• My left cheek throbbed, but the tears that streamed down my cheek after he'd left the room felt good against the burning. Abusive boyfriend. Did I love him? Absolutely not. Was I afraid of him? Extremely. Life is difficult, wouldn't you say? I glared after him until the last of his clenched fist had disappeared behind the door. I turned back to the desk that held the papers for my new apartment building.

    "Freakin' paperwork," I growled under my breath, glaring down at the sheets of paper for a minute or to.

    "I'm a disturbed person, aren't I?" I muttered to myself, standing up. "Of course I am. Still dating some doosh that smacks me around all day. Now I'm living with him in a freakin' apartment!! Issues, ma'am. Issues." I threw a pair of sweats on the floor into the hamper angrily. Hopefully Ma could help me. She was helping my with the apartment, so God bless her for that.

    Help me escape him, I thought to myself.

    "Fauna." I jumped a few inches into the air, turning immediately to the door. Ma stood there, a halo that wasn't there belonging over her head.

    "Y-yea?" I stammered, staring bug-eyed at her.

    "You ready to go? Need help with them darned papers?" She winked at me, noticing the aggravation on my face and the papers on the desk. Aggravation. That was something that wasn't only the papers' fault.

    "Yea... Ma, there's way to many papers," I mumbled, hanging my head. She stepped into my dirty little room, putting her hands on my shoulders.

    "Dun' worry, sweat'eart," she said in her hillbilly accent. She knew that that always made me laugh. I giggled, then grabbed her hand, leading her to the paperwork. She plopped down in the chair, grabbed a pen, and started scribbling away on the papers.

    "Anything I can get you?" I asked, amazed by the swift motion of her pen.

    "Can you get me some tea, sweet'eart?" she asked, winking at me again. I giggled again like a small girl, trotting down the stairs. I would miss the fuzzy stairs. I wouldn't miss Drake, and, unfortunately, he was what was coming with me.

    I spun around on my heal at the base of the stairs, running right up again and darting into my room where Ma still sat, scribbling away at the papers. I walked around the desk, further away from the doorless doorway, and sat on my knees.

    "Ma," I whispered, "can you do something about Drake for me?"

    "Oooh, Fauna, sweet'eart, you gotta learn not to deal with dumb hobos like him," she whispered back, kissing my forehead.

    "What ya'll talkin' about?" Drake popped into the doorway, flashing his yellow-tinted teeth. I shuttered. He cocked an eyebrow, eyeing me particularly.

    "It's a secret, young'un!" Ma exclaimed cheerfully.

    "What kinda secret?" he asked, grinning wider.

    "A secret we can't tell ya, Drakey-boy!"

    "Aww, c'mon, Mama." I shuttered again. Mama. "You cold or sum'tin, Fafa?" he asked, walking toward me.

    "Neh, I'm fine," I answered hurriedly. "Ma, I'll be sure to use that secret recipe sometime! I'll be getting your tea," I called behind my shoulder as I bolted down the stairs over again.

    Drake followed me. When we were out of hearing distance from Ma, he shoved me against the wall, his hands clasped around my neck.

    "Secret recipe, eh, Fafa?" I spit in his face. He smiled wickedly.

    "You like that, sleaze-ball?"

    "As long as this makes you happy," he smirked like a mad man, socking me in the face with his fist.

    "That makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside," I replied.

    "Whatever, Tinkerbell."

    ~*~

    "You go on inside, Fafa," he said.

    "Aright, Drake," I called back over my shoulder, already hurrying through the rain. Whenever we went somewhere-anywhere-I would go inside and do our business, and he would find a parking spot and find me a few minutes later. If I wasn't already done.

    I entered the apartment building, smoothing down my hair. I glanced around. It was nice--I pictured Ma with that glowing little halo above her head again. She had good taste. Then I pictured Drake: devil horns with a pitchfork in hand. Haha. It suited him well, though.

    "Ma'am?" a man asked, standing up. It took me a moment to catch my breath. He was gorgeous. Amazing. Incredible. Unbelievable. I almost tripped over my feet walking to the desk.

    "Y-yes?" I asked, embarrassed. He smiled impishly.

    "Can I help you with anything?

    "Umm, y-yes, we reserved room 117..."

    "Ooh! So... you're Fauna? Your mother came in a bit ago and told us to be expecting a "wonderful young lady with her trashy boyfriend." Where's the trashy boyfriend? At least someone showed up..."

    I blushed, extremely. Just then, Drake trudged in. He walked-or stomped, to be exact-to me and slung an arm over my shoulder. I glared annoyingly at him, and the man behind the desk got the message.

    "Alright, here are the keys to 117. Have a great day, you two," he said cheerfully, mainly pointing it at me.

    I skipped steps when running up to the apartment. No elevator. I guess Ma figured I needed exercise... Again, bless her heart. I'd been eating a lot from all the stress of Drake. He was the Devil, I swear...

    "Drake?"

    "Yup, Fa."

    "I forgot something downstairs--you go on and unpack me, okay?"

    "Sure thing, Fa." It was so easy to trick him.

    I made my way back down the stairs, again taking two steps at a time. Ma always told me not to do this, because it was dangerous. I knew it was, but I did it anyways. She'd stopped bothering me about it nearly two years ago, seeing how I'd skipped steps on the stairs since I was twelve. I was now seventeen and a half. I'd skipped a grade in school, though. How could I go so wrong with my boyfriend? I was supposed to me smart.

    "Hi again, Fauna," his voice chimed. I glanced up at the gentlemen behind the counter, my heart lunging against my chest. I froze mid-step, staring at him for a few seconds. His eyes were beautiful.

    "I... Um..." I cursed under my breath. Stuttering again.

    "...Fauna?" he asked, coming from behind the counter.

    "I'm okay, I'm good. Gah," I mumbled, embarrassed by my own stupidity.

    "...Fauna," he whispered, staring at me.

    "...Yes?" I asked, perplexed. He walked closer to me, and my heart thudded.

    "I... Drake... Do you love him? Are you happy?" he asked, looking as if he were about to cry.

    "...No, and no... Wh-why do you ask?" He shook his head, taking a step back.

    "Are you alright?" I asked, stepping toward him now. He shook his head faster now, his eyes wide. I tilted my head to the side, again confused. He took one, swift step towards me now, holding my face between his hands in the same motion.

    "Fauna--" he breathed, pain in his voice. My heart was going crazy.

    "HEY!!!" I flinched, my eyes flickering toward the door where Drake stood. "You!" He pointed to me and the gentlemen both. Then his finger shifted to him only. "You b*****d!!" I made a strange hissing sound under my breath, and the man, still holding my face, glanced down at me with the, "you're a crazy girl," look in his face. I pretty much was, though. I was hissing.

    "Be a man and maybe this wouldn't happen!" the man called. It aggravated me that I didn't even know his name.

    Just then, my phone rang. Everyone glanced at each other, and the man's left hand moved to my shoulder, giving room for the phone to my ear.

    "Hello?" I answered it, trying to sound normal.

    "Hey, darlin'!! How do you like your new apartment?" It was Ma.

    "Oh, it's amazing. Thank you so much, Ma."

    "Aww, it's nothin'. Greg is really somethin', ain't he?"

    "...Who, that guy at the counter?" The man leaned to where his lips were hovering just over my cheek. Drake made a snarling sound.

    "Yea, him! Did he know who you were?"

    "Yea, he knew me. Said that you called me 'a wonderful young lady.'"

    "Aww, yea, I told him that--"

    "--Mom, please, can I call you back later? I'm kind of busy right now."

    "Ooh, I'm sorry, Fafa! You get right back to work, alright? But you gotta promise to call back."

    "Oh, yea, I promise. Love you, Ma, and thanks again!!" I hung up then, and noticed Greg and Drake glaring at each other. I stuffed my phone back in my pocket.

    Greg turned toward me swiftly and kissed me. My eyes widened. Drake growled like an animal now, a cry of fury escaping him. He hurled himself at Greg, breaking the hold between us. Not for long, however. Greg immediately threw himself in front of me after being knocked into the wall. Drake made that same furious cry and punched at Greg, who moved his head out of the way. The punch landed in my face. That set Greg off.

    Greg roared-literally roared-and lunged at Drake. He hit him dead-on and threw a punch at him. Drake's eye was instantly blackish. Another punch-now a swollen lip and a bloody nose both. I grabbed Greg from behind and yanked him back. He refused to let go, but finally gave up, hurling us both at the opposite side of the wall. He landed directly on top of me. Drake stood up, his arm limp at his side. I guess Greg broke his arm as well.

    "FINE!! Fauna, you want that son of a b***h? You can have him! And YOU," he jabbed a finger at Greg, "are going STRAIGHT TO HELL!!!!!!!!!"

    With that, he flipped the bird at us both and stormed out the door.

    "I'm so sorry, Fauna," Greg whispered, his face resting just below my chin. I hugged him tightly.

    "No... Greg... Thank you... You finally got read of the b*****d..." Greg lifted his head to stare at me, a look of happiness in his eyes. I pecked him on the lips. He responded with a long tongue-kiss. I blushed, and I heart went wild.

    I wobbled back up to my feet, grabbing his hand.

    "I still gotta unpack, Greg," I said, grinning. I let my hand slip away from his. He stared after me and then glanced behind the desk.

    "I gotta clean this up," he whispered, staring at the small amount of blood on the wall and the torn up furniture.

    "Aright, Greg," I said, smiling. I started jogging up the stairs.

    "Fauna?" he called after me.

    "Yea?"

    "...I love you," he whispered, looking down at his feet.

    I whirled around the corner in which the main lobby and the staircase were separated and basically mauled him. I returned the kiss and then darted up the stairs before he could see me blush as much as I did.

    Upstairs, I picked up a box and heaved it on top of the bed. I picked up a pillow from the box and examined it. Drake's. I threw it back over my head. There was no sound from it hitting the ground. I spun around, and there he was. Drake.