The Private Clinic

CHAPTER 17 - JULIET HARDWIN

Juliet Hardwin, 13 weeks after the accident

Evan and I are curled up on the couch, watching a movie together. He runs his hand through my hair and hums a song, but I don't know it. I look up at him, he's absorbed deep in the movie and I smile. I shuffle my body to become more comfortable and look down at my scarred legs.

Sitting up is easier than before, my ribs are for the most part fixed and are just sore nowadays. My arms have healed but my burned skin and scars are still visible. Even though my body demolished, Evan keeps telling me I am lucky and blessed to be alive. He sometimes compares me Pompeii, a beautiful destruction.

Though he's so good to me, it's still a strange adjustment, being here with Evan. He's a good mentor and guide, I liked having him around. He does have a temper, and I try to maneuver my way around it, avoiding his anger as much as I can. I glance up at him again and he frowns, I guess he wants me to stop moving around so much. Whenever he's angry, the vein in his forehead pops. I can still see it, only nuanced. He must still feel torn up about this afternoon. Even though the storm has subsided, Evan is one to hold a grudge.

Late this afternoon, I got furious and emotional, thinking about Casper. All i wanted was to go home and be around my family. I wam sick and tired of being the princess in the tower.

But whenever I start talking about my brother, Evan gets irritated. Saying I should focus more on myself. I'm unsure if Evan has ever had siblings, if he does, he never talks about them. He can never understand the ache of missing a family member like I have.

Nature calls, and I am proud to say I can finally use the bathroom on my own. Evan has drifted off, he must be so tired from taking care of me all the time. It takes a while to get away from under Evan's hold, but in time I get up and stretch out my legs.

I return from the bathroom and make my way through his tiny hallway, sunning my hand along the bare wall. Evan is not one to put up pictures. There's almost nothing about his life on display. I can tell the movie has interruped by commercials so I decide to look at myself in the mirror. While adjusting my ponytail, my gaze falls on the old, 80's style telephone that is still screwed to the wall. I always thought it was decoration, but what if it works? I shake the thought off, running my hand through my hair and ignoring the phone in the reflection.

Evan told me bfore that he calls Casper on the regular. He always comes up with excuses on why not to come see me, so what if I take measurures into my own hands? I know I can't walk out of here and go visit him, but I can at least give him a call.

I wave the thought off, shaming myself for attempting to misbehave and disobey Evan.

I hesitate to take the phone in my hand, but the overpowering feeling of being able to hear Casper's voice again wins. My mind is racing, my hands shake, but it's already in my hand, I owe myself to finish what I started right now. I dig in my head to try and remember Casper's cellphone number. I used to know it by heart, because he always gets into trouble but it seems my memories are still rusty. I sigh, wanting to slam the phone against the wall, but then something comes up.

I press the numbers in fast and dial. The time it takes until there is a response from the other line is eating at me. My thoughts wander, what if it's the wrong number? What if he had been purposely ignoring me all these weeks?

Evan's dog - still nameless - struts into the hallway. Gazing at me with an intens expression. I try to shoo him away, but he thinks i'm inviting him over to play.

"Get out of here!" I hastily whisper.

The dog's bark echoes through the hallway.

"Please shut up!" I whine.

The dog goes on to bark, more and louder, blowing my cover altogether.

"Juliet?" Evan called.

The leather of the couch sounds, I can hear it through the beeps the phone produces. Pick up Casper, please. Any minute now.

"Casper, leave a message." I hear through the receiver.

"Casper! Oh, you have no idea how happy I am to hear your voice – even if it's your stupid voicemail. Please call me back, oh. . . but not on this number. I don't, eh, I don't know. Come visit me."

"What are you doing?" Evan growled, his voice tainted with resentment.

"Oh, y-you startled me."

"Let go of the phone, Juliet." His expression has contorted into a mixture of anger and disappointment.

I pull a face, I can't believe the way he is talking to me. I hesitate, my legs feel like jelly and my arms tremble.

"NOW!"

He treks towards me and grabs my arm, his long fingers wrapping around it and squeezing firmly. I whimper in discomfort and drop the phone. It bungles up and down the cord but Evan is quick to end the call by stationing it back on the hook. He glares at me, his eyes are darker than usual, and it doesn't only depend on the dim lighting here. Chills spread over my body, and a vision of myself in the car stretches through my mind. It's the first time I can clearly remember what happened.

Reminiscing doesn't last long, Evan swings his arm and hits me hard on my cheek. I want to cover my hand over the burning area, but he doesn't let go of me.

"Is it so hard to follow my rules?" He mutters. His low voice is more intimidating than when he is shouting.

I bit my lip to stop it from quivering.

"I'm sorry, Evan, I'm so. . . I'm so sorry." I break down and land on the floor.

It's all happening too fast. I'm in the car again, my body cold, my screams and pleading not helping me get out of the awful position I am in. Why must these memories come to me now? I shake, Evan lets go of my arms and paces up and down the hallway.

"I've had enough of your apologies." His words break my sobs.

He's quick to pull me to my feet again and before I can lean on him to support me, he swings me against the wall. My chest pounds and my skin burns. I try to preserve my dignity and stand up. But the thud of my body connecting with the wall knocked the wind out of me.

Evan's eyes spit fire, his tall body is stretching out above me. He yells at me, but my brain can't seem to process it at all. I mindlessly stare at his mouth moving. My eyes roll into the back of my head, the floor sways below my feet and I hope I'm out before my body lands on the floor. But before everything closes in on me, his steady hands catch me.

We're getting closer to the truth. But finding out that you've been living a lie has consequences. Those, you'll find out in the upcoming chapters!

Thanks for reading! Your support is much appreciated!