Soft Spot

T W E N T Y - O N E

"Aren't you glad to see me, doll?" He smirked, taking a step closer to me.

"Carter." I finally said, realization hitting me. I turned around to run, but he was too fast. He grabbed my arm and yanked me back, making me yelp in pain. He put his hand over my mouth so I couldn't scream.

"Yes baby, it's me." He whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my back. "That was a naughty thing you did, you know." He said tauntingly. He turned me around so that my back was against the tree, his hand still over my mouth. "Do you remember what happens when you're a naughty girl?" He smirked, nuzzling his face in my hair and letting his hand off my mouth.

"Please Carter, just let me go." I pleaded, trying to get out of his grip. It was no use, he was way stronger than me.

"Don't!" He suddenly yelled, his eyes turning dark. "Don't you dare beg, you're not a dog!" He snapped, slapping me across the face. I gasped, tears streaming down my face. He put his hand around my throat, choking me. "Do you have any idea what I went through in prison? Huh you little bitch?" He spat, punching me in the stomach. I gasped out in pain, making him cover my mouth again. I squeezed my eyes shut as he hit me again, this time harder.

"I'm going to make you pay for what you did! You and that bitch of a brother ruined my life!" He yelled, sending another punch to my ribs. Just as he was about to hit me again, someone yelled out for him to stop. Carter looked at something behind me, before looking back at me.

"Tell anyone I'm here and I'll kill your boyfriend just like I killed your pathetic brother." He whispered in my ear before grabbing something from his pocket and stabbing me in the side. He ran off into the woods and I fell to the ground, wheezing for air. The person who saved me ran over, crouching in front of me.

"Holy shit, Katherine?" The guy grabbed me, helping me sit up against the tree. "What the fuck happened to you? Who was that?" He asked frantically, not knowing what to do. I screamed out in pain when he accidentally touched my side. "Shit fuck I'm sorry."

"C-call Nathan and make su-sure Joseph g-gets home." I stuttered, holding onto my side as more tears streamed down my face. I didn't even care about the pain that I was in, I just cared that Joseph was okay. He needed to be okay, or I don't know what I'd do. Nobody can get hurt because of me, not again.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call an ambulance?" He asked looking at me as if I just said the most ridiculous thing ever.

"N-No, you c-can't tell anyone what hap-pended." I sobbed out as the pain got stronger. Kyle nodded his head and got his phone out, calling Nathan.

"He's coming." He said after a few seconds, and I nodded. "I'll go make sure Joseph is home." He said, but before he could go I held out my hand, and he rolled his eyes. "No I won't tell anyone. I don't want Nathan to beat my ass." He mumbled the last part before jogging off just as Nathan ran over.

"Holy fuck, Penguin. Are you okay? What happened?" He said worriedly, looking at me.

"N-no" I screamed out, my pain increasing. He picked me up bridal style, trying to be careful not to hurt me.

"We need to get you to the hospital." He said, rushing to where his car was parked. I shook my head quickly, telling him I couldn't go there. He put me in the backseat if his car before getting in the front and speeding off. "Fine, no hospital. But I'm taking you somehwere."

"Your ribs aren't broken, but they're badly bruised, and you're going to have a scar on your side." Nathans uncle told me after he walked back in the room. He had gave me pain pills so it didn't hurt that bad anymore. Nathans uncle was a doctor at his own health care center. Nathan had called him to meet us at his clinic so he could help me without anyone getting involved. He took another look at the bandage and then back at Nathan.

"Are you going go tell me what happened?" He asked, glancing back and forth from Nathan and I.

"Don't worry about it Tio*, it's fine." Nathan said, glancing down at me. I hadn't told him that Carter was the one that stabbed me, I haven't told him anything. His uncle sighed and nodded his head before handing me a prescription for pain pills and walking out.

"Talk, now." Nathan ordered, sitting next to me. "Don't even think about saying no or I'll call the police and have them make you talk."

"I-it was Carter." I gulped, looking down at my hands. I told him everything,  from when Carter and I first met to now. I told him about how he killed my brother infront of me, but because I was on so many drugs the court wouldn't hear my side. I told him about how he threatened to hurt Joseph if I told anyone. I told him about my anorexia, and about my rehab time, which I've never told anyone. When I was done telling him everything he stayed quiet, taking it all in.

"So what are we going to do?" He asked, finally breaking the silence.

"We? This is my problem Nathan. I can't have you get hurt because of me." I shook my head, "I won't allow it."

"We can't just let him torture you!" Nathan yelled, standing up in anger. Suddenly a thought came to mind, and he pulled his phone out, typing furiously. When he was done he smirked and put his phone back in his pocket. I wanted to ask who he was texting, but it wasnt any of my business so I just rolled over and faced the window, thinking about the events that happened tonight. The fight me and Joseph had. It made me so upset thinking about it, I wanted nothing more than to have him here with me, in my arms.

To- Joseph: Can we talk?

From- Joseph: not right now Katherine.

I sighed as I felt a tear slip down my cheek. I turned my phone off and rolled over, looking out the window. I wish we never got into an argument. It made me feel silly just thinking about it. 

"It sucks that we missed the road trip." I muttered, sitting in the airport beside Nathan. We were waiting for our flight to be called. Everyone else is already in California at the beach house, just waiting on us. I looked at my phone about to text Jason when I heard something that caught my attention.

"A body, now identified as Carter O'Ryan, was found late last night near Fredrickson Park. Although the investigation is still ongoing, it is suspected that the young male was involved in a car accident, leading up to his death..."

I stared at the small t.v shocked.
"What did you do?" I looked at Nathan with wide eyes. He had to have done something. Its no coincidence that Carter accidentally died right after I told Nathan what happened.

"I didn't do anything, didn't you hear the news? It was a terrible car accident. Do you really think I'd do something that could get me intro trouble just for you? Besides, I've been by your side the whole time." He rolled his eyes, looking back at his phone. I didn't say anything else because he was right. He has been with me eversince I told Kyle to call him at prom so he couldn't have done anything. I just sat there and stared at the floor. Carter is dead, he's gone. I'm finally free. He can't hurt me anymore.