Last Lives

Chapter 24: "The truth came out."

Lexi-
3 years ago-

I looked up as the door slammed shut to my dorm. "Hey Lex." Liv walked over with a piece of paper in her hand.

I set my book down, "hey, back from class early?" I asked. "I wish, my final was everything but quick and painless." She groaned. I chuckled. "I was wondering if you're free this Saturday?" She asked, "I am, why what's going on?"

"Well.. when I was walking back here someone handed me this." She handed me the paper and I looked down at it, " a flier?" I pointed at the piece of pink paper in confusion.

"He told me that Max was going to be there, you know the guy your totally crushing on?-" she was smiling, acting all giddy and I slapped my hand on her mouth, my eyes wide as saucers. "Shh! Our neighbor might here!"

She flinched away from my hand, "Courtney?" She scoffed, "let her hear. She's been giving me dirty looks behind my back for literally no reason!" She said.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that.. why does she hate you so much? You don't have any classes together and the only thing we share is a wall."

"I've been asking myself that same question since first semester. Anyway, I better go study. Later." "See ya." I told her as she walked past me.

___________
Liv

I was walking down down the hallway in our dorm when I heard crying from inside the bathroom. I put my ear against the door.

I realized it was Lexi who was crying in there. I frowned, knocking softly on the door. "Lex?" The crying stopped after she heard me. I knocked again, "Lex? Is everything okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine." I heard her say, her voice was hoarse and wavered a bit.

"Open the door." I firmly said and after a minute of hesitation I heard it click. I walked inside to see her back turned to me, she was staring in the mirror.

"Lex?" She turned around to face me and I gasped, "Lexi!" "It's nothing, okay?" She said softly. "What happened?" I asked her as I looked at the mascara all over her cheeks. "If it was nothing you wouldn't be crying!" She sniffled, "just leave it alone."

When she turned her head to the side clear as day there was a huge gash on the side of her face like someone punched her, hard. "it was Max, wasn't it?" I asked. Her eyes went wide when she noticed what I saw and more tears fell down her face, "no, okay?!" "Lexi you don't have to defend him."

"Lex he hurt you oh my gosh." I made her sit down on the toilet while I got out the first aid kit. She shook her head, "can we just stop talking about this." I started cleaning her face and bandaging it up.

"Lex you need to stop, he is abusive. Ever since you have begun hanging out with him you come back with marks all over your body and you think I don't notice but I do."

Lex sniffled. "I love him.." she whispered. I sighed. "Lex he tells you lies about yourself and you believe it. Your beautiful and he makes you think less that's not a guy you deserve."

"I've heard what he does to you and I've tried talking to you but you just shut me down! " I yelled. "He doesn't lie to me, he wouldn't lie to me, he loves me it's all my fault!"

I shook my head, "no it's not! Do you see what he's doing to you? He's hurting you, making you cry all the time Lexi. He's an abusive piece of shit and you know it. You need to break up with him it's too much."

I grabbed her cheeks to make her look at me. "No one should be treated like this, ever. It's not your fault that he hurt you. You are the strongest person I know and to see you in pain hurts me. I can't. You deserve better, so much better.