Message in a Bottle

Run (12)

Chapter 12

*Ciara's POV*

I stare at Harry blankly, wishing I could jump out of the car. What was he doing by my house in the first place? I thought he hated me? Harry could tell I was speechless, so he repeated his question. "What happened back there?"

I cough, clearing my now, sore throat. It's been hurting from screaming so loudly at Mike only a few minutes ago. "Mike found out that Mason wasn't his child," I quietly speak. I feel embarrassed that Harry's friend's first impression of me is probably that I'm whore or something close to that. "He started hurting me and then he went after Mason," I gently stroke Mason's soft scalp as he stares at Harry.

"Where did he hurt you?" Concern was a main factor in his deep voice. Why was he being so nice to me? Only yesterday he stormed off on our date and told me I was a liar. Oh yeah, maybe he's being nice to you because you almost got murdered, my self conscious adds. I hesitate, trying to remember what happened. It seems like a dream almost, Mike never hurt me like that before. Normally, it's just pushing me into tables or an object, but he hit me as hard as he could.

"I guess you can say everywhere," I reply after I listed all the injuries in my head. He pulled my hair, hit me across the face, and pushed me onto the ground. Not to mention, it feels like he dislocated my arm sockets when he forced my arms roughly behind my back.

Harry sat there with a disgusted look on his face, as well as his friend, "we should call the police!"

I shake my head, "I wish I could... But he is the police. Either way, I've put him through enough." In Mike's family, for each generation, there has to be at least one police officer. His great grandpa was a police officer. His grandpa was a police officer. His uncle was a police officer. And now, Mike is a police officer.

Anyways, Mike doesn't deserve to be punished for what he did, it's not all his fault. I lied to him for over two whole years, leading him on to think he had a child, when he really didn't. I think I deserved everything he did to me in a way, but I don't want to come face to face with him again. I can't imagine what he would do to me if he was given the opportunity.

Harry didn't know how to reply to that, so he took on a different subject. "By the way, this is Louis," his friend waves, a tiny smile across his face. Now I remember him, he was with Harry the night that so many mistakes were made. I shoot a smile back, wondering how badly my appearance is after my horrifying encounter.

"I'm Ciara," I stick out my left hand, he reaches out and shakes it gently. "This is Mason," I refer to the small boy sitting on my lap with his fingers in his mouth.

"He's beautiful," Harry states, staring at him like he was the most amazing thing in this entire world.

"I know," I look down at him, thankful I was able to call him my son. I snap out of my daze, remembering the situation I'm in, "you can drop me off at my friend's house."

"No, I want to take care of you," he demands, turning back to face the steering wheel. In a matter of seconds the car came to life, gently riding against the street.

"That's not necessary," I answer. Things would be awkward if I went back to their house. So many memories would flood back to my mind, why would he want me to go with him and Louis anyways? This was all too much for me, I couldn't handle all this anymore. Tears start to run down my face, I bite the insides of my cheeks trying to contain them. It doesn't work.

"I don't think you're the one driving this car, am I correct?" He glances back at me in the rear view mirror, only to find me wiping tears away from my eyes. "Ciara, don't cry, please."