Ashes, Ashes (READ THIS ONE)

Chapter Ten

A/N: This chapter deals with physical abuse, so read at your own risk.

Chapter Ten

So I start a fight cause I need to feel something and you do what you want cause I’m not what you wanted.

Taylor Swift, 'Cold As You’

I wake up in a hospital room. It's fairly large and pretty dark, the only light coming from one lamp on the table beside the bed I'm sitting on. I look down and notice a cast on my left arm.

I struggle to remember what happened to cause this cast. Then I remember talking to Maxx and him being nervous and then everything going black. Did we get into a car wreck?

Mom cracks open my door. "Good, you're awake."

"What happened?" I ask, my forehead wrinkling in confusion.

"You were in a car accident. With a boy. Who is he?"

"Maxx," I whisper. "Is Maxx okay?"

"Is that the boy?"

I nod. "He's fine. But you aren't permitted to talk to each other. You left without warning and got into a wreck."

"Are you just telling me he's fine? Let me see him," I say, trying to sit up, but my head spins and I sway. "You aren't going anywhere."

"Well then bring him to me because I need to talk to him."

"Are you dating him?" Mom asks suddenly.

"No." I shake my head. "I've only known him for a few weeks now, and it's too soon after Nathan. You've got a while before you can hate my boyfriend again."

"I never told you I hated Nathan."

"I could tell with how you looked at him. You thought I could do so much better. Don't even deny it."

"Abbigail," she says, her voice crossing into dangerous territory. "Don't Abbigail me. Let me talk to Maxx."

"No." she says. "I refuse to allow you to talk to that boy. He hurt you."

"He didn't hurt me. He wouldn't."

Renee pushes her way in before Mom says anything else. Sensing Renee's anger, Mom leaves us alone. Thanks.

"What the absolute hell? You leave your parents without any warning at all, worrying all of us sick, scared to death that someone kidnapped you too to hang out with that. . . weirdo and ending up getting in yet another wreck, breaking your arm too. Do I have to remind you on what exactly killed your boyfriend and almost killed you too? A car wreck? Because that's what happened."

"I don't need reminded, Renee. I replay that night every single day over and over again, wishing that I could replace him with me because he deserved so much more but I can't and I don't need your reminders. I know you want to blame his death on me but we both have to deal with it and I'm sorry."

"Girls?" Mom says, walking back in just after Renee stops yelling at me. "Your doctor told me what all happened to you. They said the boy didn't get injured at all, but you have a bruised rib, and your arm is broken in three different places. Your cast will have to stay on for a few weeks."

"Maxx," I say, my voice froggy. I clear my voice and try again. "His name is Maxx."

"He left after he made sure you were okay."

"See? Someone who got into a car accident on purpose wouldn't stay to make sure I was okay."

"But he was the driver and he should've been more careful."