I regret nothing

Let me get something straight right now, before everyone decides to go all Judge Judy on me. I know I screwed up. I know I shouldn't have done it. But that doesn't mean I regret doing it at all. No, in my long life of screw ups, this is one mistake I will NEVER regret. So before you judge me, know that I regret nothing.

I was just walking from a concert in a club. I was trying to get my mind off of what Annabel had told me. I had reluctantly let her go when she was done crying her heart out. She had wiped those stunning eyes and given me a weak smile and a quiet thank you. Then, she'd had to leave because she had to get ready for the trial the next day. The trial she had to testify in, to put that abomination Will Cash in jail.

I was walking out the door of the club; the pavement beneath my feet was wet. It was raining. Hard. The music sucked too. Geez, I just couldn't catch a break today could I? Pulling my hood up to protect myself from the freezing drops falling down, I got ready to brace myself for the sure to be miserable walk home. My mom had the car and had taken Mallory to go get new shoes. Why a pre-teen like her would need more than 3 pairs of shoes is beyond me. Girls...they're and enigma. Suddenly, I heard a cough. I looked for the source of the sound and locked my eyes on the very man my best friend would be testifying against tomorrow for rape. Will Cash. The slime ball was leaning against a wall of the shabby club I just came from. I could just make out his features from the faint glow of the neon sign. And then, the god forsaken monster had the nerve to speak to me the words I wouldn't forget for a while.

"Cold out here isn't it? You see any good girls in there worth a little time?" He jerked his head toward the building practically shaking with horrid beats emanating from its walls. I had simply stared at him.

"What's wrong buddy? Cat got your tongue?" He smirked as he dropped his acrid smelling cigarette on the ground and leaned towards me. BIG mistake. This man, the scourge of society was going to be on trial for the rape of several girls tomorrow, one of them being my best friend and the love of my life! And he was talking about getting with another girl the day before that trial. I snapped. I punched him hard in the face. If that didn't bruise his ego, it would certainly bruise his face. And I must say, it felt good. Really REALLY good.

"What the hell was that for?" I had already started walking away, trying all my Anger Management Techniques to keep myself from cracking and strangling him to death. But NO the idiot wanted to fight me now. "You turn around when I'm talking to you!" I felt a faint stinging sensation above my eyebrow. Hmm. That should have hurt. But it didn't. He grabbed my arm, trying to stop me from walking away again.

"What kind of coward are you? You punch me then walk away from a fight? Bastard!" The second he touched my arm was the second I lost it again. I punched him in the mouth, and then quickly made my escape. When he woke up, all he would remember is a strange kid in a jacket who had an issue with his cigarette. No biggie. Except it was a big deal. Because I'd broken my own code of morals, as well as my curfew. Crap. Mom was going to kill me.

"Where have you been?" Those were the first words that welcomed me home. My left over anger from Will Cash had faded to annoyance and sorrow.

"At a club." Just because I was ticked didn't mean I was going to lie. I never lie.

"Why were you out so late, and oh my goodness Owen!" I had pulled my hood down, and she had seen something on my face that scared her.

"Mom..?" I waved my hand up and down in front of her for a second trying to snap her out of the trance she'd fallen into the second she'd seen my face.

"What-What happened to your face Owen?" My face? I glanced at myself in a mirror hanging on the wall. Whoa. I had a bloody cut on my head, just above my eyebrow. What the hell? What kind of idiot walks to a club to listen to music carrying a knife? Will Cash truly was a complete monster.

"Answer me Owen. Now."

"Mom, I can explain."

"Then explain. And it had better be good, because I did NOT put you through all those classes and sessions for you to just punch someone for no good reason!"

"It was for a good reason…" I mumbled wanting to swallow my words as soon as I saw my mother's face.

"You really did punch someone? Owen who did you punch? Why did you do it? Answer me!" Biting my lip, I launched into the whole story.

"I punched Will Cash because he made me angry."

"Owen! You can't just hit someone because you're angry!"

"Mom, he RAPED ANNABEL!" I covered my mouth as soon as I'd said it. Annabel had been so upset. Glancing up the stairs, I prayed Mallory hadn't heard that. If she had, she might never look at Annabel the same way again. My mother stood in shock for a solid 10 minutes. In that time, I managed to wash my head wound, put a Band-Aid on it, and trot back downstairs to face my doom.

"He what?" My mother asked her voice deadly quiet.

"He raped her, mom. Over the summer, Will Cash raped Annabel Greene. And he's going to court for it tomorrow. Annabel's testifying as well as several other girls who that atrocity attacked. And he had the god-damn nerve to ask me if I had seen any girls worth getting with!" My voice was a harsh whisper. This was not for Mallory's ears. She didn't need to hear any of it.

"Oh my…your friend Annabel? The one you care so much about?" My mother's eyes softened as she looked at the raw hatred I knew was on my face.

"Yes, my Annabel." Annabel.Oh god knows what she's going through right now.And when she sees him in court tomorrow…I shuddered.

"Oh Owen…" My mother put her arms around me and held me for a few minutes. She took my Band-Aid off and washed my cut in antiseptic which not only stung but smelled horrible. She then told me that while she understood my reason for bashing Will, I would have to be punished anyway. She grounded me. She told me I couldn't leave the house the next day. But I'd promised Annabel I'd come to the trial, and I was going to try my hardest to keep that promise. So I begged and pleaded, right up to the minute the trial was supposed to start. By the time my mom gave in, the trial was ending anyway.

I stood by the fountain outside the courthouse waiting to see Annabel. I wasn't disappointed. She came out, her sister, Kirsten I think, had a protective arm around Annabel's thin shoulders, as if she could break at any moment. Her other sister, Whitney (I remembered, she was the one with the eating disorder) followed, her eyes sharp and filled with relief and yet also hiding pent up rage. I had a feeling that I wasn't the only one who wanted a go at Will Cash. I was just luckier than most. But Annabel was smiling. She was talking to her parents, and seemed to be reassuring them. She saw me near the fountain, and said something to the man who I assumed was her dad. He nodded, and she left the little group and walked over to me.

"I'm sorry." The first words out of my mouth. Her eyes went wide with surprise.

"Why are you sorry?"

I shifted uncomfortably. I hated to admit this to her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there in time. You know, to support you." She stared at me a second then lifted her hand to my hairline, caressing the thin cut that shone slightly in the sun.

"It's ok. But Owen-"She took her hand away, leaving my head feeling slightly cold. Her face now seemed to be contorted strangely. "Owen, why weren't you here?"

"I was grounded." Not a lie. But I knew what question was coming.

"Why?" Her tone was slightly less amused, more curious.

"I did something that ticked my mom off." 'Something' I knew what she was going to say before she said it.

"Something" is a placeholder." She said, fighting a smile. "Why were you grounded?" I fidgeted slightly, running my hand over the crystal water in the fountain.

"Because I punched Will Cash." I spoke quietly, hoping she had heard me and I wouldn't have to repeat my shame. Wincing, I turned away, hoping she wouldn't hate me.

"Owen-"her voice was cut off and I turned back to see her doubled over with silent laughter, tears of mirth running down her face. "Oh god. Oh my god..." Annabel was trying desperately to get a hold of herself. Apparently my state of total confusion was hilarious because she burst into peals of laughter again, holding a hand on my shoulder to keep herself upright. When she finally calmed down, she wiped her eyes, and looked up at me beaming. I was officially stunned. I'd never seen her laugh that hard, or that long. Her family, who were standing off to the side of the courthouse were eyeing me warily as if I might draw a knife on her at any moment. Which, given her experiences, makes sense.

"What in the name of sanity is so funny?" I asked totally puzzled.

"It's just-"She gasped for a minute before regaining control. "It's just I wondered who Will got that black eye and cut lip from?" She laughed again before hugging me and then letting go to smile at her family letting them know everything was fine.

"So you're not angry with me?" I queried, desperately hoping she wasn't.

"Of course not!" She gave me a full on beautiful smile that would have made a lesser man keel over and bow before her. "It was just bothering me throughout the entire testimony who on earth could have done it! And then I thought well, maybe Owen, but I never imagined you'd do that!" Her giddiness was coming off in waves. My statement mixed with the relief her attacker had been put behind bars, and the fact her whole school knew the truth, seemed to make her absolutely ecstatic. Not that I can really blame her.

"Hey Annabel?" I asked quietly.

"Yes?" She whispered back, suddenly serious.

"Thank you." For so much. So much I don't think I'll ever stop thanking you…

"For what?" Her face was puzzled. I smiled before leaning down to stroke her rosy cheek.

"For listening." Her smile only brightened and the next thing I knew we were kissing right in front of her family. That's gotta be a blow to them. Whitney didn't seem the least surprised her eyes even seemed to twinkle slightly, as if to say "About time!" Kirsten just pursed her lips and nodded, and her parents seemed so stunned you could have knocked them over with a leaf. But as I felt her soft lips on mine, I was sure. Even though I wouldn't be able to take her anywhere this weekend, even though mom was still a little angry, even though Will Cash was still alive (Which trust me, took a lot of effort), I didn't regret what I'd done. Oh no.

I was sure. Absolutely positively sure. And to this day, I'll say it.

"What's so funny Owen?" She looked up at me with her beautiful eyes, and I just pulled her against my chest and stroked her hair.

"I regret nothing." I chuckled giving her another kiss.