healing hearts

Chapter 27

Ben's POV

After getting to James' I shower and clean myself up then sit down next to James.

"How are you doing man?" James asks.

I sigh, running the towel through my wet hair. "I don't know. I just don't know what to do. There's nothing I can do to make this better for her. It's going to take so long for her to get better. I don't know how to help her. Things are just going to get worse for her. She's going to have to go to court, file charges against him, possibly a trial. Even in this small town, word travels fast. Everyone's going to know and all I want to do is hide her from it all. I'm gonna have to go back to school to take finals for a week and a half. How am I going to leave her here like that?" I put my head in my hands and rub my face.

James nods, "I know. But she has all of us. He won't be able to get to her. We'll be with her during the whole process if it comes to that. Especially when you have to go back to school."

I nod, "I know, but she hasn't spoken a word since I got here. What if she doesn't for weeks? Or longer? I need to talk to her, I need to make sure she's okay, I need to know what's going on inside her head." I cover my face with my hands.

"I know man and you will. She's still in shock, it was brutal. You've just gotta be there for her and she'll eventually come back. She's all in her head right now, trying to process everything that happened. This is a lot and she's very fragile right now. We can't force her to do anything. She needs to sort out her thoughts on her own and when she's done that, and she's ready, she'll talk." He pauses and squeezes my shoulder, "let's head back to your girl." He says as he gets up and grabs his keys.

I nod and follow him out.

A few minutes later we get back to Alexa's house. As soon as we walk in, we hear screaming. Alexa.

Please be okay, please be okay.

I run up the stairs straight into Alexa's room. The screaming must have been going on for at least a few seconds already because her parents are already up here. Brooke is standing next to the bed, her hand covering her mouth as she cries, watching as Alexa's parents sit on either side of her, trying to calm her down. James rushes to Brooke's side and leads her out of the room and down the hall to the guest room.

Alexa is looking around frantically, crying and thrashing out of her parent's hold. They are talking to her, desperately trying to get her to come back.

I walk to the bed and get down on my knees in front of her. She's not looking at me — i'm not even sure if she knows i'm there — but I reach out, gently and slowly placing my hand on her knee. Her head whips around to look at whoever is touching her. Once her eyes are on mine, I don't look away.

"Alexa, baby, it's Ben. I'm here. You're okay, you're safe, please come back. Snap out of it." I say gently, holding her gaze. She stares at me for a few seconds before she stops thrashing. Still crying and holding my eyes, I see the exact moment she comes back. She leans forward and practically throws herself into me.

She's shaking. With her head buried in the crook of my neck, I look up at her parents. They nod silently and leave the room, closing the door behind them. I stand up with her in my arms and lay her down in bed. Before climbing in with her, I undress.

I get into bed with her and pull her to me. I rub her back and watch her. She's starting to calm down.

Alexa's POV

The door closing and getting locked. My head is pounding. Ben, where is Ben?? I look up and all I see is Alex. He's smiling at me, then reaching for me, yanking me up and slamming me against the door. Screaming and yelling in my face. Grabbing me hard, choking me. Then he lifts my skirt up and...

I scream, loud. Within seconds, my parents are bursting into my room, sitting on either side of me, holding me, trying to calm me down.

I'm awake and I know it's my parents, but I can't calm down. No matter what I tell myself. I'm looking around frantically, shaking and sobbing, looking for him, but I can't see him. Where is he??

After a few seconds, someone touches my knee. I whip my head to see him. Ben, kneeling in front of me, patiently waiting for my eyes to meet his. I stare at him for a few seconds, studying his face, his eyes are tired, filled with fear, worry and desperation.

I listen to him talk to me and then jump into his arms. I hold on tightly as my parents leave and he lifts me up and puts me back into bed before changing and climbing in with me. He pulls me to him and rubs my back.

"Nightmare?" He asks.

I nod. I don't want to talk, not yet. I can't. My throat is in so much pain and I don't have anything to say. I can't get out of my head.

"I've got you baby. You're safe." He says, leaning down to kiss my forehead.

I don't respond. I just focus on his hand that is resting on his stomach.

I crease my eyebrows in confusion and reach for it. I run my thumb over them and hear him hiss in a breath like he's in pain.

I lift up my head and look at him in confusion, pointing to his hand and then pointing to a cut I notice above his eyebrow.

He looks at me, "the truth?" I nod. He runs his hand through his hair, "Alex. I went and found him. Beat him up pretty badly. James stopped me before I did something I would regret. The cops came and got him for underage drinking and public intoxication, for right now at least."

I look at him and nod. I lean in and peck his cheek. He pecks me back and smiles weakly at me.

"Try to go back to sleep. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

I nod and lay back down, eventually drifting back into a restless sleep.