All I Need

Chapter 14 - Falling

Kaia

Once silence filled the air, I finally hugged him back. One of my arms circled around his neck and the other reached down his back, pressing the side of his face into my stomach.

Elias didn't even have to explain. I knew the death of his friend was caused by the one and only Nathaniel.

He said...he promised he wouldn't hurt anyone else. As long as I did what I needed to do, everything would've been okay. I knew better than to trust him, I just didn't think he was going to act so soon.

And I knew Elias was drunk the minute I opened the door. He reeked of liquor. Even now, I could smell it on him.

Elias's hold on me was strong. He was still kneeling in front of me, his grip becoming tighter by the second. He didn't cry, he kept it together pretty well considering.

I threaded my fingers through his hair as he took a deep breath. "What was his name?"

"Mason. His name was Mason Li."

I met that guy. The night I heard the gunshot with Elias, he left and Mason appeared to watch me. He was so young, too young.

How was I supposed to fix this? I couldn't bring his friend back...maybe if I talked to my father or tried to reason with him...when did that ever fucking work?

"Get up, Elias." I shifted my hands under his arms and attempted to pull him up. "You need to sleep."

I wouldn't ask how he died. Elias would have probably just lied to me anyway. Not because he wanted to lie, but to keep me safe from a truth I was already aware of.

"I-I don't want to sleep." he stuttered, words muffled. "I don't want to dream of him."

He looked up at me. Sadness filled his eyes, and the scar seemed to stand out more than usual. Reminding me of all the pain he had been through, and all the pain he was experiencing currently.

"You won't dream of him." you would definitely dream of him. "It's okay." It was not okay.

Slowly, Elias stood up. A second ago I was staring down at him, and now he was staring down at me.

"I shouldn't have come." the hand on my waist slipped away as he turned around to head for the door. He tripped on his own feet again, oblivious to how intoxicated he was.

Before he could leave, I grabbed his arm. "Stay."

He didn't protest any further, so I walked him over to my bed. Then, I sat him down and got on my own knees, taking the shoes off his feet. Quickly, I ran to the washroom and got him some water. After he had a couple of sips, he fell onto his back and closed his eyes.

I swung his legs onto the bed and put a pillow under his head. Within minutes, he was fast asleep. I quietly creeped out of the room and into the hallway, pulling out my phone. The screen was so cracked that I could barely read the names, but I managed and dreaded the call that was to come.

"You said-"

"I say a lot of things, darling. That doesn't mean they're true."

Fuck, I wanted to scream. I wanted to scream so loud that the whole hotel could hear me. "You won't touch another one of his friends, or I swear to god. I'll-"

My father laughed. "You'll what?"

"I'll fucking kill you."

The line went silent for a moment, more sarcastic laughter came through the phone. "You are quite funny Kaia, I have to admit. The sad part is that you really don't know how to bluff, have you learned nothing from me?"