The Stepbrother's Girl

Chapter 22:: Hold Me Tonight

::Blake's POV::

After an hour of walking I finally made it back to the jeep and managed to make it to the condo. I'm now eating what's left of the groceries I bought and thinking about the last thing Catalina said to me, asking if she's done something wrong... I did that to her and I knew I still love Aria.

I usually don't care about rebounds feelings but Catalina isn't a rebound she's something else. Something that I even can't comprehend. I feel the need to see her and make things right but not even sure if I know how to. I fuck everything up I wish I wasn't so disappointing.

Aria, Levi, my dad, Arias mom, our little sister... things are not good there and I just feel overwhelmed. Aria is the only good thing and she won't even leave for me. Fuck. I'm selfish. And my head hurts. I start looking for the medicine as I notice my phone ringing. Strange, given it's almost midnight. I look at the caller ID as I realize it's an unknown caller. I pick up hesitantly.

"Hello?"
"Blake?" A high pitched female voice says in a panicked but low tone.
"Who's this?" I ask the woman.
"It's me Catalina I got your number from my Nani's phone... I'm sorry if that's disrespectful but I- No thanks, yes my boyfriend is coming to help me now, yeah thanks!" She audibly is having a conversation with a man and she sounds distraught.
"Where are you?" I ask her cutting all the bullshit.
"I'm like seven miles away from the bar to the east. Near the fall mall." She says as she begins stifling a cry.

"I'll be there in no time, don't worry I'm not going to let anything happen to you." I assure her as I dart out the door with nothing but my keys and my phone that I'm using to communicate with her. I speed down the road as thoughts race my mind especially the fact that she called me. My thoughts cloud my mind as I'm flying down the road I finally pass her bar as I begin to look for her.

I finally see her on the side of the road in the middle of the city, at midnight the moonlight shining over her hair and reflecting from the street lights. I realize something. I feel something for her. I'm not sure what it is but I can't imagine what I'd do if someone hurt her. I'd kill them.

I pull over as she's visually upset.
"I can't drive. Not now I knew better but I tried it to face my fears but, I couldn't."
"What do you mean?" I say confused as I get out of the jeep and am now face to face with her sweat beading down my forehead due to the hot weather and the adrenaline coursing through my veins.
"I have... PTSD. I can't drive at night sometimes... both of my parents died in a car crash at night when I was young." She says as she looks down frowning as tears begin to silently fall from her face.

"Catalina, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I didn't realize..." she cuts me off before I can finish.
"It's okay, really. I know you didn't do anything and we all grow our grief doesn't get smaller, our world gets bigger, and we do small things that make the big world seem better." She smiles as she sniffles.
"How do you do it?" I ask her because I personally would love to hear advice on how to be so positive.

"Trauma and pain are only emotions, what you chose to say and do are actions when you confuse the two you lose control of your mind. And once that happens it's hard to regain control. I just try to love and forgive." She says as she moves a step closer to me.
"How do you do it?" She stuns me with her question because I don't. I drink, I push it away and I don't talk about how I feel. I bottle it up and throw it away because I'm not allowed to be weak.
"I've lose control a long time ago and not sure where to start to look to regain control or if I even want to..." I say as I begin to feel uneasy.
"When? When did you decide you didn't deserve a chance, deserve peace and happiness?"
"I lost control when my mom committed suicide when I was 14..." I say as tears begin to fall from my eyes. I'm not sure why I'm telling her this, I've never even talked to Aria about my mom.