I couldn't look at Brax anymore, so I lay there staring up at the ceiling. The door opened, and Brax's father came in, clearing his throat. Brax stood up, going over to him with hope in his eyes."I'm sorry, Brax," his father said. "Willow's stepfather has already signed the papers for her to be transferred. There's nothing we can do to stop it."My eyes remained fixated on the ceiling, refusing to meet anyone's gaze."But... but she can't go," Brax pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion. "She needs to stay here with me."His father sighed. "I know, son. I tried everything I could, but it's out of our hands now. However, I have arranged for Willow to be transferred to a nicer hospital and have paid for all the expenses."I could hear the desperation in Brax's voice as he asked, "Will she be okay there? Will she get better?"His father nodded reassuringly, trying to offer some hope. But I knew deep down that it was too late for me. I had given up fighting a long time ago.I closed my
For the first time in weeks, I stood in front of the mirror, looking at myself. I'd seen myself bruised a million times before, but something was different about it this time. I couldn't bring myself to look away from the reflection staring back at me.The deep purple bruises that covered my face and body stood out starkly against my pale skin, a painful reminder.I traced a finger along the outline of a particularly nasty bruise on my cheek, feeling the tenderness beneath my touch. I should have been used to this by now, but each new mark felt like a fresh wound, reopening old scars.I remembered the way their fists had rained down on me, their words cutting deeper than any physical blow ever could. I remembered the fear and helplessness that consumed me in those moments, the desperate need to escape from the pain.But now, as I stared at my broken reflection, I felt nothing. No anger, no sadness, just a numbness that seemed to seep into every fibre of my being. I couldn't cry anymor
I walked silently beside Miss Callie, my steps echoing in the empty corridor. I could feel her eyes on me, assessing and pitying all at once. I kept my gaze fixed straight ahead.We finally reached my room. I paused outside the door. Number 13 and my name were on the door. I could feel Miss Callie watching my every move. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside the small space with white walls and a narrow bed that looked more like a slab than something meant for comfort. The window was barred, making the room feel more suffocating than it already was; the only bit of colour in the room was the big red button on the wall.Miss Callie gestured for me to sit on the bed, but I remained standing, wrapping my arms around myself protectively. She reached out a hand to place it on my back, but I flinched away, fear flashing in my eyes."Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry," Miss Callie said softly, her voice filled with genuine remorse. "I forgot that you don't like to be touched. I promise I will never
Miss Callie walked back into the room carrying a tray of food. She froze in the doorway, her eyes widening in shock as she took in the sight of me sitting amidst the torn sheet."What have you done?" she half-snarled, her voice sharp with surprise and disapproval. But as soon as the words left her mouth, I saw her expression soften. Guilt flashed in her eyes as she realised how harsh she sounded."I'm sorry," Miss Callie said softly, setting down the tray on the bedside table. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. Let's get this cleaned up." She moved closer to me, reaching out a hand to help, but I flinched away from her touch.I couldn't bear to look at her. The emptiness inside me seemed to grow even larger, swallowing me whole."Willow," she said gently, taking a step towards me, making me snap my attention back to her. "I know this is all new and scary for you. But please know that I'm here to help you. You're not alone."Her words meant nothing to me. She would never understa
Frozen to my spot, I looked at the warden I had seen the first day I got her over a week ago. He still looked at me with the same sickening smirk everywhere I went. He was right there, always watching me with those cold, piercing eyes. I could feel his gaze burning into my back as I tried to walk away from him, my heart pounding in fear.As I quickened my pace, I could hear his heavy footsteps following behind me. Panic set in as I realised he was getting closer, and the thought of him touching me sent shivers down my spine. I couldn't let him catch me, couldn't bear the thought of his hands on me again.I focused all my energy on reaching my room, pushing through the crowd of people around me. But no one seemed to notice the danger that lurked behind me, the predator stalking his prey.Before I could get anywhere near my room, I felt his hand grab my arm, pulling me to a stop. His smirk widened as he looked down at me, seeing the fear in my eyes. "Where do you think you're going, Wil
“Willow, if you don't talk to us, then we can't help you”, my doctor said for the millionth time as I sat there staring blankly at the table in front of me. I wish there was some way that I could tell them that there was no point in trying to fix me. I was beyond broken and there was nothing that they could do that would ever help me. I could feel the frustration and exhaustion in her voice as she let out a heavy sigh and placed her clipboard down. She removed her glasses and rubbed her nose before saying, "That's enough for today, Willow."I stood up silently. As I walked out into the hall, I made the choice to go to the bathroom. I reached for the door, and it swung open suddenly, causing me to step back in surprise. The warden, Mr. Johnson, emerged from the bathroom in front of me.My hands trembled with fear as he looked down at me, his eyes filled with malice. I tucked my hands into my armpits in an attempt to hide my shaking body. He grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to meet
The nurse did the bedtime check as she did every night. I sat on my bed, staring off into the darkness. When I could feel myself starting to panic, I closed my eyes tightly and tried to focus on my breath. But no matter how hard I tried, Steve's voice kept echoing in my head, taunting me with his words from our last fight."Willow, you're pathetic. You'll never be good enough for anyone," he sneered in my mind.I covered my ears, trying to block out the sound, but it was like a relentless storm that wouldn't let up. The air around me felt heavy and suffocating, making it hard to breathe. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I had cried enough over him.Suddenly, a wave of emotions washed over me, and before I knew it, I was screaming at the top of my lungs. The sound echoed through the room, piercing and raw. Lights flicked on and people rushed in, trying to calm me down. They touched me gently, but their presence only made things worse.I coul
Braxs povI sat on the ground holding her for hours as her body shook uncontrollably. Nurses came and went checking in on her. As the sun began to rise, I felt her body relax, telling me that she was finally asleep. I carefully picked her up and placed her gently on the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed, I brushed her hair away from her face, my heart aching at the sight of her so vulnerable. The image of her sitting alone on the floor last screaming still haunting my mind. Miss Callie entered the room, breaking me out of my trance. “Would you mind coming with me to have a chat about willow?” she asked. I hesitated, not wanting to leave Willow's side. But I knew I needed to hear what Miss Callie had to say.I leaned down, kissed Willow on the forehead, and whispered, “ I love you,” before following Miss Callie out into the hallway.As soon as I was out in the hall, she asked, “Would you like to go to my office so we can talk in private?” She closed the door behind me. I shook my
Brax’s POVThe stairs creaked beneath my feet, snapping me out of the daze that clouded my mind. The room I was leaving behind still held traces of my last distraction, yet there was only emptiness echoing in my heart. I passed by a mirror in the hallway and caught a glimpse of myself—a mess of unkept hair and a face that seemed older than its years. Even the girl up there, with her long black hair similar to Willow’s, didn’t fill the void.Descending the stairs, I grabbed a drink from the makeshift bar on the kitchen counter. The cool liquid burned, a somber reminder of how far I’d fallen since Willow left. A chorus of familiar voices floated in from the living room where the guys were gathered. I moved over and dropped onto the couch, positioning myself where I could observe quietly.“Hey, man, you good?” Dillion asked, glancing at me over his shoulder.“Yeah, just tired,” I said, feigning a lightness in my tone that I didn’t feel. My eyes followed Dillon’s line of sight, noticing h
Willow's POVThe echo of the knock startled me, piercing through the silence like a knife. For days, I had waded through the murky waters of my thoughts, lost in the whirlwind of emotions that defined my existence. The flat was my sanctuary, yet it also felt like a cage, confining me in its walls while I waited for the chaos to unfold around me.Steve was away, and although his absence lifted a heavy weight, the uncertainty that loomed was almost worse than his presence. Marco had not called on me since I last saw him, which was a relief but also a worry at the same time. And Brax's image danced through my mind—haunting and unattainable.Bracing myself, I tiptoed toward the door and peeked hesitantly through the small window. Relief and confusion swept over me at the same time when I recognised Brody, David's son, standing on the other side, shuffling his feet nervously.I hesitated for a moment before opening the door, expecting anything but this. "Brody? What are you doing here?" My
The moonlight cast long shadows on the dimly lit alleyways as I ran, each breath a reality crashing down on me as tears streamed from my eyes. My feet pounded the pavement, echoing the decisions I couldn’t walk away from. There was no time for hesitation or second-guessing. The stakes were too high, and Brax’s life was on the line. Once home, I threw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie before grabbing all the things I had stolen. Every part of me screamed to stop, to breathe, but all I could think of was making my way to David’s. The pounding dread surged through me as I pushed past the front door, launching myself into the night.David’s house loomed before me, a beacon of what little hope I had left. I banged relentlessly on the door, my impatience punctuating each knock until finally, Brody, his son, swung it open.“Is your dad home?” I blurted out.“No, he's at work. What’s going on?” he asked, concern furrowing his brow.I thrust the bag into his arms, urgency lacing my voice. "Give
Brax's POVThe taste of whiskey burned like fire, numbing every part of me that still felt pain. It was my armour of choice tonight—a shield against memories that refused to stay buried. Dylan and Kasey watched with eyes full of quiet concern, but they understood. Sometimes, all you could do was let the liquor drown the ghosts before they drowned you.Stumbling through the party, the music pounded around me, a relentless rhythm that shook the ground. It promised a temporary escape, a distraction from Willow's haunting presence. But tonight wasn't about peace; it was about surrendering to something primal, something that roared inside me at the sight of Lana across the room.Lana had been an escape before—a fleeting, physical release. As I staggered towards her, the rage inside me simmered. Her friends barely blinked when I grabbed her wrist, pulling her away. We lived in a world where such bold moves were neither new nor shocking."Brax," she breathed, a sultry promise layered in ever
: Brax's POVSilence enveloped the room after Willow's departure, a vacuum so absolute it felt almost tangible. I stood in the chaos we had created—the shattered dish on the floor, the imprint of my fist on the wall, and the lingering echo of her defiant words. Anger, confusion, and an aching sadness twisted inside me, each emotion wrestling for dominance. I ran my hand through my hair, tugging at the roots in frustration.How had we gotten here? I wanted to hate her for pushing me away, for labelling me as not enough. Yet, underneath the fiery surface, I knew the truth—my heart had chosen her long before I was ready to admit it, and now I was stuck in limbo, unable to move forward without her.Disgusted with the state of things, I left the room, forcing my leaden feet down the stairs. Kasey and Dillon were still in the foyer, their faces reflecting concern and questions they dared not voice aloud. I couldn't deal with their probing eyes or the pity masked as sympathy."Brax…" Dillon
Willow's POVWatching Brax leave the room felt like watching safety slip through my fingers. The clatter of the lock was a reminder of the mess my life had become. It was ironic being locked in a room that felt more like a sanctuary than a trap.My mind was a mess of worry; Brax could have just wrecked everything I had been working so hard towards. However, Macro had already been useful in getting me into places that I would have never been able to do on my own. But now it all might have been for nothing, all because Brax couldn’t do as I asked and leave me alone.As I sat there trying to work out how I was going to get out of this mess, I felt the pills I had taken before going into the room with Marco take effect, which wasn’t a good thing. I needed a clear mind to talk my way out of this with Brax and get back to Marco before he went to Steve and everything that I had done was worked out.Getting up, I headed for the bathroom, not because I was obeying Brax but because I hoped a co
Brax's POVMy hands shook as I clutched the doorframe, the sight in front of me branding itself into my mind. Willow—my Willow—entwined with another man. Her naked body pressed against him. I couldn't believe it. Anger exploded, every rational thought igniting in a blaze of betrayal.My voice came out like a low growl, a thunderous roar that reverberated off the walls. "Willow!"She spun around, her eyes wide with desperation, her body scrambling for cover. Panic painted her features as she grabbed a bedsheet, clutching it to her skin. The man beside her had the audacity to open his mouth, likely to threaten me or beg for mercy. I didn't care.Before he could utter a word, I crossed the room and grabbed him by the collar. My fists flew, driven by a vengeful fire. Each punch landed with a satisfying crunch, a symphony of anger echoing within the confines of the room."Brax, stop!" Willow's scream pierced through my fury, her voice laced with panic and something else, something I couldn
Brax’s POVMy mind was an unending loop of worry that circled around Willow. Weeks had passed since I last saw her face or heard her voice, and her absence carved a hollow ache in me that I couldn't ignore. The reports from the men I had watching her became increasingly sparse, as though she had somehow worked out that they were following her and had found a way to avoid them. She wasn’t at school, avoided parties, and anywhere I expected her to be.Work from my father kept me preoccupied, but it brought no peace. Meetings filled with strained respect and unspoken threats blurred together with each assignment he gave me. This life, the one paved for me before I was even born, was all I had known. But since Willow, all I ever did was wish for an escape. My father’s expectations loomed over me like a persistent shadow, whispering of future obligations I didn’t want, but I would take if it meant keeping her safe.I stood at my front door, the day’s stress weighing on me heavily. The fami
Willow's POVThe fight with Nat replayed in my head, and guilt ate away at me. My phone hadn't stopped buzzing for hours with calls and messages from both Brax and Dillion. I knew that Nat would go back to them and tell them everything. Looking down at my phone, Brax’s name flashed across the screen. I picked it up, holding it for a second. Rage bubbled within me. Why couldn’t they just leave me alone? I couldn’t take it anymore. I threw my phone as hard as I could at a tree, watching it smash into pieces.Standing up, I left the park. If I was going to get things done, I had to turn off all my emotions. I needed to be stronger and smarter. And then the idea came to me. Turning around, I made my way to one of Steve's houses, where I hoped Marco would be.The house wasn’t far from the park. I had been here a few times, and I knew Marco spent a lot of his time there. As the house came into view, my heart began to race in my chest. I stopped pulling the pill bottle out of my pocket and