A Breath Of Fresh Air

In the Alley

Callie's POV (Point Of View)

"Okay. Yeah I'm almost home. Yeah I know. Okay. I love you too."

I slid my phone into my back pocket and kept walking. I had to be home in time to help Lena with her dinner party-something, I have to admit, I wasn't looking forward to.

I walked past a group of guys in the alley , ignoring the suggestive comments they made towards me. Guys could be such creeps. I caught sight of one of their faces and stumbled. I felt all the air leave my body as I stared at him.

Liam. He started walking towards me.

Run! I told myself. Get away from here!
But I couldn't move. It was as if I was frozen to the spot. When I finally got my fleeting senses together, I whirled, ready to bolt.

But I was blocked by his friends, who made a predatory circle around me. I swallowed hard, trying to clear my face of all fear.

Liam walked over to me, face drawn into a frightening scowl–one I knew all too well.

There was nowhere to go. I fought back tears at the realization. I was as defenseless as I was before, years ago.

He grabbed me roughly by the shoulders and leaned his face into mine.

Do you realize," he growled. "How much trouble you got me into with this rape charge?"

Shaking, I glared at him. "Huh. Really? Maybe next time you'll think before you force someone to have sex with you then." I spat.

His eyes flashed and I suddenly found myself flying, getting pinned to a wall. I cried out as my head cracked off of it. Tears streamed down my face in pain and fear.

"Shut up about the accusations." He said slowly. "Or I might just give YOUR new family some trouble. You didn't care about getting mine into it."

I wrenched myself free of his grip, head spinning from the force in which I'd hit it.

"Don't you DARE threaten me! " I yelled. "And especially not my family. After all you've done to me you need to stay out of my life. Now."

I pushed through two of his freaking idiot minions. One of them grabbed my arm.

"Let her go." Liam said before I had time to punch the guy. "She'll learn her lesson. Since apparently it isn't sinking in."

I ran for home.

*****

My head throbbed as I walked through the door, forcing a smile at Stef. She saw right through it.
She grabbed my hand before I could pass her.

"Have you been crying? What happened?" She demanded.

"Oh it's nothing." I told her, waving away her concern. "My allergies kick up during the change of seasons."

She arched an eyebrow, obviously unconvinced.

"Your allergies." She repeated. "Right."

"I'm okay mom." I assure her.

She just squeezed my shoulder. "You know you can talk to me whenever? About anything?"

I nodded and she smiled, walking away.

I joined Lena in the kitchen. She too must have noticed my puffy eyes because her face scrunched, like it usually did in worry and she opened her mouth to say something. I saw Stef shake her head at her, and Lena closed her mouth, pretending not to have noticed.

I worked quietly beside Lena, listening to her chatter. I couldn't stop thinking about Liam and his threats. Would he really hurt my family? My moms? Jude? Mariana or Jesus? I swallowed. Or Brandon?

Lena was talking about her boss, laughing. I chuckled with her, though I had no clue what she was talking about exactly.

I dropped the carrots and potatoes I just chopped into the boiling pot of water on the stove.

I winced. The throbbing of my head just kept increasing. Trying not to rub it I started making my way over to the medicine cabinet. Hopefully we weren't out of Tylenol.

"Are you alright?" Lena asked me, walking over.

"Yeah I'm f-" I suddenly became overwhelmed with dizziness.

I saw her saying something but I couldn't hear what it was over the deafening sound of my heartbeat in my ears.

"I-I'm alright." I managed to mumble before the world went black.