mini beck || tiktok

Chapter 7: Trampoline

Chase POV

Lottie giggles as I drop her into one of the middle seats of the Tesla. I pull out my phone quickly, waiting for her to get settled and for everyone else to come out before I choose a seat.

"I'm gonna sit in the back I think," I hear her voice and nod, barely paying attention as I see the messages on my phone from... well everyone upstairs.

Dammit.

He told us that she was struggling, and that some things were happening at home that were messing with her mental health because of what happened. We knew it was unhealthy and that's why Noah was bringing her out here. But we didn't know she was...

"Chase!" I look up, turning around, and see James and Charli standing on the the balcony, saying my name. I look back at Lottie, who somehow hasn't noticed. I smile at the grin on her fiancé as she looks around the car, and then back at me.

"I'll be right back, I forgot something. Stay here," I say quickly, running back into the building.

-

Dixie POV

I hug Larray back, shocked still as I stare into space. James and Charli went out to get Chase.

I knew... But how did I, or Noah, or anyone not see it. She's been here. How did we...

"Are you serious?!" Chase bursts into the room in a panic and Noah finally snaps, throwing the bronzer compact against the wall.

"I wasn't paying enough attention. This is MY FAULT!" Everyone looks down as I sigh, moving forward towards my boyfriend. I might be upset about Lottie, but I promised her I would keep him calm. And he isn't.

"Hey, Noah. Noah, look at me bubs come on," I say, walking over slowly and lifting one of my hands to the side of his face. He stops moving, looking down at me. I can see the storm in his eyes, the anger, the sadness, the fear. "This, is not your fault. She's going through something. She's dealing with it, and even if that way is horrible and unhealthy, it's the only way she seems to know how. Our job, your job, is to help her either feel better so she doesn't need that, or help her find a better way to deal with it." He looks me in the eye, before looking down. I see him shake his head and then hear,

"I need to go talk to her." He tries to pull away from my hand, moving towards the door, but I stop him.

"Noah, that's not a good idea." James says. Noah raises his eyebrows, looking at James then around the room. Somehow, we all have the same expression, all five of us, and I can tell we're thinking the same thing.

We can't tell her we know.

"What do you mean?" Noah frantically looks around, not understanding.

"Bro, she doesn't need to be yelled at." Chase says, Charli elbowing him. He shrugs, sitting back in the back edge of my couch.

"He's right Noah, she needs to have fun. Making her cry, and talk about it, that's not going to help." I say, gripping his hand.

"Let's just distract her, for today. Hang out at James', get some food delivered, have fun." Larray says, stepping forward.

"She needs this. That's why she came here. She'll talk when she's ready." Chase adds, standing forward off the couch. I watch Noah's face shift from emotion to emotion, processing as we all talk, before he slowly nods, sighing. He doesn't speak, just calmly pulls away from my hand, walking out of the apartment.

I look at Charli, then over to the other three. We all shrug, following him. Chase picks up the bronzer, running it back to where it was before so she doesn't know, and I grab her phone with her earbuds and jacket before taking a deep breath.