Crawling Back To You

Chapter 18

Alex POV
I sit in a coffeehouse, sipping my espresso, when Anna comes in. Her eyes are red from crying. She doesn't see me and I don't want her to. She orders a cappuccino and sits down a few tables away from me. She cries. I am really worried, but I can't do anything. I mean, I just shouldn't. She calls someone. I have no idea who it is.

'I'm so scared, I dunno what to do. I can't go back. Ever.'
I'm so terribly curious. I feel a little guilty, too. I have no idea why.

'No, I'm not... Would you please help me? No, I know.... No, I can't ask someone else.... No, I can't... Please, you have to help me. You're the only one who can... Because it happened to you too... I'm sorry..... Because you told me once... You were drunk... No, I haven't told anyone!'

Who the hell is she talking to? I have no idea.
She gets up and walks outside. I can't help myself from following her. It's dark outside. A beautiful night, but a little spooky too. Anna walks really fast. I hear her crying and it makes me want to help. It makes me sad.

'I wanna go to Alex,' she says desperately. Now I feel guilty. Really guilty.

'I know you hate me... But I need someone... I'm sorry... Thank you...Thank you so much.'

'Anna!' I yell. She doesn't hear anything. I run after her, but she gets in her car and drives away, without seeing me.
I need to know what happened to her. I need to know what she's afraid of, who she was talking to and where she's going.

'I'm sorry,' I whisper. I don't really know who I'm talking to, 'cause there's no one around. It's cold and lonely. I feel lonely. And useless. I can't help.

Hailey POV
I'm glad my parents and Jamie aren't home (they aren't home often, which I like), because I can't use them right now. I make some tea and sit on the couch. Oh god, why do I always say yes in these cases. I always help, even though I don't want to. Anna sounded desperate and I couldn't say no, even though I hate her. She needs me. I hear knocking on the door.

'Hey...' I say. Anna looks at me with big shocked eyes. I know how she's feeling and I feel very bad for her. I truly do.

'I'm so sorry for you... Come in...' I say awkwardly.

'Thank you, Hailey.' She walks in and I get her some tea and cookies.

'So what do you need me to do? D'you wanna talk? Wanna run?'
I ask politely.

'I - I don't know... I thought maybe you could tell me what to do... I know it's stupid.'

'Not at all.'

'I think I want to talk...'

I nod. I wait for her to talk. I feel really stupid, because she wants me to give her advice and I don't know what kind of advice. I don't know what she needs? What did I need? I needed to know I could trust someone. So I try to be someone she can trust.

'It happened several times. Every time my mom left... He just hit me and.... Raped me... I tried to ignore the pain and the fear... But I couldn't...'

'No of course not. It's awful! You should go to the police... But I know you won't. And I understand that. It's your dad.'
I have no experience with being hit and raped by my DAD, but I have been raped. That's why Anna wanted trusted me with this.

'I had to do things that made me very scared and sick. And he did things...' She stops. She cries and I hug her.

'I'm so sorry. And I don't know what you should do now...'

'I'm so glad you're here,' she says. I smile a little. This is awkward. Not for her, but for me. I feel very awkward.
I hear knocking on the door. Again. Anna ducks.

It's Alex.
'Hailey, I'm so worried about Anna. I heard her talking on the phone and I don't know...-' Then he sees Anna.

'Anna?'

'Al?'

Alex runs towards her and hugs her. I feel miserable.
I look at them behind the door.
Anna kisses him. FUCKING BITCH! NO NO NO!
I look at them and it feels like everything falls apart. I see how he makes her feel better. How he comforts her. How they kiss. I collapse. My chest hurts and I walk upstairs. She just took him away from me. Like I did with her, I realize. I cry. Then I start vomiting again.

'Hailey, you okay?' Alex comes upstairs.

'Do I look like I'm okay? No, I'm not okay, but Anna needs you harder. She's so hurt. You should go back to her!' I shout, crying.

'Hailey, don't be so mean.'
I vomit.

'Leave me alone! Just... Go!'

He hesitates. But then he leaves with Anna and I'm alone. Really alone. Everything is ruined. Everything. I hate Anna. My life's already so screwed up. And Anna makes it worse.

Alex POV
I didn't want to hurt Hailey, but Anna needed me. She really did. And I just couldn't help it.

Now Anna sleeps at my home and I hope he'll be okay.

The next day I go to see Hailey. I want to apologize, or something like that... When I come in, I see she's panicked. But like, really PANICKED. Big brown eyes and a scared face. Just like Anna yesterday, but then in Hailey's way.

'I am so sorry. I didn't mean to kiss her, she was just very desperate. I only wanted to help, but it won't happen again. I'll stop her. I didn't mean to hurt you...' I say and I mean it.

'No, of course... It's okay. It's not that... I'm just very emotional lately... And I puke.... And I have a headache, I'm very tired... It's not only the concussion, Alex. I haven't had my period a long time, too. And remember that time you couldn't touch my breasts because it hurt?'

'Wait, what are you saying?' Something inside me knows the answer. No, this can't be. No! I don't want to hear her say it.
Hailey takes a deep breath.

'I am.... I.... I'm.... I think I'm pregnant....'