shirts. All those times she said her parents were arguing or fighting, she was lying. Her dad was raping her. How could I have missed this. My bestfriend. My sister. My other half.

"Jason. Why didn't she ever tell us? How could she hide this from us? From me? Why is everyone hiding things? This shows how important it is to TALK!" I break down into tears. I bury my face in my hands, and I feel someone touch my shoulder.

"Ma'am, your friend is ready to see you." The doctor grabs my hand and helps me up. He leads us to her room and the first sight of her makes me cry again. I run to her side and hug her gently.

"Annabelle, why? Why didn't you ever tell me?" My cries get louder. "Why.."

"I'm sorry.." She mumbles but I understand her perfectly.

"You shouldn't be apologizing. I should. For not knowing what was going on earlier."

I sit on the chair and bury my face in my hands again. Then I remember something. "Where's Conner?"

"Oh, your friend has gone to the restroom. He should be back soon."

The doctor walks out. What the heck has been happening lately. Why is all this stuff happening. Why?