Dying Love

Chapter 3

I walked up to Hannah's room, Seth staying downstairs to talk to his parents about the baseball season."Hey,"I said, opening her door. Hannah turned her head from her T.V. and waved towards me."What's up?"She asked. I walked in, closing the door behind me

"Your brother just saved my life."I said, setting my backpack down. Hannah sat up straighter,"What?"She asked, her eyes going wide."Joey pulled my around the corner, and was trying to force me to be his girlfriend to show his ex he doesn't need her. He slapped me really hard... And kicked me. I'm pretty sure if I had said no he would've killed me, but Seth showed up."I explained.

"Oh. My. God."Hannah gaped."He actually does,"She murmured to herself, but I still heard it,"He actually does what?"I asked, and Hannah looked at me, then sighed."I love you, Skylar, I really do, but I promised someone I would never tell you."She gave a soft smile."Are you okay?"She asked.

I shrugged, tears starting to form at my eyes, I walked over and sat next to her,"I would've said yes, Hannah. I would've said yes, and I wouldn't have hesitated. But I didn't want to come home with a black eye and try explaining to my parents anymore. It would hurt me- lying to them. My mom has cancer, and my dad's going off to war. Hannah, I can't take this anymore."I said, tears streaming down my face. 

Hannah wrapped her arms around me,"It'll be okay, Sky. Really, it'll be okay,"She said, as I sobbed. I turned my attention to the door, as it cracked open. Seth walked in, and saw me crying. I pulled away from Hannah, and wiped the tears from under my eyes.

Seth looked at me, to Hannah, then back to me,"Skylar?"He asked. Hannah stood up, and pulled her brother of of the room, leaving me alone. I could hear them talking.

"Seth- seriously. Be mature. She needs someone"

"No, Hannah, I'm not ready!"

"Why are you so stubborn? Her life is crappy right now. Do something!"

"Not.... Yet."

I got up, and walked over to the mirror, looking at myself. Mascara ran down my face, my eyes were swollen, and there was a bruise on my jawline. I tried my best to get the mascara off, before Hannah walked in, Seth trailing behind her.

"Come on Skylar, I'm gonna drive you home,"Hannah said. I crossed my arms,"I can't go home. I can't, Hannah! My mom would see the bruise, and I can't explain this to her. C-can I stay the night?"I asked. Hannah looked at Seth, then back to me,"Let her stay, Hannah,"Seth said. Hannah sighed,"Fine. Dig through my closet for some pajamas that fit."

I searched through Hannah's clothes, finally finding some sweats and a t-shirt, before turning around to see her slap Seth's arm."You did not see that,"She said, looking at me. I nodded, and gave a half-smile. 

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Later that night, around nineish, Hannah had put a movie on, and fell asleep to it. I, on the other hand, was wide awake. I stood up from where I was sitting, and walked into the hallway. I didn't know where I was going, I just knew that I didn't want to be cooped up in the same room for the next couple hours. 

I turned the corner in the hallway, nearly running into Seth,"Hey."He said, munching on a cookie,"Hi,"I replied,"What are you doing?"He asked, and I shrugged,"Hannah's asleep, so I thought I'd take a walk around the house."Seth nodded.

"By the way, thank you. For earlier. I wouldn't be surprised if Joey had pulled a knife on me or something. So- thank you."I said, and Seth nodded."I don't like to see people get hurt. Especially people that mean a lot to me."He said, and I looked at him. I meant a lot? "You know- you mean a lot to Hannah, and the rest of my family."He said, trying to correct himself. I nodded.

Now it had just became awkward silence."So, Hannah told me about your parents,"Seth brought up my home problems. I nodded,"Yeah."I said, sighing. Just the thought of my parents dying brought tears to my eyes. Seth noticed,"I didn't mean to-"He started, but I shook my head,"It's fine."I said in a shaky voice."No, it's not. I shouldn't have brought it up."He said. I couldn't keep the tears in anymore. 

One moment I was somewhat collected, the next there were tears streaming down my face. Seth was somewhat quick to react. Brotherly reaction maybe? He wrapped his arms around me in an embrace. I then realized that we was a lot taller than me. I covered my face with my hands as I sobbed into his shoulder. 

"Seth?"I heard Hannah's mom's voice from her door,"What's going on?"She asked,"Nothing mom, go back to bed!"Seth answered quickly, and then took my hand walked around the corner into his room, where I continued to sob. Not as much, though. More like big hiccups. Once I was calmer, I walked over to his bed, where he was sitting, and sat down next to him.

"Did Joey always abuse you when you were dating? That whole two years?"Seth finally asked after a couple minutes of silence. I shrugged,"At the beginning we were fine. It was like a dream. Perfect. Then when we had been dating for one year, he started pulling my hair, which advanced into hitting me, and then kicking me. He would push me down. Sometimes, we would drag me to his stairs if he was really mad, and push me down those."I said.

Seth took a deep breath."Why would you let him do that?"He asked."He was my first love. I couldn't imagine a life without him. Then one day... The day my parents told my siblings and me their news. They had called and texted me, and I was still at his house, struggling with making it through one sentence without be thrown at the wall. I grabbed my stuff and walked out. That kind of ended it.."I explained.

More tears. Seth put his arm around me. After a few seconds I calmed down."Seth?"I said, he didn't reply,"My parents are going to die, aren't they?"I asked."I don't know, Skylar. I don't know."He said. Even more tears. He pulled my closer. Eventually, I fell asleep.