My phone buzzing in my ear stirred me awake the next morning.
It took me a second to remember that Justin had came over yesterday, and he wasn't in the best condition.
As I forced my eyes open, I came face to face with my boyfriend, his face peaceful and gentle. He looked so innocent and calm that it was hard to imagine that I had ever been pissed at him in the first place.
I propped myself up on my elbow and looked at my phone, sighing when I saw that I'd have to cover for one of my coworkers today. It was supposed to be my day off.
"Nice view." Justin's voice was barely audible. My eyes shot toward him, lips parted in shock. His eyes were on my chest, the right side of his mouth curved into a smile.
Instead of proceeding to give him a dirty look, I glanced down to see just what exactly he was looking at. Warmth spread through my cheeks when I saw that my breasts were about ready to pop out of my sleep shirt considering I was putting force on them and pushing them up along with the rest of my body.
"Thanks." I set my phone back on the bed between us, slowly lowering myself back down.
"How do you feel?" I brushed my hand against his warm cheek, searching his eyes for an answer.
"Okay, I guess." He muttered. "I'd feel better if you kissed me. You know, I heard it can help heal wounds." I rolled my eyes at the comment.
"You want to tell me why you had a nasty gash on the back of your head, Justin? Or do I have to force it out of you?" I asked. He touched my cheek, then my lip, before dropping his hand back on the bed between us.
"Are you going to tell me why you pretended to be Hailey on Friday?" It irritated me that he had answered a question with another question.
"Justin." I said with a warning tone.
"Dad asked if I was still playing and I told him I wasn't. It started this huge fucking argument between him and my mother that somehow ended up with him. . . he started shoving me and I fell back and hit my head on the corner of the counter." I gasped, my breath catching in my throat as I reached over and rested both of my hands on his cheeks.
"Jesus, Justin. You need to go to the police or-"
"No. Look, Han, you don't understand it, okay? It's my problem until it's not." He leaned forward and kissed me softly, "I think I'm going to start playing again."
"Baseball?" He shrugged.
"Whatever sport is in season. I just want him to shut up." I brushed my thumb under his eye, tears stinging my own.
"You should talk to Mason." I tried to clear the lump in my throat, "He has issues at home too. You guys could be like. . . each other's rock, you know. Someone that knows what it's like to talk to." He let out a shaky sigh, his lips brushing against mine as I waited for an answer.
"You are my rock, Hannah."
*
I leaned over the scanner, tapping my fingers boredly on the counter as I waited for a customer to approach the register. Of course I couldn't get so lucky.
"You still open?" My head whipped up at the familiar voice, a sick feeling spreading through me at the sight of the man in front of me.
At first glance Alexander Davidson looked like nothing more than a rich guy, with designer clothes and glasses, it was a surprise he'd even be shopping at a place like Target. But I knew that he was more than meets the eye. Behind his striking green eyes, were lies and years and years of mentally and physically abusing his son. Under his thick black locks were millions of thoughts on how he was going to go home, get hammered again, then kick his son's ass for confronting him on it.
"You're my son's girl, aren't you?" He set the case of beer and a couple other miscellaneous items in front of me, giving me a quick once over from behind his tinted sunglasses.
"Oh, and you're the dick he has to call a father, right?" I whispered, glancing around to make sure nobody except the man in front of me had heard it. I needed this job, I couldn't get fired.
"Such a shame that my boy has introduced me in such a crude way." He handed me the money, finally removing his glasses again and revealing his piercing eyes. "And to hear such disgusting words leave a beautiful mouth." I bowed my head, biting lip until I tasted blood.
"Thanks for shopping at Target, come again soon." I said obnoxiously loud, not wanting to continue the conversation. My boss had appeared at the register behind us, her eyes narrowed.
"You should join us for dinner tonight, sweetie. I'm sure Justin would love that. Has he told you his great news?" I tried to keep a straight, professional face, but it seemed to get harder and harder the longer he waited for an answer.
"Great news?" I found myself questioning.
"Oh, I see. Well, he's been accepted back onto the team and has taken lead position. It seems that's he's also finally grown a pair, considering he still with someone that obviously has her head on straight." I bit my tongue, afraid I'd say something out of had in front of my boss, and forced a smile on my face.
"That's wonderful. Thank you, sir. Please come again." He took his bags and gave me a tight nod.
"Will you be joining us for dinner?" He questioned.
"Don't know, Mr. Davidson. I'll talk to Justin once I get off. Have a nice day." And by nice day, I mean I hope you get hit by a bus.
*
"What do you mean? Was he being a creep?" Sophia's eyebrows shot up, lips pursed.
"No, just a dick. I know he was trying to get a rise out of me." I replied, shoving another handful of Doritos into my mouth.
"Han, I. . . if I tell you something, can you promise not to tell anyone else? Especially Hailey." I nodded slowly, my eyes drifting sideways at the sound of her voice. She sounded as if she was about to start crying, but was doing everything in her power not to allow the tears out.
"Of course, Soph. What's going on? Guy issues?" I questioned. She looked away, her nails digging into the couch cushion.
"I guess you could say that." She whispered.
"What's wrong?" I set the bag of chips on the table and gave her my full attention.
"I. . . I had sex." She still wouldn't look me in the eyes.
"That's great!" I commented, then realized why she might be acting so distant, "Unless it's not. Is everything okay?" I watched as a stray tear escaped her eye and rolled down her pale cheek.
"Did someone-" I started.
"I had sex with Coach Fuller." I flew back against the arm of the couch, hissing in pain after a second. My best friend looked seconds from breaking down entirely, and seeing me reacting this way couldn't possibly be helping.
"Did he force-"
"No. I. . . we were just talking, and then we started flirting, and. . . and. .." She groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Mom is going to kill me. And what if he tells someone else and-"
"Soph, he's a staff member that had sex with an underage student, he's not going to tell anyone." I reached out and rubbed her shoulder. I opened my mouth to offer her more comforting words when my phone buzzed on my lap. I almost turned it off, but decided I better make sure it wasn't Justin trying to escape his father.
It was a text from Miranda.
"Do you regret it?" I dropped my phone back onto my lap a second later, searching her dark eyes.
"I don't know. I'm just scared. I. . . It was just for fun, Han. I didn't mean for it to go that far. Now. . .Oh God." She buried her hands in her thick, dark hair, shaking her head repeatedly.
I rubbed her arm, not knowing what else to say that would be of any comfort to her. She could vent, scream, hit me and I'd be okay with it. But I couldn't say a word, not when she was hurting so bad. I felt it would only make it worse.
As if he couldn't pick an even more inappropriate time to walk in, Dad unlocked the door and stalked into the house, leaving the door wide open behind him. I didn't realize why until I found Mason and Justin making their way up the steps. It was one of the first times I'd seen Mason use the front door.
"Oh My God, are those for me?" I gushed, gesturing toward the flowers and heart-shaped box of chocolates in their hands.
"Of course." Justin leaned forward and kissed me. I snorted and pushed him away for a second, stepping in front of Mason.
"My twin's not here right now, Mase. But I could totally take those and give her your message." I smiled sweetly, starting to figure out how Sophia and I were going to divide the chocolate's once we were inside.
"Funny." Mason laughed, "Hey, Soph." Sophia avoided the boys' curious looks and waved shyly.
"So you don't want these? Hmm, I guess I'll just eat them myself." Justin teased in the door frame. I rolled my eyes and took the flowers and chocolates from him.
"What do you want?" I questioned, "No guy in real life brings a girl flowers and chocolate's unless he wants something." I crossed my arms over my chest, arching an eyebrow.
"He wants sex." Mason whisper yelled, his lips curving into a goofy, aloof smile.I gave him a one finger salute just as Dad walked back into the room.
"Hannah." He snapped sternly. I felt warmth spread through my cheeks as I bowed my head.
"Sorry, Mason." I grumbled, feeling Justin move closer. When I finally allowed myself to look back up, I found him standing not even a foot away, amused.
"I want to take you out to dinner." Justin whispered, trailing his fingers up my arm, "And by dinner, I mean spending the next three hours sitting in between my asshole parents." I winced, taking his hand in mine, hating the bitterness in his voice.
"Sure. If you want me to come, I will." I turned around to face Mason just as he started making a dirty joke.
"I bet he wants you to c-"
"Shut it, Banks. Or I'll make sure Mason Junior never gets to make children." I felt Justin's chest vibrate with laughter against me; Mason looked terrified and slowly began to lower his hands over his crotch.
"You wouldn't." He gasped.
"You and I both know I would, Mason. Now get out of my face." I made a gesture with my hand, letting him now I was joking with a half smile.
"Let me go find something to wear." I held my finger up in Justin's face before turning to face my best friend on the couch, my happiness draining within seconds.
"Sop-"
"I'm fine, Han. We can talk about it tomorrow, yeah?" She smiled weakly, making my gut turn even more. I nodded, grabbing Justin's hand and squeezing it a little too hard to keep myself from crying.
"Are you sure?" I questioned.
"Yes. Now get out of my face." She mocked me, shooing me away with a wave of her hand. I pulled Justin down the hall to my room after me, picking a chocolate out of the box on the way there. I checked the hallway for Dad before shutting the door behind us and walking over to my closet.
"How casual is the dinner?" I sent him a questioning look over my shoulder. He shrugged, stretching himself out on my bed.
"Don't give a shit." I frowned, grabbing an old crop top Hailey and I used to share.
"How would you feel if I wore the sluttiest thing I could find?" I asked.
"I'd give you a fair warning that my Dad doesn't care about your age." I shuddered in disgust and grabbed one of Justin's old band shirts.
"Is this too big?" I muttered, holding it over my chest.
"Probably not. It was always small on me." I pulled my shirt over my head and changed into the band shirt, keeping an eye on Justin on my bed. He was watching me, but didn't make any attempt to talk or move. It was as if he were paralyzed.
"Is this okay?" I looked toward my door as I waited for his response. It came out as a long, drawn out sigh. One to prepare me for what was to come.
"It's perfect."
***AN***
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~ChasingMadness24