b r e a t h e

Chapter Seven

Finn approaches me a couple days before school starts, a couple days before my mom and I leave for California. "Hey baby."

"Get the hell away from me Goldfish Guy." I bark back at him.

"I love a feisty girl." He moans, grabbing my wrist.

"Good. there are plenty of feisty sluts at our school."

"I've already had everyone on the menu."

"Except me, Anna, Samantha, Rachel, and pretty much every girl that doesn't open her legs for a living."

"Trust me babygirl, you'll open up for me and you know it."

"In your dreams."

"You have been."

"Get the actual away from me or God help you." I narrow my eyes at him and take my hand away from his reach.

"I don't believe in God."

"Nor do I, but with what I'm gonna do to you...you better pray."

He stares at me and runs away, confused and afraid. "You'll be the one, Gone!" He calls out to me.

I wake up in my bed sweating. "Crap!" I yell and run to the bathroom, splashing my face with water.

"Hey, hey. Are you okay?" My mom runs into my room. "It's three in the morning."

"I'm-I'm fine." I stutter, walking back to bed. "Just...memories of Ohio."

"Of that Finn guy?" She asks and I nod.

"Oh Jesus and wanna decapitate that boy! Alex is so much better."

"Agreed." I giggle and tuck myself in. "You should go to sleep Mom, you have to work tomorrow."

She nods and heads over to her room as Alex jumps into mine. "Are you okay? What happened? Are you physically hurt anywhere?" He grabs my arms and scans my legs.

"I'm fine you big baby." I laugh, shoving him back a bit.

"I wanna know all about Finn." He speaks, his voice rough and deep.

"He's just my past."

"I wanna know your past."

"No, you don't." I mumble, avoiding his peering eyes.

"It can't be that bad..." He reaches out and grabs my hand.

"Finn is the definition of bad." My mind races back to Ohio and my breathing becoming fast and uneven.

"Ella, come back to me...please." He squeezes my hand and I snap back to him.

"Finn was...he was bad news, trouble, you but with no soft side and filter. He became obsessed with making me his. He tried bribes and blind dates. He tried tricking me. He tried to charm me. I tense up when people touch my neck because he used my sensitivity against me. He kissed and stroked my neck, in-in hopes of getting me. I remember, he-he even tried convincing my mom to force me to date him. She, of course, hated him after that. I-I wanted him to leave. My mom saw that he was affecting my life in drastic ways. She called her job and asked about relocation. They had one place she could move to...here."

Alex wraps his arms around me and I realise that I had started crying. "Shh, it's okay, princess."

I bury my head into the crook of his neck. "I'm scared that he's gonna find me."

"If he does, he's gonna take pray that I don't beat him to a pulp." He coos into my ear.

"Funny, when I last saw him I told him that if I ever see him again he'd better pray because of what I'd do to him." I smile up at Alex.