"Irina?" he shouted over the blaring music. I was stunned into silence. "What're bạn doing here?!" he smiled. I opened my mouth to speak, but then Mateo butted in.

"Dude! What're y-- oh. Hi, Irina," he đã đưa ý kiến unenthusiastically. I waved. Blake looked back at me, still waiting for an answer. I couldn't give him one; what was I going to say? He looked at the drinks spilled all over me.

"Oh, I'm sorry! Did I spill your drinks? Want me to buy bạn some thêm coke? hoặc was it Pepsi?" he offered. Coke? That was better than what I was coming up with.

"Uh, no! It's fine!" I shouted loud enough for him to hear. "It was just... Coke! I'll just go ask for a refill!" I turned and went back to the bar. The bartender kindly offered me some napkins and I dried myself off a little bit before he let me get some thêm drinks, for free thankfully. Then I went back to Drew, avoiding anyone bumping into me this time.

"Ugh ! What took bạn so long?!" Drew complained. I handed Laken his drink, and took a sip of mine.

"I'm sorry," I apologized. Laken laughed.

"Have a little accident?" he asked. Drew and Blaine joined him. I kept quiet.

After a couple drinks, I was starting to feel dizzy. Normally I'd just keep drinking, but the bartender refused to give us anymore. I thought that was reasonable, but Drew didn't. He dragged me to the bar, and demanded thêm beer.

"Hey buddy. You've had too much. Why don't bạn just go sit down hoặc something?" he đã đưa ý kiến slowly. Drew's grip on my wrist tightened. Everything began to look fuzzy.

"No! Gimme more! She'll pay for it!" he shouted, holding my arm high up in the air like a prize hoặc something. My head spun.

"No! Neither of bạn is getting any more! Now just go on!" the bartender shouted back. Drew continued to argue with the poor man. I tugged on his shirt.

"Come on..." I said, my words starting to slur; the alcohol slowly taking over me completely. "Let's just go.

"Don't tell me what to do!" he shouted. He pushed me back, and I fell onto the floor, a bunch of feet nearly trampling me. I tried to crawl away, but he grabbed my ankle and pulled me back. I screamed. He pulled me up so that I was standing again. I closed my eyes. Then I felt searing pain from my nose. I felt the instant wetness of blood, and the red hot feeling. I cried out in pain, and my hand reflexively went to my nose. My septum ring was gone, and I almost threw up when I felt that the skin there was hanging loose; Drew ripped the ring out completely. The blood flowed profusely, spilling quickly over my lips, some in my mouth, and down my chin onto the floor and my shirt. I ran away in tears before he could do anything else. I ran back out to the underage area, not knowing what I was doing. My vision blurred in and out. I had to keep in focus. Then I saw Blake, laughing with Mateo. I ran over to him, my hand covering my nose.

"Blake!" I shouted. He looked at me, then his eyes widened.

"Oh my God! What happened?!" he asked. Tears streamed down my face, mixing with the blood.

"Can bạn please take me home?" I sobbed. He nodded, đã đưa ý kiến goodbye to Mateo, and rushed me out to his truck. I got in, trying to calm myself down.

"Here, lemme see," he said. He moved my hand away from my nose, and he gasped. "Oh my... What happened?!" he asked again.

"It's a long story," I đã đưa ý kiến slowly, trying not to slur my words. I didn't want to explain it because 1. It wasn't his problem 2. I didn't really want anyone to know and 3. I don't think I could manage to get the words out. Blake sighed.

"Well, I can't take bạn home. bạn need to go to the ER; that needs stitches." he began driving down the highway. My forehead became sweaty and clammy. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing through my mouth, and not gagging on my blood. I took deep breaths, then I felt a wave of nausea. I pushed my hand against my mouth.

"Bull oher," I said.

"Huh?" Blake asked, trying to look at me, but still paying attention to the road.

"Pull over!" I shouted. He swerved over into the tiếp theo lane, then pulled over onto the side of the highway. I threw the passenger door open, and jumped out. I made it just in time, puking into the cỏ rather than Blake's truck. My blood and vomit mixed, making me even thêm sick. My body convulsed as I puked my guts out, trying to keep my balance. Then I felt arms around me. It was Blake, helping me keep my balance. I vomited for a couple thêm minutes, then I was sure I was done.

"Thanks," I said, spitting onto the grass. He patted my back.

"You ok?" he asked. I nodded, and tried to stand straight again. He helped me get back in the truck, then went around front to get in the driver's side. "Ok, if bạn need me to pull over again, just tell me." I nodded.

We drove for another half hour, until we came to the hospital. I was little bit sobered up; hopefully it'd just seem like I was in shock hoặc something. It wasn't very busy, so they were able to take me in right away. I needed four stitches.

"How'd this happen?" the doctor asked.

"Uh... I was... at a party, and my ring got caught on some person's jacket," I said. It was a pretty lame excuse and it made me look like an idiot, but it was better than telling the truth. The doctor gave me an expression that did tell me he thought I was an idiot. Oh well.

"I see... Ok, I need to call your parents." My tim, trái tim beated faster. Dad would kill me; as far as he knew, I was at trang chủ still packing.

"Ok..." I told him a number, and he dialed it into a phone. But it wasn't Dad's phone.

"Hello?" Briar asked. I sat very still; hopefully I'd be able to hear the conversation.

"Um, Hello. This is Dr. Schuyler. Your daughter, Irina is here." There was a long pause.

"Oh my God! She is?! Is she ok?!" I can always count on her to play along.

"Yes, she's fine. She had a septum ring ripped out, and she needed stitches."

"Oh, if that's all... Can I talk to my baby?" I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. The doctor handed me the phone, and stepped out into the hall.

"Hey. Thanks, I owe bạn one," I whispered. Briar laughed.

"You owe me, like, nine now." I rolled my eyes. "What're bạn gonna do about the bill?"

"I'm still working on that..." The doctor came in. "Ok, yes, I'm fine. tình yêu you, Mom. Bye!"

"Bu---" I hung up and handed the phone back.

When it came to the bill, I gave them my Dad's credit card number. I'd pay it off later, before he got the credit card bill. I joined Blake back in the waiting room.

"Thanks," I said. He patted my shoulder.

"Ok, let's get bạn trang chủ now," he said. The ride back trang chủ was another hour. Finally, we pulled into my driveway. I cringed at the "For Sale" sign in the front yard.

"You're moving?" he asked.

"Hopefully not," I said. There was still a chance the house might not sell. I got out. I didn't notice Blake coming with until I was at the door, unlocking it.

"Do bạn mind if I come in?" he asked. I shrugged.

"I guess not." We walked in, and I turned on the lights. The house was very quiet. I went and laid down on the couch; my head was killing me. "Make yourself at home," I told Blake. "There's some thực phẩm and drinks in the fridge." Instead, he came over and sat in the rocking chair. He put his elbows on his legs and looked at me intently.

"Irina..." he said. He seemed to be looking for the right words. "What happened? Can bạn tell me now?" he asked. I studied him for a while. Could I trust him?

"You promise bạn won't tell?" I asked. He nodded.

"I promise." I sighed.

"It was my boyfriend.... He got a little wasted tonight, and he ripped it out." He furrowed his eyebrows.

"You have a boyfriend?" he asked.

"Don't act so surprised," I said.

"Sorry," he apologized. "I just didn't know.... He can drink?"

"Not legally," I said, as if it was an obvious fact. Blake was quiet for a moment.

"You were drinking too," he pointed out. I nodded. "Well... I guess that's none of my business... But bạn should be careful. He could've hurt bạn if he was that wasted."

"He didn't have to be drunk," I blurted out unthinkingly. My eyes widened at my stupid comment.

"What do bạn mean?" he asked. The tone of his voice was worried. I swallowed.

"Nothing, it---"

"Irina," he đã đưa ý kiến resolutely. I sighed.

"This isn't the first time something like this has happened," I whispered. He stared at me like he wasn't following me. I sighed, and pulled my áo len thun, áo len, sweatshirt off over my head. Underneath I was wearing a black tank hàng đầu, đầu trang that revealed around my cổ áo bone and my arms. I took a look myself. I wish I hadn't. My arms were still almost completely covered in blue and black bruises, deep red scars, cigarette burns, and fingernail marks. I shuddered at the sight of it. I looked back to Blake, who looked absolutely petrified.

"Stop looking at me like that," I complained uncomfortably. He blinked and shook his head.

"Irina, he does this to you?!" I nodded. His face turned slightly red, then turned back to normal. "My God... We've got to do something!" he said, determined. He stood up. I jumped up, and pushed him back into sitting on the chair. I looked deep into his eyes.

"No! bạn can't! bạn promised bạn wouldn't tell!" I said. The fear of someone else finding out made tears well up in my eyes. He looked at me for a long time. "Please..." I whispered. He sighed.

"Then what am I supposed to do?" he asked helplessly. To be honest, there was nothing anyone could do I think.

"Go home," I instructed. "Go trang chủ and pretend this night never happened." After a long while, he got up and went to the door. He stopped in the doorway.

"Irina, I... I'm afraid for you."

"Don't be," I đã đưa ý kiến quickly. "I'll be fine. I'll see bạn tomorrow at school." I hugged him, and then he left. I closed the door behind him, then sank to the floor, letting all that happened finally sink in.

Everything went black in an instant.