House of Horrors || 18+

Chapter 10| Hannah

With a heart racing and trembling, I send a text to April, asking if we can meet at The Coffee Bean. It's been more than a week since our last conversation, and my nerves are overwhelming. The thought of discussing Kyler with her, of all people, sends my mind into a spiral.

Does she know our history, Kyler and I's? How can I even begin to explain? Will this shatter our friendship? I hope that doesn't happen, April has become my best friend.

April replies quickly, agreeing to meet in an hour. She mentions Kyler has extended his stay and invites me to dinner with them. I decline as politely as I can, my stomach turning at the thought.

Choosing an outfit, I opt for something that is a balance between comfort and cute. A spritz of my favorite perfume offers a brief moment of relief. My hands shake so much that fastening my necklace becomes a challenge. Tears threaten to spill. I really thought I was finally free of Kyler and his abuse – his threats. But I guess I was wrong.

Taking a deep breath, I grab my phone, purse, and keys, and head out. The drive to the coffee shop feels longer than usual, the music in my car a mere backdrop to my racing thoughts. Just noise, the voices blurred.

As I arrive, I see April waiting outside. I gather all my courage, step out of the car, and walk towards her, wrapping her in a hug, my heart pounding in my chest.

April's eyes, filled with concern, meet mine as we enter the coffee shop. "Hey, are you okay?" she asks softly. I nod, a lump forming in my throat, as we find a cozy corner seat. The warm, inviting aroma of coffee surrounds us as April orders peppermint tea and I choose an iced caramel latte.

Gathering my courage, I turn to her. "April, I need to tell you something," I begin, my voice barely above a whisper. Her attentive gaze encourages me to continue. "It's about Kyler," I say, noticing her expression change to confusion.

Swallowing hard, I reveal the truth. "The other night wasn't the first time I met Kyler. I knew him before... we dated in high school." I confess, hesitating as I recall the painful memories. "He isn't the person you think. He hurt me, both mentally and physically. He broke me inside and out. Then he cheated on me."

April's face turns pale, her eyes widening in disbelief. "That – T-that can't be... I don't understand," she stammers, her voice trembling.

I feel horrible right now, but it needed to be said. With a heavy heart, I open my phone, unlocking a hidden album of our past – photos of Kyler and me, interspersed with images of the bruises he left. Pictures of bruises scattered across my arms, face, and stomach. Tears blur my vision as I hand her the phone.

April looks completely heartbroken. Tears fall from her eyes, and I can't stop my tears either. A sob breaks from April, and she moves across the table sitting next to me. She throws her arms around me sobbing.

Through sobs, April apologizes, her words filled with regret and disbelief. "Oh m-my god. H-hannah , I'm so sorry. I had no idea," she whispers, her voice breaking.

I find myself crying into her shoulder, the old wounds reopening as I speak of the past. It's like it's happening all over again, having to talk about it. When April finally pulls back, her eyes are filled with a vulnerability I've never seen before. She looks completely shattered.

"Hannah," she murmurs, her voice barely audible. "I can't believe Ky would do something like that. He's always been such a good brother. I can't imagine what that was like for you." Now it's my turn to sob. "Hannah, you're my best friend, if I knew-"

I cut her off. "How could you've known?"

She looks down at her lap, her bottom lip trembling. "Does this change our friendship?" April asks. I shake my head quickly.

"Absolutely not. Unless this changes things for you."

"No, it changes nothing. I'm going to tell Kyler that he needs to leave town and never come back, and never speak to me again." I hate that. I hate that because of me, their relationship is ruined. She clearly looks up to Kyler.

"No, I know what you're thinking. None of this is your fault, okay? None of it." I nod, still looking at my feet.

A part of me feels guilty about the rift between April and her brother, but I'm mostly relieved that our friendship remains unchanged. We're still the same April and Hannah. She's my closest friend, and the thought of losing that bond was terrifying. I don't know what I would have done.

Over coffee, I tell April a few more stories, and details of what I went through, and she looked like she was going to be sick. Yet, she reassured me, her anger directed not at me, but at her brother.

Driving home, I feet lighter, like a heavy burden had been lifted off my chest. The air felt fresher, easier to breathe, now that April and I shared no secrets between us.

Returning home, I immediately head to my room, I quickly change into my coziest black sweatpants and a cropped tank top, craving comfort.

A sudden desire to see Nathan sweeps over me. I grab the batch of cookies I made yesterday and make my way through the door to his world.

"Nathan, you here?" He soon appears, his face lighting up with a boyish grin at the sight of the frosted sugar cookies.

"You made these for me?" he asks, his smile wide.

"Yes," I reply, feeling a swell of pride. "For you."

"Thanks, princess," he says.

Nathan steps closer, leaning in for a kiss. His lips meet mine and they're soft and warm. I respond eagerly, momentarily setting down the cookies to embrace him fully. He lifts me effortlessly, my legs wrapping around his waist, the closeness intensifying our connection.

"Nathan," I whisper, lost in the moment as he kisses my neck gently. Gently, he lays me on his bed, his touch soft yet filled with desire. He continues, his lips brushing against the exposed skin of my chest.

His words, "You're so beautiful, Hannah," are whispered against my skin, each word sending a shiver down my spine. Nathan moves down my body, kissing every inch of exposed skin. When he reaches the hem of my tank top, he pauses. Looking up at me, his eyes meet mine, searching.

to be continued... 🖤

(next update: Sunday March 31st, 2024; 3:15pm CST)