How He Broke

Pretty Girl (Sage's POV)

I hid my face the entire walk home. Tate carried me the whole way, never stopping once.

I was so embarrassed about what had happened, I couldn't show my face, show any sign of weakness in fear of being hurt again.

"Sage... We're home." Tate said once we reached our houses.

I kept my face hidden in his neck, still afraid that something may happen if I revealed it to anyone.

Tate set me down gently, making sure not to completely let go of me encase I wasn't fully stable.

I kept my head down; I didn't want Tate so see the bruise I knew what prevalent on my face.

"Thank you, Tate... for everything." I said, keeping my voice low and my head down.

"You don't need to thank me, Sage." He brushed it off.

I drew back when I sensed his hand approach my face. He reeled it back a little, careful not to startle me.

"Sage... May I touch you? I want to make sure your face is okay.." Tate said, asking for permission which put me a little more at ease.

I hesitated, unsure whether or not to trust him. I decided to give in, nodding slowly.

I winched slightly as his pointer finger and thumb touched my chin, guiding my head up to face him. "I'm going to push your hair back so I can look at your cheek okay?" Tate said, warning me of his every move.

I nodded in response, unable to form any words.

He brushed the hair back behind my ear with his free hand, using the other to guide my head into a tilt, getting better light from the street lights to see.

He inhaled sharply and I could feel his body tense up. "I could kill him." Tate muttered under his breath.

I closed my eyes as a slight breeze blew by us, hitting the skin of my cheek and causing me to whimper.

"I'm going to touch it a little okay? I'm checking for any prominent swelling." Tate informed me.

"Okay." My voice was soft, barely even a whisper.

Tate's free hand barely even grazed the skin of my cheek but it was enough to form tears in my eyes.

The tears were for a mixture of reasons. One being that it hurt, another being that I was still traumatized from the experience, and the last being that I was so ashamed for my vulnerability right now.

I allowed my eyes to look up for only a moment, seeing the pain in Tate's eyes as he peered down at me. He looked so broken; as if he had just gotten rejected by a girl he asked to the school dance. He was pained seeing me like this. Seeing me so in shock and wounded.

I wanted to tell him I was okay but I wasn't. Nothing about me was okay.

"I'm so sorry, Sage." Tate said, his voice cracking.

"It's not your fault." I said.

"I should've been there. I should've protected you.. If I had been then I could've protected you, fuck I'm so sorry." Tate apologized over and over again.

He had nothing to be sorry for. He didn't do this to me and yet he blamed himself for it.

"Stop." I spoke up, silencing him. "Please... just stop." I said, a tear slipping down my cheek. "It sucks that it happened but we can't change anything about it so can we just move on from it? I don't want to talk about it anymore." I said desperately.

Tate nodded, understanding how I felt. "Of course."

"Thank you." I said. "Do you want me to leave you alone?" Tate asked.