Fan to Family.

Toxicity.

~Josh~
Chase and I stand in his living room, making small talk. I hear the door opening, raising an eyebrow and looking at Chase. We both step forward a few steps. Running footsteps bring a stumbling Liz into the living room. Her eyes go wide when she sees me instead of Chase.

Her lip is busted, bleeding, and most of her face is either bruising or wounded. It's not just her face that is beaten up. Tears are streaming down her face.

"Liz what happened?!" I ask, as she stumbles toward me. She just stares at me, tears streaming down her face.

"P-please, don't tell Tyler," She begs, falling into my arms sobbing.

"Don't tell me what?" He asks, and then sees her face.

"Wait, did you just run here from Dylan's?" Chase asks, stepping closer. Liz doesn't respond to that either.

"Did Dylan do this to you?" Tyler and I ask in unison. She grips my shirt, crying harder and shaking. I take that as a yes, putting pieces together. I've noticed them arguing a lot recently, and Dylan being a little pushy, but not this.

"Has Dylan done this before?" Tyler asks, becoming angry.

"Not like this," Liz says between cries into my chest, shaking. I hold her tightly, looking at Tyler in a way to ask what to do. Tyler leaves the house, for something we have no clue of. I pet Liz's hair, rocking her back and forth. Chase rubs her back.

"Do you know made her do this?" Chase asks softly. Liz nods, leaning her head back on my shoulder.

"I tried to break up with her," she explains, her lip quivers.

"Why?" Debby asks from the edge of the room.

"She was controlling and manipulative, and can you see my face?"

Chase chuckles, "Well, you made a good decision and I'm proud you stood up to her."

"She beat me up."

"But, you had enough courage to end a toxic relationship and thats what matters. You will heal," I say, stroking her hair. She nods. The three of us, after taking pictures and sending them to Tyler who requested them, we clean up Liz.

Chase and I sit on both sides of her on the couch, making sure she feels maximum safety. I keep getting text updates from Tyler, who is reporting Dylan's abuse and using the pictures and Liz's phone as evidence. Debby is singing softly, keeping everything calm.

"You know what I don't understand?" Liz asks.

"What?"

"How someone who starts out so wonderful and kind, can be filled with such toxicity. How does that work? Were they always secretly like that, or did they become that way somewhere in the midst of it all? I just don't get it. How?"