Darling, You'll Be Okay

Chapter 5- You Can Run Away With Me Anytime You Want

Vic's POV

When I go to open the door, I find that it is already unlocked. Cautiously, I turn the brass doorknob and step inside. I hear loud moaning coming from inside the bedroom. In the ten seconds that it takes to reach the source of the noise, a million different thoughts have passed through my mind but only one sticks: Frank. My body is on autopilot as I open the bedroom door, every second feels like an hour. The room is dark, but I can still see two shapes moving on the bed. My hand trembling, I find the light switch and turn on the light. Frank's head snaps up. A look of horror and embarrassment passes over his face.

"Vic.... Vic I'm so sorry. It's not what it looks like." He pushes himself off of his partner, who props himself up on his elbows. I see a flash of red hair through my tear filled eyes and and immediately know who it is. Frank pulls on his pants and run towards me, a stream of apologies and explanations coming out of his mouth, but I'm not even listening. Frank's voice is just white noise in the back of my mind as I numbly close the door in front of him. My mind is spinning and my thought are a blur as I dash out of the house. I don't know where I'm going but I just need to get away. My feet ache as they hit concrete. Hot tears spill onto my cheeks but I just keep running. I run to the only place I feel safe. Kellin is sitting on his porch when I reach his house. When he sees me coming up the steps his hazel eyes light up, and he scrunches up his eyebrows in worry as he notices my puffy eyes and pale blotched cheeks.

"Vic?" He asks, pulling me into a hug. My tears stain his shirt as I press my head into his shoulder. He strokes my hair and places a kiss on the top of my head. I feel like an idiot. Part of me is glad I found them together. Maybe, just maybe, Kellin and I have a chance now. But I feel betrayed. I never realized how much I loved Frank until this moment. "What happened?" I had stopped crying now, but my head was still spinning and a thousand knives were being stabbed into my skull. "Kellin... I found Frank... with Gerard." I said slowly, unsure of what his response would be. Kellin closed his eyes and took a deep breath in. He ran his fingers through his ebony hair and sighed. "I know."

I looked up at him, wiping my face. "What?"

He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I know he's cheating on me. I didn't know it was with Frank, but... I knew. I can hear the sounds coming from the bedroom whenever I come home from work early." He smiled sadly. "I'm so sorry, Vic. I really am."

"Wait then... why are you still with him?"

Kellin chuckled softly, looking down at his hands. "He doesn't think I know what he's doing with Frank. I never walked in on him because I don't want him to hurt me again." I could tell he was kicking himself for saying that last part. He cleared his throat and shifted his weight uncomfortably.

"Kellin-" I reached out to touch his face but he jerked away. The collar on his shirt rode down and I saw a large purple bruise on his collarbone, just above his tattoo. I gasped. "Kellin... how long has this been going on?" He clenched his hands into fists, gripping so tight his knuckles were turning white. I took his hand in mine and looked him in in his beautiful, pain-filled eyes. "Kellin. Please. Tell me."

"A few months." I pulled back his shirt to examine the bruise. I ran my calloused fingers over it gently and he took in a sharp breath. With a shaking hand, Kellin pulled up his shirt to reveal that his left side was covered in bruises and scratches.

"Did... did Gerard do this to you?" I asked cautiously, tracing the bruise lightly. He bit his lip and nodded. Kellin looked so broken like this, so vulnerable. Tears were forming in his eyes and he looked so damn beautiful. "I'm here for you, Kellin. Always. I know it's hard. But I love you. Okay?" He gave me a half smile.

"I texted my brother. He's on his way to pick me up. Do you want to come over and stay for a few days? Just to get away from him?" Terror lit up in his eyes and he shook his head. "I can't," he whispered. "He'll find me." I sighed.

"Okay, but call me if it gets bad and I'll come get you, okay?" He nodded. Minutes of hugging and reassuring words passed before a red Jeep pulled up in front of us and a tall, tattooed man stepped out wearing a baseball cap and ripped jeans. I pushed on my knees and stood up. "Hey Mike," I said. Mike glanced behind me at Kellin.

"Hey Kells, how you doing?" Kellin gave a small smile and a thumbs up, before glancing away. I looked back at Kellin again. "Are you sure you don't want to come? It'll be no inconvenience to us, I promise." Kellin shook his head again. I took in the damaged body sitting in front of me one last time. His eyes revealed the months of torture he had hidden within himself behind a fake smile. His body was so scarred, yet so beautiful. Another tattooed man stepped out of the truck, this one much shorter and much more reserved. He interlocked his inked hand with Mike's.

"Are we ready to go, babe?" He asked. He nodded his head at me. "Sup, Vic."

"Hey Tony," I replied. "New tats?" I gestured to the slightly reddened patch of skin surrounding the new pattern on his arm. He nodded, rubbing his arm self-consciously. Tony seemed anxious to leave, bouncing on the balls of his feet a little. "Alright, C'mon Vic, Bye Kellin!" Tony opened the back door to the Jeep and I climbed in, promising to text Kellin later. My heart ached as I left him, not wanting to leave him alone with Gerard. I watched his face get smaller and smaller as we drove away, not knowing what fate we were leaving him to.