Heeey everyone,
Here is chapter 15! Yay! You didn't have to wait like 4 months for this upload, how exciting!! Anyway I don't really have much to say except for the usual.
Sorry for any mistakes
Cassie x0x0
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HADLEY’S POV
It’s been one week since the incident with Ben happened and it’s also my first day back at school since then. I’m not really looking forward to today, if it was up to me I’d have the next four months off school, but I guess what my parents said was true, I need to try and move on. I still have the brace on my shoulder and my ribs taped, as for the bruising there wasn’t much I could do about that, I’m just lucky all the visible ones aren’t too bad.
Just as I finish fishtailing my hair I hear a soft knock on my door. “Come in” I call and my mum walks in. “How are you feeling darling?” She asks with compassion. “I’m fine.” I say and she looks at me sceptically. “Hunny, you understand why we’re sending you to school today right? We don’t want to make the same mistake as last time. The last thing your father and I want is for you to go into depression again. You need to keep busy.” She says softly. “It’s okay mum, I understand why I need to go back, and I guess I’m just not looking forward to all the questions again.” Mum kisses me on the head and hugs me gently before saying that we’re leaving in 15 minutes and walking out of my room. Looking at my face in the mirror I could pass as fine, at least I learnt how to do that last time this happened.
“Hadley. Hadley, wait up please.” I turn around to see Mason limping slowly in my direction. The thought of running away crosses my mind, but I remember how he distracted Ben for me that night. “How are you feeling?” Mason asks sombrely when he reaches me. “I’ve been better.” I say trying not to show any emotion. “How about you, you don’t seem too great either?” I ask, referring to his limp. “Uh it’s nothing, don’t worry.” I go to nod my head when something occurs to me. “Wait Mason, did Ben do this to you?” I say gesturing to his leg that I can now see has a bandage on it. “Like I said it’s nothing.” He says again and I shake my head in disbelief. Where does Ben get off? Seriously, how dare he. “I guess I deserved it after everything with… well you know…” He trails off. Mason may have hurt me but there was no way he deserved whatever Ben did to him. “No don’t even say that Mason. You didn’t deserve anything, if you didn’t show up when you did who knows what else Ben would have done to me. You saved me in a way. Thank you.” I say meaning every word. “Hadley, I want you to know that I am so sorry. I am sorry for everything that happened between us. If I could take it all back I would, I honestly do not know what I was thinking.” Mason says ashamed and apologetically. “It’s all in the past now, there’s nothing that can be done.” I say and before I leave I whisper “Bye Mason and again thank you.”
By the time it’s lunch I feel completely drained, I can’t concentrate on anything and I certainly don’t feel like eating or socialising. Not knowing where else to go, I walk outside to our school oval. I go right down to the end where no one else will find me and sit under a huge tree. Leaning against the tree trunk I pull out a book and start reading.
I hear the warning bell sound but I make no effort to move anywhere. Five minutes later the final bell goes off, but I really don’t want to go back to class, so I get up and walk straight out of school. I have no idea where I am going but I just keep walking until I am in a familiar neighbourhood. I look around me and realise I am only around the corner from Ashton’s house. How long have I been walking for? I silently debate whether or not to go and see Ashton and I finally come to a decision. I keep walking until I am standing on his front porch about to ring his doorbell. It isn’t long until I can hear someone’s footsteps in the corridor. “Hell-Hadley!” Ashton exclaims when he see’s me standing there and pulls me into a hug. “Aren’t you supposed to be at school?” He asks taking in my uniform and school bag. “Yeah, but I wasn’t really in the mood for dealing with people today.” He chuckles slightly and lets me into the house and down to the lounge room.
“So how are you? Honestly.” He asks after getting a packet of chips to share and a glass of lemonade each. “I don’t know. I mean obviously I’m not great but I have also been worse.” I say and he sighs. “You know Hadley you can talk to me about anything, you know I’ll listen.” “Thank you Ashton, that means a lot.” We sit in the same position just talking about anything in general for a while, until a shiver rocks my body. “You cold?” Ashton asks me. “Yeah a little.” “Hold on.” He says and hops of the lounge chair, returning two minutes later with a big blanket. Ashton covers me before sitting back down and pulling the blanket over him as well. We are sitting closer than before, with me kind of half lying on his lap. For a few minutes it’s silent and when I look up I see Ashton ever so slightly leaning in. He stops for a second before continuing to come closer to me. My heartbeat quickens and I start to panic. I don’t know what to do and just before Ashton’s lips connect with mine I turn my head to the side, leaving him with my cheek.
I slowly turn my head back up to see Ashton’s confused and upset face. Tears well up in my eyes and I know I need to get out, I quickly stand up mumbling some sort of an apology. As I rush out of his house I can hear him calling my name but I ignore it. I run down the sidewalk and just as I think I am on my own my body collides with another. I look up through my watery eyes to see a familiar set looking back at me.
