Consequences |LRH|

Chapter 21

I practically slumped into the floor as the door slammed shut, the silence that followed settling into my bones as I was alone for the first time since the incident. I was just lucky they had been so shocked at me finding them out they hadn't paid enough attention to me to notice the small changes that I knew were written in the bags under my eyes. Letting my body lean heavily against the countertop, I heaved a shaky breath. I was fine, I was going to be fine but first - I needed to turn on music to break this silence.

10:01 pm.

I had been home alone for close to 8 hours, the soft music playing in the background my favourite company as I unpacked my things and settled back into my home. I had, had a one hour bath that I wished had relaxed me more than it did. I had sat there, raspberry bubble bath and vanilla candles filling the air with such a relaxing aroma that I could have fallen asleep had it not been for the fact that I felt like my skin was crawling. The touch, the scent, nothing was helping me escape the feel of that monster on my body. I could feel his hands forming the bruises on my waist and thighs; I could feel the press of his skin body to my limp form and my eyes shot open, after draining before I even realized I was doing it.

The next hour was spent sitting on the bottom of the shower floor, scrubbing at my skin til it was red raw and bleeding.Why couldn't I get this feeling off of me? Why couldn't I just be comforted with the fact that I was home, in my own bed and safe? Why couldn't I shake the feeling like I had walked through a spider web, stuck in the hair thin film and couldn't get out of it?

I was finally able to settle in my bed, relishing in the feeling of my own sheets and the lavender detergent that truly reminded me of home. We had been using this detergent all my life, it was relaxing, comforting to know that I could have some semblance of normal. That while I felt different, the rest of the world was still doing okay comforted me as much as it freaked me out. Life was still the same here, easy and simple like I hadn't almost been - okay, that was a dangerous line of thought and I immediately had to shut it down.

I hadn't cried yet and I certainly wasn't going to start now. I was exhausted, I needed to sleep not think about that. Letting my eyes fall shut, I curled into a tight ball in my covers as I tried to accept that this was my reality. I was okay, I was home, I was safe and I could breathe.

The sharp buzz of my phone shook me out of my half asleep state, my hand smacking out to grab it figuring that it was probably just Blake checking in on me. They were probably just finishing up the game, James having to go over the plays with his team. She was probably already on the bus, half-asleep as they waited for the boys to get on. My thumb slid the answer button, my phone practically slapping me in the face as I answered.

"Hey, how'd the game go?"

"Did you miss me Evie-Rose?" My eyes shot open, hand pulling the comforter closer to my chest as my breath caught in my throat; No.

"Who is this?"

"Oh don't play dumb darling, you know exactly who I am." His voice was thick, scratchy and menacing down the line. Of course I knew who it was. I could never forget that voice.

"How did you-?"

"Get your number?" He clucked his tongue. "No need to worry about that love, I do have a question though. Are you excited to see me?"

"Excuse me?"

"I am thinking of making a trip to LA, visit my favourite girl."

"If I even sense you near me, I will call the cops." I couldn't breath. I wished my voice was strong, unafraid but I was petrified. He knew where I was.