Hold Me Close

Chapter 27

The weekend finally arrived after what seemed like years. I guess Steph is thinking about staying to live with Naoimh. I owe her, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't of been able to ever get to Steph.

I lie on my bed, as I have been every evening, and hit the basketball off the ceiling. I'm so pissed at my parents at the moment, they tell me off for having a 'messy' room and actually had the nerve to call me an 'alcoholic'. I drink, a lot, but I'm not an alcoholic.. At least I think I'm not.

Suddenly my phone starts ringing and the caller ID reads 'Naoimh'. I answer and her voice floods through the phone. "Wow wow calm down, start over. What?", I say trying to slow her down. "Is Steph with you!?", she asks worried. "No.. Why what's wrong?", I ask confused. "Because her parents are looking for her and called my house phone asking me if I saw her, that's when I got worried and called you!", she says. My heart sinks. Oh fuck. Where could she be? "Shit shit shit", I say lost, my hand over my head. "Do you know anywhere she could be?", Naoimh asks. "No, I don't think so", I bite my nails. "Beth! The bitch!", Naoimh shouts like she just won a prize. "What!?", I ask. "Maybe she's at Beth's", she says. "Why would she be at Beth's?", I ask. "I don't know! But it's worth the try!", she says. "Okay okay ehhh... Quick, I'll pick you up and we can go look for her!", I say before hanging up and driving to Naoimh's and back in the speed of light.

We go looking in all directions and finally go to check Beth's estate. We walk slowly, making sure we check everywhere. Walking by an alley, we hear quiet whimpers in the darkness. Naoimh and I look at each other before carefully walking down the alley. "No that can't be Steph, why would it be Steph?", I ask myself, only to be shocked as we get closer and closer. "Steph!", I run to her side. She's tied up and sitting on the ground. "What happened to you?!", I asked worried as I untie her.

She gasps as she's free and I hold her immediately. She begins crying and Naoimh sits down beside us. "Shh it's okay, you'll be alright", I say holding her head as she weeps into my shoulder. "Steph, were here to help okay? Everything is going to be okay", I kiss her head as she begins to stop crying. "It was awful...", she wipes her eyelids as she sniffs. "What happened?", Naoimh asked her softly. "I was going for a walk to clear my head.. Then Beth dragged me into this alley and started kicking me.. That's when her friend came out..", her voice cracked. "What happened, what did they do?", I asks, my jaw clenched.

"He... He started kissing me and I tried to get him to stop but then he got out a knife..", she didn't finish. "Aw no Steph.. He didn't r...", "no he didn't, he tried to but then he heard you guys and left", she rubbed her shoulders with her hands. "Come here, are you okay now?", I ask her as I bring her close to me again. "Yes, I am thanks to you guys showing up", she smiled. "You can stay at mine if you want", Naoimh offered. I closed my eyes and tried to avoid getting angry, she stayed at Naoimh's house far too long. "No it's okay, thanks for offering though", she smiles, making me feel better.

"Well I'll take you back to yours and we can stay for a bit", I state, hoping Steph will allow me in her house. She smiled and nodded, soon enough we were at her house. Steph told her mother everything and she said we had to leave, which I wasn't too happy about but didn't argue. I hope Steph feels better tomorrow.