Losing Oliver

Chapter 11

There was a silence that filled the room. I stood in shock, letting the note fall from my hand. I tried to speak, but it seemed that I just couldn't form the words. There was so much to say, yet little was spoken.

Oliver wasn't who I thought he was. He wasn't my savior, and he wasn't a saint. I put him on a pedestal, which he has now fallen from. My heart was breaking. How could I have loved someone who would do that? Now, with Oliver gone, I would never know.

"Now you understand. He's not how you all made him out to be. He hurt my sister, and now I'm glad he can't anymore." Lucas sneered and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Stop. Please, just stop." My voice was faint and lost, and I needed to get out of his house. My flight instincts were on high-alert. They were screaming run, run, run. Looking back, that was all I had ever done. Oliver always used to fight for me, and without him, I didn't know what to do. I could lash out, insulting someone else, but I could never protect myself.

"Don't sit here and defend that bastard when my sister is going to the hospital. It's because of him." Lucas shook his head, and I turned to the door. I couldn't let him see me cry.

"I have to go." I said, my voice cracking with emotion.

"It's for the best." He replied softly, even though his hesitance was clear when he spoke.

I didn't know where to go. No one would understand. I was in love with this guy who I thought was amazing, but I was so wrong.

I ran down the stairs as quick as I could. The sound of my footsteps rang through the house, filling the silence that was left. The commotion outside had dissolved, and I was alone with my thoughts.

I came to a park that was empty in the late night. I felt my heart pump against my chest, my lungs begging for air. Sitting onto a nearby swing, I let the tears flow and myself grieve for the first true time.

~

Somehow, I had ended up here. In front of me was his door, and I couldn't stop myself from knocking. No one answered, so I kept knocking with increasing urgency. Please, please answer.

I heard the click of the door unlocking before it opened. There Declan stood, dazed from sleep, "God, Lucy. It's 2 AM. What are you doing here?"

"I-I.." I began, but I really didn't have an answer for him. "I don't know. I just.. sorry."

I quickly turned away to leave. A hand grabbed my wrist and held me back before I could. When I turned around, Declan was looking at me with a concerned expression. "Don't leave. What is it?"

I was surprised at the sincerity in his voice. He wanted to know what upset me. More tears welled up in my eyes. I was scared to tell what Oliver did. I was scared to admit to myself it was true.

"Lucas called me tonight..." Stepping back onto the porch, I began to relive the events. "He was distressed and disoriented... Emmy tried to commit suicide."

Declan's jaw clenched while he shut his eyes momentarily. "Come in, we can talk more in here."

It was completely dark in the living room besides a lamp near the door that was turned on.

"My mom's sleeping in the room next to this room. We'll have to go upstairs." He whispered once we got inside.

"Okay.." I whispered back as we headed up the stairs, which creaked with every step.
We entered a room that was most likely Declan's. It was simple with a wall filled with photographs next to his bed.

I looked at them and smiled when I saw one of Declan with a sleeping Zeke. Zeke's mouth was wide open and a drawn-on mustache on his upper lip while Declan held a permanent marker in hand.

Next photo I saw was older, bent and wrinkled. It was of a young boyish Declan and a younger blonde-haired girl. She looked about 5 years younger than him.

"So what happened?" Declan asked from behind me.

I fought off the tears again as I turned to look at him. "You can't tell anybody this. No one."

"I won't tell anyone, promise." He said softly, looking down at me. His brown eyes were understanding and kind. It was nice to see that right now.

"Oliver.. Oliver beat Emmy. That's why she tried to kill herself." With those words, I couldn't stop the tears from flooding.
I tried to hide them with my hands, but my shoulder shook and gave me away.

I felt Declan's arms wrap around me and hold me close. I clenched his t-shirt in my hands and sobbed into it.

After moments of my sobbing, silence filled the room. I looked up at him and quickly backed away. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize, Lucy. I know it's hard for you to find out Oliver wasn't exactly how you knew him to be." He murmured. "You're just mourning the loss of someone you loved."

I saw his eyes flickered to the picture I saw of the girl and him. "Mind if I ask, who is she?"

"...My sister, Riley." He replied simply, looking away.

"How old is she? I've never met her." I asked, not realizing at first why that could've been.

"She was 11." He replied with the downturn of his lips.

Was.

My heart stopped as I remembered the words he said to me. He lost someone important to him, like I did. "I'm sorry." I said, unknowing of what to say next.

"No, it's fine. I'm sorry." He gulped and shook his head. "It was my fault. I should've been watching where the car was going... it was too late to stop from hitting it."

A car crash, she died in one. He was driving, and he blames himself. Now, I knew, it was my turn to hug him.

I wrapped my arms around him and put my head on his chest.

"It's not your fault, Declan."

~~~

DONT FORGET TO COMMENT AND VOTE!
Oooo.. a little moment between Lucy and Declan!
What should the ship names be? Which one do you ship?
Lucas + Lucy?
Declan + Lucy?

~Rachel