Unconditional [Sequel to Broken: Nash Grier]

Trust

CHAPTER 25:

(Delaney's POV)

"So.. Are you guys like, okay?" Ellie asks.

The two of us sit on Matt's, and I guess now her, back porch. Aria plays around in the yellow tinted excuse for grass that grows here in California with Matt, squealing as he chases after her. Saul sits on Ellie's lap, laughing in joy and amusement at his older sister and soon to be father.

"Yea, we're pretty good. Just a little shaken up is all. I'm just glad that he got to come out as soon as he did."

"What about the people in the other cars?" she asks.

"The minivan behind us was a family. Besides just cuts and bruises, one of the little girls broke her arm. She was out of the hospital in a few hours."

I had come to find out that the little girl's name was Annabeth Lowe. Nash and I first paid for her medical bills at the hospital, and then proceeded to contact the family and pay for all of the damage repairs that needed to be done to their car. Our actions put the mother in tears, and she kept exclaiming how relieving it was to meet someone that helped restore her faith in humanity.

"Oh, thank God." Ellie says as she starts to bounce Saul up and down on her knee. "But what about the person that hit you? What happened to them?"

"He just drove off. " I say quickly. She turns a bit in her chair and looks at me.

"There's something you're not telling me." she notes after studying me for a few moments.

"What do you mean?"

"Delaney, cut the crap. I know you better than you know yourself. I can tell when you're lying."

"I can't get you involved too." I say softly.

"You know that best friend oath that we took back in second grade?" she asks with a smile spreading across her face.

"How could I not? I still have the friendship bracelet in my wallet." I say with a laugh.

"Well so do I, and do you remember what we said in that oath?"

"That we'd tell each other everything, no matter what trouble it might get the other in." I say reluctantly.

"And?"

"That we'd never keep secrets, because secrets ruin friendships for all of eternity."

"And?" she keeps prodding.

"And.. We'll stick by each other's side; no matter what obstacles stand in our way. And that we'll protect the other, even if it means risking our lives."

"Exactly."

"Damn. We were pretty intense second graders." I note.

"Heck yes, we were. We were hardcore bitches even back then. But Laney, just listen to the things that we promised one another.. And those are only like, what, an eighth of the things on the list? I need you to be honest, or else you are breaking our sacred oath. And you don't really want that, do you?" she smirks.

And so I crack. I tell her everything. From the breakup with Nash, to dating Christian; and ending with the hospital visit from Seth. She sits there the whole time, not saying a word, letting me say all the words that need to be said. She has her eyebrows knit together in concern as my eyes start to get misty with tears. It's not until I tell her about the talk that Nash and I had in the hospital that she speaks up.

"Wow.. Delaney, I hope you know that none of us are going to let anything happen to you. Not me, or Nash, or Matt. And I really think you should tell Cam too. He can protect you. We aren't going to let this guy win. We are going to get him caught and somehow sent back to jail, I promise. Don't worry about us getting hurt; We'll be fine."