Veronica's POV

It pained me to see my best friend in the state she was in and even though I knew I couldn't take back those horrible things I said or the way I just used her, I still wanted her to know that I never meant it. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her and it pained me to see her going through all that we put her through alone. She had Brian but even he couldn't protect her from Anthony's mad temper.

I never knew he possessed such anger, never knew he was capable of doing such terrible things and even though I wanted to leave him, I couldn't. I couldn't just walk away knowing that he had the power to ruin Carol's life. I preferred to be harmed than let him rat her out to the council.

I was brought back to the here and now at the sight of Carol staring daggers at me and looking vengeful. I knew she would be mad but hearing her say she hated me was enough to make my heart slow its once erratic beating.

"Carr, please let me explain myself." I said, my voice cracking as I saw Carr trying and failing to control her own emotions.

I hated that she was crying because of me. These days all I ever see her do is cry and I would do anything to ease her pain, a pain that I was the cause of.

I remembered when Anthony had called me into study hall that day so we could talk but all he really wanted was to claim me as his. To remind me that I belonged to him and only him but I just couldn't stand it anymore. I had refused to be his and his temper went through the roof. In his sick, twisted mind, I was his and Carr was just the competition and he would be damned if he let her win.

One thing with Anthony is that he hates competition of any sorts. So the fact that he had to compete with Carr was enough to send him over the edge. Before I knew it he was hitting and dragging me across the room to teach me a lesson about who I belonged too. We were so far up in the building that no one would hear us and I was afraid that he would hurt me again. I could handle the slaps and the kicks but I felt sick to my stomach every time he claimed me.

Ever since our first time I just can't seem to think about anyone else but her. She had awoken something in me and just an innocent touch from her was enough to make me ignite. I would find any and all excuse for our bodies to touch so that I could feel that tiny spark but it has been hard these past few weeks since I was forced to not talk to her. Anthony knew that my feelings for him was gone and he retaliated the only way he knew how.

Carr had heard my screams and came in to rescue me but neither of us were any match for him. In no time he was hurting her and all I could have done was scream and hit against him. My head was contorted in pain when I felt my body slammed against the desks and I was glad when Brian had come to our rescue.

I snapped back to the present when I saw that Carr had just finished talking to me and now she was heading over to the bathroom. I tensed as I heard the door slam angrily and I let out an exasperated breath at the thought that she could never understand what sacrifices I made for her.

I stood at my position for what felt like forever until I heard the shower turn on. I knew she was angry at me but I couldn't stop myself from wanting to be in there with her. I wanted to feel her skin against mine and I wanted to experience once more how receptive her body could be.

I debated this thought as I weighed the pros and cons. The pros was that I would finally be able to experience our explosiveness once more and we would forget about the past, at least for one night. We would be able to render ourselves to each other and I would once again here her moan my name. I wanted to be with her and I knew that that was my only con, she wasn't mine and if we ever tried for a substantial relationship there would be dire consequences.

Closing my eyes, I counted for ten seconds until I reopened them again.

Ah screw it!

I quickly stripped off my clothes and strutted into the bathroom. The room was filled with steam and I ignored the hammering of my heart against my chest. There was a huge chance that she would throw a fit and kick me out. Whenever she was mad she didn't think clearly and well, it never ended pretty. Only difference was, back then I was on her team, now I was the opposing council and the official threat.

I stood for a second, hand on knob and heart in throat as I watched the sight in front of me. Carr was standing under the shower with the water beating down on her skin as she braced her head to the bathroom tile. I knew she was crying from the way her shoulder was shaking and I wanted nothing more than to ease her pain.

I took a deep breath and braced myself mentally for what was to come. Walking slowly, I pulled the glass door and stepped in. The shower was big enough to fit five people and from the intensity of the water she didn't hear me enter. I cautiously took a step closer before I reached out and touched her. She flinched beneath my touch and spun around quickly to face me.

Her eyes opened, first in shock that I was naked and in the same shower with her, then with a hunger I had never seen before. They were a bit swollen and red, due to the fact that she had been crying but right now they just looked big and innocently beautiful. I swallowed the lump in my throat as her eyes slowly roamed my body and I bit my lips as her face heated at the revelation that my body was responding to her gaze.

I closed the space between us and my heart summersaulted as I felt the water being trapped between us and her slick naked body was finally against mine.