Chapter Nine

Nicole's POV

I kept running, I kept going, I didn't stop, I couldn't stop. I heard Lexi screaming my name, we were just a few feet apart but it felt like Miles.

My legs were tired but my heart kept going, soon my body reached its limits and collapsed unto the dirt. My tears giving it a added moisture.

What was wrong with me? Before Tyler Miller came I never shared a single tear but now I just can't seem to stop. My heart was overflowing, these feelings had been locked up for so long and now they're basking in the freedom they've gotten.

I laid there, on the ground were I belong, panting and breathing in, well needed air into my lungs, as I listen to the sounds of Lexi's footsteps. She collapsed next to me repeating the same actions I did.

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"Do you want to start or should I? " Lexi asked.

After picking ourselves from the ground, we sat than on the concrete. Two girls with mud stained clothes sitting on a concrete stand close to an abandoned cotton candy machine, both broken and lost

I stayed silent and Lexi took that as an answer as she spoke up

"I live with my mum and her boyfriend, a drunk and abusive bastard" She paused as her features darkened "he would come home drunk, beat me up till he was satisfied, said he gained pleasure from my pain. This has been happening for years since my parents divorced and my mum met him, my dad he left the country after the divorce, he sends me a lot of money, half of which my mum and Jake embezzles, and that's how I pay for school"

I held are hands in reassurance as she continued

"I came home one night and I wished I never did-" She chocked out a sob "mum was out and Jake had a few friends over, I went up to my room. Hours later I heard a knock on my door, he slurred out my name and hit the door repeatedly. Fear flooded me, mum was not back yet. I heard his friends hooting and howling in excitement as the broke the door to my room, he watched as his friends ganged up on me and they-they rap- "

I pulled her into a hug as she broke down, my heart bleed, I robbed soothing circles on her back as I whispered comforting words to her as she cried. feeling her calm down I let her rest her head on my shoulder as she continued "Mum didn't believe me, she saw the scars,  she saw my bruises but still refused to believe me" She sobbed again and I tried my hardest to comfort her, something I was not good at.

"Life's not fair you know, it's messed up and it has a way messing people up as well, 18 years of life and have lost the two most important people in my life,My sisters" At this statement Lexi raised her head in surprise

" Yeah sisters, Ava was the eldest amongst all, while we were in middle school, she was already a high schooler. She would tell us tales about high school and all her friends and the fun they had" I drones as the memories flooded back

Nine years ago. . .

"I hate school, I can't wait to leave" I whined. Ava and Haley laughed at my antics as I fell face first into my sister's bed.

"You still have a long way to go Nikki" Ava said as she joined me on the bed

"At least highschool's better than middle school right? " Haley directed at Ava as she joined us

"Yeah, high schools a lot of fun! And I love it there, the students are nice and the teacher are nice, it's amazing" She told us excitedly

"Wow! I can't wait to be in high school like you" Hayley quipped as her eyes sparkled in adoration

"Well I can't wait to leave school in general, be it middle, high or low school" I commented

"Nikki, there's nothing like low school" Hayley giggled and Ava joined her. Soon we were all laughing.

"It was all a lie. I couldn't see past the fake smiles, I couldn't see the sadness in her eyes or the bruises on her, she'll come home with a busted lip and say it was costume design for a play. And then one morning at 5:15am, we were awoken by my mum's ear piercing scream. We rushed to Ava's room and there she laid in her bathtub, the water from the running taps flooded the bathroom but she just laid there, skin pale and unmoving. Haley and I were rushed out of the room into our own rooms by the maids and then we heard sirens. Mom came to the room with blood red eyes, she explained to us that Ava had gone upstairs and she would be watching us from there now. I wasn't stupid I know what she meant, we cried for days. A week later they found Ava's diary, and that's when we knew, she was being bullied, it was all too much for her and she ended it all" Lexi listened silently as she offered me comfort just like I offered her. " Dad erased all her records because having a daughter who committed suicide will damage his reputation, we were forced to mourn her in secret, and then we moved to LA, and well.. Haley happened, my sister, your best friend.

We sat in silence, sharing each other's pains and regrets, comforting one another.

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I arrived home late at night, I had refused to let Lexi go back to that house, but she assured me she was okay, I knew she was lying and in due time I would get her out of there.

I took a long warm shower, as the water hit my back, my thoughts wandered, in just two days I made a friend, and an enemy, what hold did Tyler Miller have on me, he messes with my feelings and I loose control.

I wrapped a towel around my body and stepped out of the bathroom. I retrieved my phone from the soiled jeans on the hamper. I had received a text from Lexi, I replied and walked into my closet, I came back all cozy and fuzzy in my koya pajamas, I hoped on the bed ready to sleep and put this day behind me, when my phone rang, which was weird, the only humans with my contact info was Sammie, Charlie, my aunt and Lexi, and a few online army friends, and none of them calls by me by this time, And the caller I'd showed unknown number. Against my better judgement I pressed the accept button

"hello" The line was silent for a few moments and then it went dead.

Probably some weirdo, I thought, I laid my head back on my pillows and drifted off to sleep