Unwanted. Broken. Abused

Chapter 38

<Xavier's p.o.v>

I was staring at her for so long, I was half asleep, my eyes still captivated on her face.

I was brought back to reality by a snigger behind me.

"You totally like her." Rebecca whispered in my ear as she breezed past.

My head shot up immediately and I frowned at Rebecca.

"Shut up." She smiled innocently and shrugged.

She started making her way up the stairs, but I caught up with her.

"But you like Corey." I told her.

She started blushing.

"I do not." It was my turn to smile innocently and shrug.

She shot me a death glare.

If looks could kill...

She carried on up the stairs.

I followed her into the guest bedroom.

"I'll just go and get you some spare sheets and things."

I did.

I gave them to the girls and made my way to my room.

Instead of flopping down on my bed like I normally do, I took my duvet and pillows and load them beside where Hope was sleeping.

I was quite a light sleeper, so I'd wake up if she moved around.

I drifted off to sleep easily.

<Rebecca's p.o.v>

Hana and I set all the sheets on our beds, and laid down.

Hana fell to sleep easily, but I couldn't.

The events of today kept replaying in my head.

Corey calling me, sounding so flustered on the phone.

Hope yelling at me.

Finding her with cuts all up her arms.

Whatever happened to her in the past must have been bad.

So bad that she willingly turned mute.

So bad that she's beyond fixing.

But it just baffled me.

I was trying yo be supportive of her, when she exploded right in my face.

Maybe I was being a little too controlling.

But it wasnt my fault.

I was just looking out for a friend the way my parents hadn't done for me.

My mum left us when I was born.

My father chucked me into care without a second glance in my direction.

I shuddered, and told myself to forget it.

It was the past. It didn't matter.

All these thoughts were so overwhelming, I started falling asleep despite myself.

<Xavier's p.o.v>

I awoke to heavy breathing.

I looked to Hope and saw she was awake, but she was taking a load of deep breaths.

I frowned at her.

She was shaking.

"Hope! Hope, are you okay?"

She looked to me, fear and vunerabiliy showing clearly in her eyes.

She shook her head.

"What happened?"

She squeezed her eyes shut, and took another deep breath.

She was shaking less.

I had left a notepad and pen on the table and she reached for it.

She wrote with hands so shaky, her handwriting was barely deciferable.

But I could still make out the letters.

Bad dream.

I took one look at her, and I just wanted to kids her forehead and hug her right and tell her everything way okay.

But, I didn't.

"Hope, can I hug you?" I asked her.

She glanced up surprised, but nodded her head.

I slowly leant in to hug her.

I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and hugged her tight.

She sobbed into my chest and electric currents were running up and down me.

She relaxed after a while, and I let go of her.

She fell back to sleep.

I felt vaguely triumphant that I had managed to hug Hope without her backing away, freezing up, or even being remotely scared.

I went back to sleep, a smile playing at my lips.

Hope was going to be okay.

I will make sure of it.