U N T O L D
T R U T H
chapter nine
Today feels like the longest day in history. I almost forced myself to go to bed at lunch time to sleep the rest of the day away.
"You're more than welcome." I had zoned out for who knows how long, my barely eaten dinner in front of me has gone cold. I didn't even have the energy to push the food around with my fork.
All I could do was sit and stare at the same spot as thoughts invade my mind. I could of died today, or gotten Flynn killed. Another one on my list.
"Thanks, Allie." Flynn has started to call my mom by her first now after she had insisted on it. She's slowly warming up to him.
"Violet?" I can hear the conversation around me, I just hadn't bother to let it register on my mind. "Is that okay with you?"
I look up from my plate at mom and Flynn who are sitting on opposite sides of the table. I had sat at the end, on my own. I raise a brow because I don't understand her question, mainly because I hadn't payed any attention.
Mom's shoulders deflate slightly, a sad look taking over her features. She probably thinks so much of my progress has just been taken away from me in one single moment.
Sure- I do feel the same ache in my chest as my mind wanders so far I can't concentrate on anything around me. The hollow part within me fills with feelings of guilt and worthlessness.
But that's only a temporary feeling that would wash over in a few days. I hope it does, at least. I can't feel this all over again.
"We thought it would be best if Flynn stays the night in the guest bedroom." Mom tells me, filling me in on what I missed. "You two did have a lot happen today, so you understand what you're both going through."
I nod, simply not knowing what to say and I don't want to even attempt to speak with my throat. I almost cried trying to swallow a small piece of food.
Mom knows that Flynn is aware of Sebastian, and she knows not to mention anything about that night or my involvement. I'm still working out a way to lay that heavy piece of information to him. He'll hate me.
"The school called to let me know that they're allowing the both of you to have up to a week off school, although your work will be sent out to you." I feel a little relief when mom tells us this- I don't have to deal with worrying about my peers comments on the situation.
Flynn sighs. "That's a first for a high school to actually care about student's wellbeing." He jokes and slides his empty plate forward.
"I guess they thought it would be easier than dealing with everyone's comments on what happened. It will let the news die down before you two go back." Mom says, glancing between the two of us.
"I'm surprised principal Samuelson didn't suspend me." My voice still sounds croaky and horrible, but it hurts a lot less than eating. My dry sarcasm wasn't what my mom was expecting to come from me.
"Why would he suspend you?" Flynn doesn't act as tired and sad like the expression on my mom's face. He never saw the after affects of Sebastian's death. He's still curious about it all.
I shrug and also slide my plate forward which earns me a stern look from mom. "He tried suspend me last year for something stupid. Mom rang the school and somehow managed to talk- yell, him out of it."
That something stupid was Sebastian's death. He thought it would be best to suspend me so that I would have plenty of time off school to 'get over' the accident. It was just his way of wanting to suspend me for taking his famous Sebastian Reynolds away from his school.
"I'm going to go get ready for bed." I excuse myself before anything else can be said. Sitting here for another minute just to remember all my guilt is something I don't want to endure.
I slide out of my seat and leave the kitchen to go upstairs. I feel dirty and uncomfortable wearing the same clothes as this morning. Another outfit I wouldn't be able to wear again because it would remind me of today.
I grab my pyjamas as I slip into my bathroom, immediately tossing my stuff on the side of the sink as I stare in the mirror.
My neck is still red, just reminding me that it would bruise tomorrow. I look ridiculous with the large bandaid over my eyebrow, which is why I hold my breath so I can rip it off.
I'm a mess. Not just me, my life too. Everything would be better if mom and I packed everything up, moved across the country, and I suddenly get amnesia. That's not the reality of my situation- and nearly impossible.
I sigh, leaving my thoughts hanging in the air so I can strip out of my clothes and shower- scrubbing every inch of my body like it could wash away the day.
Once I had showed and changed into a pair of leggings and an oversized shirt, my feet drag on the ground as I force myself to leave the comfort of my bathroom.
A figure immediately fills my vision once I had taken a step into my room. Sucking in a breath, I curse and squeeze my eyes shut. "Shit, Flynn- you scared the hell out of me!" I can barely raise my voice to yell.
"Sorry." He chuckles and takes a step back. "Your mom said you had clothes I could borrow?" Flynn awkwardly scratches the back of his neck as he raises a brow- unsure of his own words.
I realise mom means I have male clothes he could borrow. I prefer sleeping in men's shirts and jumpers, they're more comfortable. Owning men's clothes had turned into the teenage girl's staple.
I open my wardrobe and grab out one of my oversized shirts as the weather today had warmed up slightly. "I don't have any pants that would fit you." I hand him the tee.
"I'm sure I can squeeze into a pair of your booty shorts." For someone who found out they were chased down by mystery boy- Sebastian, he is in an awfully good and light mood.
I raise an eyebrow at him as I shut the wardrobe doors. "What makes you think I own booty shorts?"
He doesn't even look taken back. "Do you though?" I huff and march over to my bedside table where I had previously abandoned my phone. "So you do own booty shorts. Dianna wasn't wrong when she said most girls have them."
I raise a questioning brow. "I know girls who don't own them." Camila thought they were satan's pants. My mom still is a girl- and she definitely doesn't own a pair. "Tell Dianna to stop reading some low budget magazine that has something to do with every teenage girl's wardrobe necessities."
Flynn tilts his head back, letting out a perfect sounding laugh. If I did that- I would sound like a walrus. "Noted."
"It's getting late." I glance at the time on my phone. "I might get some sleep now." He nods at my words and tosses the shirt I gave him between his hands.
"I'll see you in the morning." He slowly starts walking to my bedroom door. "Goodnight." Flynn closes the door behind him. Mom had already shown him where the guest room is, which is the room directly across from my room.
It was the room my dad stayed in towards the end of my parent's marriage when they didn't want to sleep in the same bed.
I practically dive down on my bed after I turned the lights off, embracing it's warmth and comfort I've craved all day. I think mom insisted on Flynn staying so I would be forced to not go to bed in the middle of the day, and I would have to get out of bed in the morning because he would still be here.
I pull the blankets over myself and close my eyes in attempt to sleep. In most movies I've seen, a lot of the times people are haunted in their sleep with nightmares about what they've experienced or seen.
That's not my reality. I've never had a nightmare my whole life. I can't sleep. I'm kept up all night to be conscious as I remember everything. My thoughts yell in my head.
Hour two. It's been two hours since I crashed in my bed and tried to sleep. As much as I try to stop thinking about today and focus on something else, it's still in the back of my mind.
Hour five. I start getting frustrated with myself and my stupid mind. I sit up in bed, letting a sob and gripping the sheets. I just want to go to sleep and forget the world until then.
In the past year my mom had woken every time I couldn't sleep and cried about it- but her body slowly started getting use to me crying and pacing around my room. She would sleep through it, and I would feel to guilty to go downstairs and curl up in her bed with her.
As I groan loudly, I blindly reach beside me to my bedside table to find my phone so I can use it's light to direct myself to the bathroom. I need to calm myself down with cold water.
My hand collided with something cold and it falls off the table, smashing to the ground. I knew it was my snow globe. "Perfect." I sarcastically hiss through my teeth and tug the roots of my hair.
The lights suddenly flick on and the door is widely opened. I throw the blankets back in shock and my head hits the headboard.
"What happened? I heard you crying then glass breaking." My hand reaches for my beating heart when I see Flynn. He scared the hell out of me.
I sigh and pull the blankets back over me. "It's fine. My snow globe fell, that's all." I say and take a glance on the other side of the bed. The carpet is soaking wet and there is glass everywhere. The base is lying right next to my bed, reminding me of the time my family had still been happy and complete. I got it from the zoo where they took me for my birthday, and it was the last thing I had to remind me of a simpler time.
"You're crying though." He says and sits at the end of my bed. "Did you even sleep at all? Your hair still looks neat and I've seen Dianna's hair once she's woken up- it's definitely not neat."
I laugh as I wipe my eyes. I had learnt Flynn had taken tips off Dianna about girls, otherwise it would be slightly weird he knows this much.
I sober up, remembering why I had ended in this situation. "I can't sleep. My mind won't shut off." I slump back so I'm laying down and rest my arm over my eyes the shield it from the light.
"Because of today?" I feel bad about waking Flynn up. It's clear in his voice that he is deathly tired. It's still deep and hoarse.
"It happens a lot." I admit quietly. I can feel myself growing tired slowly because I'm distracted by talking to Flynn, and I don't want to ruin that distraction.
"How do you normally over come it?"
"Doing something that will take my mind off things." I tell him through a yawn. I roll on my side, making sure I don't let my mind wander as I talk to Flynn.
"I'm assuming talking is working?" I hum as my answer, closing my eyes.
"Hey, Flynn-"
"Yeah?" He softly says back immediately. I move slightly so my head is angled down enough to see him at the end of my bed.
"Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?" I wouldn't be able to sleep if he left. I already know my brain would make me think of Sebastian.
"Of course."
"Are we almost there yet?" I whine and slide down my seat further. I desperately needed to pee, and the bumpy road isn't helping the situation.
"This is it here, on our right." Flynn's answer fills me with instant relief. I shoot up straighter in the passenger seat of his car, my eyes scanning the ordinary motel we are approaching.
"It doesn't look trashy and rundown, so that's good." For some reason, I was expecting a cheap and easily vacant motel would of been Flynn's choice because of money. Maybe I underestimated his money situation- not every teenager is as unfortunate as me.
I guess he has two working parents who provide, whereas I have mom who manages to pay for bills and the shopping list, and I get whatever my dad send through child support. That gets cut off once I'm eighteen, meaning I need to get a job.
Not many people in Hamilton are exactly- happy or willing to hire me, so that is an issue.
"It was the best I could find close enough to the address you gave me." He tells me and parks the car in front of the rooms. I had tried to offer money for the room, declaring we split the price evenly. Although he wouldn't take my money after saying he is the one dragging me here to figure out his own 'problems'. "I'll go get the keys."
I let him wander off the the reception as I almost tumble out of the car in a rush. I really need to use the bathroom, I had been holding it in for hours.
I yank out Flynn's small grey suitcase and my duffle bag, closing the doors as I await his arrival and I could run straight for the bathroom.
Eventually Flynn appears out of reception with the key dangling from his hand. He tosses me the key attached to the label with a small chuckle. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."
I chant, ignoring his chuckle that turns into a full blown laugh as I rapidly search for the room one-oh-three. I thought I could hold it for a little longer, but that was a decision I will never make again.
I sigh when I find the room a few doors down from where we parked, and I immediately shove the key in the slot, throwing the door open as I immediately dash for the bathroom.
Once I've emptied my bladder that had been annoying me for hours and washed my hands, leave the bathroom to find Flynn going through his open suitcase on the bed.
Bed. I notice there is only a double bed in the middle of the decent sized room. The walls are white, the bed covers blue, and the furniture is all wooden- it's simple and nice.
"What's with the bed? Do they not have single beds?" I ask and pick up my duffle bag so I can sit it on the chair against the wall.
Flynn shrugs and keeps his head down to his bag. "I don't know. Possibly." I could tell he knew what type of beds they have, considering he is the one who booked it.
I stop what I'm doing to look at him. I feel an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of my stomach, making me from when it doesn't settle. "So this was done on purpose?"
He freezes, dropping the shirt in his hands onto the bag. I'm nervous for his answer, a part of me knows why but I refuse to accept it. "Maybe."
His eyes lock with mine, forcing my stomach to twist. "I need to pee again." My face burns the second the words slip from my mouth.
I don't need to pee again, but I needed the quick escape from this conversation. I head for the bathroom, yet again, the same time Flynn runs around the side of the bed.
"Woah- no you don't." He grabs my forearms, jerking me away from the few steps I had left until I could successfully lock myself in the bathroom. "You already went."
Flynn doesn't let go of me. "I have a weak bladder." I nervously swallow, trying my hardest to not break the eye contact so things wouldn't become more awkward the second I look away.
"Is that really why you need to go the bathroom? Again?" My forearms are resting against his chest, still in his gentle grip that pulls me closer.
This would ruin everything. This will ruin everything. All these secrets and lies to stop Flynn from finding out I was there that night with Sebastian would hurt a lot more.
I can't like Flynn. I can't. It's cruel on him to care for him after lying to him for so long. I can't tell him now, it's too late. It's my fault- again.
My brain knows I've ruined everything for him, but my traitor of a heart is acting like I'm in middle school staring at the boy who makes my heart skip and stomach twist.
He has too much happiness in his life for me to crush.
"No." I drawl out slowly, snapping back into reality. "Not anymore. In fact- I think I saw a vending machine outsi-"
"I packed snacks." He stops my sentence short and slowly pulls me by my hands towards his suitcase.
I bite the inside of my cheek when I realise I'm not going to be able to have a second of fresh air to think over this. I should just be mature and handle things the right way.
Flynn sits on the bed and gently tugs me so that I sit next to him. "We can eat and discuss what we're going to say to Sebastian's mother tomorrow."
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Sorry it's been a small while for an update, but I've been working on making graphics for UNTOLD TRUTH which you can see as the cover, and at the top of every chapter.
I update all the other chapters so they have one too now.
Let me know what you think of the graphics and if the changes are good.
Until Next Time,
Hannah