hard | daniel seavey

chapter twenty-one

   Aaron opened the door slowly. I was instantly hit with the slight smell of alcohol. This is gonna be fun.

   "Hi, Madison." He smiled and let me in. I stepped through the door and followed him to the living room. I had run over what I was going to say almost a hundred times just in the drive over here, but still couldn't find a way to tell him. "Did you think about it?"

    "I did," I sighed and sat down. I pulled the ring out of my pocket. Just say it. "I can't marry you, Aaron. I'm sorry."

     His face dropped. He looked angry, but upset all at once. "What? After almost 4 years of being together, you can't marry me?"

    "Thats just it! The only thing that was keep us together was time! This relationship has been over for a while, we just haven't taken time to notice it." I tried to reason with him, but his face grew red and he placed around the room.

    The argument trailed on. Nothing I said was getting through to him. "I love you. Can't you see that?"

    "Aaron, trust me. I-" I was cut off with a hard hit against my cheek. Pain instantly rose all over my face. He hit me. I looked up at him in shook and covered the area with my hand.

    "Get out. I can't stand to look at you." Aaron said before turning his back towards me. I got up and ran out, tears streaming down my face.

    Through the growing mental abuse in the past months, I never would've thought he'd put his hands on me.

    When I pushed through the door and ran into the street, my body ran into someone. I looked up and saw Jack.

    "Madison, are you okay? What's wrong?" He asked quickly, wrapping me into a hug.

    "Nothing, I'm fine." I lied and tried to wipe away my tears.

    "What happened to your face?" He asked and pulled my hand away. His face dropped, his eyes trailing from my face to the building behind me. "He didn't-?"

     "Please don't tell anyone, Jack. I'm fine, really." I practically begged. He sighed and sent a hand through his hair.

     "I won't tell them," He exhaled and looked at me sincerely. "At least tell Daniel. And the others will probably catch on, it's already starting to bruise."

     I put my hand back on my cheek. He was right. Daniel would be crushed if I kept this from him. I was just scared of how he may react and what he would do. I wanted to leave Aaron in the past. But at this point that seemed impossible.

    "I will, I swear." I nodded as tears formed in my eyes. "Thank you, Jack."

    "It's taking everything I have to not run up there and beat his ass right now," He chuckled lightly and pulled me into another hug. "And I will. Just say the words and I will."

     "I don't think thats needed right now." I laughed and held onto him for a moment longer. Jack and I weren't the closest, but I was thankful he was here for me. My phone buzzed through my pocket, causing me to pull away from the hug. Daniel's name popped up on my screen. I looked at Jack, as if I was asking for help.

   "It's Daniel. What's the worse that could happen?" Jack said with a reassuring smile. "I have to go, but come talk to me the next time you come over and update me on everything."

    I nodded in response before he walked away. The call had gone through, so the second I got into my car I redialed his number.

    "Hi, Daniel. Uh.. could you come over please?"