Lost In You

T W E N T Y - F O U R

I woke up wrapped in Tyler's arms. He was snoring lightly behind me, and I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine. For a few moments, I lay in bliss. Until last night came back to me and I remembered Farrah. At that moment, the shower turned on through the walls, and I heard someone moving around in the bathroom. Her bruised and beaten face flashed across my mind and my blood ran cold when I thought about how many times she's had this happen. This can't be the first time it's happened like this. 

I slipped out from under Tyler's arms and crept out of the room, being careful not to wake him as I made my way into my room to get some fresh clothes. I chose a pair of grey sweatpants and a dark blue tank top, and was just about to leave when the door opened and Farrah came in with a towel wrapped around her thin body. Her lip and eye were still swollen, and a dark purple bruise was forming across the bottom of her jaw. After a quick once-over, I could see the beginning of bruises forming down her arms and across her collarbones. When I finally met her eyes, I didn't recognise the girl looking back at me. Instead of the fierce girl that I had gotten to know that took no shit and rarely showed weakness, the girl looking back at me was broken and frail. She glanced down quickly and pulled the towel tighter around her. Now I realised that her attitude had been a total mask to hide what was really going on. behind the mask, she was quiet, timid and insecure.

"Hi," She said quietly, her voice was hoarse and she awkwardly scuffed her bare feet against the wood.

"Hi," I answered, mentally slapping myself.

What are you supposed to say in this situation?

"I'll get you some clothes... My old ones should fit you," I offered and busied myself in the wardrobe, looking for some of the clothes I'd still kept from before Paris, although Mum didn't know I kept them.

"Please, don't tell anyone," She said suddenly, her voice stronger than before. I stood up and handed her a pair of leggings and an old sweater that should cover the bruises on her arms and collarbones.

"Farrah, we need to tell someone, who can do something to really help you, like the police or..." I suggested but she cut me off.

"No, please don't tell the police," She begged, tears springing to her eyes. I hesitated before slowly nodding and went to find a hairbrush and some slippers for her.

"You can stay here for as long as you need to," I said, my back to her so that she couldn't see the way my hands were shaking.

"Thank you," She murmured.

"Where's Tyler?" She asked once she was changed and was sat in front of the mirror while I rubbed some ointment on her bruises and her swollen lip. I tried to control the shaking, but I couldn't help my nerves. I was so scared I was going to hurt her, or say the wrong thing. I didn't want to spook her again like I had when I mentioned the police.

"He's still asleep, I left him there, he was so tired," I answered and tried to carefully rub the cream into the cut on her forehead without hurting her too much, but she still winced.

"He's such a good guy," She said almost wistfully, like she'd forgotten I was there, "And so strong, especially after everything that happened in New York, imagine losing your sister like that..." she trailed off when she saw my face though. My hand had stilled and I knew my mouth was hanging open slightly. My heart felt like it had dropped to the ground and I fought the urge to run into Tyler's room and hug him.

"Wait, you didn't know?" She asked, panic filling her eyes at the realization that she'd said something she shouldn't have.

I shook my head.

"No, he hasn't told me much about New York," I murmured and stood up.

"Who else knows about this?" I asked, trying to change the subject. I motioned to the bruises.

"You, Tyler, and Eli," She answered, and checked her phone for the 10th time that minute. I wanted to ask who Eli was, but I assumed he was her boyfriend and I didn't want to pry.

"Does Eli know about last night?"

"Yeah, I'm waiting for a call," She answered and stood up, "Is it alright if I have some breakfast?"

"Yeah, yeah go for it," I smiled, "I'm going to go and wake Tyler up anyway."

Her lips quirked up slightly and she disappeared around the corner and a moment later I could hear the kettle boiling.

❦

"When's Eli coming over?" Tyler asked as he took a long sip of his coffee, I could tell he was struggling to look at Farrah. The result of her beating last night still so evident on her face. A new wave of anger surged through him every time he saw the bruises. I kept replaying Farrah's words in my head.

Imagine losing your sister like that.

I didn't want to ask about it, but another part of me was begging me to.

"Soon, they have one more shoot to do," She answered. She seemed a lot more talkative and calm after her and Tyler had spent an hour talking in the office, and had come to a decision that Farrah would stay with us until graduation, which also happened to be her 18th birthday, so it worked out. I just needed to talk to Mum about it, but once she knew the full story I knew she'd be okay with it.

Well, i hoped she would be.

We sat in silence for a while, with the occasional small talk and question. The ring of the doorbell broke the silence and I stood to go and answer it, when I got to the door, I was surprised at what greeted me on the other side.

A girl was standing anxiously in front of me, her hair was stick straight and was cut off just above her shoulders, and she was tall. Almost as tall as Tyler, her startling blue eyes darted past me and she pushed past me into the hallway quickly.

"Um, sorry who are you?" I asked and followed her into the kitchen. She didn't answer me and instead made a beeline for Farrah, taking her face in her hands and placing a firm kiss on her lips, despite the cut.

"Oh, uh, okay..." I trailed off as I watched the two girls embrace each other as tears began to trail down Farrah's cheeks and Eli, I assumed, was murmuring in her ear.

Tyler was next to me in a moment, and had his arm slung casually across my shoulders.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot to tell you that Eli's a girl," He chuckled.

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I hope you're enjoying it so far! Thank you so much for reading X

- K