Take a minute girl come sit down
And tell us what's been happening
In your face I can see the pain
Don't you try to convince us that you're happy...
- Destinys Child
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|Two Months Later|
-Ashton
Justin was finally giving me a break after we went to the wedding together to get work done and spend time with the girls, but after we said "I love you", his clingy side was in full effect.
I had to beg Khalil to take him to the studio.
"Dani!" I yelled though our now shared house and made my way up the steps, seeing that her door was closed.
She was always private; but never as much as she is now with me. The past few weeks she's been acting like I couldn't tell that something has been going on, and I finally have time to talk to her about it in private.
"Dani," I sighed and knocked on her door, opening it after I heard her tell me to come in. She sat with her back facing me before turning down her music and smiling at me.
"What's up?" She smiled then took in the look I had on my face. "What's wrong?"
"You..." I said and sat down across from her. "It's something you're not telling me about why you actually came back. I have no problem with you staying with me, but I know my sister." I raised my brow at her.
"I really have no clue what you're talking about." She laughed awkwardly and looked back at her phone. I quickly snatched it from her hand and put it behind my back.
"You've got bruises that are healing in your legs and arms, Danielle. One thing you don't wanna do right now is lie to me." I urged her.
"I workout, Ash. It's nothing serious and you need to chill." She responded defensively and tried to grab her phone, only resulting in me moving it again.
"Is somebody hitting you? Was somebody hitting you?" I whispered and grabbed her wrist, but as soon as I reached out for it, it made her flinch before I even touched her.
My heart fell.
"Danielle, I swear to God if you don't tell me who's been putting their hands on you I will go up to the fucking university and burn that shit to the ground. Do you hear me?!" I yelled softly, not wanting to make her more anxious than she already was. "Tell me."
She looked down at her hands before they started to shake uncontrollably. "Baby," I sighed and pulled her into me as a cry ripped from her chest. "Dani, please just tell me, okay? I have to know what's been happening to you; you don't tell anyone anything and I need to know."
"I-I just didn't know w-what else to d-do." She stuttered as she buried her face into my shirt.
"What do you mean? What did you do?" I question and ran my fingers though her hair. She pulled away slowly before cleaning her face.
"There w-was this guy I was dating on campus; his name was Evan. He was literally everything to me, Ashton. I thought I was to him. He couldn't move left, without me being too far away, and I couldn't go right without him following my lead." Danielle smiled to herself.
"But," her smile dropped and was replaced with a frown. "It all changed when we found an apartment on campus and moved in together. I don't know, he just started going out more and cheating. Then I questioned him about it and he got pissed, Ashton." She shook her head.
"What did he do?" I asked calmly, not wanting to get too worked up.
Danielle bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying, but it did no use. "He just hit me." She mumbled. "I-I don't know why, I thought it was my fault. Like I caused it; you know? But he said it was an accident; like, he didn't mean to. I believed it like a dumbass—"
"You're not a dumbass—" I interjected.
"I am." She looked at me. "I was a dumbass cause I seriously thought that he would stop. But I let him win and do it constantly. That's why I had to leave. I mean, I've got my degree; but I couldn't put up with it anymore. So I withdrew and got all of my things sent to my friends place. I've been going around nonstop to find a way to get my things to a secure place, and get a job out here."
"Why didn't you tell anybody, Dani? I would've came to get you myself; shit, I would've caught a flight within the same day." My eyes started to water. I was pissed and hurt at the same time, and it wasn't a good combination.
"I didn't want to be a bother. You have so much going on with work; and mom is... mom. I can't stress her out."
I understood where she was coming from. After dads death, our mom decided to take on both rolls, and the stress from this would send her into overdrive— but at the same time, she is our mom.
We sat in silence for a few minutes with her wrapped in my arms while she sniffed. "You're not going back to get your things." I told her and shook my head. "I'll get them sent here; you can live with me. But, mom is gonna have to know, Danielle. Keeping it from her won't do any good."
"I know." She mumbled and ran her hands though her hair. "I'm just scared." Her voice cracked.
"I understand. She won't be upset with you; I'll be with you. But, you need to get a restraining order, Dani. It'll make you feel better, and give you some relief."
She simply nodded her head again and looked at her fingers. "Come to New York with me." I nudged her shoulder.
"What?" She looked at me in disbelief.
"Come to New York with me. Fashion week is starting up, and I can ask Miora about bringing a plus one; so I want you to come. Get away and clear your head a little." I grinned.
Her arms instantly wrapped around my neck as she hugged me. "Thank you, Thank you!" She laughed and rocked me back and forth as I hugged her back.
"I just want you to live. So pack for at least five days; that's how long we'll be there. Okay?"
She nodded her head and I squeezed her hand gently, giving her some time to herself. "I love you, Ash." She smiled.
"I love you too." I chuckled back and closed her door before grabbing my phone.
Ashton:
I need your help with something ...
Baby😍😘:
That something is...
Justin replied almost instantly, making me smile.
Ashton:
I need you to help me with filing for a restraining order.
Baby😍😘:
A what??
He wasted no time in calling me to see what was going on. "Why the hell do you need a restraining order? Who's fucking with you?" He asked instantly.
"Gee, hi baby, I missed you too. I'm doing great thanks." I rolled my eyes and sat on my bed.
"Gee, hi baby, I missed you too. How are you, I'm doing great, thanks." He replied back sarcastically. "Now, why the hell do you need a restraining order, and who's fucking with you?"
"It's not for me..."
"Ashton, baby, please don't beat around the bush right now."
I sighed and fell back onto my pillow. "It's for Danielle."
"Who is messing with Danielle?!" He yelled.
"Justin, please calm down." I tried to sooth him. "The reason she came here is because of her ex... he hits her." I mumbled. "She needed to get away, so she did. She's gonna live with me, but I need help with finding someone who can help with a restraining order."
"Of course, that's not even a question." He answered confidently. "I can find someone by tomorrow morning and give you all the details, babe."
"Thank you." I smiled to myself and walked to my closet to get my things in order for the trip.
"No problem... how are you taking everything?"
"Can't even process it all." I said truthfully. "It hurts and it's hard. I pretty much sat back without even knowing, but knowing that something was wrong at the same time. I feel like shit."
"Don't feel like shit. At least she had the strength to finally tell you and not keep you in the dark. Sometimes things can't be done in our own time."
"You're right..." I sighed and threw a few dresses on my bed.
"Who are you talking to? Is that Ashton?" I heard Khalil's voice on the other end.
"Tell Khalil I said hi." I giggled and put the phone on speaker, grabbing a pair of shoes.
"He heard you," I could tell Justin was rolling his eyes. "He's been on the phone with Lauren for the past hour, and they're making me sick. Can I please leave and see you?" He begged.
"I would love you to, but I want you to focus at the same time, babe." I huffed trying to gather up a few more things. "We'll be seeing each other soon anyway."
"My definition of soon is way different from your definition. I miss my girl."
"And your girl misses you, but she also enjoys the few hours apart." I laughed.
"I knew it, entertaining another man right after saying I love you." He responded in a joking manner "I knew you were too good to be true."
"Justin, shut the fuck up." I laughed and shook my head. "I'm actually packing for this trip—"
"The trip you won't let me go on with you or even be around you—"
"Because you're a distraction, Danielle is coming with me, and I don't need anyone questioning me about you or assuming I got here because of you." I said in a 'matter of fact' tone.
"Fuck them."
"Fuck you."
"Y'know, this tension that is building up from the both of us? I'm starting to think it's because we haven't had sex in a while... we should fix that." I could tell he was smirking at his own comment.
"I will hang up on your ass."
"I'm just throwing out options, and my mom would like to meet you, by the way."
I frowned. "How can you go from mentioning that you want sex, to your mom wanting to meet me? Isn't that a little awkward?"
"You're right... it is, isn't it? But yeah, she wants to meet you sometime. I told her whenever you're not busy, we could visit."
"You still have to visit my mom."
"Well, I guess it'll be a week of visiting mothers coming up."
"I guess so." I chucked. "Look, I have to finish packing. If I don't see you this week, just know that it's cause of this fashion week stuff, and that I love you, m'kay?"
"Aww, look at you; sharing your feeling and what not. I love you too, baby. If we don't see each other, just know that I'll be FaceTiming that ass." He laughed.
"I know. Just... don't do anything stupid while I'm away, okay? I don't wanna find out about anything via social media while we're gone."
"I promise, babe. I have a verse to finish, so you finish what you're doing, and I'll FaceTime you later, yeah? And maybe we could do that thing...." he dragged on, but I caught on instantly.
"I'm not about to have the FBI watching me just so you get off." I smacked my lips. "Use your hand."
"Wow. Just wow. I'll remember that one."
"I love you!"
"Yeah, yeah, I love you too, beautiful. I'll speak to you soon; and you better be naked."
"I'm hanging up on you."
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CHAPTER EDITED
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