WARNING: Abuse Ahead!
Everyday, the routine was the same. Go to school, try to find Tyler who'd avoid me, then after school knock on his door, then go home at 10pm, wallowing in my misery.
No one had opened the door anymore.
Rumours were circulating around the school about my being a slut and I tried my best to keep a low cover.
I knew I shouldn't be wallowing in my despair. I should be strong and keeping my head up and not giving a flying f*ck about what people think of me. But my mum madde sure that I could never be like that.
Her words from last time were still echoing in my head.
I would never be loved.
That thought was like a bullet to my heart and I coughed a little, trying to keep the tears in, as I walked on the familiar pavement.
To Tyler's house.
Again.
I knocked on the door and pressed on the doorbell and waited outside, wringing my hands and squeezing my eyes shut, praying....just praying that someone would open up.
Click.
My head snapped up and my eyes widened. The door swung open and there stood Mrs Thomas.
Her eyes were wide and surprised as she stared at me as if I'd grown two heads. Then her expression changed to anger...with a tinge of sympathy?
"He doesn't want to see you, Hailey," she hissed.
"I'm sorry, Mrs Thomas...I-I just came back...I thought...I just..." I stammered, feeling the tears about to break through. Her expression softened a little but I could tell she wasn't going to move. I couldn't blame her. What Tyler thought I did--or didn't do, actually--was bound to hurt him badly.
"Wait here. He asked me to give you something if you ever came," she said, before turning around.
"I've always been here," I whispered, more to myself.
She returned a while later, a piece of paper in her hands. She nodded at me before putting her hand to the door, my cue to leave.
As I turned around, the piece of paper clutched tightly in my hands, I heard her say my name softly.
I spun around and looked at her, biting my lip. Her expression was strange, mixed with so many emotions.
"Hailey...Don't worry, I don't think you did it. You're sensible. You're not like one of those stereotypes. You're the strongest girl I've ever met," she said, smiling proudly at me. I nodded numbly, a weak smile finding its way to my lips, before turning around and getting the hell out of there.
Once I rounded the corner, I opened the letter and took in a deep breath before unfolding it.
'Hailey,
You killed me inside. What you did is unforgivable. If you ever loved me, you wouldn't have done it. Now I know, you're a slut. Simple and plain slut. You won't ever be loved just as you won't love anybody.
Don't bother coming back to my door. It's annoying and desperate. I don't give a damn about either.
Tyler.'
The letter dropped from my hands and I slid down against the wall. There was a big gaping hole in my heart. I felt worthless and stupid. The tears didn't come, even though I thought they would; they were dry and they were empty. I had no more tears to spill.
I was losing Tyler, and I couldn't get him back.
I was hurt, beyond repair, but I knew I deserved it.
Besides, what could a girl suffering abuse and a broken past expect? Sudden brilliant luck popping out of nowhere with rainbows and unicorns accompanying?
No. Not now. Not ever.
Especially not with me.
"I see you're broken."
The familiar cold voice tugged at my alertness but I couldn't bring myself to stand up and face him. I kept my head bowed as I hugged my knees. I was just an empty shell.
"But then again, we all knew you'd end up like this." He crouched down so I was level with his face. I flinched at his words.
"Tyler did love you. It's such a pity that he thinks you cheated on him, don't you think?"
I gasped as I put two and two together. The tears were back with vengeance. They flooded my eyes and I blinked them back. Anger was swirling in me.
"You did that! You took him away from me! You did it on purpose! How could you f*cking do that to me! How could you!" I had stood up and started punching him blindly out of pure anger. My mind blanked out all knowledge of who I was fighting.
Then when I heard that growl of anger and I felt myself being shoved up the wall, I realised I had made a deathly mistake. And probably my last too.
Since I was going to die.
"Don't you f*cking dare hit me, Hailey Taylor," he hissed into my face, making me flinch. Fear was replacing the anger in my body. Oh my God, I couldn't end like this...I couldn't...I couldn't...
"Since you're so in pain, why don't I help end it for you, huh?" He growled, grinning like a maniac.
"Andrew...Please...Not now...Just...Not now..." I begged him softly but he didn't waver. Then an idea struck me.
"I could do this all day long. But you don't want that do you?" He asked, smirking, leaning into me. I felt my hands fumble in my pockets for my phone. My hand was clammy and kept slipping on the metal.I pressed speed dial T and it started dialling Tyler.
"Believe me, Hailey, when I'm done, you'd wish you never hurt me last time. You'd wish you had never been born."
Just as his fist pulled back, I heard the dial tone end and a distant 'hello' from the line.
"TYLER!" I screamed as the fist punched me in my stomach, making me yelp in pain as I slumped onto the ground.
"Hailey?" The voice was really muffled. I heard skittering on the floor and it was kicked by Andrew.
He kicked me in the head and my forehead snapped forward to hit the tarmac, making pain shoot through my head.
I moaned in pain as I clutched my stomach tightly. Tears were cascading down my face as I sobbed.
I was emotionally broken, and now Andrew wanted to make sure that my bones were physically broken too.
"Now lover boy can't do anything can he? Because by the time he gets here, you will be," he snarled, "dead."
I cried out in pain as he pressed a foot to my bruised stomach, making it hard to breathe.
"Tyler..." I choked out.
Andrew sliced his arm through the air and it made contact with my windpipe, making me choke. Then he brought his foot to my side, and I cried out again, wincing.
Then I felt something hard hit me on the head and black dots began to cover my vision.
One last kick and I was a goner.
~~~
Tyler POV
I closed the curtains quickly, in case she saw me. I sighed. I hated this, hated trying to hate her. I still loved her, I knew it. But what she had done to me was unforgivable.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to shake off all memories of those warm chocolate brown eyes and her silky brown hair. I could still smell her scent on my pillow.
Damn.
I sighed again and plonked down onto my bed, flipping through basketball magazine idly when my mind was way far away.
Maybe she was framed for doing it? Besides, who even started the rumour? Maybe I was jumping to conclusions?
No. I shook my head.
She cheated on me. And she didn't even think twice about doing it with her supposed ex-boyfriend.
But then my mind wandered to her abuse.
I winced when I remembered touching the fluffy thick bandage wrapped around her waist that day. She was bleeding in the stomach. It was that bad.
I shook my head wildly. God, Tyler, get your head in the game. Championships are in two months. You can't lose focus over some girl!
But then again, she wasn't just any girl.
She was beautiful and utterly gorgeous and sweet and nice and caring...perfect. She was mine.
Taylor Swift and B.o.B's Both of Us came blasting out of my phone and I looked at the caller I'd. Hailey's smiling face made my heartstrings tug painfully. I frowned.
Why was she calling me? She had stopped doing that for several days. Why start now? I decided to ignore it. But there was a nagging voice at the back of my head telling me to answer it quickly. I cleared my throat before pressing 'answer'.
"Hello?" I said smoothly.
"Tyler!"
I froze. Hailey's voice was panicky and filled with fear. I grabbed the phone with both of my hands and immediately put on my converse.
Dang, she was in trouble.
I heard a cry of pain in the background as the phone fell onto the ground.
"Hailey?" I shouted into the phone, fear swirling in me. Oh my God...what was going on?!
I heard her moans of pain and winced, running out of the house.
"Now lover boy can't do anything can he? Because by the time he gets here, you will be dead."
My eyes widened at the familiar voice. It was Andrew. Shit shit shit! Double, triple, quadruple shit!
I heard Hailey say my name weakly, before the line went dead and my blood went cold.
"Oh no no no..."
I picked up my speed and took off running.
She couldn't have gone far.
I rounded the corner and skidded to a stop when I heard a voice in the alley.
"As I said, such a pity that he thinks Dylan cheated on you. On my part, it was one of my greatest actions."
Andrew's voice was satisfied and I could sense a smirk accompanying his speech.
There was no reply. No cries of pain. Nothing.
I rounded the corner, my fists clenched as I ground my teeth together. The little bastard was going to get it from me. He looked a little surprised actually. I glanced behind him and felt my heart clench.
Hailey was lying on the ground, her neck bruised, forehead bleeding and her hand lying across her stomach.
"You're going to pay," I growled as I advanced on him.
"Not today," he replied with a smirk. Then before I could blink, he sprinted past me and slid into the seat of a movign black van. It sped off.
I growled in anger as I moved towards Hailey and put her head in my lap gently. I pressed a finger on her neck and felt a weak pulse and breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank God, she was alive.
"I'm so sorry, Hailey. I'm so so so freaking sorry," I whispered to her, cradling her fragile body in my arms. "I made you get hurt. I'm so sorry..."
I pressed my lips to her cold ones and shut my eyes as tears escaped them.
I was stupid.
So utterly stupid.
_________________
YES! VERY VERY STUPID, TYLER!
A quick update :)
Bet all you people there are like ;Oh my God *sigh of relief*
Meh. :P
Note: My updates are going to be very very infrequent and the gaps in between will be very large, but of course, not large to the extent of a month. But maybe 1-2 weeks. The most important exam of the year is in 5-6 weeks and I can't risk getting lousy marks D: And I have a whole year's worth of knowledge to revise so...please bear with me ><
Love you all!! And sit tight for the epilogue!
-Ashley
Teaser: rather happy chapter