Starting Over 💙

Chapter 4

Ellie doesn't come into contact with James again over the next few weeks. She was hoping he had given up, but she knew he hadn't. Chris had left for filming, but he texted or called her everyday to check on her. He took things slow like he said he would. But she was worried whether he would be willing to stick around long enough for her to come around. He was the first man she had trusted enough to let touch her. But she still hadn't let him in all the way. He didn't press the issue of what happened with her ex, and she was glad. She wasn't sure she wanted to let him in on it all.

~~~

"Chris, I'm fine. I just got home, we can talk tomorrow." She enters her apartment and places her stuff on the counter. "Yeah, I miss you too. Goodnight." She laughs as she hang up her phone and places it in her pocket. She enters the living room and turns on the light but her heart drops, nausea overcoming her as she sees him sitting on her couch. "What are you doing here? How did you even get in here? Or find out where I live?" She backs away towards the kitchen, but James leaps at her, grabbing her by the arm before she can make her escape.

"Who was that on the phone, love? The boy from your office? You haven't moved on already have you?" Before she can answer he brings his hand back and she feels the searing pain as he hits her across the face, knocking her back onto the ground.

"James, please." She tries to get up but he kicks her in the ribs. She watches as he flies into a rage, knocking everything down, tearing up her apartment as he shouts at her.

"You're mine! Only mine!"

While he is distracted she is able to get her phone from her pocket and dial 911. He sees her and kicks the phone from her hand. He pulls his hand back again and she feels the pain again before everything goes black.

~~~

Chris enters his trailer for lunch when his phone rings. He sees Tara's name and answers. "Hey. I haven't been able to get ahold of Ellie today. Have you seen her?"

"Chris." He hears the subtle changes in her voice telling him that this wasn't a friendly call.

"Tara? What is it? What's wrong?" He hears her hesitate, the other line silent for too long, "Tara?!"

"It's Ellie, she's in the hospital. James found her."

He hangs up the phone and storms out of his trailer.

~~~

Chris arrives to the hospital to find a girl that looked just like Ellie, only a blonde version sitting in a chair beside her bed. "Um, hi."

The girl stands up when he comes in, a slight blush along her cheeks, "I'm Emily, Ellie's older sister."

He holds his hand out to her and motions for her to follow him in the hallway. "What happened?"

She sighs, crossing her arms over her chest, "well, it appears that James apparently found out where she lived."

Chris clenches his hands into tight fists, holding them at his sides, angry. "What did he do?"

"She has some broken ribs, and bruises galore. Her right eye is swollen shut."

He looks away from her to Ellie sleeping in the room, "did he, I need to know if he..."

She touches his arm, knowing already what he was trying not to say. "Yes. I'm sorry."

Chris feels the anger explode out of him as he punches a hole in the wall beside the door, "I'm gonna fucking kill him."

"He's been arrested. And hey" Emily pulls him to face her "you can't go in there angry. If you go in, you need to calm down first." She leaves him in the hallway and rejoins her sister.