Forbidden Things

Chapter twenty five

-Tate- 

She looks terrible. Her breathing is fast and shallow. It is clear that she is in pain.

"What happened?" I walk towards the door and open it so she can enter. She sits down on the couch. "Do you have an ice pack?" she asks me. She still doesn't answer my question.

I walk towards the kitchen. I grab an ice pack from the freezer and a glass of water for her. I walk back to her. I sit down next to her and hold the ice pack to her eye.

"What happened Callie?" I ask her again. She grabs her ribs with her hand. She clearly has pain in more places than just her head.

I pull her shirt up a little. I see 3 big bruises on the side of her ribs. Someone did this to her. Someone hurt her.

I stare at the bruises. "Who did this?" I ask her. She doesn't answer. She will not and cannot answer the question.

"Callie this is not okay." I tell her. I see the pain in her eyes. Suddenly she starts to cry. I feel like all the pain and sadness that was inside her all this time is coming out now. She bursts into tears. She holds her hands in front of her face. She's afraid to show herself to me.

"Callie it's okay, you don't have to hide." I tell her. There's something wrong with her. I don't know what it is but I can tell from her it's bad.

I put a pillow on the couch. I grab some blankets for her. "Try to get some rest okay?" I help her find a comfortable position on the couch.

"It's my dad." She doesn't look at me as she says that. Her father did this to her. I know her father does such things to other people, but to his own family?

"I'm so sorry Callie." I take her hand and gently rub my thumb over her palm. He has no right to do such a thing.

"It's never happened before and it's really my fault. I disappointed him so I understand his reaction." She says. She doesn't know what she's talking about. She is still trying to protect her father when what he did is wrong.

"Callie I promise it's not your fault. I don't know what's going on but you can't help it okay?" I say to her. "I ruined everything," she says.

"It's not your fault." I tell her. I want her to know that. I don't care how many times I have to say it.

"I shouldn't even be here," she says. She gets up but I push her back onto the couch. "You should be resting right now."

"No, Tate, you don't get it. I can't be here with you."

I look at her confused. What does she mean by that?

"You're the one who called me"

"I know and it was a mistake. I wasn't thinking."

I can't let her go now. She's in way too much pain and she needs to rest. I give her the keys and I walk towards the door.

"Stay here as long as you like. If you need anything just let me know." I walk out the door without looking back. I get in my car and take a deep breath. I wish I would just understand her. She drives me crazy.

I just don't know how to stop wanting her. It feels like I've lost myself. I lost myself in her. But she gives me nothing in return. Not even a little bit.

I don't know if I still believe her. She said all those sweet words to me that night but she doesn't make it true. I just don't know what else I can do anymore.

She is obviously lost too. She's lost herself and she's trying so hard to find herself again. But she can't do it no matter how hard she tries.

She said she was done pushing me away constantly. But I feel like that's all she does. She is slowly pushing me away. Before I know it I can't even see her anymore.