Hooked on love

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

“You don’t look good dear,” mum says. I don’t feel good, I didn’t sleep a wink last night and I threw up three times from worry. Stupid brain, it’s probably nothing too. I hope.
“I’m okay, I just didn’t get much sleep. I’ll be alright once I eat.” I hate lying to her, but if she knew I was throwing up again, she’d flip. “Okay, I think she’s outside now.” Pointing out the window, Cassie looks over and gives a small wave to mum and quickly looks away. My stomach starts to turn, I stand up and ignore it. “See you later mum – oh, and remember, I’m at Jackson’s for tea.” She smiles, “I remember, say hi to them both.” I nod and close the door.

I quickly jog to her car and pop in, she doesn’t look my way. “Cassie, what’s going on?” She doesn’t talk or move, I place my hand on her shoulder and she flinches. What the? This isn’t the Cassie I know. The bad feeling I had last night returns and grips my stomach. “Look at me, please.” I lightly hover my hand on her shoulder, like how you would pet a new dog to show you wouldn’t hurt it.
 She finally faces me, and my jaw drops.
 
The right side of her face is covered in a dark blue and purple bruise, covering her eye and stretching over her cheek. It looks fresh too. I’m speechless for a few seconds soaking in the view in front of me. My best friend looking such a mess and feeling paper thin.
“What happened?” Barely a whisper escapes, I feel like I could cry but I swallow it. She looks around, as if someone would be watching, “please keep it between us.” She looks so scared, I feel the emotion clawing at my throat. “Of course.” She sits side on pulling her legs up to her chest.
“I broke up with Kyle – a few days ago,” her voice breaks, forcing back tears. “He took me out to a late dinner and on the way back to my car, he spotted a group of people coming our way. He instantly let go of my hand and started to panic telling me to drive off without him.” I swallow and steady my breathing. “Obviously me being me, I refused. So when they eventually caught up to us they started to talk to Kyle, there were 5 of them, 3 boys and 2 girls, they looked so thuggish and scary. He knew them Ava.” She wipes the tears from her cheek and takes a few breaths and carries on. “I immediately knew I made a mistake and should have listened.” I really don’t like where this is going, I softly rub her back. I want to ask so many questions but I’ll let her speak, it must be hard for her.
 “Once they exchanged pleasantries they wanted to know who I was, Kyle said I was just a friend. The guy – I think he was called Damien clearly saw through his lie and hit Kyle in the stomach. I was so scared!
I knelt down to see if he was okay and one of the girls grabbed me by the hair and pulled me towards Damien, he had a scar on his left cheeks, probably from a knife – I don’t know. Anyway, he told Kyle ‘what you take from me, I take from you.’ And he punched me in the face. Once I hit the ground, he bent down to grab me again so I did what I could and shoved my knee into his crotch, I told Kyle to get in the car and as I started to drive off he shouted, ‘you best warn Jackson too!’ grinning from cheek to cheek. So after that night, Kyle refused to tell me anything, I broke up with him, went to get checked out and now I’m here with you.” She’s out breath and shaking, tears run down both our cheeks, how could anyone do that to a girl?! I hug her tightly, “I need to speak to Jackson.” He eyes widen with panic, “no, Ava. I think them two are dangerous! You should do what I did and leave him!” The thought of leaving him tears me apart.
“I can’t Cassie, I love him.” She looks at me in shock, “what? Ava, this is bad. Don’t you think that it’s weird how both Kyle and Jackson have 6 years missing from their lives?” 6 years? “What do you mean? How much does she know that I don’t?
“Clearly Jackson hasn’t told you. I snooped through Kyles stuff yesterday and he didn’t have any college or university stuff, no evidence of working either. So when I asked. He said that him and Jackson went abroad to do some work for his dad.”
“For 6 years?” Saying it myself sounds bizarre, what’s going on? She nods, “exactly, he’s lied to me and I know that Damien is a part of it. Think about it Ava, be smart and leave him. Or end up like me.” Pointing at her cheek.

She has a point, it’s so much to take in. How have I never noticed such a big gap? Jackson never tells me anything about his past, he always gets defensive and shrugs me off. He clearly has something to hide. “It makes sense from when I first went to his house.” She creases her eyebrows, “what does?”
“Well, everything was all happy go Larry and the second Jackson came in both his dad and brother went all nervous and tip toed around him.”
“That’s definitely weird Ava, please promise me you’ll think about it?”
“I’ll promise, if you go and make a report to the police. It’s a lot to take in.” I have a headache too, plus seeing Jackson tonight isn’t going to help. “I know. I will, and I’m sorry for bombarding you like this, but I had to tell you.” She places her hand on my knee and squeezes it. If I don’t agree I know she won’t let up.
“I know, are you okay though?” She manages a smile, “I will be, it’s only a cracked bone.” I see pain in her eyes, I know she’s referring to Kyle. “We’ll get through this together.” We hug one last time, “now let’s go to a drive through, I’ll go in so no one has to see you.” Relief seeps from her, “thank you.”

We drive off, the burn deep down is circling my body, my anger is subsided for now. I feel guilt pulling me in knowing I’ve already broken my promise with Cassie. I won’t tell her I’m seeing Jackson tonight, he’s been through too much. I’ll get to the bottom of this, one way or another.