CHAPTER 44:
CONFIDANTE
Bella shifted her weight in the hospital bed as Marco pressed his lips together, waiting for her to begin. The reassuring smile on his face and his relaxed posture made her feel safe. Taking a deep breath, she peered into her hands and started.
***
Bella was sixteen, in the prime of her life, when she was walking outside her class during her lunch break. She usually met her friends, Dawn and June, near the oval when it was the warm season. As she stepped onto the asphalt, hearing the crunching sound underneath her feet, a shove from behind propelled her forward onto the ground. She grazed her chin and cheeks, the pain stopping her from rising instantly. Moaning, she turned and tried to get up. A foot kicked her in the back.
“You b***h. You were supposed to help
