The Broken Chronicles

Chapter 4

Elliot's POV

I sat and listen to her story as I refrained from wrapping her in my arms an never letting go because I felt so bad, but then I realized how weird and random it would be. She looked at me and shot me a sad smile and slightly shrugged her shoulders. I blinked an slightly pursed my lips together.
"I know it's weird, but-but could you hug me again?" she staggered as tears started pouring down her face. I didn't hesitate at all. I hate seeing anyone in this much pain because I know how it feels and it sucks. I stood up followed by her and wrapped my arms around her shoulders. She rested her forehead on my chest and I rested my chin in the top of her head. It was pitch black outside, besides the one street light and the billions of stars. She turned her head and took a huge breath in and slowly sighed it out, trying to stop herself from crying. I felt her dainty hands placed on my back as she settled into our hug more comfortably.
"It's ok to cry, you know?" I whispered, pulling back a little.
"Huh?" She whimpered, just like the first time I heard her speak.
"It's ok to cry." I repeated.
"Ha, not in my family," she scoffed "they see it as a weakness." She released herself from our hug and walked over to a pebble laying there on the road. She knelt down and held it in her hand. "I know how ya feel, buddy. Alone. Scared. Confused."
"You know, you're not alone anymore. You have me." I shot her a smile from behind her.
"God, I really just want to break stuff." she got up and started hopping around like a child filled with excitement.
"So break something... Throw stuff." I encouraged.
"Not this little guy." She held the pebble up to show me, I just smiled and nodded. She walked over to a large pile of small rocks and began to pick then up one by one and threw them at the foreclosed house next to the Hob. A window shattered and she laughed. "I hit one!" She announced.
"Shhh! Keep your voice down," I laughed, handing her a handful of rocks.
"You do it. It's fun," she smiled.
"Right..." I managed, and threw the rock as hard as I could at the house and another window shattered.
"Whoo!" She yelled, followed by laughter. Her giggles trailed off until the joy on her face turn to contemplation. She was no longer happy I could tell. She might not have been happy at all even, just numb. She looked up at me with a forced smile and shook her head, blinking back tears. I walk over to her and held her shoulders.
"It's ok to cry." I insisted.
She burst into tears an held her face and her shaky palms. "I'm sorry." she cried.
"For what? Crying... don't apologize." I stated.
"No, for barging into your life and now you feel responsible for me and you're going to blame yourself for every little thing I do, and..." she was interrupted by a wave of tears, flooding down her face. I just held her closer to me, not knowing how to respond. So I didn't.
She turned around and shielded her eyes from the headlights of the car pulling up behind us. It was the boys.
"Elliot! What the hell!?" Xander yelled. "What the actual-"
"Hi, I'm Carter." she approached him with an extended hand, wiping the tears from her face. He shook it, confusion washing over his face.
"Hi..." he responded, having nothing else to say.
Ryder just stared at her like he had never seen a girl before.
"Hey man... C-calm down, alright?" Ryder reluctantly soothed Xander with his hand on his shoulder. Xander looked at Ryder with an accusing look on his face.
"Dot tell me what to do, little man." Little man. That's what Xander called Ryder when he wanted to get under his skin. Ryder was the youngest of the three of us, and little man was originally used to tease him but he started getting pissed about it so now they're considered fighting words amongst us. Ryder's face reddened and his body clenched as Xander called him this horrible nick-name.
"Elliot, what the hell? We risked a lot to do this for you tonight and you not only blow it but decide to pick up a chick on the way?" Xander yelled and all eyes went to me, awaiting my response. But I didn't have time to make one.
"This is my fault. Elliot was just helping me. Don't blame him. Totally my fault."
"You're damn right it's your fault" Xander said stepping towards Carter. I immediately got in between them.
"You leave her out of this." I growled.
"Oh so now you're mister big shot. Huh? Now your the hero. I see. No I get it. Forget about all the times I needed you. No you're just gonna go save the day for some random girl you just met." He laughed bitterly. "Thanks Elliot. Thanks for everything." With that he walked away, got back in his car, followed by Ryder who gave me an apologetic look and reluctantly closed the car door. I soaked in a cocktail of anger confusion and hurt as Xander drove away. What did he mean by me never being there for him. I've always been there. Or have I?
I was snapped out of my thoughts when a soft hand touched my arm.
"Hey" Carter weakly smiled up at me.
"Sorry about that."
"No, it's all good" she reassured.
I just nodded and lead her into the Hob. She took a seat on the couch and I watched, fascinated by her. I found myself staring, or rather, she found me.
"What?" She asked, confusing washing her face.
"Nothing, just..." My voice trailed off and she got up and walk toward me, where I was sitting on a bar stool. She grabbed my face with both hands and looked me in the eyes.
"Thank you." She whispered, her eyes slowly filling with tears as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me tight. I didn't hesitate to hug her back. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her closer. I rested my chin on her shoulder and we stayed this way for a while.
"Thank you." She whimpered, and I began to rub her back.
"Shh," I tried to calm her. "it's okay, you're safe now."
She pulled away from our hug and wiped at her eyes.
"What am I gonna do now?" She asks no one in particular. "I can't go home." she says, looking right at me.
"Why not?" I immediately regretted saying it.
"Well once my mom finds the note and the rope she gonna go ballistics, and get really pissed at me for even thinking about killing myself, much less actually trying to. And then she's gonna ask what my dad did to me and it's gonna be hell there. I mean it already was, but now it's worse. I just can't go back."
"Then we'll run away." I said.
"Really?"
"Yeah why not?"
"Well I mean I barely know you, you could be some rapist for all I know."
"I'm not." I laughed.
"Well I don't know that." She laughed, pushing my shoulder. We laughed for a little while and her expression went blank. "No I have to go back. At least to Chloe's."
"Who's Chloe?"I asked.
"I told you, she's my best friend. Well, my only friend."
"Alright. I'll take you." I said. There was no way I'd leave her on her own.
"What? No you don't have to it's fine. I can walk."
"No, please, let me take you. I don't want you out there by yourself." I said, more sternly than I intended.
"Okay, geeze." She said, holding her hands up in surrender.
"Sorry. Let's go."
She place her hand on mine as I went to stand up. "You don't have to protect me you know?" She said softly.
"But I'm going to. I know what's it's like to feel this kind of pain and nobody deserves it. So I'm going to do as much as I can to save you from it."
"You won't give up will you?" She smiled.
"Nope."
"So that means I'm suck with you?" She smirked.
"Guess so."

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Hey! Ooo! Drama! What's gonna happen with that? Idk. And whys he so protective? Ha we'll find out soon enough. Thanks so much for reading, it's mean a lot to me that someone is actually enjoying my work, other than me. I just write for fun and the fact that people read it for fun is just amazing! So ya, thanks! Please vote and comment it means so much to me! Thanks love!
-Jo