Safe

Chapter 9

The next time I woke up I felt a bit better and with a new focus. I need to find Zara and Cameron. I need Clover to have her best friend back. Deciding to investigate Zara's things for clues seemed to be the best idea. I need to do it before Clover finishes breakfast. I left the nurse's office and headed towards my old cabin. I entered and looked around, my bed was perfectly made; it was like I was never here. Zara's bag was missing but the police had taken them. Then something reflected from under her pillow and I moved it. Under the pillow was a piece of broken glass and what looked to be a diary entry. A horrifying message was on the glass and I tried to ignore it. Then I picked up the diary entry.

"If anything happens to me, I suspect Edgar is responsible for kidnapping Cameron. I need whoever is reading this to confront him. I don't trust him," I read out loud.

Wow, I always thought Edgar was sketchy but I never thought he was capable of kidnapping someone. I was about to go confront him when Stephen walked into the room. When he saw me sitting on Zara's bed something seemed to snap inside him. He threw me against the wall, effectively hitting my head. I touched my head and found that blood covered my fingers. I stumbled but got up anyway.

"Why did you do that?" I whimpered.

"You ruined everything! You made me feel guilty and feel sympathy for you. I was going to apologize but then I come here and find you sitting on her bed. Do you know why I loved Zara? It was because she was kind and not selfish. You are utterly selfish, bringing up your issues to distract us from the fact you hated Zara. In fact, I'm sure you secretly wished she went missing," Stephen yelled.

"Stop it!"

"You probably wished she could just disappear," Stephen taunted.

His face was so close to mine and our breath mingled. If this was a different situation, we might have kissed.

"Of course, I did. She stole you from me," I screamed stepping away. "But that was before, now I realize never hated Zara, I hated you. You played me and broke my heart. You used Zara and you used me!"

"Poor you," he pouted.

Before I knew what I was doing, I had slapped him across the face with a bang. He touched his face slightly before gripping my arms in a razor-tight grip. I started freaking out, what was he going to do to me? I used to be in love with Stephen but now I'm starting to think that he is a bad person.

"Stephen, let me go," I cried, terrified.

His eyes were hard and made me shake violently. The cabin door flung open, Violet and Clover stood in the doorway, shock covering their faces. They went to come further when Stephen tightened his grip on me.

"Don't come any closer," he threatened.

"I'll go get Daria," Violet said and rushed out of the cabin.

Stephen didn't seem to notice Violet leaving, his whole focus was on me. His hands leaving marks on my arms.

"Stephen, what are you doing?" Clover asked, her tone cautious.

"She killed Zara," he screamed.

"No, she didn't, and Zara isn't dead," Clover coaxed and Stephen released me.

He seemed to snap out of his violent haze and looked at me in terror. Before anyone could say anything, Stephen ran out of the cabin. I collapsed on the floor and before I could stop it, I started hyperventilating. I couldn't breathe. Clover bent down beside me and wrapped me in a tight hug. I sobbed into her arms as she held me. Soon Daria and Violet entered, both shocked at the sight of me crying into the girl who hates me.

"He can't hurt you," she soothed.

"What happened?" Daria sputtered.

"Stephen got violent," Clover informed and showed Daria my bruised arms.

"He did that?" Violet asked surprised.

"Yes," I whimpered.

"Ok, well would you like to report him?"

"No, he is just grieving. I hope," I muttered.

"Ok, I'm going to go talk to him," Daria said and left the cabin.

I moved slightly away from Clover and wiped my eyes. Violet sat down next to us and we all sat in shocked silence.

"I... am sorry for all the horrible things I've said and how I've treated you the last month," Clover apologized.

"It's all good," I smiled slightly.

"I didn't mean to be so rude, I was just missing Zara. She has always been there for me and I just couldn't believe she's missing. I'm also feeling guilty, I mean before this camp we hadn't spoken in weeks. I left her to take care of her sick mother on her own and I was terrified she wouldn't forgive me for that. I stopped talking to her for selfish reasons, I had a crush on her and knew she wouldn't feel the same. But then I came here and met you Violet," Clover explained, squeezing Violet's hand.

"It's ok really," I stated.

"I'll be back, we need some ice cream," Clover said, kissed Violet, and left.

I moved closer to Violet needing some type of touch right now. I still felt Stephen's grip on my arms.

"I'm glad that we're friends," Violet said happily.

"Me too. Though why weren't we friends before this camp? Like we knew each other and saw each other all the time but never really talked," I asked quietly.

"My grandparents don't like your Mum, apparently she screwed them over. So, I genially stayed away from you. Also, I was a closeted lesbian, and if anyone found out I'd be disowned," Violet mumbled.

"I was sorry to hear about your parents dying. It must have been horrifying. I went to their funeral and I will forever remember the blank look in your eyes," I informed her.

"Don't tell Clover, ok? I haven't got around to telling her that my parents are dead and I live with my grandparents."

"Of course," I accepted and hugged her.

The cabin door opened and Clover walked in, her arms filled with tubs of ice cream and chocolate. She spread the food out in front of us and sat down. For the next few hours, they distracted me by telling me all about how they fell in love. Before we knew it dinner time had arrived. We walked to dinner and I was relieved to see Stephen wasn't there. I knew I'd have to face him but I couldn't do it while my arms still ached. After dinner, we all headed back to the cabin. Violet and Clover falling asleep immediately. I tried to sleep but then I remembered what Zara wrote in that diary entry. I had completely forgotten that I planned to confront him. Deciding to do it in the morning I closed my eyes and fell asleep. My worries left and my arms stopped aching.