Not So Secret

(29) Trouble

*Chloe's POV*

"Colton, I need you to meet me at the police department as soon as you can. It's urgent." I speak into my phone and hang up. Of course I got his voicemail when something of uttermost importance is happening at this very moment.

Everything that has happened in the past hour or so has been such a blur. Meeting Justin again was a terrible experience, first of all. Second of all, the fact that he had the audacity to touch me like that angers me so much. I wish Ethan would've let me throw the first punch but I didn't get the chance.

I shift around in the uncomfortable plastic chair in the lobby of the police department. I barely have enough money to bail Ethan out. It's a good thing I've been saving up ninety percent of my paycheck from working at the pub. I was saving up to fly out to London but I guess that'll have to wait.

"Ma'am?" A rather large lady speaks loudly through the glass and I stand up and approach the desk.

"Yes?"

"Your boyfriends bail will be nine hundred fifty dollars." I shuffle through what little cash I have and hand over sixty dollars in cash and then hand her my debit card.

"Ma'am, you're short about two hundred dollars." The woman speaks without any emotion in her tone and I furrow my eyebrows toward her, getting frustrated.

"Look can I just send it in when I get paid next week? This is all I have and-"

"No, ma'am," the woman speaks sternly. "It does not work that way, princess."

"But-"

"Would you like to be in there with him?" She raises an eyebrow and I let out a harsh breath of air.

"No." I reply flatly.

"Then I suggest you leave or take a seat until you can pull enough money out of your ass to finish paying his bail." She smiles sarcastically and I roll my eyes before returning to my seat.

I unlock my phone and scroll through my contacts. I forgot I had Evi's number. Maybe her and Colton are together right now. I click her contact and press the phone against my ear.

"Hello?" She thankfully answers on the third ring.

"Evi thank God. I need your help!" I say a little louder than intended.

"What's wrong? Is Ethan okay? Are you okay?"

"Ethan is in jail." My voice starts shaking and I feel the tears burning at my eyes but I refuse to cry.

"I will be there in ten minutes." She hangs up and I try to calm my nerves. I pick at my fingernails and try to pass the time before Evi gets here.

"Where is he?" Evi busts through the doors and I can tell she's completely out of it.

"They have him back there and I can't bail him out because I don't have enough money saved and I-" before I realize it I'm no longer forming coherent words and the tears start rolling. Evi wraps her arms around me and I obnoxiously sob into her hair and squeeze my arms around her tiny frame.

"Chloe it's okay." Colton rubs my back and I shake my head.

"It's not okay. I just gave up all the money I had saved up and I still don't have enough!" I pull away from Evi and shout at Colton. He takes a step back and I begin crying harder.

"I'm sorry Colton. I'm just, I'm scared and-" I speak through my tears and sniffles. He hugs me tightly and rubs my hair.

"I have the money. It's okay. It's okay." He whispers in my ear and releases me to pay the rest of the amount of bail.

"Thank you. So so much." I wipe my eyes and try to recompose myself before they release Ethan. He comes out of the holding cell and his eyes gets wide as he sees the three of us standing before him.

"Chloe, I'm-" Ethan approaches me and I can tell from his eyes he's been crying because they're puffy and red.

"Let's go home." I cut him off and I hangs his head as we walk through the door. It's evident he's ashamed of what he's done and it kills me that he feels that way but he shouldn't have beaten Justin that badly just for smacking my butt.

We depart from Colton and Evi and I drive Ethan back to the dorm. We go inside and my mind is racing but I can't find anything to say.

"Please say something." Ethan says standing by the door.

"I don't know what to say," I admit while taking a seat on the edge of the bed. He stares at me blankly and I just stare at the floor.

"Say anything. Say something. Chloe, I'm scared. I'm sorry." He speaks quickly and sits beside of me, grabbing my hand.

"Ethan, that was terrifying. I've never seen you so angry." I speak softly, avoiding eye contact with him. I feel his body tense next to me.

"I didn't mean to. I just -- he touched you and it made me so fucking mad like how dare he? How dare he touch you like that." Ethan speaks sternly and I feel my heart drop to my stomach. I pull my hand away and place it back in my lap.

"I think maybe we might need a break," I speak the words that I've always dreaded to say.

"No no no please no Chloe. I'm sorry I made you afraid. I can't lose you! I didn't mean to hurt him that badly I just blacked out and I didn't understand what was happening! I love you so much please don't go." I stand up and face him. I see tears gleaming in his eyes and it is killing me to see him like this. He slips off the bed and onto his knees.

"Please Chloe don't go. I am so beyond in love with you. You're my rock, my happiness, I need you. I need you to be mine. I'll do anything please I -- marry me." I look down at him and I can see that he's crying now. I'm completely taken aback by his statement. I give him a confused look and he looks up at me hopefully and through is tears. I continue to stare at him blankly, realizing the scared little boy before me.

"Is that what you want? Do you want to get married? Chloe I would do anything for you. I'd walk on glass and through fire for you. You mean the world to me and you keep me stable. Without you, I am a mess. I'm like this!" He motions his hands up and down in front of him.

"Say something. Anything." He begs and wraps his arms around my legs. I bite my lip to fight back the tears.

"Ethan, you need help. Help that I can't give you." I mumble and he tightens his grip around me.

"I'll go to counseling! I'll get medicine!" He shouts against my thighs and I can feel his tears against my skin.

I pull his arms off of my legs and kneel down in front of him. I wipe his eyes with my hands, drying them softly. He places his hands on my hips and I stare into his eyes. He's broken and I'm not helping him. He's not stable and me threatening to leave just made it worse.

"I'll stay," I whisper. His eyes light up immediately and he wraps his arms tightly around me, placing his lips against my neck; not in a sexual way but more of a passionate I-love-you kinda way. I just really hope things get better from here.