| "Please come and pick me up Sam, I'm scared." Sam grabbed a piece of paper and a pen, "Okay, baby, tell me where you are." April's petrified voice wavered down the phone making Sam's skin goose pimple, "1032 Warner Boulevard, I'm hiding in the bathroom in his mum's apartment. Sam…" Her voice cut out, Sam could hear noises in the background. "April? Come on baby I want you out here. I'm sorry I hurt you please girl let's get down." Sam felt his blood boil as the guy's voice sounded down the phone, "April? Has he hit you?" There was a long pause before, "Mhm." Sam grabbed his keys, "Can you get out of the window?" He heard the window open, "Yeah…" she whispered, "Get out that way and I'm on my way. Don't worry baby." He looked at Tina, "You got to go. I've got to pick April up." Tina was obviously disappointed but grabbed her coat and left. He placed the phone to his ear, "I'm on my…" He froze, "April, girl, who are you calling? You're not cheating on me are you?" He heard a dull thud and April whimper; her phone hit the floor, "No, Brett, please don't." She pleaded, "Now come on. I want you and I'm not going to wait." Sam hung up, he felt sick. He slammed his car door and pulled away. It was only a 5 minute drive to Brett's apartment but they were the longest 5 minutes of his life. He rammed his hands on the door, "LET ME IN!" He yelled. There was a scuffle inside and the door creaked open, Brett stood in his boxers. "Yeah?" Sam smashed the front door open, knocking Brett unconscious, "APRIL? Where are you?" He shouted, fear clutching at his throat, "SAAAAAAM!" She screamed from the room at the end of the hall. Sam crashed into the door and it opened, another guy stood with a video camera trying to drag a terrorised April out of the corner by her hair. Her mascara was streaked down her face; she bit the guy and raced behind Sam. Sam felt her hands glide across his skin and realised he was still shirtless. He placed his hand on the side of her leg and pointed the other at the growling late teenager, "If you ever… EVER touch her again." With that he turned and escorted April out of the house. In the car April hunched herself up and looked through her matted hair silently. Sam nodded over to her, "You don't have to tell anyone about this okay? It's our secret if you want." April croaked, "They got me on tape Sam. It started off with just kissing you know? Then he got heavier and… my mum was right; I'm nothing but a desperate whore." Sam laughed, "To be a whore you need to get paid to do that stuff." April pulled a mass of ten dollar bills neatly rolled out of her pocket. "See, I'm a whore now." Sam screeched the brakes, "Listen, April, I've never told anyone this in my life. When I was younger just after I went to stay with my dad I was desperate for drugs. This guy I knew told me I could get three hundred bucks for two hours work. I knew he meant me getting in a guy's car and getting… or giving…head. I did that and was almost arrested." April sat stunned in the chair next to him. "You…?" Sam nodded, "At least you did it for money. I got drugs which my dad later flushed down the toilet." April stifled a giggle and then winced in pain and held the insides of her legs. "You okay?" Sam asked carefully, "Yeah, just those assholes tried to force me with a baseball bat between my legs. I'll be bruised for a few days." Sam growled, "Well luckily your dad and my mom won't be home for a week so… do you want tomorrow off school?" April looked at him with a meek smile, "For real?" Sam nodded, "Why not? You girls get days off for colds, I think attempted rape deserves a day off maybe even two." April sighed, "Thanks Sam…" Sam pulled into their drive and placed his hand on her arm, "No problem. Did you eat there, because I've still got a movie and half a pizza inside?" April felt the warmth of his hand on her skin, "That would be great. I am in need of a good night in." They left the car and bustled through the door of the house. Next morning Sam strode up the stairs and creaked open April's door, the light peeked through the gap in her curtains and he saw her, sprawled across her bed with her hair tumbling down across the black sheets, "April? You awake? I got you some breakfast." April squirmed and pulled open her curtains, light flooded the room and she slammed her eyes shut, "Oh shit! Sam come in…" she opened her eyes slightly, "You are in." He sat on the side of her bed, "Okay then, we have toast, grilled bacon not fried, poached egg not fried and pineapple juice. Is that okay?" April rubbed her eyes, "Perfect. You are a star." Sam pushed some hair off her face, "You were having nightmares weren't you? I didn't come in because I thought you wouldn't want me to but…just so you know; if that ever happens again, you can always come in and wake me up anytime." April sighed, "Was I that loud?" Sam smiled at her, "I was listening out." April put the tray on her table and snuggled next to Sam, "I was so scared, thank you." |