Him

For You I Will

I wake up the next morning in pain. My face, eye, back and wrist hurt. I also have a huge headache still. I sit up and look at my mirror. My face looks bruised and my eye is puffy. Make up will not be able to cover this.

K – I’m not feeling well at all.              

Mom – Do you want to stay home?

K – Yes

Mom – I’ll call the school

I cover back up and turn to face my window. I look through my phone and notice I have three messages from Jake.

J – Please don’t hate me Katie. I love you and I’m so sorry.

I never meant to hurt you. Please talk to me.

I love you Katie. Please Forgive me.

I throw my phone on the ground and curl back up. He does not realize how bad I feel. My body hurts and I can’t even go to school to see my friends because of him. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive him for this.

Knock, knock.

“Come in,” I say.

“Mom said you’re sick. Do you need something before I go?” Eli asks.

A normal life. One where my grandpa is back and my boyfriend isn’t a complete jerk.

“No thank you. I’m fine.”

“Okay.” Eli leaves my room.

K – Girls, I’m sick. I won’t be at school today. I’ll see you all tomorrow. Love you!

Eli – I’ll bring your homework home. Oh and there is a rose and a note on your car.

I set my phone down and put my head on my pillow. A rose and a note is not going to fix this. Why would he even think that it would? Gosh, I just hope he heard me last night. I was serious about not ever wanting to see him again. He hurt me.

Em – Love you, feel better (:

H – I’ll miss you, love you!

F – Feel better Katie, love you!

I put my phone on Do Not Disturb. I don’t want to talk to anyone today. Being alone is what I want and need. I can’t tell my friends what happened. They will lose it! As mad as I am at Jake, I don’t want Hazel to have Johnny kill him! That would not be good!

I look around my room. Everything is so nice and perfect. I cannot even clean my room to keep me busy. Why is my life the only thing that is a mess? I’m a good person! I shouldn’t have this happen to me.

Jake is so perfect. Obviously Marisol is a sore subject for him. Seeing as how today is Monday, and she doesn’t go to school in the morning because of Laci, I’m going to call her. She has some explaining to do! She knows I’m with Jake, and even though we are just now becoming friends, she still should have told me.

I pick my phone back up. There is an incoming call from Jake. I ignore it and scroll through my contacts. There she is.

After the second ring, Marisol answers.

“Katie? Hey,” Marisol says.

“Hey… Um, why didn’t you tell me?” I ask.

“Tell you what?”

“Jake is Laci’s father.”

There is a pause. “He told you.”

“Yep.”

“I’m so sorry Katie. I wanted to tell you but you two seemed so happy and I didn’t want to ruin that. Please forgive me!” She pleads.

“It’s okay, I forgive you.”

“Thank you.”

I hang up the phone. There is no reason for me to stay mad at her. She didn’t do anything wrong. She was trying to help keep me happy. Jake on the other hand, I honestly don’t think he had any intention of tell me at all. He probably wouldn’t have ever told me if we hadn’t gotten into that fight.

Oh my gosh. I think it was Jake at the party that hit me. When he gets mad his voice does get lower. It makes sense actually. He and Owen got into a fight. He told me to stay away from him, and I was rude to him!

All this thinking isn’t helping my head. I think I just need to take a nap. I got up and closed my curtains and laid back down. I was asleep in no time.

“Baby K?”

I open my eyes and gasp. “Grandpa? How- how are you here?”

“Aw sweetie, I’ve missed you so much.”

I hug him and cry. “But Grandpa, you’re dead.”

He chuckles, “Of course I am baby.”

“Then how are you here?”

“I know you are in trouble, I came to help you.”

I sit up in my bed and look around. Even though this is a dream, I am so happy to see my Grandpa. He always was helpful.

“Tell me what’s going on?”

I start to cry immediately. “Everything is just so crazy right now. You aren’t here anymore and I need you. My boyfriend is… I don’t really know what’s going on with him. He’s just, he has such a temper. And I don’t really know how to handle everything.”

“Is that what happened to you? Your boyfriend did that. Baby K, that guy needs help. And I wish I could be there for you, but just know I love you. I am always in your heart.”

Slowly my eyes open. No I want to go back to sleep. I need to talk to my Grandpa more. Fall asleep Katie, fall asleep.

I sigh. I’m not going to be able to fall back asleep. He’s right though, Jake obviously needs help. I think I will call him. Maybe not right now though. If he went to school he’s probably still there.

I get out of my bed and look in the mirror again. The swelling has gone down a little. I just hope by tomorrow morning it’s gone. I pull my hair into a quick ponytail and walk down the stairs. Once I get down there I make myself a cup of tea.

While the water is heating up, I walk outside to my car. Eli was right, there is a rose and a note. I pick up the rose and smell it. I stare at the note for a while. I don’t know if I should read it. But I guess I might as well read it.

Katie,

I am very sorry Katie. I never meant to hurt you. I love you more than anything. You are the only girl that had every meant this much to me. I know I have a temper. I will do anything to get better, but I need your help. I love you. Please forgive me.

Jake.

I start to tear up. He wants to get help. That’s a good sign, right? Maybe I should call him now. If he is as upset as his note makes him out to be, he probably didn’t go to school.

Jake answers right away. “Katie, Hi. Are you okay? Did you get my note? I’m so sorry!”

“Jake, yes. I got your note. Do you want to come over?”

“You want to see me? Okay, yeah. I’ll be there soon.”

Jake hangs up and I sigh. I walk back inside and pour water in my tea. I’m not really sure that Jake should come over. No one else is here. I hope he doesn’t get mad or whatever. But I don’t think he will. He probably is going to keep apologizing the whole time.

A loud noise comes from outside. I know it is Jake. His motorcycle is loud. A few seconds later there is a knock on my door.

Slowly I make my way over to the door. I open it and see Jake. He looks horrible. He is pale and his eyes widen as soon as he looks up at me.

“Oh my gosh. Katie. I, your face. I am so sorry,” He apologizes.

“Why don’t you come inside?” I say opening the door wider.

We walk into my living room and sit on the couch. I’m not really sure how to start this conversation. I’m not scared of him. I’m just scared of saying the wrong thing. I don’t want him to be even madder. I mean he’s not mad now and I don’t want him to be.

“I know I have said this a billion times, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I am really sorry. And I—“

“You need help Jake. I can’t always be careful around you. I don’t want to be afraid of saying the wrong thing,” I interrupt him.

He looks down.

“I forgive you but I can’t be with you if you are going to constantly get mad at everything.”

“I understand. And you’re right. I need help. There is a place a couple hours from here. They help people with anger issues and I’m leaving tomorrow morning to go there. I’m going to change Katie. For you I will.”

I smile a little and a tear falls down my cheek. I’m so happy he is going to get help. But I will miss him. He is going to get help and change. For me! I knew he loved me. Everyone makes mistakes and I just know when he comes back in a week everything will be different.

“Thank you Jake.”

“I love you, I would do anything for you.”

“I know. I love you too.”

I lean my head on his shoulder as he puts his arm around me. This is how everything should be. I shouldn’t be hurting. And my boyfriend sure as hell shouldn’t be going to an anger management class. At least he is trying.

------------

I wake up the next morning to movement in my bed. I look up and see Jake getting up. He has to leave early to get to the classes. I really hope they will work for him. I do love him and I want to be with him. I think time apart and his classes will help set everything back on track.

“Goodbye Katie,” Jake says.

“Bye.”

I sit up in my bed and then walk to the window. I watch as he gets on his motorcycle and leaves. Once he is gone I go to the mirror. There is no more swelling. I put my foundation and powder on and my bruise is covered perfectly.

“I thought you were sick yesterday.” Eli says.

From my mirror I can see him leaning against my door frame. He has a smirk on his face. “I got better?”

Well that sounded more like a question than a statement.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell Mom and Dad. You are just lucky they had to go out of town.” He says laughing.

I roll my eyes and get ready for school. I finish my make-up and curl my hair. Once I am finished, I hurry down stairs to have breakfast.

“So remember when I needed to talk to you about Maya?” Eli asks.

“Yes.”

“Well, her birthday is coming up. And I don’t know what to do.”

I think for a moment. He’s never needed my help before. Why now? He always comes up with the best birthday surprises and ideas. Plus I’m not very romantic.

“I don’t know Eli, how about take her to dinner and then out in your truck and put blankets in there and watch the stars or something,” I suggest.

“Yeah, you’re not very good at this. I’ll just come up with something myself. Thanks anyway.”

“Hey! You asked for my help!”

After we finish our breakfast we go out to my car. I can’t believe Jake is on his way to Anger Management class. It’s so strange. What do I tell my friends? They just started to like him. I can’t say Hey, Jake just went to Anger Management Classes because he freaked out and hit me. Yeah, they would not go well.

I head to my locker and see Hazel.

“Yay, you are back!” She hugs me. “Ew, wait. Are you feeling better?”

“I’m fine Hazel.”

We walk to our first class and Hazel looks at Jake’s empty seat. Well great. Now she is going to ask me where he is.

“Where’s Jake?”

“Huh? Oh he had a family emergency,” I lie.

“Aw I hope everything is fine with him.”

“KATIE HOLT TO THE OFFICE PLEASE. KATIE HOLT!”

“What did you do?”

I laugh and get up. Why do I need to go to the office?