Take A Walk (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 5 of The Hardships Saga)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

They sat on the floor of a luxurious hotel room they didn't belong in, drowning in each others pain. Eventually, Elle's anguished screams became crying, then whimpers, then... silence. Silence interrupted by occasional hiccupping from them both. Drew had been singing soothingly through his own tears, singing all her favourite songs as though it was enough.

Both too tired to go back to the bed that was two feet away, they slept on the floor, not speaking. They pretended that their exhaustion was simply the lateness of the hour, and not a moment that would change life as they knew it yet again.

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Elle opened her eyes, heavy with sleep and exhaustion. She could feel Drew's chest beneath her, rising and falling with each soft breath. She squinted at the time. One in the afternoon. The room was bathed in a golden light, beautiful sunrays peeking in between the gaps in the curtains. They had fallen asleep propped up against the wall, Elle curled up in Drew's lap, her head resting on his shoulder.

"D-Drew?" she whispered, and he grumbled slightly, opening his eyes and looking at her. He gazed at her for a second too long, before hugging her close.

"Jesus, Ellie," he breathed.

"I'm sor-"

"Don't apologise. How do you feel? Do you need to see a doctor? You were hitting yourself pretty hard."

She sat up, giving him room to move, and he stretched his neck with a wince. "I'm okay, I think," she said softly, rubbing her head. It was hurting. "Head hurts a little. Maybe ibuprofen."

"R-Right, right," he muttered, standing. He helped her up, and sat her down on the bed, and she almost instantly fell back and lay there, her bones aching. Images, like damaged film, kept flashing before her eyes. Suddenly, she wasn't lying on the hotel bed- she was in Frank's disgusting living room, the smell of sweat, alcohol and cigarettes filling the room and her body was on a springy mattress, and her body was burning. She let out a gasp, and the hotel room swam back into focus as she felt tears fill her eyes.

Drew returned with a painkiller and a kiss. "Are you sure you're okay, Ellie?"

"I'm fine, I- I just-" She took a shuddering breath. "F-F*ck..."

He sat in front of her, taking her hands. "Do you need a doctor? A psychologist?"

An image flashed in front of her eyes, and Drew wasn't Drew, he was Frank, and he was kneeling in front of her with a smirk on his face. She managed to control herself, and didn't cry out or react, but Drew noticed her tense up, anyway. "That's it. We're going to a hospital, Ellie."

"N-No-"

"No arguing with me on this one." He walked back to their closet. "Are you feeling up to getting dressed?"

She shook her head and began to cry, and Drew wiped her tears, gently kissing her. "Let me get changed. We'll leave now, okay? Are you in pain?"

It was just her head. Just her goddamn head. She didn't want to speak, though, so she just kept crying. He wrapped an arm around her waist as he organised an Uber, and slowly took her down the elevator, ignoring the gaze of everyone watching. No one else mattered in that moment, anyway. Only Ellie.

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"Hello?"

"Drew! We heard Elle was-"

"She's sleeping. She'll be fine." He leaned forward, closing his eyes and letting go of Elle's hand to swipe it through his unstyled mess of hair. "I'm sorry I didn't call earlier."