I wrote this story for a friend of mine. I met him last year through Roleplay on Facebook. He was one of the nicest guys I knew last year, only topped by two people this year, my boyfriend and my best guy friend Trent. I decided to repost the story because he just recently came back into my life. He's still one of my top friends, and this is the story I was working on for him, but mind you, this was when I had a pretty big crush on him, which is now buried in the dirt.
Title-less Story
It was her first day at a new school and she was scared and shy. There was one boy, Ian, she had known for a few days but he seemed to have not noticed her too much, even if they had to live together. She walked the halls acting proud but inside she was hallow, empty as the night.
She went into her first class and sat down with her hair pouring into her eyes as she looked down at the names scratched into the desk. Ian’s name was there under a girl’s… Katie. Just then a girl tapped her back and said, “That’s my seat.”
The girl looked up and said, “I’m sorry.”
She moved to get up but a boy with brown hair came in and said, “Jenny, you didn’t tell me to had Mythology first.”
“Hey, Ian!” Katie said.
“Hey, Katie.” he said as he slide into the desk next to Jenny. “Where you going somewhere?”
“Yes, she was moving. She is in my seat. Her seat is in the back by the corner.” Katie said.
“I’ll just move, sit between you two. How’s that?” Ian asked.
“Fine.” Katie said.
Jenny got up anyway and moved to the corner, keeping her eyes on the floor so her hair fell over her eyes, no one saw the tears now. There was something about her, the reason she was here. Gently she rested her hand on her stomach. It had been almost two months since it had happened.
She looked up and saw Ian walking towards her. Quickly she wiped away the tears and put on a fake smile. “Hey, Jenny, are you okay?” he asked kneeling in front of her.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” she told him.
He reached out and wiped away a tear. “Then why were you crying?”
She shrugged and he said, “Ride the bus home with me and you can tell me then if you want. I mean it’s not like you have the choice to ride it, but sit with me.”
She nodded and he walked back to his seat, grabbed his books, and moved to the empty desk next to her. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“You need me more than Katie does.” he told her.
She smiled and wiped away another tear. “Thanks, Ian. You’re really sweet.”
He smiled and said, “Thanks, Jenny.”
The teacher came in and said, “Jenny?”
She raised her hand, “Yes, sir?”
“Please come get your book.” he said.
Jenny stood and made her way to her across the room and grabbed her book. When she was walking back Katie stuck her foot out and tripped Jenny. She had a good reaction and dropped her book and then little to anyone’s expectation she held out her hands to stop herself.
Ian helped her stand up and said, “Are you okay?”
She shook her head and said, “I think I broke my wrist.”
Ian was excused to the nurse’s office with Jenny. He went back to their desks and grabbed their books. Jenny waited for him at the door, holding her wrist. They walked to the nurse’s office and he said, “I’m surrey about Katie.”
“It’s not your fault, Ian. It is, however, her fault.” she told him.
He opened the door to the nurse’s office and she went in, followed closely by him. “Ian, what are you doing here?” the nurse asked.
“I’m just helping Jenny.” he told her.
He sat down our books and sat in the chair next to me. “What happened, Jenny?”
“I tripped on a desk and used my hands to break my fall.” Jenny said.
Ian looked at her, curious. She smiled and gritted her teeth in pain as the nurse inspected her wrist. “You need call your exchange family and ask them to take you to the hospital for x-rays.” she told her.
“I’ll call my parents.” Ian said.
Jenny was an exchange student from America and it was her first day at school in England. All the accents were adorable and she paid close attention to Ian’s. She found his the best, just because he was so sweet and kind and caring.
He picked up the phone and dialed his house. “Hey, mum, we need to take Jenny to the hospital. She needs her wrist x-rayed.” he told him.
She heard his mother talking to his dad and then to him. He nodded like they were there. Then he said, “Alright, Mum. See you soon.”
Jenny looked down before he could see her looking at him. Ian’s eyes were on her, worried about her. “Mum, said they’d be here soon.” he told her.
“Okay.” she said, holding onto her wrist.
“I’ll grab my stuff out of my locker. Do you need help with you things?” he said.
“I don’t know. I’ll try and get it myself. If I need help you’ll know it.” she said.
He opened the door for her and she walked out and went to her locker, not waiting for him to follow. Ian followed her any way, just out of concern. Jenny opened her locker with her good hand and tried to pull out her shoulder bag. “Ow!” she said.
“I got it, Jen.” Ian said.
“Thanks.” she said to him.
Ian reached around her and pulled out her bag. He slipped it over his shoulder and said, “You need anything else?”
“No.” she said. “Just what’s in your hands.”
He smiled and closed her locker. They walked to his locker without speaking. The silence said it all. Jenny started to hum a Spanish song she was quite taken with. “I know that song.” Ian told her.
“Really?” she asked.
“A La Nanita Nana.” he told her.
“It’s a Spanish lullaby. My mother used to sing it to me every night before putting me to bed.” she told him.
“I’d love to hear you sing it sometime.” he said.
“I don’t know. I’m not much of a singer.” Jenny told him.
They stopped at his locker and she watched him put in the locker combination before looking away. She would have to remember his combination; it could come in handy in the future. He looked behind him and said, “Why does it look like you’re plotting?”
“Not plotting… just day dreaming.” she told him.
Had it been so obvious? He laughed and said, “I’m just messing with you, love. Calm down.”
‘Love.’ he had called her that the day after they met. “Surrey! It’s just a habit we British get into.” he had told her.
She had laughed and told him it was fine. Jenny had adored him from that moment on. She was trying to decide if he liked her as much as she liked him. “Why doesn’t Katie like me?” she asked.
“I’m sure she will after she gets to know you.” he told her. “I promise.”
She felt curious so she said, “I left something in the class. I need to go back and grab it.”
“Alright.” he said walking back with her.
Ian opened the door and Jenny walked past him into the classroom. Katie was sitting in the back now where she had been. She acted like she hadn’t noticed and walked straight back there. “Why do you hate me?” she whispered as she walked towards her.
“Stay away from Ian.” Katie told her.
Jenny faked picking up something and putting it in her pocket and walked back out saying, “I’m getting x-rays.” to the teacher.
Ian closed the door behind her and followed her to the nurse’s office. It was quiet again, but this time no one tried to break the silence. They walked into the nurse’s office and Jenny sat down, holding her wrist. The pain had died down slightly but it still hurt.
It took Ian’s mother a few more minutes to get to the school after that. She came in and Jenny was still taken a back when she saw dead on resemblance between her and Ian. Their eyes, their hair, their nose, everything was the same about them.
“Are you okay Jenny?” his mother asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” she said.
“Can you walk her to the car, please, dearie?” she asked Ian.
“Sure, mum.” he said standing.
Ian picked up both their bags and put Jenny’s around his shoulder. “I can carry my bag, Ian.” she told him.
“No, it’s fine. I want to help.” he said. “Come on, Jenny.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and led her outside to their car. Ian opened the car door for her and let her get in. After she had pulled her leg into the car he closed her door and got in the front passenger seat. She acted like she was paying more attention to her wrist than him but in truth she was peering up at him through her hair, which fell over her eyes each time she looked down.
She could feel his blue eyes on her, so she looked up slightly. “Yes, Ian?” she asked.
“Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?” he asked, concerned.
“Yeah, of course I am.” she told him. “Why?”
“I’ve been talking to you for the last ten minutes and you didn’t say a word or even acknowledge I was speaking.” he told her.
“I’m sorry, Ian, I really I am. I wasn’t paying attention.” she said.
He smiled a little, relived that she was okay, well except her wrist. She glanced up through her hair and realized that they were no longer at the school. Ian looked back at her and said, “Like I said ten minutes.”
She smiled and looked at him. “I’m sorry. I was distracted.”
“You already said you’re sorry, dearie. You don’t need to say it more the once.” his mother said from in front of Jenny.
“Thanks again for letting me stay with you guys.” she said for the millionth time.
“Jenny, stop thanking us. It’s the least we could do after your mother all but saved Ian’s life all those years ago.” she said.
“She what?” Jenny asked.
Ian’s eyes darted to his mother as she thought. “You were both very young, it was the day before his second birthday. He was walking around our apartment, the one we shared with your family. Ian was getting closer and closer to the open window and his father and I weren’t home.
“Your mother was watching the both of you when she saw Ian dangerously close to the window. She grabbed him just as he was taking the, what would have been, fatal step.” she told Jenny.
Jenny looked at Ian who was looking at his feet now. “You knew, didn’t you, Ian? That’s why you are being so nice to me.” she said.
His mother had just pulled into the hospital parking lot and Jenny got out and ran in, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her mother hadn’t told her that story or that they had even known Ian’s family before the exchange program. Jenny heard footsteps behind her and they were quick. “Jen!” Ian said grabbing her wrist that wasn’t injured.
“Go away, Ian, just… go away!” she said pulling away from him.
She ran down the hall; away from her problems. Sooner or later, she knew she’d have to face them… all of them, but she was too afraid to at that point in time. Jenny turned corners and ran down halls, holding her wrist, not caring where she was going.
When she could no longer breathe she stopped running and walked quickly. She had her head down and didn’t watch where she was going. A sudden hand closed around her wrist and pulled her into a chair next to the owner of the hand. “Keep your head down and listen, friend.” a man told her.
She obeyed the man and listened, “I know it is hurting now, whatever you are going through, but it’ll be easier if someone knows.”
“For all you know I could be a nut.” she told him glancing to the side.
She couldn’t believe who she saw. The hand that had grabbed her belonged to Bruno Mars. “I know you aren’t. You are much too sensible to be a nut.” he said looking at her.
She smiled and said, “Thank you, Mr. Mars.”
“Call me Bruno.” he told her and held out his.
She shook his hand and smiled. “Well, Bruno, how did you know something was wrong?”
“Body language. You were clutching your wrist and you were crying, not from physical pain, no, it was too much of an emotional kind of cry. Do you want to talk about it?” he said.
“I couldn’t bother you with something as small as personal problems.” she told him.
“It’s no bother at all. I come here to help patents feel better, not to make them feel worse.”
“Well I’m from America and about two months ago I was raped. I’m currently pregnant and my wrist is broken. My mother understands my reason for being against abortion and she sent me here to some friends I never knew she had.” she told him.
“Jenny!” Ian called walking down the hall.
Jenny and Bruno looked up at the same time and he motioned for Ian to leave them be for a while. Ian glanced at Jenny and turned his back on them, walking back in the direction he had come. “Was that another problem of yours?” Bruno asked.
“I’m not sure, really. It’s just all so confusing.” she told him.
“Come with me.” he told her.
He stood up and so did Jenny. Bruno put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. They walked down the hall and he stopped her. “This way it’s more private when you talk it out with them.” he said opening a door.
The room inside was like a mini recording studio. She took a step in and looked around. “Bruno, what is this place?” she asked.
“I’m here a lot so I have a recording studio so I can record some music. Sometimes I bring in patents and record with them and let them keep a copy of it. It makes them so happy.” he said smiling.
She smiled and then Ian walked in. “Jen, you okay?” he asked worried.
She wiped away her last tear and said, “I never am, but I’m close to okay as possible.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes.” she said.
Ian took a few steps closer and took her hand, gently, unsurely, as if he was afraid she was still mad at him. He pulled her slightly and they started walking. “I’m sorry I over reacted.” she told him.
“I’m surrey I never told you the truth. The truth, however, has nothing to do with why I am nice to you.” he told her. “Well that portion of the truth.”
She laughed as he led her down the hall to an x-ray room. “I’ll be waiting right here when you are done with x-rays.” he told her.
She nodded and went in the room. There was a doctor there with a medical file. “Jenny, correct?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Jenny said to the doctor.
“It says her that you are…” she began.
“Yes, I am.” she said before the doctor to finish.
The doctor looked at the open door and back to Jenny. “I see. Well, let’s get these x-rays done.” she said.
Jenny sat in a chair near the x-ray table and put her wrist on it. The doctor closed the door and walked over to the machine to set it up. “How many months?” she asked Jenny.
“Two.” she said.
The doctor looked at her and said, “Are you going to tell the boy?”
“It’s not his concern.” she replied.
“Oh really?” the doctor mused. “It’s his so I’m sure it’s his concern.”
Jenny laughed a real laugh for the first time in weeks. “It’s not his!” she said.
“Then whose is it?”
“I don’t know. I was raped.” Jenny said no longer laughing. Her voice was just above a whisper.
“I’m sorry.” the doctor said.
There was a flash and then the doctor gently turned Jenny’s wrist to take another x-ray. After another two repeats of turning her wrist and taking more x-rays Jenny was allowed to leave.
She stood and opened the door and saw Katie and Ian talking. It looked serious so she pressed her ear to the crack in the door to listen.
“…your fault.” Ian was saying.
“It was not! She tripped on the desk.” Katie said.
“Don’t lie to me, Katie. I know you tripped her. I saw you stick your foot out into the isle as she was walking back.” he said.
He turned his head slightly and his brown hair covered his eyes. Ian was facing the door now but he couldn’t see Jenny. Katie took her hand up to her face like she was wiping away tears. “But Ian…” she said.
“Stop, Kaitlin.” he said.
“Never call me that.” she said. “You promised when we started dating that you wouldn’t.”
“We never dated.” he said. “You need to learn that right now, because if you hurt Jenny again, I’ll never talk to you again. You’re lucky I’m speaking to you now.”
“Since when did we not start dating! You kissed me!” she nearly yelled.
“You know that wasn’t me. In your heart you know it was Josh.” he told her.
Katie turned around and was actually wiping away tears. “I know it’s still hard for you, Katie. It’s hard for me to.” he whispered just loud enough Jenny could hear.
Ian had tears in his eyes to. Jenny decided to walk out at just that moment, straight past Katie to Ian. She wiped away his tears and whispered, “Are you okay?”
He nodded and looked past her to Katie. “We’ll talk about this later.” he told her.
“Fine.” she said glaring at Jenny.
Jenny clutched her wrist and said, “We need to talk, Ian.”
“How much of that did you actually hear?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you mean. It’s about why I’m in England.”
She took his hand and led him to some chairs. “What’s wrong?” he asked sitting down.
“There is something I never told you.” she said. “I was hoping you would sit and listen to my story while we wait on my x-ray results.”
“Okay.” he said and looked her in the eye. “I can handle it, no matter what it is.”
“Two months ago, before we even knew about the foreign exchange program I was grabbed off the street by a man I had never met before in my life. He bound me and tossed me in his truck and drove. The man knocked me out and then carried me into his house. I was conscious when… he raped me.” she told him.
Ian put his arm around Jenny and pulled her into him in a hug… the best hug he could give sitting in chairs. “The worst part was… he didn’t use protection.” she whispered so no one else would hear.
“Are you… are you pregnant?” he whispered.
She nodded and said, “Please, don’t get mad that I never told you.”
Ian was speechless and Jenny got up and walked away, thinking he was mad. He was faster than she, and he stood and grabbed her wrist in one quick motion. “Jen, I’m not mad. I’m shocked. I know the worst things happen to the best people, but I never thought once that one of the best people I knew would go through something that terrible.” he said.
She looked at him and said, “You are mad.”
It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “No, I’m not. I’ll never be mad at you. Only worried.” he told her.
“Worried? Why?” she asked.
“Because I care about you.” he said.
“Really?”
Of course and I’m always going to be there to help you, no matter what you need help on, I’m there.”
“No matter? Even a little Ian Jr.?”
He smiled at the idea of her naming a baby after him. “Even then.”
Ian wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Jenny smiles into his shoulder and hugged him back. “Thank you so much. You have no clue how much this means to me.” she told him.
“You’re right. I don’t.” he said and gently kissed her forehead.
She smiled and blushed bright red as Ian’s mother came in. “Is everything okay here?” she asked.
Ian and Jenny nodded. “Jenny, we need to see you real quick. We need to make the mold for the cast.” the doctor from before said.
For the next two hours doctors were bustling around chattering and fitting the cast to Jenny’s arm. They laid down the law and told her what she could do and what she couldn’t. In all that time she just smiled and nodded, not wincing even once, through all the pain.
Ian was there which made her smile through the whole process but it looked like he was feeling the pain for her. He was just trying to make her smile and laugh to take her mind off things. It worked of course since she didn’t think about it at all.
When the doctor told her she was done, Jenny hugged Ian and laughed in his ear. “Why are you such a goof ball?”
He smiled and said, “To help you forget things.”
“Thanks.” she said.
He put his arm around her and they walked out to their car. Ian opened the car door for her, got in after her and closed the door. His mother wasn’t far behind them. She got in the car and started down the highway. Jenny wanted to ask who Josh was and why Katie had cried when Ian had mentioned him but decided better of it.
Mrs. Walker drove down the highway while Jenny and Ian whispered in the backseat. "What about Ian Josh?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe Josh Ian.” he said
“I like Ian Josh though.” she told him.
“Why are you guys talking names for boys? What if it’s a girl?” Mrs. Walker asked.
“Liana Jessica.” Jenny said simply.
“Why Liana?” Ian asked.
“Cause it has your name in it.” Mrs. Walker said without realizing the question wasn’t for her.
“What she said.” Jenny said laughing.
“Really?” Ian asked.
“Yes, of course.” she told him.
“That’s incredibly sweet.”
“Well, you know who I got if from?”
“No, who?”
“You, Ian.” she whispered.
He smiled and kissed her temple. Mrs. Walker pulled into their driveway and slowly approached the gate. The gatekeeper opened the gates and she drove down the road. Jenny looked at the house and smiled. It was a beautiful place and she loved how much space there was.
The house was painted green was surrounded by a hundred fifty acres of land. There were trees lining the driveway and the sidewalk. Around the house was a bed of red roses. To the right of the house was a maid’s quarters and it was about half the size of the giant house. The Walker family had only a maid and a butler but they still had a rather big place to live.
She went into her first class and sat down with her hair pouring into her eyes as she looked down at the names scratched into the desk. Ian’s name was there under a girl’s… Katie. Just then a girl tapped her back and said, “That’s my seat.”
The girl looked up and said, “I’m sorry.”
She moved to get up but a boy with brown hair came in and said, “Jenny, you didn’t tell me to had Mythology first.”
“Hey, Ian!” Katie said.
“Hey, Katie.” he said as he slide into the desk next to Jenny. “Where you going somewhere?”
“Yes, she was moving. She is in my seat. Her seat is in the back by the corner.” Katie said.
“I’ll just move, sit between you two. How’s that?” Ian asked.
“Fine.” Katie said.
Jenny got up anyway and moved to the corner, keeping her eyes on the floor so her hair fell over her eyes, no one saw the tears now. There was something about her, the reason she was here. Gently she rested her hand on her stomach. It had been almost two months since it had happened.
She looked up and saw Ian walking towards her. Quickly she wiped away the tears and put on a fake smile. “Hey, Jenny, are you okay?” he asked kneeling in front of her.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” she told him.
He reached out and wiped away a tear. “Then why were you crying?”
She shrugged and he said, “Ride the bus home with me and you can tell me then if you want. I mean it’s not like you have the choice to ride it, but sit with me.”
She nodded and he walked back to his seat, grabbed his books, and moved to the empty desk next to her. “What are you doing?” she asked.
“You need me more than Katie does.” he told her.
She smiled and wiped away another tear. “Thanks, Ian. You’re really sweet.”
He smiled and said, “Thanks, Jenny.”
The teacher came in and said, “Jenny?”
She raised her hand, “Yes, sir?”
“Please come get your book.” he said.
Jenny stood and made her way to her across the room and grabbed her book. When she was walking back Katie stuck her foot out and tripped Jenny. She had a good reaction and dropped her book and then little to anyone’s expectation she held out her hands to stop herself.
Ian helped her stand up and said, “Are you okay?”
She shook her head and said, “I think I broke my wrist.”
Ian was excused to the nurse’s office with Jenny. He went back to their desks and grabbed their books. Jenny waited for him at the door, holding her wrist. They walked to the nurse’s office and he said, “I’m surrey about Katie.”
“It’s not your fault, Ian. It is, however, her fault.” she told him.
He opened the door to the nurse’s office and she went in, followed closely by him. “Ian, what are you doing here?” the nurse asked.
“I’m just helping Jenny.” he told her.
He sat down our books and sat in the chair next to me. “What happened, Jenny?”
“I tripped on a desk and used my hands to break my fall.” Jenny said.
Ian looked at her, curious. She smiled and gritted her teeth in pain as the nurse inspected her wrist. “You need call your exchange family and ask them to take you to the hospital for x-rays.” she told her.
“I’ll call my parents.” Ian said.
Jenny was an exchange student from America and it was her first day at school in England. All the accents were adorable and she paid close attention to Ian’s. She found his the best, just because he was so sweet and kind and caring.
He picked up the phone and dialed his house. “Hey, mum, we need to take Jenny to the hospital. She needs her wrist x-rayed.” he told him.
She heard his mother talking to his dad and then to him. He nodded like they were there. Then he said, “Alright, Mum. See you soon.”
Jenny looked down before he could see her looking at him. Ian’s eyes were on her, worried about her. “Mum, said they’d be here soon.” he told her.
“Okay.” she said, holding onto her wrist.
“I’ll grab my stuff out of my locker. Do you need help with you things?” he said.
“I don’t know. I’ll try and get it myself. If I need help you’ll know it.” she said.
He opened the door for her and she walked out and went to her locker, not waiting for him to follow. Ian followed her any way, just out of concern. Jenny opened her locker with her good hand and tried to pull out her shoulder bag. “Ow!” she said.
“I got it, Jen.” Ian said.
“Thanks.” she said to him.
Ian reached around her and pulled out her bag. He slipped it over his shoulder and said, “You need anything else?”
“No.” she said. “Just what’s in your hands.”
He smiled and closed her locker. They walked to his locker without speaking. The silence said it all. Jenny started to hum a Spanish song she was quite taken with. “I know that song.” Ian told her.
“Really?” she asked.
“A La Nanita Nana.” he told her.
“It’s a Spanish lullaby. My mother used to sing it to me every night before putting me to bed.” she told him.
“I’d love to hear you sing it sometime.” he said.
“I don’t know. I’m not much of a singer.” Jenny told him.
They stopped at his locker and she watched him put in the locker combination before looking away. She would have to remember his combination; it could come in handy in the future. He looked behind him and said, “Why does it look like you’re plotting?”
“Not plotting… just day dreaming.” she told him.
Had it been so obvious? He laughed and said, “I’m just messing with you, love. Calm down.”
‘Love.’ he had called her that the day after they met. “Surrey! It’s just a habit we British get into.” he had told her.
She had laughed and told him it was fine. Jenny had adored him from that moment on. She was trying to decide if he liked her as much as she liked him. “Why doesn’t Katie like me?” she asked.
“I’m sure she will after she gets to know you.” he told her. “I promise.”
She felt curious so she said, “I left something in the class. I need to go back and grab it.”
“Alright.” he said walking back with her.
Ian opened the door and Jenny walked past him into the classroom. Katie was sitting in the back now where she had been. She acted like she hadn’t noticed and walked straight back there. “Why do you hate me?” she whispered as she walked towards her.
“Stay away from Ian.” Katie told her.
Jenny faked picking up something and putting it in her pocket and walked back out saying, “I’m getting x-rays.” to the teacher.
Ian closed the door behind her and followed her to the nurse’s office. It was quiet again, but this time no one tried to break the silence. They walked into the nurse’s office and Jenny sat down, holding her wrist. The pain had died down slightly but it still hurt.
It took Ian’s mother a few more minutes to get to the school after that. She came in and Jenny was still taken a back when she saw dead on resemblance between her and Ian. Their eyes, their hair, their nose, everything was the same about them.
“Are you okay Jenny?” his mother asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” she said.
“Can you walk her to the car, please, dearie?” she asked Ian.
“Sure, mum.” he said standing.
Ian picked up both their bags and put Jenny’s around his shoulder. “I can carry my bag, Ian.” she told him.
“No, it’s fine. I want to help.” he said. “Come on, Jenny.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and led her outside to their car. Ian opened the car door for her and let her get in. After she had pulled her leg into the car he closed her door and got in the front passenger seat. She acted like she was paying more attention to her wrist than him but in truth she was peering up at him through her hair, which fell over her eyes each time she looked down.
She could feel his blue eyes on her, so she looked up slightly. “Yes, Ian?” she asked.
“Are you sure you didn’t hit your head?” he asked, concerned.
“Yeah, of course I am.” she told him. “Why?”
“I’ve been talking to you for the last ten minutes and you didn’t say a word or even acknowledge I was speaking.” he told her.
“I’m sorry, Ian, I really I am. I wasn’t paying attention.” she said.
He smiled a little, relived that she was okay, well except her wrist. She glanced up through her hair and realized that they were no longer at the school. Ian looked back at her and said, “Like I said ten minutes.”
She smiled and looked at him. “I’m sorry. I was distracted.”
“You already said you’re sorry, dearie. You don’t need to say it more the once.” his mother said from in front of Jenny.
“Thanks again for letting me stay with you guys.” she said for the millionth time.
“Jenny, stop thanking us. It’s the least we could do after your mother all but saved Ian’s life all those years ago.” she said.
“She what?” Jenny asked.
Ian’s eyes darted to his mother as she thought. “You were both very young, it was the day before his second birthday. He was walking around our apartment, the one we shared with your family. Ian was getting closer and closer to the open window and his father and I weren’t home.
“Your mother was watching the both of you when she saw Ian dangerously close to the window. She grabbed him just as he was taking the, what would have been, fatal step.” she told Jenny.
Jenny looked at Ian who was looking at his feet now. “You knew, didn’t you, Ian? That’s why you are being so nice to me.” she said.
His mother had just pulled into the hospital parking lot and Jenny got out and ran in, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her mother hadn’t told her that story or that they had even known Ian’s family before the exchange program. Jenny heard footsteps behind her and they were quick. “Jen!” Ian said grabbing her wrist that wasn’t injured.
“Go away, Ian, just… go away!” she said pulling away from him.
She ran down the hall; away from her problems. Sooner or later, she knew she’d have to face them… all of them, but she was too afraid to at that point in time. Jenny turned corners and ran down halls, holding her wrist, not caring where she was going.
When she could no longer breathe she stopped running and walked quickly. She had her head down and didn’t watch where she was going. A sudden hand closed around her wrist and pulled her into a chair next to the owner of the hand. “Keep your head down and listen, friend.” a man told her.
She obeyed the man and listened, “I know it is hurting now, whatever you are going through, but it’ll be easier if someone knows.”
“For all you know I could be a nut.” she told him glancing to the side.
She couldn’t believe who she saw. The hand that had grabbed her belonged to Bruno Mars. “I know you aren’t. You are much too sensible to be a nut.” he said looking at her.
She smiled and said, “Thank you, Mr. Mars.”
“Call me Bruno.” he told her and held out his.
She shook his hand and smiled. “Well, Bruno, how did you know something was wrong?”
“Body language. You were clutching your wrist and you were crying, not from physical pain, no, it was too much of an emotional kind of cry. Do you want to talk about it?” he said.
“I couldn’t bother you with something as small as personal problems.” she told him.
“It’s no bother at all. I come here to help patents feel better, not to make them feel worse.”
“Well I’m from America and about two months ago I was raped. I’m currently pregnant and my wrist is broken. My mother understands my reason for being against abortion and she sent me here to some friends I never knew she had.” she told him.
“Jenny!” Ian called walking down the hall.
Jenny and Bruno looked up at the same time and he motioned for Ian to leave them be for a while. Ian glanced at Jenny and turned his back on them, walking back in the direction he had come. “Was that another problem of yours?” Bruno asked.
“I’m not sure, really. It’s just all so confusing.” she told him.
“Come with me.” he told her.
He stood up and so did Jenny. Bruno put his hand on her shoulder and smiled. They walked down the hall and he stopped her. “This way it’s more private when you talk it out with them.” he said opening a door.
The room inside was like a mini recording studio. She took a step in and looked around. “Bruno, what is this place?” she asked.
“I’m here a lot so I have a recording studio so I can record some music. Sometimes I bring in patents and record with them and let them keep a copy of it. It makes them so happy.” he said smiling.
She smiled and then Ian walked in. “Jen, you okay?” he asked worried.
She wiped away her last tear and said, “I never am, but I’m close to okay as possible.”
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes.” she said.
Ian took a few steps closer and took her hand, gently, unsurely, as if he was afraid she was still mad at him. He pulled her slightly and they started walking. “I’m sorry I over reacted.” she told him.
“I’m surrey I never told you the truth. The truth, however, has nothing to do with why I am nice to you.” he told her. “Well that portion of the truth.”
She laughed as he led her down the hall to an x-ray room. “I’ll be waiting right here when you are done with x-rays.” he told her.
She nodded and went in the room. There was a doctor there with a medical file. “Jenny, correct?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am.” Jenny said to the doctor.
“It says her that you are…” she began.
“Yes, I am.” she said before the doctor to finish.
The doctor looked at the open door and back to Jenny. “I see. Well, let’s get these x-rays done.” she said.
Jenny sat in a chair near the x-ray table and put her wrist on it. The doctor closed the door and walked over to the machine to set it up. “How many months?” she asked Jenny.
“Two.” she said.
The doctor looked at her and said, “Are you going to tell the boy?”
“It’s not his concern.” she replied.
“Oh really?” the doctor mused. “It’s his so I’m sure it’s his concern.”
Jenny laughed a real laugh for the first time in weeks. “It’s not his!” she said.
“Then whose is it?”
“I don’t know. I was raped.” Jenny said no longer laughing. Her voice was just above a whisper.
“I’m sorry.” the doctor said.
There was a flash and then the doctor gently turned Jenny’s wrist to take another x-ray. After another two repeats of turning her wrist and taking more x-rays Jenny was allowed to leave.
She stood and opened the door and saw Katie and Ian talking. It looked serious so she pressed her ear to the crack in the door to listen.
“…your fault.” Ian was saying.
“It was not! She tripped on the desk.” Katie said.
“Don’t lie to me, Katie. I know you tripped her. I saw you stick your foot out into the isle as she was walking back.” he said.
He turned his head slightly and his brown hair covered his eyes. Ian was facing the door now but he couldn’t see Jenny. Katie took her hand up to her face like she was wiping away tears. “But Ian…” she said.
“Stop, Kaitlin.” he said.
“Never call me that.” she said. “You promised when we started dating that you wouldn’t.”
“We never dated.” he said. “You need to learn that right now, because if you hurt Jenny again, I’ll never talk to you again. You’re lucky I’m speaking to you now.”
“Since when did we not start dating! You kissed me!” she nearly yelled.
“You know that wasn’t me. In your heart you know it was Josh.” he told her.
Katie turned around and was actually wiping away tears. “I know it’s still hard for you, Katie. It’s hard for me to.” he whispered just loud enough Jenny could hear.
Ian had tears in his eyes to. Jenny decided to walk out at just that moment, straight past Katie to Ian. She wiped away his tears and whispered, “Are you okay?”
He nodded and looked past her to Katie. “We’ll talk about this later.” he told her.
“Fine.” she said glaring at Jenny.
Jenny clutched her wrist and said, “We need to talk, Ian.”
“How much of that did you actually hear?” he asked.
“I don’t know what you mean. It’s about why I’m in England.”
She took his hand and led him to some chairs. “What’s wrong?” he asked sitting down.
“There is something I never told you.” she said. “I was hoping you would sit and listen to my story while we wait on my x-ray results.”
“Okay.” he said and looked her in the eye. “I can handle it, no matter what it is.”
“Two months ago, before we even knew about the foreign exchange program I was grabbed off the street by a man I had never met before in my life. He bound me and tossed me in his truck and drove. The man knocked me out and then carried me into his house. I was conscious when… he raped me.” she told him.
Ian put his arm around Jenny and pulled her into him in a hug… the best hug he could give sitting in chairs. “The worst part was… he didn’t use protection.” she whispered so no one else would hear.
“Are you… are you pregnant?” he whispered.
She nodded and said, “Please, don’t get mad that I never told you.”
Ian was speechless and Jenny got up and walked away, thinking he was mad. He was faster than she, and he stood and grabbed her wrist in one quick motion. “Jen, I’m not mad. I’m shocked. I know the worst things happen to the best people, but I never thought once that one of the best people I knew would go through something that terrible.” he said.
She looked at him and said, “You are mad.”
It wasn’t a question, but a statement. “No, I’m not. I’ll never be mad at you. Only worried.” he told her.
“Worried? Why?” she asked.
“Because I care about you.” he said.
“Really?”
Of course and I’m always going to be there to help you, no matter what you need help on, I’m there.”
“No matter? Even a little Ian Jr.?”
He smiled at the idea of her naming a baby after him. “Even then.”
Ian wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. Jenny smiles into his shoulder and hugged him back. “Thank you so much. You have no clue how much this means to me.” she told him.
“You’re right. I don’t.” he said and gently kissed her forehead.
She smiled and blushed bright red as Ian’s mother came in. “Is everything okay here?” she asked.
Ian and Jenny nodded. “Jenny, we need to see you real quick. We need to make the mold for the cast.” the doctor from before said.
For the next two hours doctors were bustling around chattering and fitting the cast to Jenny’s arm. They laid down the law and told her what she could do and what she couldn’t. In all that time she just smiled and nodded, not wincing even once, through all the pain.
Ian was there which made her smile through the whole process but it looked like he was feeling the pain for her. He was just trying to make her smile and laugh to take her mind off things. It worked of course since she didn’t think about it at all.
When the doctor told her she was done, Jenny hugged Ian and laughed in his ear. “Why are you such a goof ball?”
He smiled and said, “To help you forget things.”
“Thanks.” she said.
He put his arm around her and they walked out to their car. Ian opened the car door for her, got in after her and closed the door. His mother wasn’t far behind them. She got in the car and started down the highway. Jenny wanted to ask who Josh was and why Katie had cried when Ian had mentioned him but decided better of it.
Mrs. Walker drove down the highway while Jenny and Ian whispered in the backseat. "What about Ian Josh?” she asked.
“I don’t know. Maybe Josh Ian.” he said
“I like Ian Josh though.” she told him.
“Why are you guys talking names for boys? What if it’s a girl?” Mrs. Walker asked.
“Liana Jessica.” Jenny said simply.
“Why Liana?” Ian asked.
“Cause it has your name in it.” Mrs. Walker said without realizing the question wasn’t for her.
“What she said.” Jenny said laughing.
“Really?” Ian asked.
“Yes, of course.” she told him.
“That’s incredibly sweet.”
“Well, you know who I got if from?”
“No, who?”
“You, Ian.” she whispered.
He smiled and kissed her temple. Mrs. Walker pulled into their driveway and slowly approached the gate. The gatekeeper opened the gates and she drove down the road. Jenny looked at the house and smiled. It was a beautiful place and she loved how much space there was.
The house was painted green was surrounded by a hundred fifty acres of land. There were trees lining the driveway and the sidewalk. Around the house was a bed of red roses. To the right of the house was a maid’s quarters and it was about half the size of the giant house. The Walker family had only a maid and a butler but they still had a rather big place to live.