chapter 11

That night the only people that she knew cared about her made her feel so welcome in their company. She learned about their jobs, lives, family and their pasts.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

For one night Leah and Jeff forgot about their pains and troubles. They sat in front of the TV watching a Spanish movie marathon with subtitles. They laughed and joked as if they had known each other forever.

They all remembered that they had to leave in the early morning so they all slept. Leah took the sofa and Matt and Lita doubled up and Jeff took his own bed even though he had insisted Leah take it.

“Are you sure about this Leah?” Amy asked her as they stood by the car Matt owned, Jeff having left the Corvette in Cameron.

“Yeh I am. I know I’m safe with you and I want to be with Jeff.” Leah had blurted out before she had realised what she had said.

“Yeh I do. But not like that. Some other way I can’t explain. He saved me and i need to thank him and I don’t know how to yet.” She tried to explain.

“BITCH!!!!!!!” was screamed from the far side of the parking lot. Leah froze and Amy, Matt and Jeff looked over to who shouted it.

Simon came running towards Leah. She jumped behind the car, fear shooting through her body. “COME HERE YOUR FUCKING BITCH!!!!” He yelled as he reached the car. Matt had grabbed Amy and pushed her behind him. Jeff, who had been placing suitcases in the boot looked up and froze when he say Simon. “YOU BITCH. YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME. YOU KNOW IT NOW COME HERE!!!!!!” he said going around the car to her. She backed of a few steps but he lunged at her and grabbed her by the hair. She screamed out in pain, as she did Jeff ran to her and tried to free her hair. “YOU!!!!!!!” Simon shouted as he recognised Jeff from the morning before. Jeff struggled against Simons grip on Leah’s hair. But he’s effort where met with a kick. He let go and fell to the ground. Simon took his chance and grabbed Leah into a firm grip. He held her with her back against his chest with his arm around her throat. The fear that went across Leah’s face was t intense Amy had to walk away as she was physically sick. She didn’t know why but she was. Matt didn’t know if to go to Amy or Leah. He decided Leah as she was screaming for him to help her as Simon dragged her away from them. Jeff had got to his feet and was also after them. As the brothers reached him they smelt the alcohol on his breath and the smell of cigarettes. Simon didn’t stop. “She’s mine. She always will be and now she will pay for leaving me and there is fuck all you can do about it. So keep out of our business and fuck of.”

“NO!!!!!!” Jeff screamed back at him as he grabbed hold of Simon. He pulled at him as hard as he could until he finally released Leah. He and Simon both went crashing to the ground where they began to fight each other. Matt in the mean time grabbed Leah and held her as she cried and clung to him. Amy had regained her composure and shut the boot of the car. She ran to Matt and Leah and took Leah from Matt so he could help Jeff, who was rolling on the floor exchanging punches and hits with Simon on the cold concrete. Matt ran to them and grabbed hold of Simon, who was know on top of Jeff, he pulled on him until he was upright, staggering around on his feet. Matt let go of him and punched him as hard as he could in the face. He went flying back down to the ground. Matt went straight to Jeff who was holding his ribs, a trickle of blood leaving the cut above his eyebrow. Matt knelt down by him and held his brother against him as he shook. Leah was now crying hysterically against Amy’s shoulder. She looked at Jeff, who had his eyes closed and was clinging to Matt like she had been a minute before. She let Amy lead her to the car as Matt helped Jeff up. Jeff clung to Matt as tightly as he had when he was little and he had gotten into a fight. Leah got into the back of the car and curled up into a ball. Amy closed the door and got in the front as Matt helped Jeff into the back. Matt looked over his shoulder as he watched Simon get to his feet and start over towards them Matt closed the door behind Jeff and got behind the wheel and roared the engine into life. As he put it into drive he heard the banging of Simon’s fists on the boot of the car as they drove of.