Last Hope {a paramore fanfiction}

Chapter Eleven

Taylor's POV

"She's great man," Justin said. I had told him about Bethan, well, I was just talking about her none stop. Tonight was when they met properly and they got on great. He saw how funny she was and kind. I couldn't stop staring at her most of the night; the joy in her face when Hayley liked the bread, or when she laughed and how angelic it sounded. Even when she got sauce on her nose, she couldn't be cuter. I felt as if Justin was giving me his blessing. But I didn't know what I'd do with it.

Me and Bethan had only gotten close in the past few weeks. And she'd been through a lot. The whole Sam situation kept me up at night, making me angry and confused at how someone could do that to her. I wanted to do something, to stand up to him or to call the police, but I was scared of upsetting Bethan. I never wanted to hurt her in anyway. "Thanks man," I said giving him a bro hug. I looked over at Bethan. I admired how her hair was thousands of different shades of red, orange and copper and shone under the lights or how cool she looked in her clothes, chill and calm. But I saw how her shoulders hunched over and how she bit her nails nervously. I knew something was up.

I walked over and she turned to face me. I instantaneously saw the red in her cheeks and tears brimming over the edge of her bottom lashes. I practically ran to her. "Hey, hey, what's up?" I said, holding her at arms length. "N-n-nothing," she said, shaking. I knew what was happening. She was about to have a panic attack.

"Close your eyes Bethan," I said, not sure of what I was telling her. "Close and breath," I continued. She did as I said. I noticed the rings on her fingers. "Play with your rings," I said. She twisted them and took them off and put them on again, distracting herself from the panic. She slowly opened her eyes.

"What's happened?" I said, glad that she was okay. "All the money...in my account is gone...Sam.." She stuttered. I shook with anger. But I couldn't let her focus on this. "How much is her bill?" I asked the cashier. "No Taylor," Bethan said. "How much please?" I asked again. Bethan protested and protested as I exchanged the money. "Just thank me," I said. "Thank you," she sighed and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, walking her out of the restaurant and to my car in silence. I felt as if I was supporting her, noticing how she shook slightly as she walked. We quickly said goodbye to everyone else, got in my car and stared the drive back to her place.

The roads were clear and we were making good time, but as the awkward silence filled the car, it felt like it was an eternity. I sighed. "...are you okay?" I said, kicking myself mentally about how I couldn't say anything else. "I think so," she said. I heard her snuffle. "...if money's an issue, I can-" I began, happy to help. "I had another bank account that he didn't know about. I had all the savings from Please Clarify. He didn't realise this, seeing as I put money into the joint one. Well, I was the only one to put money in..." She said. My fingernails dug into the steering wheel. It wasn't fair she had to live like this.

"It doesn't make it okay," I said. "I know...I got worried I think, because I wasn't expecting it...I feel as if he's always jumping out, scaring me when I least expect it..." She said. I stopped the car on the sidewalk outside the building. "Don't...don't think like that...you're safe," I said, not even sure of my own words. She undid her belt and I waited for her to say goodbye and leave. But she began to shake and I heard the sadly familiar sound of her crying. Like it was my instinct I leant over and held her. She sobbed into my jacket, crying on my shoulder like she had done a lot recently. "He...he left...he left..." Bethan began, but she couldn't get the words out. "What is it Bethan?" I asked. She lifted her head, but her hands still held on to my arms. I felt my heartbreaking at seeing her so sad. "He left a note...the day he came to get his stuff...it was on the doors of the wardrobe..it said...Someone's getting a bit to big for their boots...They might need to be put in place... if they're not careful. You haven't said goodbye to me yet Bethan....Neither has your little ...boyfriend...Have fun going insane...babe," she said.

I felt the happy memories of the night crumble away. All happy memories of Bethan replaced by the scared and petrified girl in front of me...I still couldn't understand how someone could be so cruel...how God could allow it to happen.

"Taylor?" She said. "You...you need to call the police..." I said. I couldn't look at her. "I can't," she said. "Why? Why?" I said, agitated. "Why are you annoyed with me?" She said. "I'm not annoyed with you, I'm annoyed that you don't feel safe and that you may not be safe okay? I don't know this person but he's hurt you so much...he's not a person you'd want threatening you Bethan-" the word caught in my mouth. "Taylor...I can't," she said. "Why? Why can't you? What does that even mean? You said you couldn't write a song and you did! You told me you couldn't see yourself making friends and you've made how many in a week?" I said. "You don't give yourself enough credit." I was right and she didn't say anything because she knew I was right to. "...I can't Taylor," she said.

I honked the horn in frustration. "If you don't I will!" I said. I turned to her to see her startled. I had scared her. No. "You know what...all you men are the same! A woman doesn't want to do something and you get aggressive until they do as you say," she said. "I did it because I needed to release," I said. "That's what Sam always said," she replied. "How could you compare me to that monster?" I said, hurt. She didn't reply. "How can you let him control you? Determine what you do? Let him be free when he should be punished? Make you think love doesn't exist and that no man will ever look after you..-" I trailed off, stoping myself. "What are you talking about?" She said. "I-i-I don't know...we can go to the station now," I said. "No Taylor! I don't want to!" She shouted. She got out. "Fine I'll go myself," I shouted back. "No Taylor!" She said, but I drove away.

I stopped halfway there. A day that was nearly perfect ruined. I couldn't do this without her. But I couldn't let her live this way. I needed to sort it out though, before someone got hurt.