Cry Baby

"Jane c'mmon now. Stop crying. I'm fine." She said wiping her tears while they sat down. "Jeez, you've been crying since like forever now. Does your eyes not get sore? And please stop it, we're home now."

"How....how do you expect me to stop crying. They're bruises on your neck. He...what if....What if he had strangled you to death? What if that incident took place when no one was around? What if there was no one to save you, uhn." Jane cried bitterly in Lisa's apartment.

"Shush now. It's fine. I'm fine now okay. He wouldn't have hurt me or you even if there was no one around okay, and you know that very well."

"I'm... I'm sorry Lisa. Everything was all my fault."

"No." She said hugging and gently caressing her back. "You don't have to be sorry for anything. You were not at fault. You apologized to him remember? So whatever I did, he deserved it or even more."

Jane's tears flooded even more. Lisa hates seeing her best friend in this state. 'Nobody hurts my best friend and go free. That moron will definitely pay. I promise', she said within her.

Back then in school, Jane had always been the weaker one. She didn't know how to fight or cause troubles. She was always the good girl. But Lisa on the other hand was a fighter. She was always beside Jane just incase anyone tries to bully or hurt her. Lisa didn't mind if anyone hurt her or say anything bad about her, but to her bestfriend, she can actually change from a pretty angel to a demonic queen. Jane hated seeing her in that state because it scares her off. She fears she might do something worse if she was not stopped. Lisa completely turns deaf and blind when in that state. She once beat up a teacher back then in school when he came up to separate a fight going on between her and Jane's bullies. She didn't realize herself that she was actually beating up a teacher till Jane's cries echoed in her ears, begging her to stop. She was suspended from school for a month, and the teacher was rushed to the hospital. Luckily she wasn't expelled.

Because Jane has been a weakling till now, she had always been bullied in school. But Lisa by her side, they didn't dare approach her. She knew she would have been dead by now if Lisa wasn't by her side.

Sometimes, when Lisa was absent from school, the bullies had their chance to do whatever they wanted. There was a time they tore off her book and dipped her head in the toilet. When Lisa came back after been absent from school, she'll always ask Jane if she got bullied, but her reply will always be a no, and Lisa knew she was lying. Jane has been a very bad liar so she can detect when she's lying or not. With or without Jane's permission, she beats the bullies behind her back. While Jane was totally unaware.

Jane had always admired Lisa for that. She was her superhero. Lisa is never afraid to speak to anyone, she has always been a courageous type. Jane had always wished she could be like her even if it's just for a day. But anytime she tries, the results will always be a negative.

She once raised her voice on the bullies, but she received a hot slap from them and even got kicked to the ground. How she messed up that day for trying to be Lisa.

"You got hurt because of me. I...I don't think I'll ever forgive myself." She said wailing even more.

"Oh Jane," she said as she pulled away from the hug, "it's not your fault okay. And I should be the one crying, and not you." She teased. "I was the one who got hurt remember, so I should be the one crying. But here you are crying like you're mourning my death or something."

"It's..... it's really not funny. Stop it."

"Okay fine." She sighed and continued. "Instead of sobbing so much, why don't you help me with my bruises uhn?"

Jane immediately wiped away her tears, and nodded. She knew Lisa was right. She excused herself and headed to the bathroom to get the ointment. When she arrived, Lisa had already undressed, now half naked.

"Here. Let me help you apply this on your neck." She said as they sat on the bed.

"Okay. Just please be careful."

Jane applied the ointment on her neck gently. Her neck was filled with bruises from the man's strong grip. His five fingers were marked on her neck.

"There. I'm done."

"Okay. Thank you." She said as she lied back on the bed.

"Lisa."

"Mhmm."

"I'm sorry, and thank you once more."

Lisa let out a sigh and sat down. "Jane, what are friends for? We're friends right. And friends always stand by each other especially in the times of need, right."

Jane felt touched and hugged her. "Oh Lisa. I'm so happy to call you my friend."

"Me too. And you know what?" Lisa said teasingly.

"What?"

"Instead of crying like a baby, try standing up for yourself more often. Who knows, a day might come that I may not be there by your side like I used to."

She pulled away from the hug and stared at Lisa's eyes. She couldn't help but accept the truth. Lisa was right, and besides they're grown ups now, so she don't expect her friend to stick around her like she used to when they were still younger. So she understood what Lisa was trying to say.

She nodded and let out a faint smile. "Hmmm. I know."

It was a bitter and sad smile in her heart, but she let out a normal faint smile not to make her friend worry too much. 'Don't worry, my time on earth will soon be up. And you don't have to clung onto me like a Koala. You'll be free.' She said inwardly.