What you know (Hamilton cast)

Twenty

Her sweater hangs from her hand and she stares near the ground, waiting impatiently and uncomfortably as Vanessa steps in the room.

Her stomach is marked with bruises, fresh and old, painful looking welts among then and a few slashed on it and her arms, including the marks of fingers.

"I know that you told him to leave when he was in the theater. He never leaves." She says, monotone. Vanessa rushes over to the shelf to grab the first aid kit.

"Why didn't you go to the police?" She almost laughs.

"He's an officer. 'Hey, Randy, you're abusing me.' That would really help." Vanessa steps towards her and pulls the hem of her top up just slightly to reveal the other half of a hickey before letting go. Her collar bones are prominent and her chest is pretty flat. She puts the kit down and opens it. "You don't have to. There's nothing that needs to be cleaned." Kelsey tells her. Vanessa takes her wrist and turns it over where slashes that didn't break the skin run over her arms, above her scars from when she was fifteen. She pulls her sweater back over her head, scared.

"I think I should go."

"I pushed you. I'm not sorry, though. Vanessa, call the police. What's his last name?"

"Dales." She says, quietly. I make her sit down and grab the phone.

"Can you pick up Seb? I'll handle it." I ask Vanessa.

"I'll take dinner off the stove and head out." I step out of the room and call the police, telling them everything I know. When I come back, she looks terrified.

"Why don't you go take a nap and relax, okay?" I take her hand and lead her into the small guest room. She sits down on the edge of it. I join her. I can tell that she's doing everything that she can not to cry.

"You can cry." She shakes her head, wiping just under her eye. I help her lay down and she finally does cry. I run my hand through her hair as she cries herself to sleep.
-
"Kelsey?" I knock on the door three more times. Maybe she's not even home. I was worried since she didn't eat much last night and didn't answer me at all in the last four and a half hours. I put the key she left at my apartment in and open up the door. I assumed it was a spare since she had her keys when she left. I hear her whimper before a man comes rolling off the bed in boxers and grabs shoes and a bag. I recognize him, even in the dark room. The guy that was in the theater. I block the door.

"Hey." He yells. The officer that came up with me (who I told that Kelsey had given me the key) was waiting to make sure he wasn't here since he's yet to be found by them, runs in and grabs his arms, placing handcuffs on him.

"What the hell?" He says.

She pushes him out of the room. "You're under arrest." I rush into the room where Kelsey lays in bed, almost motionless, and rush to her side.

"He wouldn't leave." She says, quietly. "I couldn't get him- off." She lays in a sports bra and her clothes adjusted enough to cover her.

"It's okay." I say, grabbing her hands.

"I'm still just as weak as I alway have been."

"No, no, Kelsey. You're strong."

"I'm so tired of it, Lin!" She cries. "It's been my entire fucking life. It doesn't change!"

"I'm so sorry." I whisper, I think even crying myself. She's suddenly on her feet and grabbing something from her nightstand. I see red lines beneath the line that her shorts end. She heads to another door and I catch a glimpse of two bottles in her hands.

"Fuck no!" I jump to my feet, chasing her but she slips in and shuts the door. "God, Kelsey. Don't do this. I know things didn't seem to get any better but we all love you. Come to the theater! We all miss you. We'll all support you!"

"You'll pity me." She yells back. I don't even know how I break the lock with a kick but it comes off and I grab her hand, forcing the pills out and down the drain. She runs out behind me. I see her grab a shirt and throw it over her sports bra. I grab her and help her sit down against the wall. She cries and pulls her knees to her chest.

"I came as soon as I co-" Carleigh stops when she sees her against the wall with her knees pulled close to her, me on my knees in front of her, holding a bottle of pills that I took from her. "Did she?" I hand her the bottle to keep away from her.

"Can you pack a few things, please? She's staying with my family for a little while."

"Not a hospital?" I shake my head.

"She needs people that truly care about her."