The Girl Who Was Adopted

Chapter 10 - Get Your Hands Off Her!

My head hurt, so much. How was it possible that my head felt like it was imploding and exploding simultaneously? I moved slowly, feeling nauseous with every centimetre that passed, but as I straightened up, I heard shouting. Clare and Phil went to the farmer's market every Saturday morning, but even if they were back already, they wouldn't be having a screaming match out on the front lawn.

I grabbed a hoodie and pulled it over my head before glancing at myself in the mirror. I looked less than acceptable, but I wasn't trying to impress anyone; I just needed the shouting to stop. I headed downstairs and glanced out the window, Sarah stood in front of Hank, her voice was croaky as though she'd been crying, and her face was red and puffy.

Hank was shouting at her, although I couldn't make out any of the words he as trying to say; Sarah was trying to shout over him, just hoping to be heard. I headed downstairs and peeked out the front window, wondering if I should intervene.

"Whatever," Sarah took a step backwards, looking like she had had enough. As she turned towards the house, Hank grabbed her wrist roughly and spun her to face him.

"I'm not finished talking to you!" he roared in her face.

I grabbed the baseball bat that Phil kept, in case he needed to save one of the neighbours, and I pulled open the door fiercely. "Get your hands off her!" I raised the bat above my shoulder, ready to swing at him if he didn't take my instruction to heart.

Hank looked at Sarah in disbelief before shoving her backwards onto the ground. I stepped towards her, stopping at her side.

"Fuck this!" He looked at us as though he was the one who had been roughly manhandled. I gave Sarah a hand up as Hank threw her bag at my feet. I retrieved it before we turned and headed into the house. I locked the front door before replacing the baseball bat behind the door. Thankful that the sky was overcast, the hangover was taking its toll on me. I needed water.

"Are you okay?" I asked as we stood awkwardly between the living room and the dining room. She didn't look at me as she nodded, her head turned away, but I could hear her crying softly. I wasn't sure if she wanted me to comfort her.

"Do you want some ice cream?" I offered, and she nodded a little before I headed into the kitchen. I poured some water from the fridge drank some of it and pulling the ice cream out from the freezer. Sarah hung around at the breakfast bar, awkwardly as though she wasn't sure if she wanted to be near me or not.

I fished two bowls out of the cupboard before grabbing a spoon and beginning to dish the vanilla-happiness into each bowl.

"If–" She hesitated. "If I talked to you as a friend..." She sounded unsure about the decision. I knew that she didn't want to say 'as a sister' and I understood that reasoning. "Would you promise not to tell anyone? I just don't know who to talk to..."

"I have to serve some sort of purpose in your life," I looked at her kindly. "Nothing that you say will be repeated – you have my word."

I fetched two spoons from the drawer before sprinkling M&Ms into the ice cream. I handed Sarah a bowl before sitting at the breakfast bar. She took the bowl and stared at it for a short moment. "Thanks." Silence. "All my friends think that I've had sex, and they've all done it, so they wouldn't understand – but, I was going to save myself for marriage." A wave of tears poured out and for a moment she sat quietly as they ran down her face. She sniffed as she wiped them away. "I didn't want to do it, but – I don't know, I was really drunk and..." I grabbed the box of tissues and handed it to her; Sarah snatched up two before wiping her nose quickly. "I don't know, I was drunk, but I know that I told him I didn't want to – I didn't want to." She drew in a deep breath, "Please don't tell mum and dad."