Can You Hear Me?

Chapter Five:

I woke the next morning with a sharp pain in my side so I rolled over and took my pills. There is no way I'm going to be able to go to school today it hurts way too much. Both the twins offer to stay with me during the day so I'm not alone. We just sit and watch Netflix all day, it hurts to even move. On the bright side they make me laugh and help me out throughout the day. Eventually I take out my phone and check my social media and of course there is Rebecca and he packs spreading rumors about me.

Rebecca: I bet Ash is missing so much school because she's knocked up

Lisa: Omg I bet she has some sort of STD

Kayla: Guys stop making me laugh so hard it hurts. She's a little slut any way so of course she does. You both are right.

I continue to read what was written about me as tears fill my eyes. There have been 53 likes on what each one is saying about me and they only get worse. Suddenly a new post is posted and it's from Ethan.

Ethan: To all the people bulling Ash I suggest you stop because you all are being stupid. She is not pregnant and does not have any Diseases. For you information her brother got into a car accident and died tragically. So for all you saying these things about her this is a really bitchy move and it's a new low even for them. So leave her the Hell alone and back off.

I couldn't believe what I had just read and I look over at Ethan. "You didn't have to do that for me babe." "Of course I did. They shouldn't treat you or anyone else that way." "Yeah Ash that's not fair to you or anyone. You don't deserve what you are dealing with, you're too nice of a person" says Grayson. The thought of the two of them sticking up for me makes me smile. Ethan leans in and gives me a passionate kiss; I start to grin into the kiss just because he makes me smile. I'm so glad to have a guy like Ethan in my life, even when I'm at my lowest he finds a way to make me smile both of them does. Suddenly my phone rings, I look at my screen and my smile quickly disappears. "What's wrong" asks Grayson, I don't answer and get up and walk into another room and answer my phone. "Ash honey....I'm sorry for what I did. I didn't mean it or anything I said." "Oh really you are because you really don't sound like you are. Did you forget everything you said to me and everything you did to me? But you know what I don't care anymore. Goodbye mother have a nice life" and with that I hung up. Part of me felt great while the other part felt like I had just died. I return to the boys and they both give me concerned looks on their face. "I'm fine guys" I say as I slowly walk over to the couch where I was sitting with Ethan. I'm lying through my teeth but I don't want them to know about what was said. Ethan pulls me close to him so I just lay my head on his shoulder. My ribs are killing me and I left my meds upstairs so I ask grey. "Hey grey my ribs really hurt and I left my medication upstairs would you run upstairs and get them for me?" "Yeah I'll be right back" he says as he gets up and walks stairs. "Alright so are you going to tell me why you have tears in your eyes" Ethan says. "My mother called that's why." He doesn't say another word after that, then grey came back down and walked into the Kitchen. He comes back out and hands me a bottle of water and my meds.

Hours later the pain is at the point where it's almost numb but it's still sharp enough to feel. I sit in bed with Ethan next to me "I feel so horrible Eth. The things she said to me really hurt. What am I supposed to do...I can't go back to her and I can't stay here till the end of the year till we graduate." "Ash of course you're going to stay here. I don't want you going back to that house. It's too dangerous." All I can do is smile at the thought of how he wants to protect me and make sure I don't get hurt. "I'm not going to let anyone else hurt you again...I promise." I nod and look him dead in the eye and say "Thank you Ethan for everything." "No problem now I could really go for some Panera bread you interested" Ethan asks. I raise my eyebrows and say "Um you know it!" He jumps up and helps me to my feet, he grabs his keys and hands me his sweatshirt. "What's this for" I ask, "So you don't freeze and I have been meaning to give you one of mine anyway" he says with a smirk. I don't bother fighting it and just take it and we head out the door. For three hours Ethan and I talk and eat, we talk about everything. After we finish eating we head back to the car, "I have a surprise for you" says Ethan. He pulls out my skateboard and his own "I figured we could go and skate for a while. I know how much you have been itching to get out and ride." I can't help but laugh "Thank you so much Ethan!" I quickly wrap in a tight hug. I quickly grab my board and we take off, it felt so good to feel the wind blowing through my hair and on my face again. Ethan and I held hands as we rode side by side. I'm so in the zone that I don't even notice what Ethan is saying to me. He then squeezes my hand, "Hmm what?" "Hahaha nothing just seeing how happy you are is making me smile." We skate for hours and hours, hell we skate so long my legs feel like jelly by the time we stop. I check my phone and notice its one in the morning when we get back to the car. Thank god it's a Friday and I don't have to worry about school tomorrow. "Hey can we go to the beach" I ask with a pleading face. "Please Ethan Please, I really want to feel the cool air on my skin and hear the waves crash upon the sand." With a sigh he gives up and agrees, we get in his car and drive to the beach. He pulls out a blanket and sets it down on the white sand as we sit and relax. "So why did you want to come here anyway Ash?" "I used to come here all the time with my brother. Whenever he or I had a problem we would come here and talk. This is...this was our safe place. No matter what, no matter when we would come here and just talk. But now that he's gone I don't know, maybe I just wanted to come here just to feel close to him again." I look down at my feet then back to the water, "I don't know I guess I just really miss...miss him. And... and I just don't know what to do without him" I say as tears start to roll down my cheeks. "I know it hurts Ash. I'm not going to say I know how you feel because I don't but I do know that I'm going to be here for you just like your brother did. I'll fight for you when you need Ash. I just want you to know that I'm here for you." I look at his face and say "Thank you." He cups my face with both of his big hands and starts to wipe my tears away.