Take Me Away | ✔️

18. CHASING GHOSTS

Before you get started on chap 17, I'm just here to say that it's a short chapter because 18 is going to be a really long one. So I'm pretty sure I'll make it up for you guys! Love you guys!

Carry on wayward sons!

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27 MISSED CALLS. 62 messages. All from Travis, Robbie, Riley, Tyler, Lucas, and Alex.

They empty gym where Alex and I train was closed, but I always had a spare key of the place which Alex entrusted me with whenever I needed to release, I could always go there—the gym was open to me twenty-four-seven and I was glad that I still had that key.

Dropping my phone onto another placemat beside the ring, I decided to hit the bag in front of me while still wearing the dress and without gloves or bandages on. It had hurt but not as much as the hurt I was feeling now. God, is this what it feels like, losing someone? Is it supposed to feel this way—this harsh?

All the hits I got from fighting was much worse than this one.

"Mom, what do you think about this one?" I twirled holding the pale pink dress that Sean gave to me as a gift. "Sean gave this to me."

She nodded. "I think this makes you look beautiful, sweetie. But are you sure you want to wear that for your date with this guy? What's his name again?"

"Alex," I couldn't help but smile just saying his name. "Mom, you know, he's great. He's a bit older than me, he's fit, says he goes to the gym, and says that he's only been going to that coffee shop frequently than he likes because I was there."

"You look beautiful," she grinned.

Every step, there was mom—guiding me while I took care of her.

"Sweetie," she whispered, wrapping her arms around me while I just stared at the television, cuddled up on a blanket. "You look upset, what's wrong? The party wasn't that great?"

I shook my head. "I just saw Alex kissing another girl."

"What?" She voiced out, very loudly too. "I'm going to kill that boy when I see him for hurting my baby girl. You okay, sweetie?"

I shrugged. It had hurt but I wasn't going to let my mother see me hurting over a boy. I wasn't the type of person to do that at all. "I'm good. I kind of knew from the very start that it wasn't going to work. So, I guess, it was good that it ended sooner than in the long run, right?"

She pressed her lips on my temple, her warmth just comforting me. "He doesn't deserve you, okay? At all."

I remember that horrible night for all of us, where I was laying down on the hospital, having a hard time to breathe properly from the cracked ribs that I was suffering, and having a hard time seeing clearly from the badly bruised eye. I couldn't see myself, but I had a good imagination enough to know what I looked like.

Mom was beside me, gripping my hand as my brother gripped the other with Alex not leaving their side and mine.

"You scared us, baby," she whispered, smiling softly at me. "but I'm glad you're awake."

I tried to smile, but the split on my lip made it harder for me. "I'm glad I'm awake," I mumbled, my voice hoarse. Then, my attempt to smile disappeared and they were replaced with a frown. "Sorry, for—"

But before I could sob in front of my brother and Alex, my mother had sat down on my bed and wrapped me around her arms, my face digging onto her stomach. "Why didn't you even say anything that it was happening, huh?" My mom caressed my back. "You should have told us or gave us a warning."