Playing The Game

Playing The Game - Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I frowned and stared at Rhys in confusion. “What do you mean ‘I know’? Know what?”

He sighed. “I know what he did to you.”

I gasped. Did he mean Joel? No way. He couldn’t. How could he know?

“Why didn’t you tell me? Does Allie know? Does your mum know?” he asked.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Rubi, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Those bruises? I know they’re not from the car crash. No way. I can see the hand prints in them. I don’t know how they didn’t see them!” he exclaimed, pointing towards the door that the others had exited through.

I cringed. He knew. God, Joel was going to kill me. Probably literally.

“How long has he been doing this to you?” Rhys asked softly.

Looking up at him, I sighed. I might as well tell him everything, since he figured it out. “About three weeks. The first time he only hit me once, but then… it kind of got… worse,” I whispered.

“Oh my God, Rubi” he gasped. His eyes were full of worry and shock, but they suddenly hardened with anger. “I’m gonna kill him…”

“Rhys, no! You can’t let him know that you know! I haven’t told anyone—I wasn’t planning to. He… he told me that if I told anyone… th- they’d get hurt too.”

He glared at me angrily, but I knew his anger wasn’t directed at me. “You haven’t told anyone? Rubi, you have to tell the police!”

“I can’t! That’ll just make it worse, okay?”

“No it won’t. They can help.”

“No, Rhys. Please, just don’t.”

He folded his arms over his chest and looked away from me. I took this opportunity to grab my bottle of water and take a few more sips. My mouth was already getting dry again. When Rhys looked back at me, I saw him studying my face and the bruises there. After a bit he sighed.

“I really think you should tell someone,” he said, and I opened my mouth to object but he held a hand up to stop me. “But… I won’t say anything… at this point in time… because we all know what Joel is like when he’s angry, and maybe we should keep it a secret… for now… just until we have a bit more information about things, and everything that’s happening now has calmed down.”

I nodded, satisfied with the conclusion he’d come to. Suddenly I yawned. How could I be tired after being unconscious for two days? I guess I was just exhausted. I mean, I was half crushed by a car.

“Thank you. I have loads more questions, but I’m really, really tired. Sorry.”

I yawned again and he nodded. “That’s okay. There will be plenty of time for questions later. You just get some sleep. Bye Rubi.”

“See ya Rhys.” Suddenly I remembered something, something that had absolutely nothing to do with anything. “Oh hey, one minute. You never did tell me why Joel nicknamed you Mr Snookums.”

 Rhys blushed. “You’re asking me about that now?” I nodded. He sighed. “Don’t tell anyone, but… I have a teddy bear, and his name is Mr Snookums. I’ve had him since I was little.”

I stared at him for a minute before bursting out in laughter. I laughed uncontrollably for a minute or two, until I realised that Rhys was giving me a very disapproving look, and I attempted to hold in my laughter.