What He Doesn't Know {Completed}

Closer

UNEDITED!

***

"You're cold and sweet, just like ice cream

With eyes so big I hoped you'd see,

You begged for grace, you left no grace for me

You traded places with the sun

Made me orbit around your love

With no regard or notice of my world below you burning up

So don't you come any closer, don't you come any closer" 

— Johnnyswim "Closer"

***

Colton’s P.O.V

 I looked down at Allison, who was curled up beside me on the couch. She was watching the movie planning before us, intently. 

 I, on the other hand, sat on the couch thinking about what she said to me earlier. No matter how many times I tried to get over what she revealed, I couldn’t. I couldn’t help but feel like what happened to her was my fault. If I just stayed in town and not let my father convince me to leave she wouldn’t have been — ... 

 I closed my eyes as pictures of a man daring to touch her crossed my mind. I could only imagine her screams and helplessness. 

 Suddenly, I untangled from Allison and stood up as the thought could no longer plague my mind — or I’d snap to a point of no return.

 “Where are you going?” She asked as she grabbed the remote and paused the movie. Her eyes gazed at me with concern.

 “I’ll be right back,” I reassured her as I looked away, knowing that I couldn’t look at her for I’d only reflect pity and remorse. I knew she didn’t want that so, without saying anything else; I walked away. 

 Stepping into the hall bathroom, I closed and locked the door. My hands went on both sides of the marble sink as I attempted to control my breathing. However after a minute or two of breathing in and out heavily, I realized my tries were in vain. Nothing was going to help because I kept thinking about what she went through and how I was not there to stop it. 

 I was supposed to protect her. I was supposed to care for her, and I abandoned her.

 All the blood rushed to my head as anger clouded all my other emotions. 

 “I failed,” I admitted aloud. 

 My head turned to the door, and I shook my head. “I failed her.”

 The phone in my front pocket began to ring, I reached in and pulled it out to find that it was the last person in the world I wanted to talk to.

***

 FLASHBACK TWO YEARS AGO:

*** 

“Mr. Pierce, just a second,” my professor, Dr. Kravits, called out to me right before I was to leave the class. 

 I looked over at Dr. Kravits, and saw she was placing her folders in her brown, leather, briefcase that had clearly seen better days. When I reached the podium that she was standing on, she looked at me and smiled. “I just wanted to say, out of earshot of the others, that your essay was rated top in the class. Scored a solid 100. Nice work, Mr. Pierce.” 

 I smiled, “Oh, wow, really?"

"Yes, you had a compelling argument and strong thesis. You should be proud."