healing hearts

Chapter 23

Ben's POV

The guys convinced me to go out. So at 9, we came to a bar near campus.

I haven't heard from Alexa in a few hours and i'm hoping that means she's having fun.

It's just me and the guys tonight. But over the past month, we've been hanging out with Sophie a lot lately and she's become a good addition to the dynamic the guys and I have here.

Anyway, I've only had 1 drink just in case Alexa calls me when she gets home.

It's about 10:50 and I'm standing with Jackson and Dustin when my phone starts ringing. I pull it out and see James' name flashing across my screen. I look over at the guys, "i'll be right back." They nod and continue talking as I step away to somewhere quiet.

"Hey Ja-" I'm cut off quickly, James breathing heavily into the phone. "Ben, man, something happened, Alexa's hurt, badly. We're taking her to Brooke's now. She refused to go to the hospital without you, she's in shock and she's not talking. All she's saying is your name. I'm so sorry." He rushes out frantically.

My heart drops and I feel the world crumbling down around me, "I'm on my way. Stay with her."

I don't even give him time to respond before I hang up and run over to the guys, "I got to go, I'll talk to you guys soon." I leave them there and run out of the bar.

I run to my room, grab a bag and throw some stuff in it before running to my car and speeding home.

The car ride seems to go in slow motion. The good thing is that no one was on the road so I got there in a little over an hour and a half. I call James back when i'm about 15 minutes away.

"Hey man," he answers. His voice shaky.

"I'm almost there. What happened James?" I say.

"I don't know, she went to the bathroom, Brooke and I went after her, but lost her in the crowd of people. We got to the bathroom on the first floor, but the door was locked so we thought someone else was in there so we went around the whole house and tried to find her. We thought maybe she went to get another drink or maybe stopped to talk to one of our friends. Eventually we saw Alex walking out of the downstairs bathroom and running out of the house. Brooke banged on the door and opened it and found her.. she was in the bathroom.." he takes a shaky breath, "Ben it was so bad. It took everything in me not to go after Alex after seeing her. She's really hurt, I-I don't know what to do. She wouldn't let me take her to the hospital, she shook her head. All she kept saying was your name. She won't talk to us at all. Brooke is sitting with her on the couch now but she doesn't look good, she's banged up pretty bad, b-blood on her thighs. She's in shock and there's no life in her eyes, she's staring blankly, emotionless. She wouldn't let me call her parents either."

Blood on her thighs.
Blood on her thighs.
Blood on her thighs.

I run my hand through my hair and push my thoughts away. "Okay, I'm almost there. Please make sure she knows I'm almost there."

I bang my hand against the steering wheel after hanging up with James. Now i'm starting to panic. What the fuck happened in that bathroom? She won't talk to them?? Blood on her thighs. Alex is dead. If it's the last thing I do. Of course it was him. I should have known he would do something while I was gone. I should've done more to protect her and keep her safe from him.

I step on the gas a little harder trying to make it as fast as possible.

I finally make it to Brooke's house, barely getting my car in park before i'm out and running up to the door. I run inside and go straight to the living room, stopping dead in my tracks at what I see.