Don't Give Up On Me - Unedited

Chapter 24

Timid knocking on the door woke me. Grumbling I try to shout out but the sleep still had my voice thick.

"What?"

"Breakfast Charley Bear." Owen calls in.

I pry an eye open to stare at the clock to see it's already 11.30. Fuck! I've already slept through most of the morning. Another day of work again. I roll over half expecting to find Hunter still in bed with how late we were up last night, but of course he's gone.

"I'll be right out." I call out to Owen. Sitting up, I rest my head against the headboard. I notice the note left at the unit on the opposite of the bed. Picking it up, I read through Hunter's messy handwriting.

'Gone to mum's to explain everything. I've called in to let Jackson know you won't be in today. Talk things through with Owen. Relax, everything will work out.

See you soon  

Aidan x'

Shit! How did manage to forget that? Now what? The anxiety claws back up and before I know it, I'm racing to the toilet to throw up. The bile burns on its ascent in my throat and my eyes water at the pressure it causes. Hurriedly flushing the chain to rid of the sickly smell, I make my way over to the sink. Rinsing my mouth and throwing cool water on my face I pep talk myself to calm down.

Stepping out of the bedroom, the assault of fresh pancakes hits. It does nothing to erradicate the nausea that still looms. I patter into the kitchen feeling as though I was the one wasted last night.

"Morning Charley Bear."

"Owen how come you were the one that got drunk and can still wake up full of spunk while I had two glasses and feel as though I was run over by a truck?"

"I don't know. Gifted I guess." He shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.

"Bear, I want to apologise for how I acted last night. I stormed out without giving you a chance to explain and if that wasn't bad you had to go and bail my ass out." He flips a pancake in the pan as I keep my eyes downcast. The nausea feeling still hanging on.

"Don't Owen. I get it. I really do. I should have told you sooner and I didn't. I just didn't want to upset you or burden you with it. You've had enough of my shit faced life to last you a last time. Let's just forget it." I peek up at him through my eyelashes.

"I need to know what happened Charley." He places the pancake on a plate and sets it down on the countertop. The smell irritates my senses. In a flash, I'm once again staring down the white bowl as my stomach decides to flex and up chuck whatever contents are available.

"Bear, what's wrong? Is my cooking that bad?" He semi-jokes.

"I never got to take a bite."

Owen comes in and rubs my back handing me a tissue to clean my mouth off.

"Are you sick?"

"No, Hunter is away to inform his parents. My nerves are haywire sending my stomach in a whirlwind."

"Telling his parents what?"

"Oh fuck I still haven't told you." I groan, face palming myself. I would do anything to take myself out of this situation right now.

"Charley, I'm worried now. Tell me." He grasps my upper arms, tightening slighty at my reluctance.

"Remember the gang rape?" I ask cautiously.

"Obviously Charley." His eyes roam my face for any features that will evoke the answer.

"It was Hunter's brother Paul. The same one who raped me at the wedding."