How I Fell Into His Life

Secret

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Jackson's POV

I heard her laughter before I saw her, Natalie. We've been playing hide and seek with the rest of the crew for an hour. I was it and I had found everyone besides Natalie.
I had just tripped over a tree stump, and then I heard it. Natalie was laughing, I had finally found her. I walked around the big tree that her laughter was coming from, I looked up and saw her. She was laughing so hard she looked like she was going to fall off of the branch she was sitting on.
And then it happened, she was falling. "No!" I shouted while trying to run to where she was probably going to land. I was running towards her when my body stopped moving. I was trying to move but I couldn't, it was like there was a force holding me back.
"Natalie!" I cried while trying to move, why wasn't I able to run to her?
She landed on the ground with a thud, she opened her eyes and they were full of pain. She got up and started running, why was she running? What was she running from?
Then I saw him, it was Owen, he was chasing her. "No! Run Nat!" I shouted while tears spilled out of my eyes. He was gaining on her and I was terrified.
       He suddenly tackled her and she was on the ground, she was bleeding. Her head was bleeding, why couldn't I move to help her?
I felt the tears rolling down my cheeks as I saw Owen picking Natalie up and carrying her away. I kept shouting her name and with every shout you could hear the hurt in my voice.
"Natalie! No! Nat, please come back!" I shouted in between the loud cry's. "Please." I said one last time.
Then I heard a voice, "Jackson! Jackson! Jackson!" Someone was touching me, but when I turned around no one was there. I felt it again and again over and over.
"Jackson come on man, wake up!" Someone shouted while hitting my chest over and over. "Wake up!" I heard someone scream.
I instantly bolted up while opening my eyes, it was all a dream. It was all just a sick and nasty dream. I sighed and bent over shaking my head, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and saw all my friends, they were all watching me. "What time is it?" I wondered out loud. I got a reply of "It's three in the morning Jackson." I sighed as a bunch of other questions came to mind.
Was I screaming out loud? By the looks on their faces I could tell that I had been. I sighed and rubbed a hand over my face, I felt the wetness from my tears.
       I felt someone sit down next to me, I looked over and saw Nathan. Tucker then sat down on the other side of me with a weak smile. Jess and Ash sat down on the ground in front of me, they both had tears in their eyes.
I was still crying silently while staring at my lap. Tucker wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into him, I cried into his shoulder not caring who saw.
I pulled away after a few minutes and looked towards the girls, then my big brother, and then finally my first best friend. I sighed and then heard Jessica whisper, "What was the dream about Jackson?" I shook my head and sighed once again.
I took a deep breath and said "I saw her, she was there. She was...she was right there." I struggled to get out. "I couldn't save her." I said while more tears fell down my cheeks.
Ashley grabbed my hand and said, "This isn't your fault Jackson." She sounded truthful, but could I believe her? How did she know I was blaming myself for Natalie's kidnapping?
It was my fault though, it was all my fault. If I had just offered to come pick her up from the hospital, maybe she would be here in my arms instead of god knows where all alone. More tears fell down my cheeks at the thought of Natalie being alone and cold and scared.
"It is all my fault though." I said while sighing and then continuing. "Natalie would be here now if it weren't for me telling her to come home." I said with a sigh then continued, "She would be safe." I said while finally letting my walls down, I broke down completely.

Four hours later

      I woke up again to the smell of pancakes, bacon, and coffee. I was relieved to find out that I had no other nightmares during the night. After I had claimed it to be my fault that Natalie was missing everyone told me I wasn't. I remember Ashley saying no multiple times and Nathan telling me that it's not my fault Nat had dated so many bad guys. And last but not least I remember Tucker telling me he would help me kill Owen and Ben.
      Later on after that we had all stayed up talking about random things that we all loved about Natalie. Natalie was a rough subject to talk about, but talking about her in a happy way seemed to help.
       I missed my girlfriend, my best friend, my pumpkin. I missed everything about her, I missed her laugh, her smile, her eyes, I missed her comments about how childish I am. I missed everything about the girl that had stolen my heart.
      After five minutes of torturing myself with thoughts of Natalie I finally decided to get up. I reached for my phone and saw that it was 7:07 am. I quietly got off the couch while trying not to step on Jess and Ash, they were still asleep and looking peaceful. I turned around when I heard a voice behind me, I had kept walking without paying attention and ran right into the recliner Tucker was sleeping on. "Oh no." I said while turning around to see who's voice caused this, it was Liam and he was smiling evilly.
       He knew that I would run into the recliner and he knew Tucker would wake up upset. Tucker loved his sleep, he loved being able to forget for awhile. But what Liam didn't know was that Tucker would take my side in this situation and that Tucker would be more then willing to help me take care of Liam.
       Sure enough Tucker was waking up, and he looked furious. He saw me and was about to punch me in the shoulder before I stopped him by grabbing his shoulder and shaking my head. He looked confused so I helped him out by pointing with my eyes to Liam. Tucker followed my eyes with his own and then he noticed Liam standing there with a smug look on his face.
       Tucker stood up and I backed up making sure he had enough room to put the recliner down. He stood up and crossed his arms over his chest while sending a death glare in Liam's direction, I was doing the same thing. "Now is not the time to mess with us." I said sourly.
       "Oh right." Liam said dramatically before continuing. "I forgot that the brown haired freak show you call a girlfriend was kidnapped, such a shame." He said with a fake sigh. I walked towards him and pushed him against the wall, "Don't you ever talk about her that way again. Do you understand me?" I asked.
       Liam looked big and tough, but he was a scrawny little bastard. I was able to easily push him against the wall. Liam was the same height as me but I was stronger by a long shot, I could thank football for that.
       I turned my attention back to Liam as he said, "What are you going to do about it? Tell your mommy?" He said in a teasing voice. I slammed him against the wall again but harder this time while saying, "You know what ya I will, I'll tell her everything." Liam's eyes widened as he watched me in fear. I walked towards the kitchen but not before I heard a grunt, I turned around and saw Tucker had punched him square in the jaw. I smiled before walking into the kitchen to finally tell my mom something I've been dying to for two years and four months.
       I walked back through the living room and headed towards the kitchen. I could hear my mom on the other side of the door messing around with pots and pans. I took a deep breath in and out before walking in, my Mom immediately looked up and smiled at the sight of me. I sighed and prepared myself for what I was about to tell her.
I was about to tell my mom something that would break her fragile heart. I had only told one other person about what Liam had done to me when we were alone. That person was Natalie, and thanks to Natalie and a great medical team of plastic surgeons my scars were almost invisible at this point.
       "Mom, I have to tell you something. You might actually want to sit down for this one." I said, she looked concerned but stood up and walked to the kitchen table and sat down in front of me. "What is it Jackson?" I sighed before telling her, taking a deep breathe in and out. "Liam insults Nathan and I, he used to hit me sometimes. Those scars on my back are from him, he hit me with a belt." A tear ran down my face and I looked up and saw my mother had tears streaming down her cheeks already. She was walking towards me with outstretched arms, "I'm so sorry baby." She said while wrapping her arms around me. "I used to let him beat me up emotionally and physically but I won't anymore Mom. I can't, I'm stronger now." I said as more tears slid down my cheeks.
       My mom pulled away and looked into my eyes, "Why did he hit you honey? I don't understand." She said sadly while looking hurt. "There's many reasons why, he was drunk, or he was angry, or I annoyed him. One time he hit me for having Natalie over." I said sadly. "He hates her with such a passion mom, I can't handle it anymore mom. I love Natalie and now she's gone and he insulted her mom. He's happy that she's gone." I said as my voice began to break. But I sucked it up because I had more to say, "He needs to leave Mom, he hasn't done anything for us. Does he even make you happy anymore mom?" I asked.
I looked down into my moms sad eyes, there were tears falling down her pale cheeks as she shook her head no. "File for a divorce mom, please." I said with so much hurt in my voice I didn't even sound like myself.
"I'll make sure he's gone by the end of the day Jackson. He's not allowed in our lives anymore, never ever again. I'll also be talking to the police about the abuse." My Mom said, she was acting brave but I knew she was scared, shocked, and worried.
I pulled her in for a hug and she whispered "I love you. And I'm beyond sorry baby, you shouldn't have had to go through that. I know you love Natalie and I do too, she's a lovely girl with a heart of gold. She's gone for now, but she'll be back soon and then you can tell her the good news and that she should be extremely proud of you. Your going through such a hard time right now Jackson, but I know in my heart that there will eventually be a good outcome." She finished while kissing my cheek and walking out of the kitchen to get rid of Liam, finally.
I thought back to the time when Liam had hit me, it was the time he had insulted Natalie. I tackled him to the ground and that's why he had hit me. When I went to Natalie for help I told her it was because he was drunk. What she didn't know and what I didn't realize until now is that I've been completely in love with Natalie for a year and a half now, and I would do anything for her.
My mom was right, Natalie may be somewhere dark and scary and all alone right now. But later on she'll be safe and in my arms, I can promise you that much.
I love Natalie with all my heart and I would never let her go that easily.

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