I passed out on the floor that night.

I woke up the next morning though in mine and Zach's shared bed.

At some point, I assumed Zach had picked me up and put me to bed. I was in new clothes, my hair was brushed out of its curls from the night before, and a glass of water and pain relieving pills sat on the night stand next to the bed.

This was Zach's usual.

Whenever his rage spiraled out of control and the beating was bad enough, he would always try and care for me as much as his pride would allow the next morning.

This would elicit pain pills, wrapping my wounds, flowers, and maybe even dinner the next day.

But never an apology.

That was outside of Zach's comfort zone. Zach, was never wrong which meant Zach never apologized; for anything.

Thankfully, Zach's company party was on a Friday, meaning that I had the weekend to recover from my injuries as much as I could.

I was bedridden all of Saturday, unable to move due to the extensive pain that would shoot through my stomach every time I moved. Sunday wasn't much of an improvement. I could move around the house lazily and was careful to not strain myself too much and save most of my energy for Monday.

Rehearsal.

The rehearsal where I would be forced to come in contact with Kaleb, the man whom I was attracted to, the man I almost let kiss me, the man that had unintentionally played a large hand in the beating I endured Friday night.

To say I was dreading the interaction would be an understatement.

Yet, as I woke up on Monday morning, managed to tug on a long sleeved, tan shirt to cover the still healing bruises on my arms and a pair of black shorts, I knew I had no other choice.

I walked into the rehearsal hall slowly, my feet shuffling along the theaters flooring in short steps, careful not to take too long of strides and strain my still healing muscles.

I had to keep every wince, every whimper, and every moan of pain sealed up tightly behind my lips and features.

No one could know what I went through Friday night.

Especially not Kaleb.

The second I opened the lobby doors and entered the theater, it was uncanny how almost instantaneously our eyes were drawn to one another's.

Kaleb was sitting in the back of the theater directly next to the doors that led into the lobby. His dominating presence practically exploded around me and shock reverberated through my body as I saw him sitting there. He had his elbow resting on the arm of the seat and his head set on his fist, a far off look in his eyes. One of his legs bounced anxiously as he waited for something.

As he waited for me.

The moment I stepped into the room, Kaleb's head whipped in my direction. His eyes shinned with relief and with joy as he stood from his seat and made his way towards me.

"Hey," he said in a rush of breath and continued to bounce on the balls of his feet almost nervously.

"Hi," I mumbled under my breath as I ran a hand through my auburn locks and pushed a piece of hair behind my ear.

"How is everything?"

Horrible.

"Fine."

"Good," Kaleb said with a nod, his eyes shining into mine with unsaid thoughts swimming behind his river blue eyes. "I just... wanted to make sure after everything that happened at the party."

With the mention of the party and the events that almost occurred within it and the nightmarish events that did occur shortly after, I averted my stare from his and studied the carpets design on the floor.

"Yup."

And with that short answer, my feet then began to take off, leading me away from Kaleb and all of the issues that conspired within my life since he arrived.

"Wait," I heard him say behind me in a hushed tone just before I felt a hand wrap around my upper arm.

A hiss of pain pushed through my lips as Kaleb's fingers tightened unintentionally around my bruised arm and alarm spurred through my mind with his very touch.

I ripped my arm from his hands grip and spun around, facing away from him as I cradled my arm, nursing it back to health and doing my best to keep the pain that was so evidently written across my face from being seen.

"Leah," Kaleb called my name as it softly fell from his lips. Every muscle in my body tensed as I felt Kaleb's finger tips brush gently across my shoulder, electrifying every sensation in my body as well as sending a storm of panic through my mind.

My body jolted and stole away from his touch as quickly as it came. I spun on my heel, being sure to mask any evidence of pain or fear from my face, and fixed my heated stare on Kaleb's.

"Don't," I whispered harshly.

Kaleb's head reared back some, a look of pure confusion and a sliver of anger forming on his handsome features.

"Don't what? Touch you?"

"Yes," I answered, nodding my head with my eyes still pinned on his in what I hoped was coming off as irritation. Any emotion that he was receiving from me at this moment was better than the true, horrific terror I was actually feeling at Kaleb's touch as Zach's words rang though my head.

If I ever see him touch you again, I'll fucking kill him.

Zach could do whatever he wanted to me because I deserved it but Kaleb... Kaleb had a right to a wonderful, care free life and I absolutely refused to be any reason that he might not get to enjoy his life to the fullest.

"Why are you acting like this?" he asked with a slow shake of his head, his voice thick with genuine concern and confusion.

I knew why. I knew why very well, but I also knew very well that I had to keep that reason a secret for as long as I lived.

So, instead of answering, I gave him an indifference shrug.

"Is it because we almost kissed?"

My eyebrows shot up as my mouth fell agape with his question.

My lips went to form words that my mind hadn't thought of yet. His question shocked me through and through with his bluntness.

"We didn't," I finally managed to spit out in denial.

My obvious fake answer was the opposite of what Kaleb wanted to hear as I witnessed his face morph into one of annoyance, his brows strung together as he gave me an incredulous look.

"Are you serious?"

"I mean, nothing happened, so..."

"No, nothing did happen but that's all thanks to that prick of a boyfriend you've got there," Kaleb spat at me as he crossed his arms across his large chest with irritation etched in his face.

"Then that's probably for the best since I do have a boyfriend and I shouldn't be kissing anyone but him," I shot back at him.

"Yeah, a boyfriend that orders you around and treats you like you're his fucking slave," Kaleb pronounced exasperatedly, disgust for Zach swimming in his stare.

"That's none of your business," I said jarringly.

"It damn well is when he looks like he's gonna flip his shit on you the moment he gets you alone."

"You don't know what you're talking about."

"No, but I know well enough to know that I didn't get a good vibe from him and any respectable man would never treat his girl like he treated you at that party." Kaleb's words were full of conviction, his tone precise, and his eyes eluded with truth.

"You deserve to be cherished, Leah. To be put up on a fucking pedestal. But why do I get the feeling that he doesn't do that for you?" Kaleb asked earnestly, his voice dropping an octave and becoming that of an intimate whisper. He cocked his head to the side, his eyes drifting from mine and over my face with a contemplative look.

"I can't even begin to see what you see in him."

"Well, then it's a good thing you're not dating him," I answered back and yet, I was surprised to find that my voice had lost most of its volume as well as most of its determination.

My lack of certitude sparked a sliver of hope within Kaleb's stare. His confidence must have picked up as well since only seconds later, I felt movement next to me and wasn't able to recognize what the movement was from until I felt soft knuckles graze my cheek.

My brows shot up and alarm crashed through my mind, causing it to burst into a frenzy of desperation and panic.

Kaleb was obviously completely oblivious to the storm brewing behind my wide eyes. His fingers reached out and stroked the side of my face tenderly, sparks shooting of underneath my skin wherever he touched.

"You deserve so much better, Peaches," he spoke softly, his eyes boring into mine with an intensity that shook me to my core, causing my minds frenzy to momentarily take a back seat to the seizure my heart was going through in my chest with his words.

"You are so much better."

Wrong.

He was lying and I knew it. I knew what he really thought of me; I knew what every man thought of me besides Zach.

A stupid, worthless, whore.

Kaleb was just far more convincing than any other man that had ever tried to sleep with me before.

"You're good," I stated bitterly as I shook my head and watched as his forehead creased in confusion.

"What? I-"

"Alright guys! Let's get to it! Kaleb, Jackson, and Meg! I need you up on stage and Leah head off to costumes."

Dave's voice rang out across the theater as he called out orders, effectively ending Kaleb and I's tense moment.

Relief swept through my veins as I was awarded an out of that conversation. With one lasting look of indignation sent to Kaleb, I spun on my heel, ending our connection and my feet brought me down the row of chairs and away from Kaleb as I trudged off to find costuming.

Though, just as I was about to exit through the side doors of the theater, I looked back.

I didn't know why and I'll never know what prompted me to do it, but I did. And just as I suspected, Kaleb was watching me and the look he was giving me sent a lightning bolt of anxiety racing through my body.

It was a look that told me that our conversation was far from over.