Chapter 32

"Please no more. I can't take anymore," I cry after another whip, an hour of this torture. I hear the belt drop to the floor. I turn slightly to see him standing frowning at me.

"I only just realised how big you actually have gotten over the week," he states. I sigh and look down "Good job you haven't had anything to eat today; you would have crushed me earlier on," he says and pauses as if he is thinking. "You have half an hour to get dressed," he states and walks out of my room. I drop against my bed and slowly start crying.

Within the half an hour he had given me I had managed to get a shower, bandage myself up and get dressed into the clothes I wore to school instead of the pyjamas I were wearing an hour ago, as they were all bloody.

"Here," he says, throwing a rucksack at me "Pack your things and leave," he says coldly.

"What! Why?" I ask.

"Because I don't want you here and well you bore me," he states and walks off "Plus you told Jonathon," he calls back. I look down at the black rucksack and slowly walk over to my drawers, take clothes out and start to pack.

After ten minutes I had packed most of my clothes. I can't stop myself from crying no matter how much I try. I love my dad and I know this isn't him or what he wants and he probably feels like a coward for being scared to get help. That is what it was; he is scared.

"Why are you crying when you hate me?" I hear him ask. I look to see him standing, leaning against the doorframe.

"I don't hate you," I say.

"You're a fucking liar," he snaps and walks forward. "I've told you before," he snaps and slaps me across the face. I wipe the blood from my nose and look at him "Don't ever lie to me. Understand?" I nod and carry on packing. I pack my makeup and bandages and then look at him. "What you fucking staring at?" he asks.

"I'm seeing if you really want me to go," I say.

"You think I need you?" he asks in a mocking tone "I don't fucking need you," he says and grabs hold of me by the back of my neck "I'll kick you out myself, will that show you how much I don't need you?" he asks. He pulls me down the stairs with him and then opens the front door and pushes me out into the rain. "Don't ever come back here because there won't be a home here for you," he snaps and slams the door shut.

~*~

I'm at the local park. I’d decided I'd go to Melanie's once I had got myself together but it is taking time for me to calm down. All I'm doing is crying, my body feels numb from the cold and the rain. I know I'm shivering

and that I probably look a mess right now so I can't go now.

Wiping the tears from my cheeks I hear a dog bark. I ignore it and swing myself on the swing a little. Why does parks always seem like a good place to go when you're upset? I personally think it's something to do with childhood. You see in films that it's always women that end up at the park and men just go out drinking.

"Are you ok?" Someone says.

"I'm fine," I say quietly and keep my gaze on the ground. And why is it you always get a nosy pedestrian in those movies? It's stupid.

"Megan?" I hear the person say. Great, now it's a person I know. "What are you doing outside?" the person asks.

"Look, could you please leave me-" I cut off. "Mr Peters!" I say surprise clearly in my voice. I look him up and down to see him in a tracksuit. I look down at his feet to see his dog panting and looking between us excitedly.

"What are you doing here?" he repeats "It's chucking it down, and you haven't even got a coat on" he states.

"I err; I got kicked out," I say without even thinking.

"What?" he pauses and looks me up and down "Why?"

"Because I'm no good," I say quietly and look down at my feet.

"What are you talking about?" he asks. I shrug and burst into a fit of tears again.

"I don't know, that's what he says," I cry, and then I feel arms go around me.

"Come here" he holds me tightly to him "It'll be ok" he hushes. "C'mon" he says, turning me slightly.

"No, I can't," I say moving away from him "I'm not allowed near you," I say moving away from him "Bad things will happen," I say.

"Nothing bad will happen, Megan," he says moving closer to me "I won't hurt you," he says taking my hand. I turn and look at him "I won't let anything or anyone hurt you," he says.

"You promise?" I ask

"I promise," he says and moves closer to me.

I walk closer to him and hug him. He takes his hoodie off and puts it around me and he picks up my bag. "I can carry it," I say. He shakes his head and puts his arms back around me.

"C'mon Max," he calls to the husky dog and the dog gives a small yelp and walks beside me. "I'd get us a taxi to mine, but I haven't brought money out with me," he states. I just stay quiet. "I'll ring Carl and see if he'll ring me a taxi," he states more to himself.

"It's ok," I say "I like the rain," I mutter snuggling closer to him. He holds me tighter and doesn't say anything; he just takes his phone out of his pocket and rings Carl.

**Logan**

I can't believe it was her on the swing at the park. She looked a mess, her hair was dripping wet, and her clothes were stuck to her from the rain. Her mascara had run so I'm guessing waterproof is only waterproof for a little while. She is a wreck; I could tell she was crying even with the rain on her face.

Luckily the Taxi driver let us in with the dog, but then again I had to bribe him and say I'd give him a $20 tip if he did let us in with the dog. Carl had met me at the bottom with her, I didn't explain to him on the phone why I needed a taxi or why I needed $26 for the taxi but he still paid. She had either fallen asleep on me or passed out. I wasn't sure, but what I'm sure of is that she is shivering. We are in the elevator now, I'm carrying her in my arms and Carl is holding her bag.

"So are you going to tell me what's going on?" he asks casually.

"Not yet," I answer and hold her closer to me

"I did as you asked, the apartment is like a furnace," he states.

"Good," is all I say. I'm too angry to have him lecture me about her. I have had three already from him in the past two weeks about her so I really can't be bothered hearing another.

"Did Max get his six miles?" he asks. I shake my head.

"About five" I state and step out of the elevator once the doors open on our floor.