No Lie

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

I slept actually quite peacefully that night. Waking up, I stretched out and turned on my side surprised I hadn't fell off the couch. I then moved my hand across the bed sheets that were over me deciding to open my eyes to see where I was.

Instead of waking up in Cole's office, I was in Carter's bedroom lying across the giant bed. I immediately scanned the room for him, a bit of hope rising, but I found it empty.

I sighed and laid back down, my mood turning sour.

I didn't know why I felt so... weird. I couldn't figure it out. I just need to talk to Carter, I told myself. But that wouldn't happen unless he decided to actually come back and talk.

I rolled over again, knowing I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. The clock read 8:24 am so I went to the shower and got ready for the day.

The hot steamy water coming out of the metallic jets usually calmed me down, but I still felt jumpy after wards.

I pulled on some jeans and slid on yet another sweatshirt, feeling too lazy.

I left my hair down after brushing it and turned to go out the door, noticing for the first time that it was fixed and back in place without a scratch.

Slightly confused, I wondered who had been in here to fix it earlier.

I was about to stop at the second floor and go to the kitchen but I found myself continuing down the stairs.

As I stepped onto the first floor, I almost sprinted across the room.

I struggled to hold myself back and instead just stopped dead in my tracks, staring at Carter.

Carter was standing with a group of men: I could recognize Liam and Cole but the others were strangers, with a serious face.

I felt a string of different emotions form in me as I stood looking at Carter.

First confusion, then anger, then happiness, then just plain hurt.

It felt like he didn't even notice me in the room, like he was ignoring me.

As if reading my thoughts, Carter stopped talking and looked at me. His expressionless face made him look somewhat older and more menacing.

I waited for him to say something, an explanation of where he had been, maybe why he had been gone for so long, but he said nothing.

I noticed Cole, Liam, and the other guys standing back and secretly looking at each other.

I gave them a glare, feeling offensive that they were talking about me or Carter.

They looked away, guiltily.

"Hey." I spoke up and was surprised at how low my voice was.

Carter said nothing back and it made it hard to swallow.

"Can we talk?" I tried hard to keep my voice steady. "Privately?" I added glancing at the rest of the guys behind him.

I was relieved when Carter nodded and began following me outside.

It was a cool morning but I needed some fresh air- and to get away from everyone else.

I stopped beside a bench on a path that lead to the gardens and rivers farther away.

I stayed standing and tried really hard to look Carter in the eye as I spoke. I decided on staring at his chest, chickening out.

"You were gone a while."

It was more of a statement but I wanted him to tell me why. Had he been this mad at me?

Carter was silent once again and I looked up at him.

He was clenching and unclenching his jaw looking behind me.

I waited until he didn't speak for another minute, my patience disappearing quickly.

"Please answer me, what's wrong?" The disparity in my voice was loud and clear, but I didn't care.

Carter looked down finally and his eyes were completely black. I now tried to look away.

"Nothing's wrong." His voice was distant and dead.

I felt sick to my stomach and hated myself for being an emotional mess.

"What do you mean nothing's wrong?" Tears now made their appearance and were running down my cheeks, as if screaming I was vulnerable and weak. Just like Valerie had said.

I struggled to not break down sobbing, but I was going to lose it soon.

"See Hayden, I understand now. You hate it here and you obviously hate me." He paused and I was too choked up to say anything.

"I'm letting you go back."

His last sentence didn't register in my mind and I continued to stare at him, wanting him to comfort me like he had once before.

"Back to your house, in Michigan."

Something behind his words crushed me.

"I'll have you back by tonight and I won't bother you ever again." His eyes became impossibly darker.

"I promise." He said darkly.

I shut my eyes to stop the ground from spinning, and noticed I had been holding my breath this whole time.

I exhaled and then inhaled sharply trying to understand what he was saying.

He was letting me go back? To my house and my parents?

I didn't know if he expected me to answer him because he suddenly said, "Come on, Cole will help you pack", and then he was walking away.

I tried to keep up with him, but his pace was too fast for me. He reached the doors before me and when I walked inside he was telling Cole something which Cole nodded in return.

Cole came to me and gave me worried expression and I remembered I was still crying. I really didn't care anymore if everyone saw me though.

"Here Hayden, lets get you to your room." Cole said softly, but he too sounded distant, strained.

He held out his hand for me to take, probably because I was incapable to walk straight, and he began leading me back upstairs.

I strained to turn around to see Carter again, for one last time.

When I turned around I saw nothing but the front door closing.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Vote and Comment, Thanks for reading.

.