Don't Even.

I hopped up the fire escape to the third floor.  I went to the fourth window on the right and tapped it twice.  A face suddenly appeared from behind the curtain.  She smiled as she quickly unlocked the window and slid it open.  I helped her onto the escape.  Once we were both on the ground, we ran across the parking lot and into the patch of trees that covered our path down to the lake.  A few minutes later the thickening sand made my feet sink and I watched as she slowed to a stop to take off her shoes, her hair was loosely bunched together in a bun and her blue eyes smiled as they glowed in the moonlight.  She tossed her shoes and socks aside and glanced at me fussing with my laces.

“Can you go any slower?”  She chuckled.

“I can try,” I replied while pretending to move as if I was stuck in slow motion.  She lightly nudged my arm.

“Don’t even,” she warned.  She plopped onto the ground right next to me and let out a hefty sigh.

“How’s life been treatin’ ya?”  I questioned as I finally finished taking off one of my shoes.

“Eh, it’s been better,” she said.  She glanced up ahead towards the water while wrapping her arms around her knees and pulling them up close to her chest.

“Dad?”  I questioned.

“Dad.” She confirmed.  Her face fell a bit.

“What happened?”  I asked as I got the second shoe off.  She blankly watched me as I set the shoe to the side. “Well?” I pushed.  She bit her bottom lip as a sign of distress flashed across her face.  She looked at the ground for a moment before she slowly began to take off her sweatshirt.  At first I was confused, but then I saw a purpling bruise on the back of her left shoulder start to peek out from underneath her tank top.  I could feel my eyes widen as I got to my knees to get a closer look.I gently placed my hand onto her shoulder, “May I?”  She hesitated but then slowly nodded her head.  I then lowered her tank top strap to completely reveal the bruise. The skin around its edges was a hot red and sickening yellow and black spots scattered across the purple coloring.  I wanted to gasp, to scream.  The anger inside of me had reached its boiling point, but I just continued to stare at it until her right hand wrapped around my left wrist. 

“I’m fine,” she stated.

“Don’t say that,” I mumbled.

“But I really am--“

“Jamie, you’re not,” I argued.  She pulled her strap back into place.

“I can handle it,” she countered.

“You call this ‘handling’ it?”  I asked in disbelief.  I could feel a small lump forming in the middle of my throat.

“I’m doing my best,” she strained.

“Well, your best isn’t good enough,” I shouted.  Her face turned stone cold as a single tear escaped her left eye.  She quickly wiped it away as she stood up.  “Jamie,” I whispered, “I didn’t mean it like that…”

“Don’t,” she interrupted, “I’m tired of hearing all that crap.”  She stared at me for a moment before rolling her eyes and walking closer the water.  I immediately stood up to catch her.

“Jamie, it’s just that…“

“Just what?”

“It’s just that I get so scared,” I finally said with a crack in my voice.  Her eyes met mine and her expression softened.  She bit her bottom lip again.  We stood there for a moment in silence.  I could hear the waves crashing onto the shore and the cry of a distant seagull.  She glanced back at the ground.

“It really hurt this time,” she detailed as another tear slid down her cheek, “and I thought he was going for Michael and I couldn’t just let him do that…” she took a deep breath.

“You should call the police,” I noted.

“I can’t…”

“Then I will,” I moved in front of her and wiped away her tears, “I can’t stand to see you like this.”

“Then stop looking at me,” she giggled while wrapping her hands around my arm.  I laughed.

“I’m not going to let him hurt you again,” I gulped, “nor Michael.”  She smiled as she looked up to me.

“Thank you,” she said, “for everything.”

“And what I said earlier—“

She shook her head before quickly leaning in to kiss my cheek.  The very second she pulled back she gave a sneaky smile.

“Don’t even,” she giggled while turning towards the lake and racing into the water.  I couldn’t help but chuckle once more before sprinting in right after.