Afterlight ✔️

chapter thirty-nine

— Jay Bieber

08:00PM

The time I had promised to come back and see Chloe. By the time I wanted to pick her up from Violet's, I found out that she had run away, once again. I didn't understand why she thought it would be a good idea to walk around alone, knowing she has been the target of an array of people out here.

Exhausted, I dragged myself up to the front door of my house, instantly opening it up. Interestingly enough, I never left my front door unlocked. Glaring over to my left, I clenched my jaw as I spotted Chloe laying under a blanket on the couch. I wasn't surprised, nor was I pleased with what I had seen, either.

"Chloe..." I called out, but heard no answer, "I know you hear me. I thought I told you to stay with Violet."

Still no answer. I continued to walk over her. I began to hear muffled whimpering, growing confused, "Chloe?"

Hovering over her body, I pulled the blanket down in order to see her face. She immediately jumped at my touch, jittering to herself. Her cheeks were blackened, as if they were bruised. I stood in panic, trying to figure out what happened to her. I took a minute, studying her body language to gather a slight idea. It was all absurd to me.

"Oh fuck." I whispered to myself, raking her hair out of her face with my fingers. She whined to herself, backing away from me, "Chloe, it's just me."

"P–please..." She pleaded softly. I took her hand, watching her freak out before my eyes. She backed away, making sure the blanket had still been wrapped around her, almost as if she had been hiding something from me.

"What happened?" I murmured, trying to be as gentle as possible, "What's wrong?"

Leaning over the armrest of the couch, she covered her face with her jittering hands, beginning to sob uncontrollably. Hearing those cries even caused me agonizing pain. I couldn't bear it. The person who I cared about the most was having yet another breakdown, and I had no idea why. She had been hurt all over again and I wasn't there to protect her, as I promised her to.

"Oh God, Chloe. Baby, what's wrong?" I questioned in panic, growing warm in the cheeks at her actions.

"Nothing, please..." She pleaded for me to let her be, "I–I d–don't want to talk about it."

I stroked her arm, watching her spaz out once more. She needed comfort more than anything, so I braced myself, grabbing onto her for a hug, holding her. She finally stopped moving herself away from me, sobbing into my chest. Her warm tears caused my shirt to become wet. Those tears would not stop coming out.

Something hurt her that inadequately.

"Why me?" She cried out, cupping her hand around the back of my neck. I could almost feel the shakiness of her hand, as it held onto me.

"It's going to be okay." I murmured, rubbing her on her back, "I'm so, so sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," She mumbled, "I'm s–so sorry. P–please don't h–hate me." She stuttered.

It killed me how she was apologizing to me. It didn't make much sense to me. I could only imagine what had been going on through her head. While I knew the consequences of her not listening to me had been brutal, she was being herself. She was in complete and utter pain.

I sniffled to myself, "Baby, I could never hate you. I promise it's going to be okay."

Minutes passed as I sat and listened to Chloe's cries. Repeatedly, I reminded her that everything was going to be okay. I never really understood why everything unfortunate in life had been sent in her way. I had been the one who deserved it, not her.