[unedited]

it was five in the morning, and my phone was ringing.

i groggily get up and feel around my nightstand, looking for the source of the noise. "hello?" i croak, rubbing my eyes.

"is this anna?" a gentle feminine voice asks.

"yes?" i respond, looking at the caller ID. orion.

"you're labeled 'my anna' in his contacts so i assumed you two are close..." the woman trails off. "i-i just thought you should know..orion's in the hospital."

i have two different shoes on as i blast through the front doors of the hospital, my eyes darting left to right as i scan the waiting room. "anna?" someone asks, their voice a mere whisper. i spin around to meet the eyes of a middle aged woman.

her hair is bleached blonde in a failed attempt to cover the gray hairs growing from her roots, and there are stress wrinkles on her face that don't quite seem to belong there.

"y-yeah. i'm annalise." i stutter, playing with my hands nervously.

she looks me up and down in distaste, making me feel self conscious. oh god i look like a slob.

then, all of a sudden, her arms are wrapped around me, pulling me close to her bony figure. "i didn't know if he had any friends, and i was so worried." she wipes a faux tear from her powdered face.

"it's alright." i say, patting her back awkwardly, and she pulls away, holding me by the shoulders. "come, he's unconscious right now."

i trail behind her as she walks into the elevator. was i allowed to just walk in? "so..what happened?" i ask, the adrenaline finally dying off.

"h-he...fell...and hit his head..." she says, trailing off, wondering how to spin the painful truth into a web of lies.

"it was his dad, wasn't it?" i ask bluntly, and she turns around, shock tainting her features.

"yes." she finally admits, as we round a corner. "he didn't mean any harm, he was just trying to get orion to see from his perspective. it's not his fault orion can't bite his tongue." she sounds like she's try to convince herself more than me.

i can feel the spikes of anger surging through my blood. "is that how you really feel?" i ask, trying to keep the disgust out of my voice.

her silence says it all.

when we finally reach a door, she opens it, gesturing for me to walk inside. where were the nurses? the whole set up seemed completely fishy. you came anyways the snarky voice in my head says. "i'll give you some time alone with him."

i nod just as she shuts the door, before turning around to see the boy who has captured my heart.

his eyes are closed, and he looks peaceful, but the bruises and cuts that scar his body are a raging storm.

slowly, i walk towards the bed, brushing my hand along his exposed arm. "oh orion." i choke out, settling into the chair next you his bed. "what am i going to do with you."

i watch as his chest rises and falls daintily for what seems like eternity, when i hear voices outside the door.

"move it martha." i hear a male growl as i tiptoe over and rest my ear against the door. "he's my son. i'm paying for the hospital bill, aren't i?"

his father.

my heart beats rapidly in my chest as i strain to hear more. "he's sleeping, let him rest!" his mother says. "don't touch me, you'll ruin my nails you bastard!"

"shut up whore." the man says, and the door slams open.

it was the very first time i had ever punched someone.

a/n

KateLycett who's poetry drives me insane x