If You Only Knew //e.g.d

•9•

Vanessa's POV
I was stuck and completely helpless.

I squeezed my eyes shut as terrified breaths escaped my mouth.

Just when I thought this would continue to be the worst night of my life, a giant, unexpected force pulled the jock away from my legs.

"Get off her!" The voice shouted and ripped me out of the grip of the jock behind me. My eyes snapped open.

"Relax, Dolan. We're just having a little fun." Matthew slurred.

"Fuck you!" Ethan screamed and dragged me out of the kitchen. He kept a tight grip around my shoulder as we weaved in and out of people to the front door. My mind was clouded with thoughts, my eyes with tears.

As soon as we stepped outside, I ran from Ethan's side all the way to the end of my neighborhood. I don't know where Im going, I have nowhere to go. All I know is that I want away from my brother, the jocks, my house, and the party.

"Vanessa! Wait!" I heard Ethan yell as he chased me down the sidewalk.

I slowed to a stop with my hands to my face, my eyes spilling tears.

"Vanessa! Are you okay?" Ethan seemed concerned and he stepped close to me. I turned around and let him see my wet face.

Ethan's POV
I don't know what happened to Vanessa, what they did to her, but I could tell that it wasn't good. When she turned around, I saw that her face was wet with tears. It broke my heart.
She quickly turned back around and sped walked down the sidewalk, her long black hair flowing behind her.

"Vanessa stop!" I yelled. I caught up to her and gently held her wrist.

"Why are you pushing me away? I just helped you!" I shouted, kinda loud too. Her face scrunched up and her tears started pouring even faster. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"I'm sorry." I said softly. She shook her head and watched her feet.

"Please, just talk to me!" I crouched down a bit and pulled her face up to look at mine.

"Why do you push me away! I care about you? Can't you see that? Why do you think that no one cares?"

"I- just... I-" she tried to speak but choked on her words and cried still.

"Nessa, I'm here for you! Im here." My voice faded. She finally looked at me and sniffled.

"What did they do to you?" I whispered. Even in the dark I could see her twinkling brown eyes full of tears. She bit her lip to keep herself from crying, which didn't work.

I decided not to force her to speak and instead pulled her into my arms. I put my arms around her and rested my chin on her head while she cried into my chest.

Her body was really cold and she was shivering. I have NEVER felt this bad for someone, or this way for someone.

I shushed Vanessa a little and she slowly stopped crying.

"Let's go." I told her and walked her to my car, keeping her close to my chest.

Vanessa's POV
This is all to much for me. In the last ten minutes, I almost got raped, then I got saved, then I ran away, and then Ethan confessed some sort of feelings for me, I think.

I don't know how to feel about this. Of course I like Ethan, I do a lot. But it just seems too good to be true. A boy like him falling for a nobody like me. The dots don't connect.

I though about all this as Ethan drove me somewhere. We sat in his car in silence and watched the dark road ahead.  Every now and then I could see him glance at me out of the corner of my eye. Maybe I should have talked to him.

Finally we pulled into a driveway and Ethan led me up some steps into his house, resting his arm around me the whole time.

Grayson opened the door and asked "What happened?"

"I'll explain later." Ethan told him and brought me upstairs. When we got in his room he sat me down on his bed.

"I'll be right back, I promise." He said and left the room, closing the door softly. Words in the hallway got my attention. I walked around the room observing everything while not intentionally overhearing the conversation.

"What's going on?" A woman's voice sounded.

"Mom, my friend Vanessa is here because something bad just happened to her. She may need to stay for a while." Ethan said.

"Well what happened?" The twins mom asked.

"Did Will do something?" I heard Grayson ask. A ball formed in my throat and tears started to come again.

"No, the team." Ethan said. I bit my fingernail.

"The team?"

"Yes Gray."

"Okay. She can stay for a while. Give her anything she wants." Their mom said. Ethan thanked her and came back into the room. I stood and looked at the wall.

"Who's that?" I casually asked, pointing to a picture.

"My sister." He said from next to me. "Can we talk?"

Here we go.