I didn't cry until a minute and a half into my bath, and I didn't stop until I got out. I dried myself then and carefully used a dry wash cloth to pat my face dry, my nose was now blood free and just red and a little swollen, my right cheek was a bit swollen, and so was my jaw. I could already see the bruise that was beginning to form around my jaw, but none around my eye which gave me hope that it wouldn't bruise again.

After I left the bathroom, I went into my room and changed into some pyjama trousers, a tank top, and a blue hoodie that used to be owned by my dad. I carefully brushed out my hair, because it was tender as hell from Micah pulling on it. When I was done, I did a very loose plait in my hair and flung it over my shoulders then headed downstairs for some food. Lots and lots of food.

I heard the hall door open as I poured some custard and whipped cream over my giant bowl of ice-cream. I heard the hall door close, keys being put on the key hook on the hall wall then footsteps into the kitchen.

"Hey, hun, how was your first day back - omigod!"

I winced when I turned; Branna's screams could be pretty loud.

"I'm goin' to find out where he lives and fuckin' kill him!" Branna screamed then turned and stormed out of the kitchen.

Him?

What the hell?

"Branna, a girl did this, not a lad," I shouted after her.

Her steps paused then pattered back into the kitchen.

"That Dominic kid didn't do that or cause it?" she asked, boring her eyes into mine to see if I was lying.

She thought Dominic did this to me or was the cause of it? Not surprising since the only times I ever had bruises or got into trouble, he was usually involved.

"No, I haven't seen or spoken to him since I was suspended two weeks ago," I assured her.

She eyed me for a moment. "Who did this then? Give me names and I'll fix it."

My God, she was acting like a hit man… or woman.

"I don't know who she was but I think she thought I was someone else. She called me Sarah and told me to stay away from her fella," I lied and felt horrible about it.

I couldn't tell her it was Micah because Branna would find her and do damage to Micah's face like she did to mine, and I couldn't let that happen. She was a medical student studying to be a midwife, and I doubted she would be hired anywhere if she had a rap sheet for assaulting a minor, since Micah was only seventeen.

Branna frowned at me but continued to stare at me for signs of lies. I was usually a terrible liar, but the fact that I had to lie to keep her from potentially destroying her career made me hold a steady face.

"Oh hun, that is horrible luck. It's the last thing you need after that stupid suspension and especially after the black eye you got off that Dominic kid."

I wanted to fall to the floor in relief but I didn't, I forced myself to snort. "Tell me about it."

I starting chuckling but winced over my side and gripped it.

"Show me," Branna ordered.

I lifted my hoodie and tank top upwards.

"Omigod, your stomach is black and blue!"

I looked down and groaned, Branna was right. My left side was bruised from my lower ribs to my hip bone. It looked like Micah's kickboxing classes pay off, because she did substantial damage to me in only a matter of seconds.

"I took a bath, it helped with the pain, but to make me feel even better I'm eatin' this," I said and gestured to my large serving of ice-cream, custard, and whipped cream.

Branna chuckled and shook her head. "Thank God you pick out the low fat on everything we buy. You'd be as big a house if you keep up this comfort eatin' thing you've got goin'."

I rolled my eyes. "I haven't even gained weight so clearly me comfort eatin' isn't bad."

Branna snorted. "Give it a while hun, your jeans will suddenly feel a bit too tight and then, after that, all hell breaks loose."

I shook my head and lifted up my bowl. "If you need me, I'll be eatin' my feelin's in my room while watchin' Dear John."

"Awe hun," Branna frowned and lightly chuckled.

She felt sorry for me and watched me exit the kitchen.

I headed up to my room, settled into my bed, turned on my television, and dug into my food. I snorted at Branna's logic; there was nothing wrong with comfort eating, so what if I gained some weight? Honestly, who gave a fuck?

Nope, not me. I'd rather deal with my worries by comfort eating and have some extra pounds than sit around afraid that Micah might beat me up again or what would happen when I saw Dominic again.

I groaned at the thought of him and all the trouble he had caused me in the short time I've known him. I shook my head, one bowl of ice-cream was nowhere near enough to deal with this bullshit.

"I can't believe we're this high up the mountains," I growled to Branna and quickly glanced around my surroundings.

I was mad that she brought me up here but when I caught sight of the view overlooking Dublin at night I was shocked I hadn't come up here before just to look at it. All the lights and patches of darkness from the fields were just stunning.

Branna rolled her eyes when I looked back at her. "We're ten minutes from the house. We live on the bottom of the mountain so what's the big deal about bein' higher up on it?" Branna asked.

I shrugged. "You said we were goin' clubbin' so I figured we would go to Temple Bar, Sin nightclub in town, or even The Playhouse down the Tallaght Bypass but not up the fuckin' mountains!" I snapped lowly and rubbed my bare arms to generate some heat.

Branna rolled her eyes at me again. "This place is exclusive; it's based up here because a lot of people with money come here who don't want to venture near town or anywhere like that."

I shook my head at her.

"You know, Branna, a normal older sister would take their little sister out for dinner or order takeaway or even go to the cinema when tryin' to make her feel better about gettin' jumped on. They don't bring said little sister to an underground night club," I hissed as we stood in a queue waiting to be assessed by the bouncers of Darkness, an underground nightclub that was apparently very exclusive after seeing the amount of people that had been turned away since Branna and I got into the queue.

Branna shushed me as she kept looking ahead.

"I don't have any form of identification yet though. I just turned eighteen for fuck sakes, Branna, they won't let me in," I whispered in her ear as we moved forward in the queue.

I was starting to sweat; I didn't want to be embarrassed by being turned down entry into the club. Branna brought me here to get me out of a funk I was in since Micah attacked me a week ago but embarrassing me wasn't going to help me in anyway.

"Close your mouth before I put me fist in it!" Branna snapped in a very low tone that honestly scared the crap out of me.

"Okay," I murmured and looked down.

I felt like I was being chastised by my parents. I mentally snorted at that, then gasped when Branna's hand pressed against the small of my back and urged me forward. I looked at Branna then looked forward; we were next, and the bouncers were waiting for us to approach.

"Branna, sweetheart," beamed a tall bouncer, with zero hair and a large black spiral tattoo circling his right cheek and down his neck, disappearing under his shirt.

I was horrified. Branna had been here before; I knew that because she told me when I asked about how she knew about the club that I'd never heard of, but what's worse was that this obvious criminal knew her by the excited way he addressed her.