"Are you sure?", Chris worried over Stephanie.

Stephanie nodded nervously.

She had not fully healed but she knew she had to go to her aunt someday. Better now than later.

No one knew the truth to her wounds. She had managed to convince them that she had got into a fight with the street lowlifes on her way to the convenience store for something. They had been suspicious but finally bought what she sold. Chris' mom had been very hospitable and had thought that Chris and Stephanie were dating. 

When they were asked, Chris choked on the air while Stephanie just quickly denied trying her best to not blush. 

Stephanie sighed at thought of Chris' mom. She had been so sweet and caring towards her. She even washed her clothes and neatly ironed them before giving it to her and also insisted that she wear Chris' clothes. Something about looking cute. She felt home even though it wasn't where she belonged.

Chris and Stephanie were standing in front of her house's gate. Even though she dreaded of what was ahead of her, she couldn't let Chris see her fear. He had already seen her vulnerable once. Once was enough for now.

"So um.. thanks for..uh everything? Yeah Everything", Stephanie said awkwardly scratching the back of her neck. 

"Yeah it's okay. Don't worry. And keep my clothes with you", he said unabashedly. "They look pretty on you"

Stephanie's cheeks went scarlet red. She looked at him and smiled shyly. Then turned to go. She could feel her aunt's eyes pierce through her blood cells from inside the house. Poor Chris didn't even know that.

However life wasn't going to be so smooth.

In a sudden move, Chris caught her hand and pulled her towards him. He stood to face her and bent low. Stephanie was not even breathing. Her heart was running a marathon it seemed! Chris kissed her on her cheek ever so slightly and gently that Stephanie felt warmth run in her veins for the first time in three years. 

Chris pulled her into a hug and burrowed his face in the crook of her neck.

"Don't worry. I won't tell anyone what happened to you", he said softly.

You have no idea what happened to me.

Chris continued. 

"I just hope you trust me more and not lie to me. I'll protect you."

Stephanie's body went rigid. There was no way he knew. No way at all. 

He stepped away from her and smiled sadly. She could literally see the countless unspoken words his eyes were trying to say. He ruffled her hair and without a second glanced walked off. 

Stephanie stood there wide-eyed and definitely flustered. But also thinking whAT THE HELL WAS SHE SUPPOSED TO TELL THE BLACK CLOUD AT HOME!!

She tore her eyes away from Chris' disappearing figure and walked towards the lonesome house she was forced to call her home. She limped to the door.

The atmosphere in the air around her was eerily silent like the silence among the audience before a horror movie. The unmoving particles and molecules were waiting for Stephanie's adventure to begin. She hated the air around the house. One day she was going to kill them with the help of a microscope.

"I will go to the grave today for a short visit. Hope the dead welcome me. They should have dead food too. Let's have a taste of it then.", Stephanie mumbled to herself.

As she rung her doorbell she could only hope that her ass was still intact after her aunt was finished with her. 

The door opened and her mind went blank.

*

Chris walked towards his house. It was a long way. 

How did Stephanie land here even?

There were too many general stores on his way to her home. Some were better than where he had found Stephanie. There was something that Stephanie was going through. At least for now she was safe in her own house. 

A fight Stephanie said?

Bullshit.

The bruises covering her body were a week old and were covered with new ones. Her stomach and thighs had been a colorful pattern of yellowing marks and reddish-purple splotches. It pained him to even recall that sight. He knew she was suffering.

But by whom?

That was a question and he was going to find out for sure.

*

Stephanie's aunt smiled at her as the door opened. Stephanie's heart beat paced up and she went in. 

"So will you explain to me who was that blueberry head?", her aunt said. 

Wow. Looks like living together is affecting us.

"Friend", Stephanie replied shortly.

Her aunt closed the door with a loud bang and clenched her hair in a fist.

"Are you trying to tell me that that peck on the cheek was friendship?", her aunt's voice trembled dangerously.

"I swear he's a friend. I have no idea why he did that!"

Her hair was released and Stephanie quickly moved to the drawing room before her aunt could kick her sweet butt.

"So where were you all these days?", her aunt asked.

Stephanie gulped thinking of a good enough excuse. As much as she hated it she was scared of her aunt ever since she was beaten up. Now she was just scared that she would perhaps simply die of pain. And she couldn't die when she had so many unfulfilled tasks at hand.

Tasks like food.

" I was at Marilene's for group project",Stephanie exclaimed.

Her aunt slapped her face as hard as a car hitting a dog. Stephanie, already weak, stumbled on her toes and fell on her butt on the floor. As she got up she tasted blood. A lip cut.

Again.

"DON'T LIE!"

Stephanie fought the urge to roll her eyes an entire 360 degrees.

When did I ever tell you the truth?

"You know what I saw a few nights ago?", her aunt smirked like a stupid cat.

"What?", Stephanie snapped unable to hold her irritation within her. Wrong and foolish of her to do so.

BRAVO! Looks like you'll be going to the grave for a long term feast!

Her aunt tutted in disapproval. She bent forwards and grasped Stephanie's head tightly.

"No attitude honey."

Stephanie quickly gulped. Then her aunt breathed in her ears and said,"I saw your figure climbing the walls and escaping in the night. What do you think of that?"

Stephanie could literally hear the glee in her aunt's voice. She could only gulp.

"Did you get hurt here last time?", her aunt asked carelessly. Her fingers surrounded Stephanie's ribs below and pressed onto it harshly.

Stephanie gasped in pain. She tried to scramble out of her aunt's hold but in no vain. Her aunt was stronger.  Her aunt kneed her in the stomach and Stephanie reeled over coughing and clutching her stomach for dear life. She was on all fours now. 

When Stephanie looked up her aunt was giggling like mad and holding what looked like a.....

Stephanie's eyes widened in fear at the sight of the black band of leather. 

She had not been hit with a belt since she was 14! 

"I'm sorry! I swear I never told anyone anything!", Stephanie pleaded frantically. 

"Oh no this is because you were born my dear.....you took away everything from me when you were born.", her aunt's eyes glinted in the darkness of the approaching night.

RUN!

But Stephanie's limbs were frozen. They didn't even budge an inch. She thought her heart was attempting to fly out of her body. 

"Aunt.....aunt....", she begged, tears already welling up in her eyes. Her aunt stood over her raising the belt over her head.

She only smiled while Stephanie went pale.

Then the belt lashed down on Stephanie's stomach and her entire body went up in flames.

*****

A/N :

I was mentally laughing when I was writing about Chris and Stephanie as to what I was writing.....Vote, comment and follow! > <