Stay//Poofless//discontinued

Chapter 17

Rob's POV

It's Halloween and I am alone. Preston and Lachlan went to some Halloween party, Vic and Jerome are sick, and Mitch is out with his girlfriend. We decided that since not all of us could hang out that we'd all just do our own thing, first time since we all met.

I've spent the day having a marathon of the scream movies, they aren't scary but they're cheesy enough to make up for it. I'm starting to drift off around 11 partway through they 4th movie when I'm interrupted by my phone. Grudgingly I stand up and walk to the kitchen where I left it. When Preston's face pops up across the screen I answer immediately.

Hey Rob?

Yeah buddy, what's up?

I need help. He's crying. Sobbing. Someone is going to get a beating. Nobody hurts him.

What happened? What's wrong?

I'll explain later. Please come get me.

Where are you?

He tells me the address and I type it into my phone, wasting no time getting over there. I'm pretty sure I went past the speed limit about 4 times on the way there but I need to protect him. As I pull into the driveway I see him walking out of the front door. He looks like a mess. I rush out of the car and he collapses in my arms.

"I'm here now. You're going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay." I mutter into his hair. He climbs into my car and I drive him to my house, he doesn't try to stop me. I help him as staggers through the doorway, setting him down on the couch. I wet a washcloth and bring it over to try and clean him up. In between dabs at his eye I ask the over-looming question.

"It's him isn't it?" Preston sits silent for a moment, hands gripping his knees so tightly his knuckles are white. "C'mon please don't lie to me. I know him and I know you and I know that nobody makes you feel small."

"I am small Rob. I'm small and weak and I can't blame him. I mean look at me, I'm pathetic." He attempts to move his head away from my hands but I hold him there, I'm not done cleaning the blood.

"You aren't pathetic or small or weak you are the most amazing person I've ever met."

"You can stop lying, it's okay. I know the truth now. He hit me because I deserved it, he threw me around because he was trying to tell me the truth. He loved me enough to show me the truth."

"No!" I'm opening my mouth but I stop myself from talking. "He doesn't love you Preston." It's harsh but he has to believe it. I stand up and walk towards the side of the couch, running my fingers through my hair.

"D-Don't say that." He turns towards me, eyes pooling with tears again. "He loves me."

"Preston if he loved you he wouldn't have done that to you."

"He did it because he loved me."

"That's not what love is. He doesn't love you."

"He has to!" He yells suddenly standing up. "He said he loved me! If he doesn't love me who the fuck else is going to?"

"I will." My feet move faster than my thoughts and suddenly I'm standing directly in front of him. "I love you."

"No! Stop lying to me! Get out of my head! Getoutgetoutgetoutgetout!" He's dropped to the ground, backing himself against the wall. He tucks his knees to his chest with his hands covering his ears. He's sobbing now and his even breath has turned into hyperventilation. I stand shocked for a moment until he begins smashing his head against the wall in rythem to his mantra.