When Winter Came (CrankGamepays Fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Ethan's POV- Also that evening

I walk into my room and hear the shower running. Absolutely perfect. Now I have to act like it doesn't matter to me that she's with someone else when we all know that's a lie. I set my jacket down on my bed and sit next to it with an exasperated sigh. I don't understand why I'm even here. I should have just slept on the floor at Mark's or something.

I stand and pic up my jacket again and just as I'm about to leave the room I hear a thud coming front he bathroom. I look over curiously, almost ignoring it at first, but it's quickly followed by sobs. I drop my jacket and slowly walk to the bathroom door. I don't know why I still care, especially after what she did to me, but I do. I knock lightly and call out to her. "Winter? Are you alright?"

"G-go away, Eth-an!" She yells back.

"What's going on?" I continue to press for information.

"I don't want-t you to s-see me like th-this!" Winter screams in between sobs. I check the handle and see that the door isn't locked. I don't open it quite yet.

"Winter, I'm worried about you." I reply, a concerned expression playing at my normally relaxed features.

"D-don't worry!" She continues to defy my attempts to help.

"I'm coming in." I state firmly. I don't give her a chance to protest or even try to stop me to compose herself. I toss the door open and walk in, closing it behind me, but what I see makes me want to run. I look down to witness a scene that I hoped to never see in my entire life.

Winter doesn't even turn to face me, she keeps her head down as she continues to sob.

The water is turned a bright red from the probably fifteen slits across her arm. A razor is clutched in her other hand. She's on her knees on the floor, bent over herself as the tears mix with the water. She's still clothed, a black tank top and shorts now soaking wet and clinging to her hunched form.

A hand flies to my mouth as I see this and I immediately bend down to pull her into my arms. She tries to push me away, the razor clattering to the floor as she does. She digs her nails into my arms and screams at me in an attempt to get me away from her, but there's one thing she doesn't understand about me; She could stab me, cut me, punch me, drag me through absolute hell, but I would never let go of her.

I feel her finally stop fighting, her body going limp as the sobs begin to pour from both of our mouths. I pull her against me, my clothes now getting wet as well.

Winter begins to scream and one phrase in particular catches my attention. "WHY THE FUCK AM I FALLING APART!?" This only makes me cry more, my once grey shirt now being stained a blood red. Sobs rack my body as I hold her close and her hands clutch my shirt in fists. I'm shaking, terrified thoughts if what could have happened if I wast here filling my mind.

"Winter," I whisper. "I'm always going to be here to pull you back together when you fall apart. I promise you that."

It seemed like we were sitting there for hours before we finally stopped crying. Winter had changed into one of my t-shirts that was way too big for her and came down to just above her knees and a pair of short shorts that couldn't be seen from under the shirt. I changed into some dry clothes as well and tossed our wet ones in the dryer.

I gently set her on the counter in the bathroom and pulled out a roll of gauze from a drawer with some hydrogen peroxide. I gently take her hand and hold it over the sink as I begin to pour the liquid over the wounds on her arm. She cries out in pain as I do, but I don't stop until they're all clean. I finally finish and set the bottle aside with a deep sigh.

Taking the bandages into my hand, I slowly begin to wrap her arm, sealing the cuts in to heal. I pull the fabric around her wrist five or six times, then use a piece of medical tape to hold it down. I place a gentle kiss to her hand before helping down and pulling her into a hug.

"Winter, please promise me you'll never do that again." I whisper, my voice calm, but my heart racing.

"I won't, Ethan. I swear. This is the first time in years." She sighs back. I give her a curious look as she says this. She just shakes her head. "That's a story for another time." She states. I nod in response before picking her up bridal style and carrying her over to the bed, gently laying her down.

I slowly crawl in bed next to her, pulling the covers over both of us. "Can I ask you a question?" I ask softly.

"Of course you can, Ethan. You can always ask me anything." She replies.

"Why did you say yes to Adam?" I inquire. She lets a drawn out sigh pass her lips as she hears these words. There's a moment of silence as if she's trying to figure out what to say to me.

"Honestly," She begins. "I have absolutely no idea. I don't even like him, it was just a quick deduction from a circumstance where I was under pressure." she explains. I nod, a huge weight now off of my shoulders.

"Thank you," I whisper. "I needed to hear that." She gives an almost silent agreement and nuzzles her head into the crook of my neck.

"Ethan," She mumbles.

"Hm?" I reply tiredly.

"I love you," Winter states. "I mean it. That's not just a simple statement that I should say in this sort of situation." She paused. "I love you, Ethan. And that's the truth."

It takes me a moment to find the words even though I know exactly what to say to her. "I love you too, Winter. And that will never change." We smile.

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A/N-

I have posted four chapters in the last twelve hours.

Four.

You guys better be happy.

-Taryn 💙