Beautifully Broken (in editing)

Chapter 10

HAYDEN'S P.O.V. 

"Hayden! Get. UP!" I rolled over and groaned, rubbing my eyes. 3 hours of sleep is not a good way to go. I cracked open an eye. Ashley was leaning over me, her dusty blonde hair hanging in her eyes. I sat up. My joints felt creaky. I had night shift at work last night and got home around 4. She straightened up and looked at me.

She looked a lot younger than twelve. Her hair hund messily around her shoulders and her green eyes were hooded and sleepy looking. She let out a big breath. She was dressed in a white skirt and a pink sweater than hung on her small frame with her usual ballet flats..  I smiled tiredly and patted her head affectionately, messing her hair up more. 

"Lemme get dressed and i'll come down and fix breakfast." I told her. She nodded. "Oh and brush your hair munchkin." Her face flushed and she smacked my hand away. "I am not a munchkin." She poked her lip out like she always did when someone made her mad and i laughed. She left the room quickly. 

I threw on a pair of dark jeans and a t-shirt, shoving on my own converses and headed downstairs. Rena was sitting at the table, already eating a pop-tart. "Hey bro. " She told me, concentrating on the book in her lap. She looked more like me than Ashley. Her reddish hair was cut short, barely brushing her shoulders and her eyes were the same green as mine and ashley's. I watched as she pushed her glasses farther up her nose, only for them to slide down again and smiled. 

I made three bowls of cereal, leaving two on the table for Ashley and I and then taking one upstairs to our mom. I creaked open her door slowly and she looked up weakly. 

 "Hey mom, i brought you something to eat." I tried to sound cheerful. She smiled and sat up. Her green eyes looked dull. We all had the same eyes. Fear and sadness pierced my chest as i noticed how thin her frame looked. "Hey baby. Thank you." She weezed out. The sound made me want to cry. The day she was diagnosed with cancer was the worst day of my life. My mom was all i had left. I hugged her gently. She seemed so breakable nowadays. 

She ate a few bites and then laid back against her pillows. I could remember when she was healthy. She had long blonde hair that curled at the ends. She was beautiful. I remember when i was little, being so proud that my mommy was prettier than everyone elses. I looked at my watch and left the room, telling her goodbye quickly. I was probably going to be late today.

When i got downstairs, the girls had already gone to the bus stop so i made my way to my car. Wait. My car wasn't there and suddenly, i remembered Delilah had taken me home last night and.... I grinned to myself thinking about it. I had finally kissed her and she hadn't flinched away. I leaned against the porch and waited for her to come pick me up. 

An hour passed and i was seriously late but she still wasn't there. She wasn't the type to forget about something like that. Worry was starting to burrow into my chest. I grabbed my bike and headed to her house.

When i got there her car was in the driveway, but her mom's was gone. Uneasiness prickled in the back of my mind and i knocked on the door. Noone answered, so i knocke again. 

"They went to the hospital last night." I turned. An elderly woman was looking at me from her own doorstep. She looked sad. "Why?" I asked. I was really worried now. My heart constricted when the old woman spoke. "That girl, Delilah, she tried to kill herself last night. You haven't heard? I'm sorry hun." My eyes widened and i stood there in shock. No way. That couldn't be true.

Then it clicked and i was off the porch so fast the old woman jumped. It felt like i couldn't breathe. My heart was pounding as i hopped onto my bike and rode as fast as i could to the hospital. It wasn't that far away. Only a few blocks down. Her parents. Suddenly i hated them. Even if they were dead.

My heart was going a mile a minute as i ran into the to emergency room. The woman at the desk looked up, surprised at my appearance as i gulped for air. I hated the hospital. The smell that always clinged to my mom. Sterile and dank. That's what it smelled like. 

"Del-lilah S-stone." I gasped out. The woman's face softened to one of pity and she nodded. Her curly, hairsprayed brown hair bobbed. Her brown eyes looked sad and the lump of fear in my chest was like a rock. I was praying she was okay. "Room 142" The woman told me and i didn't even thank her before running down the hall. 

138.....140...142! I took a deep breath and paused. I opened the door slowly, my breathing still heavy. She was lying in a white bed. An I.V. was hooked into her right arm and her left arm was in a sling and wrapped in white gauze. She was asleep, but i could still she the dark rings under her eyes. They really stood out against her pale skin. She looked dead. The thought made my breath catch in my throat.

Why did i care so much what happened to this girl? 

"Lilah..." I whispered and walked to her bedside. Her breathing was slow. Why would she do this? I just couldn't understand it. I stroked her hair slowly and her eyes fluttered. She gasped and let out a cry, tears squeezing down her face. I jumped back and i could feel my face heating up. I thought she had woken up but she seemed to be dreaming. I gripped her shoulders as she began to thrash and cry. She was shaking. I was shaking too. Her eyes opened slightly and she shut them again before opening them more slowly. They looked unfocused at first, taking in the surroundings as she gulped for air. 

She blinked sleepily at me and i smiled gently, trying to hide my irritation at her. "H-hayden?" she croaked hoarsly. Suddenly her eyes widedned and she blushed and looked down. The smile dropped from my face and i flopped down in a chair. Suddenly, i felt exhausted. She looked the same. Her tired eyes were filled with terror and utter depression. Tears were still streaming down her face. 

"Lilah, you're crying." I told her and then almost hit myself. You don't say? I felt like an idiot for saying that. She nodded mutely and shoved a fist in her mouth as she doubled over. Sobs wracked her small frame. She looked thin. She was screaming into her fist and i couldn't stand to watch.

I crossed the room and wrapped my arms around her as she shook and screamed. I wanted to protect her. She was hurting. Her arms wrapped around my waist and she clung to me like her life depended on it. My eyes widened in shock. She never made a move to touch me willingly, but now she wouldn't let go.

"Why Lilah? Tell me." She knew what i was talking about. She choked and gulped her sobs down. "H-h-he k-killed her. I-i-i-i-t's m-my f-fault. I'm sorry mommy!" She screamed into my back. The hatred for her parents rose and and i gripped her tighter, both of us clinging to eachother. 

"It is not your fault!" I told her fiercly. She gasped for air through her sobs and shook her head. "H-he told me it was m-my f-f-fault!" She sobbed and i buried my face into her hair. She smelled like dried blood but i didn't care.

How dare they. How dare they hurt this girl, this beautiful, talented girl. I rubbed her back and rocked her until she finally calmed down.

She hiccuped and faced me with puffy eyes. "You want to talk about it?" I asked softly and she shook her head, falling back onto the pillows tiredly. "Sorry." She croaked. "Don't be." I told her and she nodded silently. I breathed out. 

"Why did you do it?" I asked her gently. I didn't mean to. It just came out. She looked at the floor before whispering "I couldn't take it anymore. The nightmares....i just can't do it anymore." She stared into my eyes and her own looked dead and blank. It scared me.

I couldn't help it. I kissed her softly. When i pulled away her eyes were hooded and her cheeks flushed. She just stared at me. "Why? Why do you talk to me? What's the point?" She asked numbly and i thought about it.

I had always had a crush on her. Watching her from the corner of my eye as she sketched intently made me smile. I was to afraid to talk to her though. I blushed and finally answered her. "Delilah, you make me smile." 

She blushed and i smiled. Her eyes sparked and i kept going. "You're amazing, beautiful, and talented and kind to the people around you. Noone knows when you're hurting and you try not to worry anyone. And...... and i need you. So don't ever do something like this again." I told her fiercly. I would not lose her.

AUTHORS NOTE: Hey guys thanks for reading. I kind of like writing in Hayden's point of view. Lemme know what you think :) . THANKS and VOTe