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Dedication: To Twikkiesbabygyal for the cool banner on the side. Thanks, it's awesome!

Also, thank you txrose for saying that Vance Joy's Riptide reminds her of this story. :)

Recap:

"How's your rice?" he asked and I was grateful for the subject change.

"Brilliant as usual, how's your... whatever you got?"

"Spicy and hot, just like my company."

Rolling my eyes, I let out a flirtatious laugh. "Oh you."

We packed away the containers and put them to the side. I reclined back so that I was staring up at the sky. I patted my now slightly round belly, feeling satisfied.

"I love you." The words slipped from my mouth before I knew they were going to.

"I love you, too."

I rolled to my side and he securely wrapped an arm around me. I snuggled into him and sighed, completely and utterly content right now. Even though what I was was shocking and not something I liked to see, I wasn't going to let it bother me. I was here, with the love of my life right now and I was happy.

That was all that mattered.

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The crowd around us erupted into applause as Carter, yet again, slid across his stomach, making another try. I leapt to my feet, banging my hands together. A massive grin had been stretched across my face the entire game. He was playing brilliantly, as usual.

For a long time I didn't participate in watching the football games but now that I'm hanging out with Carter more, I decided I would come cheer him on. And by 'decided' I mean forcefully dragged by Anna. Even Aiden was playing, which was a first. He was only usually a reserve, as so many of the boys played. They had a lot of subs actually, so Aiden rarely got to.

"He is good." Anna nodded with approval.

"He's good at everything he does." I replied with an eye roll.

"Yeah, you'd know."

I slapped her playfully. It was a little over half time and we were up by two, which was good. Our football team wasn't fantastic, but this year it had been going pretty well. Anna was the one who convinced me to come (as usual with everything these days) as she was 'tuning' one of the boys on the team. I can't remember who she said it was but she was very excited to see him after the game. She pointed him out a few times but realistically, I couldn't keep my eyes off Carter.

After the game, I am accompanying Carter to a party at one of the boy's places. Anna would be there too but I think she was planning to go with whatever-his-name-is or possibly miss the entire party if she gets her way. I'd like to hope she does manage to make it, partying with her is pretty fun. I had stopped all that for a long time, after Carter and I weren't friends. I have really missed going out. Anna has reminded me that I can do all those things, with or without a boyfriend. Boys don't have to always control my life, which unfortunately, have for so long.

"What's his name again? The guy you're talking to?"

"Josh," she replied with a satisfied smile. I glanced at her. She looked beautiful, as always. She had a high waisted, black skirt on with dark stockings underneath. She had a baby pink, long sleeved shirt and a matching headband with bow, wrapped across her head. The fiery redness of her hair contrasted well with the pink, which was surprising. She looked the definition of "pretty in pink". Her dimples only added to the look. My best friend, ladies and gentlemen, was an absolute stunner. And here I was, a skinny rat beside her. "Number nine out there."

I focused on him but with the distance and what he was wearing, it was hard to distinguish what he actually looked like. I made a mental note to have a closer look later. I dug my hand further into the chip packet and realised there wasn't any left. (Yes, I have started eating properly again and by properly, I mean regular food normal people eat). That was one of the worst feelings ever, reaching in and having none left. I got to my feet and headed towards the bin. Conveniently, it was the same time Aiden had come over to grab a drink from his bag.

"Hey," I said with a small smile. He was subbing briefly. Sweat glistened across his forehead and his breathing was still irregular from the exertion. His expression was soft as he stared, as though he was unsure of how to act around me.

He wouldn't even meet my eyes as he mumbled a quick, "hey," before scuttling back toward the bench. I frowned after him. I know things were a bit tense between us but that was a bit immature. I sighed, shrugging it off. If he didn't want to try and be friends, there wasn't anything I could do about it. If he was going to be childish about it, he's not someone I want to be around. I did feel a pang of sadness though as I thought about us not being able to return back to the good friends we once were. I suppose that's what relationships do. They can ruin everything.

Just as I was mounting the stairs back up to the grandstand, one of the boys scored, causing everyone to stand. I momentarily lost where I was sitting but used Anna's radiant hair to guide me back. I slithered in beside her. I laughed as her cheeks were flushed pink and her eyes bright with excitement.

"You really love these types of things, don't you?" I asked with a genuine smile. I was glad she was having a good time. It made me happy. Seeing her smile made me forget about Aiden's behaviour. I suddenly had an overwhelming sense of gratitude towards her.

"Yep." she replied, popping the 'p'.

I leaned forward and embraced her quickly, before pulling back. She glanced at me in surprise, quirking an eyebrow.

"What was that for?"

"Just a thanks for coming into my life when I really needed you to."

"Don't get all serious on me now," she said lightly, pretending to wipe a tear from her eye. "But you're welcome gorgeous! And don't think I'll be going anywhere, anytime soon."

I grinned, actually feeling a little teary. "Thanks Anna."

She grinned back, giving my shoulder a light squeeze. I re-focused on the game, unable to wipe the grin from my face. The game continued with a lot more cheering and a few more scoring on behalf of Carter and another boy whose name I don't know.

The buzzer blared loudly and screams tore through our side of the grandstand as we won. I kind of wish we had cheerleaders and a mascot like they do on American movies, but this was still fun. Anything to do with Carter, I would find fun, if I'm honest. Speaking of, I was supposed to meet him at his car. I turned to Anna and she gave me an excited grin, clapping her hands with excitement.

"You're meeting Carter, yeah?"

"Yep, will I be seeing you at Damien's tonight?" I asked, hoping that she would make an appearance.

"Most likely, depends how quick Josh is."

"Oh the double meaning."

"Get your mind out of the gutter," she smirked but we both knew full well what she had been implying.

"I'll catch you later," I laughed, making my way down the steps once more.

I paused as I saw Mercedes and Aiden walking off together. Good for them. If they're happy with each other, then I'm happy for them. I just wish that Aiden and I could go back to being friends, even if he is with Mercedes. Possibly even go back to speaking terms with Mercedes...

Key word: Possibly.

I turned and headed towards Carter's car. I leaned against the window and gazed up at the sky, watching my breath gather in front of me. The night air was cool, which had me hugging my thin cardigan to myself. I watched as the team milled toward their cars, all hyped up from the game. They all piled in, one after the after, loud and obnoxious as usual. I frowned when I didn't see Carter. The cars began splitting quickly, everyone eager to go get drunk in celebration of tonight's win. Eventually, there wasn't anyone left.

I waited a few more minutes, before I pushed off the car and went back out to the field. Carter's bag was still on the bench. No one else's was there. My mouth involuntarily turned dry. Scanning the area, I hurried over to it. I fumbled through his back and let out a sigh of relief when I found his keys. That relief only lasted briefly when I found his phone as well. I now had no way of contacting him.

He wouldn't have left without saying something to me, surely? I swung the bag onto my shoulder and continued to swivel my eyes around the field, looking for any signs of him. Deciding on waiting at the car until further notice, I began the short trek back. I was just passing the stands when I heard grunts. I paused, my stomach clenching uncomfortably. Swallowing the dry lump that had lodged itself in my throat, I peered through the cracks of the seats. A slight gasp left my lips at what I saw.

One guy was holding up Carter, while two others took turns repeatedly beating him. I felt sick as I watched them. Three against one was cruel and cowardly. His head was hanging forward and the guy behind him was literally the reason he was still standing. Blood was gushing from his nose and mouth. I took a few steps back, panic spiking through my veins.

I dropped to my knees and fumbled for Carter's phone. I dialled 000 and waited impatiently for them answer. After requesting the police to be sent, I hung up. I watched in horror, fist in my mouth as they continued to beat him. My entire body was trembling. I knew it was cold, but it wasn't the abrupt cool weather that had me shaking.

"You're not so big now, are you Carter?" The bigger guy of the two grunted, his fist connecting with Carter's jaw.

"Where's all your 'friends' Carter? If you're so popular, why isn't anyone here to save you? Why has no one noticed?"

My heart was thudding against my rib cage so loudly, I'm surprised they couldn't hear it. I couldn't just sit here and wait around for the police to show. Carter could be unconscious by that point. The boys, who are members of the opposing team, didn't seem like they were going to stop any time soon, which was a terrifying thought. How far were they willing to go? This seemed a little full on just for some opposition team rivalry.

My chances of making them stop were very slim. I could hardly fight them off, since I was under average weight and the one and only time I tried to bench press, I almost crushed my entire chest. I'm not going to admit what weights I had on the bench press either...

"How does it feel having no power, Carter? It's not fun is it?" the smaller guy spat, but not actually hitting him. Carter's blood was smeared across both of their knuckles. That sight alone was enough to have me gagging. "This is how I felt when you hooked up with my girlfriend. Right in front of me."

Of course. Of course Carter did. The anger and resentment in the boy's voice caused me to shiver.

"Not only did you end our winning streak and stopped us going to the championship, you took my girl too. You know what? It's my turn to take yours."

"Don't you touch her." It was the first time Carter had spoken since I had been there. His words were hardly audible as his breathing had become ragged.

"Lacey, is it?" the bigger guy asked, flexing and unflexing his fingers. "She seems like she could be a bit of fun. You think so Brian?"

"Yeah," Brian, the guy holding Carter, agreed with a dirty smirk.

I felt bile rise up in the back of my throat. I began rummaging through Carter's bag. There had to be something in here I could use. But then again, if I did distract them, that would only turn their attention to me. The issue of three against one would still occur, since Carter is in no position to fight back. Carter, even in this state, would probably be more successful in this fight than me.

My skin touched something cool and I pulled out a baseball bat. Why on earth was he carrying a baseball bat around in his football bag? My head shook slightly, him and this baseball bat really are inseperable. I shrugged it off and chose not to question his decision, but be grateful instead. Clutching the bat with sweaty palms, I shakily stood, peering around the bench one more time. Carter had dropped to his knees.

"Isn't she waiting for you?" one of the boys sneered, getting in his face. "All alone? By your car? Would be a shame if anything happened to her."

A shiver rolled down my spine at his words. This felt like a scene out of a movie. Things like this just don't happen. It was incredulous. This is why I never come to these games, although for Carter's sake, it's good I actually did.

"Don't. Touch. Her." I hardly even recognised Carter's voice. It was animal-like. He attempted to get to his feet and began swinging, but the smaller guy kicked out, striking him in the ribs. Carter collapsed in a sprawl, dry heaving from the impact. It was painful to watch. My body urged to go and help him.

"Brian, why don't you go check on her?" The bigger guy suggested. "I think we've got it from here."

He grunted in reply. A man of many words apparently. I ducked under the bench and held my breath. He let go of Carter roughly and began marching toward the car park. I shivered at the thought of me being there, waiting. What would have happened if I hadn't come looking for him?

This was good though, this meant one was gone, just two left. I waited until he was out of sight before I began my mission. As both of the boys' backs were to me, if I was quick and silent, I could sneak up on them. I decided on taking the bigger one out first, liking my chances with the smaller one better, if it came down to it.

Exhaling slowly, trying to build up the courage to go, I tip-toed out. I waited until I was close before I swung the bat out and struck the big guy in the back of the head. He staggered forward, tripped over Carter's body, before collapsing on the ground with a groan. I swung around wildly with my eyes shut, hoping to hit the other guy. As I kept just swinging and making no contact, I peeped through a narrowed eye to see the guy staring at me with a mixture of shock and amusement.

"Put the bat down before you hurt yourself, young lady." he scorned me like I was a child misbehaving. If this moment wasn't so serious, I would have laughed at him.

Sounding possessed, I let out a ragged scream, running toward him. I swung the bat and it connected with his shoulder.

"That's for hitting Carter!" I yelled. He hunched over in attempt to protect himself while a feminine scream escaped him. "That's for sending the other guy after me!"

Smack.

"And this is for-"

The bat was wrenched from my hands as the larger and noticeably angrier guy was unfortunately back on his feet.

"Might have to let Brian know you're here, shall we?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at me. One hand was gripping the bat, the other holding his head. I was pretty proud I took at least one of them out. Clearly I wasn't very good at this fight situation, otherwise I would have seen him get to his feet. I glanced down worriedly at Carter and my blood ran cold. He wasn't moving. The blood on his face was beginning to dry. He laid there limply, immobile.

"Thank God," The smaller guy said, standing up right, rubbing his shoulder. He winced as he gingerly touched his arm.

"Pussy," the other one muttered, looking at him with disgust. I wanted to point out that I actually took him out so he couldn't talk, but I suppose he did recover from it quickly. He swung the bat so that it was resting on his shoulder. I began to step back, not liking the look of this situation. He grinned at me maliciously. "That hurt, Lacey. Now I'm going to have to make you hurt."

My body was trembling as I began to back away faster. Suddenly, the wail of sirens could be heard and I wanted to cry in relief. I have never been so glad to hear the sound of police. He narrowed his eyes at me, looking even more terrifying, if possible.

"This isn't over."

I wanted to reply with some witty comment, but the words got stuck in my throat. Never before have I been in a situation like this. I never want to again. Dropping the bat, he inclined his head and the smaller guy fell in step with him. They began a mad dash away, but it was too late. The police had spotted them. I would laugh if I wasn't so scared. Now that I was somewhat safe, I ran towards Carter, dropping to my knees. He was still breathing, but had gone unconscious.

"Carter," I begged, pulling at him. "Carter please wake up."

One of the police ran toward me, slightly out of breath.

"We need an ambulance," I cried out, tears falling openly down my face. "We need one right now!"

Now thinking about it, I should have rang the ambulance before the police. I guess it's hard to think clearly when you're having a meltdown. He nodded, grabbing out his phone. Pressing my palms to his chest, I gripped his shirt tightly, the tears rushing down my cheeks faster than a waterfall.

"Carter, please be okay," I pleaded with him, hiccupping. I buried my head into his chest, sobs wracking my entire body. I know there was medical assistance on the way, but if anything happened to him and he didn't make it... I honestly couldn't bear it. I began crying hysterically, unable to control my emotions. The officer crouched beside me and awkwardly patted my shoulder.

"Honey, can you take a step back?" he asked me in a soft voice. "I need to take a look at what we're dealing with here."

With a nod, I clambered to my feet and watched the officer go about the series of tests, in attempt to get Carter to respond.

Well... this night had taken a turn for the worst.

***

The last time I was in hospital I had my wrists bandaged and was forced to take counselling sessions again. This time, I was the one perched on the uncomfortable seats, with a bad tasting coffee beside me.

Carter was awake, although badly injured. He has rib bruising, a concussion, a broken finger and a mass spread of bruises colouring his skin. Somehow his nose had managed to not break, which was good. The blood had all been cleaned away so you could clearly see all the bruises and swelling now.

Slowly, he rolled his head to me. His fingers twitched and I walked over, sitting on the edge. I slipped my fingers through his.

"I'm so lucky you were there."

I gave him a smile. Squeezing my hand, he lifted my hand to his mouth (wincing the entire time) and pressed his lips to my knuckles.

"Thank you."

"I'm just glad you're alive," I breathed. "You should have seen what you looked like. I have never been so terrified in my life."

"I wish you didn't have to see that."

It fell silent for a few moments, but I had to ask the question that had been whirling in my mind all morning.

"Do you know why they attacked you?" I asked quietly.

"It was a while ago, Lacey. Months ago when I was with his girl. I swear it wasn't recent."

I nodded slowly. "Were they still together when you hooked up with her?"

He didn't reply but his face said it all. I nodded slowly.

"That's disgusting, Carter."

The word hypocrite slammed into my mind, but I determinedly ignored it. This was different. Carter and I had a major, major history together. He barely even knew this girl. She would have meant nothing to him.