- 5 -

                                    

                                          
Riley is incredibly worried about Jo going home for Christmas break. He doesn't want Jo being there with Sean around. He told her to call him if anything happened or if she just wanted to talk. 
                          
She's grateful. 
                          
Right now, Jo is in the middle of helping her mother move furniture around for the upcoming holidays. 
                          
She's telling her about college and her roommate, leaving out the very big detail that Riley is a boy and not a girl. 
                          
Lucy loves having her baby girl home again. She missed her so much and with her son out of the house and married with a baby on the way, the house is kind of lonely with just her and her husband. 
                          
Lucy and Jo flop on the couch, laughing the same laugh. "I missed you." Jo says, her head on her Mama's shoulder. 
                          
Lucy smiles, wrapping her hand around Jo's upper arm. "I invited Sean to supper tomorrow." 
                          
Jo rolls her lips into her mouth. The only person who knows about what he did to Jo is Riley. 
                          
"Okay." 
                          
"He's such a nice boy, that Sean. I'm so glad that y'all stayed together." Lucy rests her cheek on top of Jo's head. 
                          
She's nervous to see Sean. She hasn't seen him since thanksgiving or talked to him in a couple days. 
                          
But Sean said that he wouldn't lay a hand on her again so she trusts him. 
                          
   
                          
She laughs, her head on Sean's shoulder. Jo's had a little more wine than she was expecting but she feels pretty good. 
                          
Sean's working on his third beer and he's starting to feel a little mischievous. He not-so-subtly kisses that spot on his girlfriend's neck and she pulls away slightly. She wants to visit with her family, she hasn't seen all of them since probably June. 
                          
Sean grips her knee and kisses her neck again, applying a little bit of suction to her skin. She nudges him away. He huffs and stands, pulling her hand. 
                          
He practically drags her up to her bedroom and closes the door behind them. "We- we're missin' the party." She whispers, her fingers twisting in his shirt. 
                          
"We ain't missin' much." He mutters back, his hand slipping up her sweater. She pushes him away slightly, not really in the mood. "Cmon, Jo. Stop bein' such a prude." 
                          
She shakes her head and pulls away, reaching for the doorknob but she stumbles back when Sean grabs her arm. "No, Sean-" He says nothing as he starts working on her belt buckle. "Stop." He's silent, pushing her jeans down. "C'mon." She pushes his hands away. 
                          
She's starting to get worked up. "Stop it!" She shouts, forcefully pushing him away. He stumbles in his boots, gripping her dresser before staggering his way back to her, putting his hands on her more aggressively. 
                          
Jo gets the courage to smack him. His head jerks to the side with a small grunt. He glares back at her and his eyes go dark. She swallows hard but stays tall. He reaches for her again and she swings on him, connecting with his gut. 
                          
Sean swings back, hitting her in the mouth. 
                          
Jo stumbles and licks her lips, her mouth filling with blood. He swings again and connects with her eye and cheekbone. She finagles her way around him and locks herself in the bathroom, shakily calling the only boy who's made her feel safe.