Lost

Chapter 3

"Oh shit. The guys have texted me a shit ton." Niall said, removing his comforting arm from around my waist. I lifted my head from his shoulder and let him have some room. It was scary how comfortable I was around him, and i've only just met him. 

"They want me back. Apparently they forgot how to get to the house.." Niall said, chuckling. 

"Or Harry doesn't want you anywhere near me.." I said, disgust written in my features. Niall sighed, and stood from the sand, helping me up.

"That may be the case, but something tells me there's more to the story between you two. Harry's a good guy.. most of the time, and maybe he thinks you did something that you didn't, or maybe you even did, but you won't know unless you talk to him about it. I'm pretty sure Liam is going to make him apologize, so just talk with him in private about everything." Niall said, pulling me in for one last comfortable hug. I squeezed him back, and smiled as he backed away, running up the beach to the diner.

It was very unprofessional of me to leave like that, but I'm sure Sal won't mind.

I made my way back up the beach when I was sure the guys were gone, and sat at the wooden table. Rachel had heard all of the commotion, and everything that was said. She was standing just behind the door facing, and we were yelling pretty loud.

"Babe, what was the cause of all this?" she asked, motioning around us in the air. 

"I don't know." I said, sighing. Rach sighed too, and sat beside of me. The diner usually isn't busy in the mornings so there were only a few people and they were inside. 

"Babe, tell me. I want to help you. You never tell me anything, and that seemed pretty big. Let me be your best friend." Rach said, a worried and sad look in her eyes. I groaned and placed my head in the palm of my hands, so she couldn't see my face. I felt her tiny hands start to pull them away, and didn't resist. 

"Look, I know Harry. We went to grade school together." I said, shrugging.

"That can't be it." she said, crossing her arms over her chest, and I knew at that point there was no way I was getting out of not telling her.

"Harry and I were best friends, up until high school. Then he became friends with the most popular guy in school, and I was a nobody.. so he just dropped me like that. His best friend, Sean, bullied me really bad. He used to.. hit me." I got a little choked up, and Rach rubbed my arm, trying to comfort me, but there was no way to provide comfort when going back into my past. 

"Anyway, what Sean did never truly hurt me as much as Harry. Harry never hit me, but he called me names, nasty names.. and I could never forgive him for that. He never stuck up for me, and we were best friends for almost four years. He hurt me so bad, but I snapped one day. I went to a party with my older brother Jake, and he wasn't a loser like me, but he was friends with Sean. It was a college party and Sean and Harry and their disciples were there. Harry saw me and came over, telling me to leave, that I didn't belong there, and he wasn't responsible for what he or any of the other guys did or said to me. Well about an hour passed, and to tune out everyone's nasty remarks, I drank. I drank until I was stumbling, and that's when Sean decided to come talk to me. He pulled me into an empty bedroom, and he.. and he.." I stuttered, and looked up at Rachel. Her face was one of anger and disgust, and I knew I didn't need to say anything else, because she knew what happened after that.. but I did anyway. 

"He raped me, Rachel. He took what I cherished the most, and he just used me.. like trash. And the worst part is, Harry was in the next room, and I screamed for him. I screamed so loud, and I know he heard me. He had to have. No one came for me, and I felt as useless then as they had been making me feel for two years. I was sixteen, and a month later is when Harry left." I said, sobbing into my hands. Rachel got up, and pulled me onto her lap. She shushed me, and rubbed my hair, playing with it until I finally settled down enough. 

"Baby, did you ever tell anyone about this?" she asked me.

"No, and it happened more than once. That night wasn't the only time." I said, in a weak, cracked voice. 

"I'm going to kill that prick. Harry too, i'll kill them." she said through gritted teeth. I smiled and sat up, looking her in the eyes. 

"Thanks for caring, but there's no need to kill anyone Rach. I got away from there, i'm fine." I said, and Rach just looked at me, anger in her eyes. 

"Zoey, you aren't fine. I knew you weren't fine when we first met. I knew something was up. You won't let a guy near you. I remember at that Christmas party the nicest guy anyone's ever known tried dancing with you, but you got so upset and pushed him away. I never understood until now, but you need help. Have you ever thought about going to see a therapist?" she asked, and I gave her a cold stare. I got up from her bony lap, and smoothed out my jeans, and my work shirt. 

"I went to therapy for a year after it happened, look how much that helped." I said, harshly. I almost felt bad when Rach looked at me heartbroken. I soften my stare, but still held the frown on my lips. 

"Zoe, I just think you should see someone." she pressed further. 

"I DON'T NEED TO SEE SOMEONE. I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO A RANDOM STRANGER ABOUT MY PROBLEMS. I CAN'T DO THAT, NOT AGAIN." I yelled, fresh tears streaming down my face. Rach got up from her seat, and came and hugged me, harder than she usually did, like she was trying to hold me together, because I was slowly crumbling into nothing. 

"Shh, it's okay. We'll work everything out. Are you sure Harry knows what happened to you?" she asked, and I scoffed. 

"How would he not know. His best friend raped me." I said, hating him more than ever right now. Why did he have to barge into my life again. It was hard enough to see his stupid face on billboards and posters, now I had to be in the same state, worse the same town as him. I felt like I was going to throw up, so I pulled away from Rach and ran to the edge of the deck. I threw the contents of my stomach up, hurling into the bushes. The nasty taste in my mouth didn't help to settle my stomach. 

I felt Rachel pull my hair back, and pat my tense back. 

Sal had come out of the diner now, and was staring holes into my head. 

"Sal, I think I need to take her home." Rach said, and I saw Sal nod, worry evident in his features.

"Why don't you two take a few days off, I'll still pay you, but you probably need some time at home." Sal said, rubbing his forehead. I sighed and nodded, Rachel pulling me towards the entrance to get to her car. 

Once we had walked through the diner, and out into the hot summer air again, we got into her car, and drove the short two miles back to the house. I hopped out of the car, and strolled inside, feeling more weak than I ever have, thanks to that shit head who just had to show up at the diner I worked at. Everything was his fault. 

I knew I couldn't blame him for what Sean, or even my parents did, but something in me told me that if he had been there for me, instead of teaming up with the enemy, I would be fine right now. But Rachel's right, I do need help.

*Sean Skyes: Landon Liboiron* ------->