Chapter 3

"Hey, hey… come on. Don't cry, Eve. Oh come on… please, it's okay! Lee, please don't cry!!!!" he whispers in an attempt to soothe me, but only succeeds in making me cry a lot harder. Lee is his most affectionate nickname for me; it comes from my middle name, Marley (Starlight Rain, that's in there for you!!!). I cry in his arms until I can cry no more, and then finally muster up the courage to gaze into his eyes. He presses the palm of his hand against my wet cheek.

"Please, Lee…tell me what's going on.  Haven't missed the bruising, or the cuts. You're getting really, really pale; please tell me who's hurting you. I'm scared Lee, I'm worried about you. I've never had to be worried about you before. Tell me what's happening, Lee, I can fix this!" he begs, his pleading tone causing a lump to form in my throat. I attempt to swallow it does as I answer shakily, nervously.

"Rocky, I am being bullied…I am being beat up. But Rocky… things will turn out so much worse if I say by who… it's just so complicated…" I trail off, my guilt preventing me from saying any more, the look on his face making me squirm. He stares at me in absolute horror.

"Lee, tell me. Tell me who they are right now. These people have to be stopped!!!!!!" he says in a firm voice, sitting up, still holding me in his arms. I shake my head, tears welling in my eyes again, silently pleading to him for forgiveness.

"Lee, tell me!"

"No!"

"Lee, please!!!"

"No!"

"Lee!"

"No!"

"Lee!!!! Eve –" Ding dong! I quietly sigh. Saved by the bell in a whole new sense. Rocky looks towards the bedroom door, and then back at me, fire shining in those usually warm eyes of his.

"We'll continue this later, Eve." With that, he gets up and leaves the room. I get up after he's left, and walk over to my vanity again, cleaning my tears away and applying burgundy lipstick. I brush out my sleek, shoulder length hair out with a vent brush, using a tiny bit of wax to smooth out the ends. As I do so, I listen to the muffled sounds of my brother talking downstairs. I can just see his dark green eyes twinkling as he talks to our guest, hiding the grief that I'm causing him…

"Eve!!! It's Luke and Cameron here for you!!!" I smile, my feeling of depression leaving me, and I call back,

"Coming!! Hold on!!!!" I squirt on some perfume, wink at the mirror and run downstairs.

Luke and Cameron are twins, and are two of my three best friends in the entire world. Luke is tall, funny, good looking and cool, with stormy grey eyes, coal black eyelashes and mousy brown hair. He's a total skater dude, and as I skip downstairs I see him wearing a baggy band t-shirt, loose, army green shorts (which just so happened to fall to just below his knees, a fact I always tease him about, calling his trademark shorts pedal pushers), socks, and trainers, his skateboard resting in the crook of his elbow. Luke has been the object of my affections for about a year and a half now… and I'd definitely ask him out…but there's just one itsy bitsy problem. He's taken. He's my other best friend, Kris', guy. And… even worse... I set them up!! Need I say any more? Ahem, Anyways, on the other hand, Cameron is blonde haired and green eyed, and dresses almost exactly as I do (rocky, casual, military etc…can you tell? We're shopping partners.). He's intelligent, conscientious, and consistent, while Luke is smart, doesn't try, and is wild. Cammy is funny, and is also my practical joking companion. Luke, unbelievably, is quite a bit more serious than his hard working brother.

Cam is my very, very best friend, and I'm his. I met him long – 2 years to be precise – before I met Luke, and we've been buddies since day one. We met at primary school (Luke was sent to a different school; a posh one, he's always been the favourite), on the induction days, and were put beside each other for every subject. We didn't actually start talking until I lost my yellow crayon, two weeks into the first term, and Cam, the sweet guy he is, gave me his while he looked for mine. He found it on the floor under the table, and bumped his head as he tried to get up. I laughed, he grinned, and we clicked. We've shared everything, from play-pieces to secrets, and no matter what other people said we always stuck together. Anyways, Cam is funnily enough wearing – wait for it – a loose white t-shirt and khaki combats. Way weird, don't you think? Man… we didn't even arrange to do that this time… ^_^

"Hey guys!! What's up?" I ask, jumping the last step to land lightly in front of them. Cammy, with his hands characteristically stuffed in his pockets (he's reasonably shy, and tends to hunch his shoulders), speaks up,

"Ebony, we were wondering if you'd like to spend the weekend with us. You could stay at our place for two nights…our parents don't care. Kris is away on holiday, but we'd still a lot of fun. What do you think? Up for it?" Dear god he's a life saver. Note to self – worship him for life. With that thought I smile at the pair and run upstairs to get my things. As well as a weekend with my friends, it will delay my confrontation with Rocky…

I grab various things together, including toiletries, clothes, make-up, my phone and cash, before bolting downstairs. Before Rocky can even say a word I'm out the door, shouting goodbye as I slam it shut. Oh man…am I in trouble when I get home or what?

DISCLAIMER!!!!! – Last chapter I said I owned the Tatu song without realising it…sorry. ^_^

Sorry for the delay everyone!! By the way, I'd like you all to welcome my buddy "Dante Ezriel" to the site. AND I'm thinking that I'd better tell you this…I'm changing my pen name to Lyria Shard, for personal reasons. Ya like????????? Anyways, see ya till next time; I'll try to be quicker!