Obsessive Secrets

Chapter 21

I don’t know. I don’t fucking know.

My thoughts are interrupted when I see a shadow coming over towards me. I look up as Calum sits down next to me and leans his head against the wall. He folds his legs up and he grabs some pebbles in his hands, playing with them.

He doesn’t say anything, he only begins to throw the pebbles against the building next door. After throwing a few he stops and finally turns to look at me.

I immediately look away. “Cal... Ashton wouldn’t hurt me… right?” I whisper without looking up.

“Of course not Dani. He loves you, he would never hurt you-”

“No. I mean... would he ever... lay a hand on me?” I whisper again.

“What? Daniella, where is this coming from?” Cal asks confused as he should be. I feel myself tremble again as tears start to flow out of my eyes.  Calum immediately pulls me into him. I let him, because for some reason I knew he would never hurt me, I just wish I knew the same about Ashton. I thought I did but then... that stupid cop had to bring up that shit.

Calum begins to move his hands up and down my back, comforting me.I just grab his shirt and bury my head into his chest.

“Dani, what happened in that room?” Calum asks softly. He moves his hand up behind my neck and touches the bruise I felt earlier, causing me to flinch and I wince in pain. That bruise will never go away, it’s been months but it just won’t heal.

“Woah Dani, did you hurt your neck?” Calum asks as he moves my hair out of the way and pulls the collar of my shirt down.

His hand moves over my bruise lightly. “Dani. Who did this to you?” Calum asks releasing my collar.

 I don’t say anything. I only feel my tears build up. At this point I’m no longer crying, but sobbing. I pull Calum in closer and closer and he finally wraps both his arms around me.

“Shhh. It’s okay.” Cal whispers.

“Please don’t tell Ashton.” I plea.

“Tell Ashton what?” Cal asks.

“Peter twice he... he hurt me” I say choking on every word.

Once I’ve said it Cal’s grip tightens. I feel him place a kiss on the top of my head; it felt weird coming from Calum. “I won’t tell him. I promise.” Calum says and proceeds to rub my back. He places his chin on the top of my head and we both sit there in silence for a while.

Finally I lift myself up and Calum releases me. “The police...” I begin which snaps Calum out of his daze and looks over at me. “The police man who questioned me asked me to list the characteristics Peter had before everything went wrong. All of them lined up with the way Ash is with me. Charming, gentle, kind. The police man asked me if Ashton was that way and I told him that he was and then I continued to tell him about how Peter had a temper and how he-… the police man asked me if Ashton had a temper and at first I knew the obvious answer was no, but looking back I realized things. So I told the police man that he did...” I ramble on, pausing when Calum places his hand on my shoulder. “And then he asked me if Ashton would ever hurt me the way Peter did and-”

“And you said what?” Calum asks.

“I told him I didn’t know.” I admit and look back down at my hands, rubbing them together. I was expecting Calum to say something along the lines of ‘no he wouldn’t, he would never’ but he doesn’t.

“I think you need to talk to Ashton about this-”

“Calum you said you wouldn’t tell him about-”