"Hey, Eli." An authoritative voice rang out across the playground. A few sing song voices joined in, teasing him. Taunting him. It was stupid of Eli to have stayed after school. He just didn't want to be home alone, and Phoebe had debate club. He'd rationalized it out already. That he should wait for his sister so she wouldn't have to walk home alone in the dark.

Although it had become a ritual of sorts, it still hurt. It always hurt. Physically, sure. Being punched and kicked was painful. But, the real pain was the words. Because as hard as they kicked him, the kicks wouldn't come back to haunt him. It was the words.

The words sliced into him deeper than any cut and stuck around longer than any bruise. When he was laying in bed at night, it was those words that swam around his head. When things got quiet, those words reminded him of the noise.

Eli inspected the rips in his jeans with disappointment and growing dread. Mitch hated it when things like this happened. It only reinforced the fact that Eli was weak. That he couldn't fight back. Costing them money constantly with all of the new clothes they had to buy.

He carefully stood up, head swirling and nose bleeding. In his fourteen years, he never felt much more than worthless. That wouldn't change. Not for a while. Not until Audrey.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked it sternly. She couldn't help it, having been brought up to see vulnerability as a fault. Phoebe was lucky to have Eli, though. He was the only reason she ever developed compassion. He was the only reason she didn't become her father.

Eli ignored her and started to walk, knowing she was following closely behind. Phoebe's sneakers beat against the concrete as she ran to catch up with him. "You should have gone home right after school." She sighed, making Eli stop in his tracks.

"You're right." He said hoarsely. She was at that age now where she only talked to him after school and kept away from him around her friends. Who could blame her? Eli looked at her now, sleek ponytail and sharp, pretty features. 

This was what he'd always been scared of. At first the fake persona was okay, an effective and smart coping mechanism. Much smarter and far less destructive than anything he could come up with. But now she was living a split life. She was two people, and it was draining her. Both of the people she was portraying were no longer her. Just like Mitch.

"If I had left I wouldn't have gotten my ass handed to me." He turned towards her and she nodded with a shrug. He was stating the obvious. "I stayed because I didn't want you to go home in the dark." Eli swallowed, "I stayed because I care about you and I want you to be safe."

Phoebe looked at her shoes as Eli took a deep breath and kept walking, wiping his nose on his sweater sleeve as he did.

****

"What are they saying about me?" Audrey finally asked it. Thankfully, her Mom had left to get snacks. This left her alone with Chloe, someone whose honesty preceded her. Audrey loved Chloe for her honesty.

Sometimes, it felt like everyone handled her with kids gloves, and yet they were all so harsh at the same time. You're an amazing girl Audrey. But no, you can't do that. It was a weird feeling, and very alienating. "Apart from the usual talk of you being dead?" Chloe asked, rolling her eyes in dismissal of the juvenile minds high school brought. 

Audrey nodded, fingers stroking the pristine white of the scratchy hospital sheets. She had suggested hospital duvets multiple times but the nurses always laughed and ruffled her hair at the (very smart) suggestion.

"There's another 'save Audrey' fund going around. People keep saying they saw what happened and a few girls were crying in assembly today, talking about you." Chloe sighed, tightening her ponytail. Why'd it always have to be so tight? Audrey thought it looked rather uncomfortable.

"What do they say happened?" Audrey winced as soon as she asked the question in preparation for the answer. Chloe shrugged. "Chloe!" Audrey reprimanded, disappointed in her best friends sudden restraint. 

The truth was quite simple. There was a school fun fair, and a bouncy castle was put up. When no teachers were looking, Audrey had slipped her shoes off and climbed into the bouncy castle. She'd gotten in a few good bounces too. It was the single most freeing action of her entire life. Even though she ended up scaring a lot of people when she stopped breathing, she didn't regret it one bit. 

Before Chloe could offer up anything further, the nurse walked in. Her name was Tilly and Audrey had known her since she was small. Tilly was short for Matilda, which always made Audrey happy to think about. If only she could have been named after a lovable movie character.

"I think we are just about ready to check you out." Tilly smiled brightly, and Audrey returned the gesture. "You need to stop over exerting yourself."

"But how am I supposed to know whether or not I can do something unless I try it?" Audrey countered, sitting up a little straighter. Her Mom walked in and shot her a disapproving look for questioning Tilly.

"You need to ask yourself if there's a possibility that you'll get hurt trying something. If there is, avoid it." Tilly explained softly, and Audrey huffed and sat up even straighter, full of stubbornness. "Then I'll never do anything!" She whined.

"Audrey!" Her Mom snapped, "Listen to Tilly. We worry about you so much. If you would just accept the things you can't do, we wouldn't be here on a regular basis!" Her Mother looked haggard and washed out. She probably hadn't slept since Audrey was admitted.

Chloe sunk further into her chair, face flush with second hand embarrassment. Audrey slammed back into her pillow defiantly, wishing that someone, anyone, would understand that it was her body. It was her life. She knew in her heart what she was capable of if she could just get someone to listen to her. Believe in her.

****

The floors of the courthouse were shiny. It was weird to Eli, since they'd been there for almost six hours, and hundreds of people had walked past him. How did the floors look so perfectly waxed? He bent over on the bench and looked at his distorted reflection, then at Audrey's, sat next to him.

"You're in next." Phoebe announced. Eli looked up at his sister. She was nicely dressed, a skirt and blouse. She sort of looked like a lawyer herself. Eli was surprised she had shown up at all. After all, she didn't have her testimony until the next day.

When he asked why she had come, she had responded, "Not for Karen." Then, her face had softened at the look on Eli's face, and she added quietly, "I'm here for you. Because I care about you."

Audrey was panicked. She was panicked for Eli, because for once, Eli wasn't panicking. He was nervous, and he felt resistance pulling at his every molecule. Fortunately, his feet felt stuck to the overly shiny floor, so he couldn't run away. But no. He wasn't panicked or afraid.

"You should roll your sleeves back down, then." Audrey said, breathing quick as she pulled his arm towards her. She'd been uncharacteristically silent the whole day. Her face pale with the very idea of testifying. She was scared for Eli, but also for herself. At least Eli was good with words. She wasn't. What if she said the wrong thing? What if Mitch got off because of a mistake she made? Because of her nervous chatter?

"Why? It's so hot." Eli sighed as she pulled his sleeves down. "How do lawyers wear suits in the summer?"

"You used to wear sweaters all summer, Eli." Phoebe rolled her eyes as she stood there. Her foot tapped nervously, her only give away that she also wasn't thrilled to face her Dad again.

Eli just pouted, as he had no counterpoint. Audrey held up his suit jacket for him to put on, and readjusted his loosened tie. "This suit cost me every cent I've earned this year." He remarked jokingly, but no one was in a laughing mood.

"Eli Davis," A man appeared in front of the three of them. He had solemn features and his hands folded in front of him. "Please come with me." Eli stood up, grateful that Audrey had taken the time to force his messy self into some sort of neatness.

Audrey stood too, in a blue buttoned dress with a crisp collar. "It's gonna be okay." She assured, tears filling her eyes as she spoke. She was choked up, lungs filling with both pride and concern.

Eli nodded. "I know." He said confidently with a little, half smile. He leaned down and kissed her softly before turning towards the courtroom. Audrey bit her lip and watched him leave nervously, noting with annoyance that she'd crumpled his suit jacket where she had held onto it so tightly.