*Creighton's pov*

I ran over to my window, totally forgetting about my broken rib, and rushed out, but not before I grabbed my bag. The adrenaline pumped through my body making it possible for me to feel nothing. I went over to the side of the roof where I knew my father would not be able to see when he looked out.

I crouched down and brought my knees to my chest. I was glad that I got my bag before running out. I figured he probably would be waiting for me to come back in.

I stayed silent but I could hear him yelling. What the hell did I do this time?

"Creighton I swear to god you are going to get it!" He yelled and rolled my eyes. After 4 years of beatings he still has not found my hiding spot. Maybe he thought I was too much of a girl to climb out the window.

"You're so ungrateful! I give you a roof over your ugly head and you can't even put away all this shit!" He yelled and I knew what he was yelling at now. He was yelling at all the stuff down in the living room. It wasn't even me who had all of that shit. It was him but he's always too drunk to remember anything.

I could hear his yelling and it was more muffled so I knew he was downstairs. I quietly moved and climbed down the tree and started walking to school.

"Creighton!" A familiar soft voice yelled and I gave Abby a soft smile.

"Hi, Abby," I said slightly surprised. She wanted to be seen with me?

"Don't act so surprised. I don't care about popularity. I like you, as a friend, and so I'm going to hang out with you. I don't give a damn what people think," she said and walked up beside me.

She was wearing a Rise Against t-shirt and even though it was supposed to be small, it was baggy on her. She had on skinny jeans and red converse. She was my kind of girl. Well the girl I would've wanted to choose to like. Sadly we don't choose who we like.

It was fairly warm but I still wore a long sleeve shirt and I wanted to take it off because I was getting too hot.

"So can you show me around to my classes?" She asked. It was weird how she had transferred here with only a few months left.

"Of course. If you are going to want to be seen with me then I will do whatever you want," I chuckled.

She rolled her eyes and playfully hit my shoulder. Thank god it wasn't on the side with my broken rib.

"Do you want to come over to my house after school? I heard your dad yelling this morning. Maybe you need a day to yourself?" She asked and I could see the hope in her warm brown eyes. She was adorable. I wish I could like her and not Jessamine.

Okay that was a lie. Jessamine had my heart. No girl could take it. Not even this sweet girl.

"Sure. Your parents aren't going to be suspicious as to why I'm limited to movement?" I asked her a little nervously.

"If they know they wouldn't tell anyone. They are trying to stay out of drama. They would just let you stay over so you could escape from your dad. They would help you if you asked them," she said almost pleading for me to tell her parents.

I gave her a warm smile. She was so sweet. If anyone picked on her I would learn how to be tough just to protect her.

We walked into the school and she said her locker number. I smiled and said that it was close to mine. I showed her and I could feel eyes on us.

"Why is everyone staring?" She whispered.

"Probably because you're pretty and new. They would expect you to hang out with the popular girls and not a loser like me," I told her honestly.

Just then Jessamine came up and pushed me away from Abby.

"Hi, I'm Jessamine but everyone calls me Jesse. Do you want to hang out with us?" Jessamine's sweet voice filled the air around me and I looked down. She'd never speak to me. Especially never with love in her voice.

"No. I am hanging out with Creighton. Sorry," she said and then smirked and looped her arm through mine. What the hell? She just rejected the popular group.

"I don't want to hang out with those fake girls. I want to hang out with awesome people," she said and just then Alex came up.

"What the fuck man? You didn't even wait for me." He yelled and then noticed Abby's petite figure.

"Sorry dude. I was showing her around. Abby this is Alex," I introduced the cute girl holding onto my arm.

"Hi," Alex said a little nervously. She smiled at him and then turned her head towards me.

"Do you know where the art room is?" She asked and then looked down at her schedule.

"I know exactly where that is. Just come with me and Alex after we go to our lockers."

I led Abby to my locker and was surprised that she still had her arm looped into mine. It was weird. Everyone gawked at her and then sneered at me.

"Hey loser, what are you doing with a pretty girl on your arm?" Joey asked me with a smirk.

I sighed and ignored him. I didn't have energy for this today. I let Abby go and hoped that would do the trick to make him leave me alone.

"Hi cutie. I'm Joey Woods. Would you like me to show you around?" He asked her with a wink.

What the hell? He was flirting with Abby but wasn't he talking to Jessamine?

"No thank you. I'd rather be shown around by a guy who probably isn't going to give me an STD by just standing right next to him," she said with attitude and I looked down with her. If she wasn't a girl I would've been afraid Joey would've beat her up.

"Listen here. You can't just talk to me like that. I get any girl I want," he said and smirked at Abby.

"She's not interested. Aren't you talking to Jesse?" I asked him and brought Abby closer to me just in case Joey lost it.

"What's your point?" He smirked at me rudely.

"You can't do that," I glared at him and I could feel Abby grabbing my arm trying to tell me to stop provoking him.

"I will do whatever I want to you geek. I'll see you soon Abby," he winked at her and then walked off.

"He's an asshole," Abby murmured and I chuckled. Curse words didn't sound right coming from her.

The three of us walked to art class and I sat between Alex and Abby. I got my drawing out that I had been working on yesterday and continued.

"Creighton that is amazing," Abby complimented and I smiled.

"Thank you Abby," I said happily and started drawing. It seemed that time went by so quickly because the next thing I knew the bell rang. I groaned.

"Where's the English room?" She asked and Alex grinned. I knew he was practically drooling over the girl.

"Alex is going there. He will show you. Now if you excuse me I am going to go and die on the ground while playing flag football," I said and walked slowly to gym. Maybe if I walked slower it would make it not come.

My wishes were not filled because the next thing I know Mr. Jones is shouting at me.

"Creighton you have to at least try!" He yelled as I didn't even try to run after the football. There was no way in hell I was trying with my broken rib. I'd rather fail.

Mr. Jones shook his head in disappointment and I flipped my hair out of my face in time enough to see a football coming directly towards my chest.

I screamed in pain as the football hit my broken bone and Mr. Jones came rushing over. He moved my shirt and seen the purple spots over my ribs.

"What the hell happened?" He asked knowing that it wasn't from the football. Shit.

I had to think of a lie fast. Everyone had gathered around me and looked shocked at the fact that I actually had a reason not to be playing very well.

"I-I fell off my roof and landed on my sidewalk," I said and tried to sound convincing. Mr. Jones said nothing and took me to the nurse's office.

"What happened Creighton?" She asked sweetly and then I showed her my ribs.

"Oh my goodness. You have to go to the hospital," she said looking flustered.

"No!" I shouted.

"You need to," she said.

"Please don't make me go. Can't you do anything for it?" I begged. If I had to get on my knees I would. I didn't want to go to the hospital. I couldn't afford it.

"I'll do my best. You will be getting out of gym for the next couple of weeks at the least," she said and started treating my chest.

I winced in pain but I knew she had to do this or else it would only get worse.

"Ms Miller, I-" A sweet voice said while opening the door and I instantly recognized it as Jessamine's. She stopped talking when she seen my shirt up while the nurse was doing what she could.

"Sweetie, I will be right with you. I have to finish helping Creighton," Ms Miller said and Jessamine went and sat.

I watched her. I didn't mean to be a creep but it was the only thing that was taking my mind off the pain. I would occasionally catch her peaking at my topless body but she would quickly look away.

I wondered what it was like to just hold her. Not that I'd ever find out.

"Okay Creighton I did all you could. I'm going to give you some medicine so I want you to go and lie down. It might make you tired," she said and handed me some medicine.

I took it and then she led me over to the bed and then closed the curtain.

"Jessamine what is wrong?" Ms Miller asked.

"Well I am having problems seeing," she said softly.

"I told you not to wear those damn contacts. They are interfering with your vision."

"You don't understand though-" she started but was cut off.

"I know that being popular is very important but after high school that doesn't matter. I assume you take those contacts out. People aren't just going to hate you for having brown eyes," Ms Miller said harshly.

Jessamine wears contacts? What the hell?

I thought back to when we hung out. Now that I remember, she didn't have blue eyes then. She had light brown eyes.

"I can't though, my mother-"she started then stopped and then remembered what she was saying. I heard her rush out and the door slammed.

What the hell just happened? Jessamine didn't have a perfect life?

*****

*Jessamine's pov*

I ran out of the nurse's office when I realized I had almost said something about my mother forcing me to wear these damn contacts.

Wait. Did Creighton hear that? Shit. I would have to talk to him. I went to my locker but as I tried to put in the combination I started to realize that I couldn't see anything. I knew Ms Miller was right. I shouldn't be wearing them. My mother had thought that I had bad eyesight so she got me contacts that changed my eye color and were supposed to help me see better.

I was so close to taking them out but I knew I couldn't. I decided I had enough of school today and ditched the rest of the day.

I walked home. I didn't trust myself to drive right now. My mother had to do this to me. She was ruining me. I needed to stand up to her.

I got to my house and then walked up to my room. I took my contacts out and my eyes felt better having the obstruction removed.

I sighed and went to my bed. I curled up and my phone buzzed.

Jesse where are you?

I rolled my eyes and texted Joey back. I was mad at him. I seen him flirting with the new girl. If it wasn't for my mother I would have just got rid of him.

What surprised me was that when Abby looped her arm with Creighton's, I got jealous. I had a crush on Creighton when were in elementary school but I thought that I was fully over that. My mother basically forced me to be over him. If I had the choice I would still be friends with him. We used to talk about everything.

I am pissed at you. I seen you flirting with the new girl. I'm not some toy. I will not put up with it.

I threatened him. Even though I wanted to get rid of him. I knew my mother would kill me for ruining my chances with that asshole.

Baby, I have needs. You aren't fulfilling them and I mean if we aren't dating it isn't cheating on you.

That JERK. I do not care what my mother does to me. I am not putting up with that. He crossed the line.

You can go to hell. I am done talking to you. Good luck ever finding someone to 'satisfy' those needs of yours

I felt better as soon as I texted that to him. I was better than that.

Wasn't I?

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