𝐁𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐥𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 | 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥

19

Chapter nineteen
'Manipulation'

HENRY FIDDLED WITH THE plastic cup, swirling the water inside nervously. He looked ghostly pale and his eyes were filled with fear, a stark contrast to his usual confident and friendly demeanor. Whenever any of us were feeling down, he was always the one to pick us back up. This was the first time I had ever seen him look so vulnerable.

I placed a reassuring hand on Henry's thigh and spoke softly, "Hey, it's going to be okay. Hattie will be fine." But my words seemed to have little effect on him, his face remained withdrawn and somber.

"The doctor said she tried to kill herself," Henry said, his voice thick with emotion. He swallowed heavily and squeezed his eyes shut. "It's my fault. I'm the reason she tried to kill herself."

"This isn't your fault," I affirmed, looking directly into Henry's piercing blue eyes. "Hattie was clearly going through some issues, but that doesn't mean you had any part in what happened."

Henry shook his head, popping his cheek with his tongue in frustration. "You don't understand. Part of the reason I didn't officially end things with her was because she said she would kill herself."

My heart sank at his words, realizing just how manipulative and unhealthy Hattie's behavior had been towards Henry. It was a heavy burden for anyone to carry.

"Henry, you do realise what Hattie has done... is emotional manipulation. You can't blame yourself for her actions," I said firmly. "You're not responsible for someone else's mental health."

Henry nodded weakly, but I could tell that my words were not enough. We sat in silence for a few moments, side by side, as we waited for news about Hattie's condition. It was a tense and uncomfortable silence, but neither of us knew what to say.

"You did the right thing by coming here to see her," I said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Now we need to focus on getting her the help she needs and getting you the support you need as well."

A tight knot formed in my stomach at Henry's confession. The weight of his guilt was palpable, and it was clear that he had been struggling with this for a long time.

As we waited, a nurse approached us and asked us to come with her. She led us to a small room where we found Hattie, looking fragile and vulnerable on the hospital bed. Henry rushed forward towards her, taking her hand in his.

"Hattie, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Hattie glanced up at him, her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Henry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just couldn't handle everything," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Henry squeezed her hand tightly. "Shh, it's okay. We're here for you now. Everything is going to be okay."

I knew that this moment wasn't about me, and I wouldn't make it about me. Despite feeling a twinge of jealousy at seeing them together, I knew that Hattie needed support. This wasn't about whether or not Henry and her would start their relationship again, or if Henry was true to his words and did choose me – it was a whole different ballgame, and Hattie was vulnerable and needed him.

So, I put my own feelings aside and focused on being there for Hattie. She needed people in her life who would support her during her recovery, and I was determined to be one of those people.