Raise a glass

Chapter 17 - The girl at SevElev

Tuesday 10th September

Maria pov

Officer Washington looked up at me with wary eyes "And you say that all these bruises and cuts are from falling over?"

"Y-yes" I gulped. She could probably see the fear in my eyes.

"Okay...How did you get this one?" She tapped gently on a dark purple bruise on the inside of my arm.

"I-I fell"

"Honey, it's on the inside of your arm. You couldn't possibly have fallen with your arm facing down without bruising the whole arm"

"I-I..." I struggled for words. I looked around wildly for something to help me, but there was nothing more I could say. I looked at the ground and all of a sudden, the tears that I had been holding in for so long came flooding out.

"Shhhh shh, It's okay" She put her arms around me gently, without touching the bruises.

"H-he did th-this"

"I thought as much, though I couldn't be too sure. I'm so sorry"

"Being s-sorry doesn't make the last week go away. B-being sorry doesn't wash away all my scars! Being sorry doesn't make him any less cruel! Being sorry didn't stop him from beating me half to death!! And it doesn't put him behind bars!!"

She was silent. All you could hear was my heavy breathing. I glared at her, until I realised she wasn't looking at me. She was looking slightly behind me. I turned slowly.

In the doorway stood Peggy. Her face was creased with worry and her eyes were full of pain.

"H-he beat you?" She asked quietly.

"Um...W-well...He-"

"You didn't tell me?"

"I..."

"When you texted me you said 'Everything's absolutely fine'. Tell me something, WHAT DO YOU THINK FINE MEANS?!?!" 

"Peggy...I didn't want to worry you-"

"Oh so you just wanted me to be the only one who didn't know about my own girlfriend!? I was worried SICK when Alex almost told me, but Angie told him to shut up!!"

"Dammit Angie" I muttered.

"Do you know how LONG I waited outside the w-... Why am I mad at you? Oh my poor baby, you must have been so scared"

She walked over and hugged me tightly. She kissed my nose and my cheeks and my forehead and then my nose again. I giggled.

"You good?" Herc appeared in the doorway. Laf poked his head over herc's shoulder and I saw the rest of the squad behind them.

I smiled. "I'm good"

We went in for a group hug and I absorbed all their warmth. No, I don't mean literal warmth. I mean the warmth that comes from love. You could practically taste the love in the room and I was so grateful for them. Great friends are the best! (A/N: It's true. Thanks guys)

"Okay, should we go and watch a film or something?" Herc suggested.

"Oh...Um...I'm busy doing...schoolwork" Alex stuttered.

"O-oh yeah! So am I" John piped up.

Laf looked at them suspiciously. All students have been excused from classes whilst they search for James Reynolds, so we don't have any schoolwork.

"But it's my birthday!!!" Peggy whined

"Peggs, your birthday is not for another nine days" I elbowed her.