"So, Claira. You're going to have to stay with the Harts if you want to keep going to this school.I physically can not move down there. I just cant, for reasons, that are unexplained."
"Okay," I say, buckling the seat-belt. Finally get to leave this hellhole.
My mind wanders. I've stayed in the hospital for a week. I missed the rest of the school week and a few days. I've missed softball practice.
Shit. I've missed softball practice.
"Mom, can you drop me off at the apartment before I go to their house. I need to grab a couple things."
"Everything was already taken from there."
"Oh. Okay."
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When we got to the Harts house, everyone surrounded me in hugs. Except Jacob. He wasn't there.
Now that hugs and dinner is over, I'm up in my bedroom, reading. That is until I hear a knock on the door and Jacob walks in holding my bat bag. Some girl is standing next to him, a girl I've never recognized.
And she's holding his hand.
"What's this?" he asks, expecting an answer.
"None of your business."
"Sure. Claira you know you can't play! Why would you go and play, first of all, second of all, why wouldn't you have at least told me? Is this what you were lying about?"
"Why does it even matter anymore, when you were clearly lying to me too? I told you we were taking a break for two weeks, and it's been a week and you're already off with another girl. Did I really mean that little to you? How long have you been seeing her for?"
"Claire, do not change the subject. this si completely irrelevant. You could have gotten hurt. You still can."
"It's not gonna hurt me anymore than you are!"
"What are you even talking about? I haven't hurt you once Claira."
"That's bullshit. Are you really that fucking stupid?"
"Apparently I am, because the only time I can recall hurting you is that once, and it didn't happen again."
"I'm not talking about physical pain, Jacob. Mental pain! Have you ever thought of how much mental pain you've out me through. You are literally hurting me right now, whether you can see it or not! You broke my fucking heart. 3 times. And you're doing it again. DO you ever realize how much seeing you with someone else , when we were, mind you, just on a break, does to me? What is going on with you? You're acting so different? It's like you don't care about my feelings anymore. Did you ever think about how much I loved you? Still love you? No you didn't. You only cared about how much you loved me. I'm starting to believe you don't even love me. Which sucks, because I am fully, head over heels, in love with every bit of you. Good and bad. I have literally spent nights, lying in bed thinking about how much I love you, and how I want to be with you forever. How I want to have a life with you maybe when we're older. I can't believe you would go and fucking date someone else while we're on a break. We weren't actually broken up fully."
"I'm sorry."
"Your sorry's don't cut it anymore. If that's really all you can say, than we're done. For real. I don't want to ever date you again. I fucking hate you. Get out of my room."
I walk over to the door, push him out of the room and slam the door in his face, hoping it hits him again.
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Jacob's P.O.V.
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"Are you okay," Stephanie asks, as we walk to my room.
"Yes."
"I didn't know you were dating someone else."
"I'm not. I wasn't. I knew she didn't want to be with me anymore. I knew it the moment she told me to "fuck off" about a week ago. Claira is sarcastic, and stubborn, and can be a bitch, but it's usually only to people she doesn't like. She's very...'feisty' if that's how you want to put it."
"Still, I wouldn't have went out with you if I knew she was dating you."
"It's okay. I knew she was gonna break up with me, and I really l started to like you after I met you at school. So, I asked you out."
"Oh," she says, blushing a bit.
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Claira's P.O.V.
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Fucking bullshit. What an ass-hat.
My phone buzzes, snapping me out of my daze, and transferring attention to the phone. When I pick it up, it's a random number. the text reads:
hey claire. it's cooper. are you okay? you haven't been at school at all. i had to practically beg Tanner to give my our number so I could check on you.
hi cooper! yes, this is Claire. it's a long story, as to why i haven't been to school.
but i'm pretty okay. thanks for asking.
okay well meet at the park later and wear something nice.
I'm taking you to a party.
fine.
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"Cooper?" I ask. I have a flashlight on, and notice him as he walks up.
"Right here. I can drive. Come on. My friends are with me too, and some of their friends or girlfriends."
"Oh, okay."
I get into the car, and find Tanner? sitting there, in a pair of jeans and a purple croptop. two other girls sit next to her.
"Tanner?" I ask. "Why are you here?"
"Because. he's my brother," she says pointing at Cooper.
"Step. Step-brother, Tanner. There's a difference," he says.
"Oh."
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"Alright, your turn Cooper. Spin the bottle to see who you play 7 minutes in heaven with."
He spins the bottle. It rattles as it comes to a stop, about to land on Raelyn, but Cooper bumps the table and it lands on me. Shit.
"Come on, Claire." He smiles at me, and I take his hand that he's holding out.
We walk up the stairs and into the bedroom.
Once he shuts and locks the door, I speak up. "We don't actually have to do anything right?" He looks at me like im crazy.
"What do you mean? It's 7 minutes in heaven. Of course."
TW: RAPE/ TALKING OF RAPE
Before I know what's happening, he has my hands pinned to the wall with one hand, causing pain in my wrists, and the other hand covers my mouth. When I try to scream, he digs his fingernails into my skin.
"Shut up and do what I say."
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Knocking on the door concludes 7 minutes, and I could never be more thankful in my life. My wrists are all bloody, and tears stream down my eyes. Cooper doesn't stop smirking, as I put my clothes back on, still crying.
He grabs my hair and pulls me towards him. "Shut the fuck up. You're fine."
I wipe my eyes, and straighten my hair as he opens the door.
"That was 15 minutes, not 7," Ant, Cooper's friend, claims.
"I know," he says. We walk down the stairs and I'm still shaking. Crying. Feeling like I can't breathe.
I want to go home. I want to see Jacob even if he's an ass. I want him to comfort me, say I'll be okay, help me. It doesn't , mean I want to get back together. I just means I need him.