“Don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re okay.” I squeeze her hand as Dr. Carsons comes in with the police officer.
“Miss Green, Detective Long has some questions for you,” the doctor explains. “I’m going to have to ask you to excuse us,” she tells me.
“Of course. Hil, I’ll be right outside,” I tell her with a weak smile.
“No. Go home. They won’t let you see me again until tomorrow. Unfortunately, my parents will be here soon.” She waves slightly before Dr. Carsons closes the door.
As soon as I’m outside, the tears I’ve been trying to hold in since I saw her begin to flow. Cal and Angela quickly approach me.
“I-I can’t believe he did that to her,” I mumble into his shoulder. “What did the detective say?” I ask Angela, wiping my face.
“He asked me what happened, and I told him what I knew. But what I say doesn’t matter since I wasn’t there, and if she doesn’t press charges…” She runs her hand across her face.
“Even if she does press charges, what he’ll get is too good for him,” Cal says tightly.
“His parents will get him out on bail. They’re from old money down south. He’ll get some high-priced lawyer, and it won’t even matter,” Angela tells us.
I feel even more horrible that I don’t know anything about this guy other than what he looks like and his first name.
“Let’s go back to your place and pick her up some clothes,” Angela says softly.
“I’ll drive you,” Cal says, putting his arms around both of us.
Angela smiles appreciatively and pats his hand as we leave the hospital
When I open the door to my apartment, my mouth drops open. “Oh my God.”
This is unbelievable. The sofa and matching chair are flipped onto their sides. Our lamps are pushed over. One is broken, along with the glass table that usually sits in the center of the room. Glass shards cover the floor.
“I can’t believe this,” I say, starting to pick up the glass pieces.
Angela closes the door and begins to help clean up. “He must have been throwing her all over the place.”
“She has to press charges. There’s no way she won’t after this,” I try to convince myself.
“Do you know where this guy lives?” Cal asks, moving the sofa into its original position.
“No, but I know he’s always at the Golden Rod. I’ve been there a few times with him and Hillary. His parents own it. I’d bet my life he’s there now. That’s where Hillary met him,” Angela says.
“That’s the bar on 3rd and Wallace?” Cal asks her.
“Yeah,” Angela confirms.
“I don’t even know his last name,” I mumble. I’m her best friend, and I don’t even know her boyfriend’s last name.
“Lauren, you can’t blame yourself for this. What could you have done—” Angela’s interrupted by a commotion outside our door.
“Hillary, Hillary!” Someone is yelling and punctuating it with loud bangs. “Baby, I’m sorry. You know I wasn’t myself. Let me in. We can work this out.”
Angela and I stare at each other in disbelief. Is he seriously here right now?
“She’s not here, asshole!” Angela yells through the door.
“Go away before I call the police,” I yell.
“This is none of your damn business, bitch!” he yells back. “Hillary! I’m sorry. I was drunk.” He’s still banging on the door.
“She’s not here!” I scream, rushing toward the door.
Suddenly, Cal steps in and grabs my arm, stopping me in my tracks. “You and Angela go to your bedroom.” His face is like stone and his eyes wide.
My heart beats so rapidly that I don’t even argue. Angela’s eyes lock on mine, and we both quickly head to my bedroom.
“I know she’s in there. Don’t make me kick the fucking door down!”
Angela and I are huddled in the doorway of my bedroom, and we hear the front door open. I peek around the corner to see what’s going on. Aaron charges into the apartment when Cal opens the door, but he stops short when he realizes who just let him in. I take it Aaron is surprised to see Cal. I assess his size. Aaron’s a lot bigger than I remember—at least two hundred fifty pounds, five eleven, maybe. I shudder at the thought of him hitting Hillary, who weighs a hundred twenty pounds at most.
“Who the fuck are you?” Aaron says in a surprised tone.
“It doesn’t matter who I am.” Cal’s face is stoic as he shuts the door and locks it.
Aaron looks at him suspiciously for a moment then continues on his mission. “Hillary!” He walks toward the bedrooms. He stops when he sees us. “Is she in there?”
I stand in Hillary’s doorway. He reeks of alcohol. No way am I letting him in Hillary’s room.
“Hillary,” he yells again, rushing toward her door.
I stand my ground in front of it. Cal is right behind him.
Aaron moves his arm to push me. “Move, bit—”
Before he even finishes his sentence, Cal grabs him by the throat and has him pinned to the wall. The sound of Aaron’s weight hitting the wall makes both Angela and me gasp. Frantically, Aaron tries to break the grip Cal has on his throat, but it’s deadlocked.
Cal’s voice seems to come from deep in his throat, and it’s calm—scary calm. “You low-life piece of shit. You like to hit girls, huh? Does that make you feel good to throw around someone half your size?”
I glance at Angela, who seems as much shock as I am.
“I should throw you out of that fucking window,” Cal growls.
He steps back and releases his grip on Aaron’s throat, but before Aaron can get his balance, Cal punches him in the face. Aaron stumbles and tries to regain his balance, but before he can stand, another punch has connected with his back, and he falls to the floor.
The scary calm has dissipated, and Cal looks as if he’s on the verge of exploding, the veins in his neck visible. “I should fucking kill you!”
His foot connects with Aaron’s chest. Aaron attempts to catch his breath and crawl away at the same time. Cal flips him, climbs on top of him, and squeezes Aaron’s neck again, pressing his knee into his chest.
He jerks Aaron’s chin up and turns him toward me. “Apologize for calling her a bitch!” Cal applies more weight on top of him.
Aaron strains to look at me. “Sorry,” he squeaks out.
“Would you have hit her if I weren’t here? Does it make you feel good to hit women? Well, how does this feel?” Cal asks venomously. “If you ever come near them again, I’ll snap your neck like a twig. If Hillary calls you, you better hang up. If you see her in the street, you run the other way. Do you understand?”
Aaron is starting to turn blue. He’s going to kill him! I start to realize Cal has lost control, so I run to them and try to pull Cal off of him.
“Cal, he’s turning blue,” Angela yells.
“Cal, stop,” I beg him.
“Do you understand me?” Cal yells.
“Cal, you’re going to kill him. Let him go!” I tell him, desperately but unsuccessfully trying to pull him away.