Liquid diamond tears fell gently on to the pillow clutched desperately in the arms of Avas. Sobs were dimmed by the feathers of the pillow, she didn't want him to hear her crying. The marks were pulsing, pain piercing through every fiber of her body. Her fingertips carefully probbed the core of the bruises, but a jolt of pain made her body react and yank away and sent her into more hysterics. He didn't mean it did he? No, he couldn't have meant to do this. The anger in his eyes was still burned into her memory. Oh the look in his eyes. It was like a scorching demon had found its way out and taken over his body. It couldn't have been his fault.

"It's all your fault," he had even said.
Avas had apoligized over and over again, kneeling on the carpet at the bottom of his feet like a dog begging at its master.

"I just thought it would be alright to go with her, I mean she is my best friend and it was her birthday," Avas had explained.

"How could you betray me like this?" anger sparked in his eyes and began to ignite the beast within, "I didn't know where you were. You are always home when I get home. How do I know you are not out with some other guy?"

"I love you," Avas was interupted with a flash of pain that smoothered her words. Tears came more rapidly, burning on the heat of her cheeks as her fingers graced the throbbing spot.

"If you loved me then you would listen to what I say," looming over her, his shadow was dominating and she succumbed before his majesty in a broken heap, "You know I care about you more than anything in the world. I always come home to you and never leave you. Why on earth would you hurt me like this?"

"I didn't mean to hurt you," the distant voice spoke through trembeling lips as another moment of pain rippled through her chest, his foot colliding with her ribs. The breath, the life, taken away from her.

"You knew exactly what you were doing," his voice booming enough to engulf the room, but not as much as to disturb the neighbors in their own parallel world as they watched the nightly news. "I give everything to you, but you are just so selfish and you never give anything back."

"You went out yesterday with your friend so why can't I go out and celebrate my friend's birthday?" Avas questioned, but his fist collided with her tear-stained cheek. A warm liquid began to fill her mouth slowly. He had never made her bleed before.

"I care so much about you, but all you do is seem to hurt me," he cried out in exasperation, continuing the savage fury.

"I'm sorry," Avas cried. She just wanted all this to stop. Why had she been so stupid? How could she be so blind to her selfishness? He had given up so much for her and was always there for her. It wasn't fair for her to make him worry. She deserved this.

The clock's illuminating light told Avas that a half hour had passed. Bruises began their healing and turned an array of color, each symbolizing a different intensity and severity of the wound inflicted. Would he be calm now? She had tried to go before, but he had thrown a plate and cut her leg. He had never been like this before. It was just a bad temper he had. When things were good he made her feel so good, love filling every inch of her soul. Sweet whispers of what they would do when he finally got enough money to support them and hwo happy they would be, living the life of their dreams. He was everything to her and could always find a way to make the tears go away. He whispered his true emotions every night as the moonlight shone upon their bare skin and he placed lulliby kisses on her shoulders.

"You are the best thing to have ever happened to me, I don't know how I could go on without you. I love you more than you can possibly imagine."

She knew he meant it, but he could have any girl he wanted. He was the ideal boyfriend: intelligent, polite, sincere, and so considerate about her feelings. Plus, he actually loved Avas. She could just tell by the way he looked at her, every word that escaped his lips, and the way his fingers caressed her skin and made her shiver at their electric touch. It was, without a doubt, love.

Avas opened the door catuiously and peered into the dimly lit living room, blinking from the contrast of lighting from the pitch black of her bedroom. It was a disater area with things sprawled across the room from where had tried to throw things at Avas while she pleaded for forgivness. It was a mistake, she now realized, and she would be certain to never repeat it.

He sat hunched over in an armchair with a beer in his hand and looked up as she entered the room. His face lit up at the sight of her and his smile sent shockwaves rippling through her body, it was definately his better side. Avas ran to him and threw her arms around him, letting him cradle her and letting his mezmerizing touch take away the burning of the bruises.

"I'm so sorry," Avas sobbed into his shoulder, "please forgive me."

"Of course," he whispered as he stroked strands of blood-soaked hair away from her face, "promise me that you will never hurt me like that again."

"Of course," she tightened her grip around him, afraid the world would take him away from her, "I will always be here for you and I will never hurt you again."

His smile, so warm and caring, it melted away all the layers of hurt and scars from pervious fights. It had been all her fault, she ws the reason she was now in pain. Avas knew she had to stop being so selfish. He kissed the sore spots on the curve of her neck, where he had grabbed her still red and flamming. He didn't mean to hurt her like that, it had been her own fault. How could somebody so loving cause so much pain? It had to be her, she was the problem.