Before You

Chapter Eleven.

I woke up to a soft knock on my bedroom door and rolled over to see that it was already after three in the morning. I squinted through my sleepy eyes to see Macy, Sarah, and Jessica all tiptoe in through my door.

"Hey." Jess tried to whisper but she'd obviously been drinking heavily. "I wanted to-." She paused to hiccup. "We wanted to check on you."

I sat up slowly, reaching over to the bedside lamp and pulled the little chain, illuminating my room. I was already getting a migraine and the light didn't help. Judging from the way my friends guarded their eyes, they must have been feeling the same way.

"I'm fine." I told them, too exhausted to be sure if it was the truth or if I was just putting on a brave face for them.

Sarah leaned against my dresser, her plum dress wrinkled now, but I bet she looked killer when the night started. "I can't believe that jerk showed his face." She shook her head, her strawberry curls swishing around her face.

Just the mention of it made my skin crawl, like I could still feel his hands on me.

My reaction must have been more obvious than I thought because Jessica plopped down beside me, leaning in to hug me while Macy sat at the foot of my bed, giving me a sympathetic smile. "Hunter told me what happened." Jessica said carefully.

"He did?" I asked feeling a little mortified.

She nodded. "I would have never guessed he'd show his face around this town again, but especially that he'd actually try to mess with you. I'm so glad Hunter found you."

"Me too." I admitted. I was a little surprised that when she said Hunter had told her what happened, that she actually meant Hunter told her exactly what happened. I don't know why I'd assumed he'd make up a story. "He showed up just in time."

"I heard." Jess nodded. She was the only one I'd completely opened up to about Seth. Macy and Sarah both know that some shady stuff went on between us and that I was wrecked by him, but only Jessica knows just how much. "Hunter said he was positive that he wouldn't come around trying to bother you again."

I smiled a little despite myself. "Yeah, it looked like he was giving him a pretty good talking to. Seth's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head."

"Too bad they didn't." Sarah shook her head.

"I saw him leaving." Macy told me. "That's when we started freaking out trying to find you because we didn't want you to see him. I'm sorry we weren't around."

My chest felt warm. Even when I feel out of place, they always remind me that I am one of them and we all have each other's backs even when I feel like I'm the only one.

"It isn't yawl's fault." I dismissed their worry, then I turned to Jessica. "Like you already know, Hunter took care of it." And me.

Jessica's smile stretched across her dimpled cheeks. "He is the best." She gushed. "I can't believe I actually found a good standup guy. He looked out for my best friend, he got rid of the a-hole who was bothering you, and he cleaned you up and got you home."

"Well, technically Aaron brought me home." I smiled. "But yeah, he's pretty great, Jess."

She smiled again, then sighed, her head dipping a little and Macy reached out to put her hand on her back.

"What's wrong?" I asked as my heartrate picked up. Was this them giving me a chance to come clean to them about my involvement with Hunter? Did Aaron tell them all everything when he got back to the club and they have all seen what a bad person I am now?