"Lana?" Elle asked as she drove Dean's car. "Please talk to me."
We were on our way back from the football party and I was still crying. I really wanted to get away from all the drama. Why did it have to be me?
"I just, I really can't talk about it Elle, it hurts," I said, closing my eyes.
Soon, the car stopped moving and I opened my eyes. We were parked in the driveway of my house. I looked over at the clock. 1:05am. Shit!
"Lana," Elle said softly. "I'm going to stay the night if that's okay. I don't want you to be alone."
I wiped my eyes and nodded. I opened the car door and tried to stand up, stumbling a little. Elle ran around the car to help me stand up. She quietly closed the car door and walked me up the stairs to the front door. She unlocked the door and led me inside and up to my room. I sat down onto my bed and she disappeared for a few minutes, returning with a glass of water.
"Drink this," Elle said softly. "You need to try to sober up."
I took the glass and drank the water as she spoke to me. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you Lana. If or when you're ready to talk, I'll be here."
"I know," I said after I finished the glass of water. "Thank you for taking me home."
"You should probably get some rest," Elle said. "I'll see you tomorrow, ok Lana?"
"Ok, goodnight Elle," I said before she left my room, heading for the guest bedroom next-door.
I had a hard time falling asleep so I sat up and put a movie on my TV. After a little while, I heard noises coming from downstairs. I got curious so I slowly got up out of bed and quietly opened my bedroom door. I slowly walked down the stairs and noticed light coming from the family room.
I stepped off the last stair and walked down the hall, peeking my head into the family room. I saw Noah sitting on the couch, staring at the TV with his jaw clenched. His knuckles were bloody and he was hunched over, clearly in pain. I walked into the family room and sat down on the couch next to him.
"Noah," I said slowly. "What happened?"
"I punched him," Noah said, his jaw clenched.
My eyes widened. "Oh my god, Noah! Why?" I asked, turning to face him but he wouldn't look at me.
"I couldn't let him get away with that. He made you upset and he didn't help his case by trash talking you," Noah said. "I punched him without hesitation and I'd do it again and again if I had to."
I leaned over and hugged him but he winced and I pulled back. "Are you okay?" I questioned, looking down at where his hand was placed on his lower abdomen.
"Yeah I'll be fine. Tyler got a swing in and it nailed me hard in the stomach but Dean intervened before he could swing again," Noah said and I gasped.
"Noah, I can't believe you got hurt trying to protect me," I said, annoyed that he was putting himself in danger to help me. "Come here, let me clean up the cuts."
I stood up and he followed me into the kitchen. I stuck his hand in the sink and turned on the water to rinse the cut. I went over and grabbed a paper towel, dabbing the cuts before reaching into the cabinet to get bandages.
"Noah," I said softly. "I can fight my own battles. I don't want you to get hurt too."
"I know you can," Noah said. "But I'm too scared to let you because I'm still so mad at myself for letting Tyler hurt you in the first place. I should've prevented it but I didn't."