Drowning is a Relief

Chapter 9

Please.
Over him? You're kidding right?
Stop joking to yourself, you're vulnerable and so gullible, thinking he'd actually like you how you are now?
You're weak, you have scars all over you, you have ugly bruises all over you. No guy would want this from a girl.
Why is he still chasing you.
Give it all up, he's only doing this for his job, maybe he'll get a stupid promotion or something.
It's been 1 year, every time you see him he only chases you around.
Don't you love Jack? So keep your pretty mouth shut you bitch.

All this ran through Bubbles' head during the period of another year. It had been official to her, it was 4 years since she became locked in this place, but only 1 year ago when she was allowed to actually go outside.
Each time Boomer saw Bubbles, she seemed to tremble more than the last time.
It was November now, she's shivering, she was skinny and pale. She wasn't healthy.
Boomer had to wait, until Bubbles decided to tell him. He'll always wait for her. Until she wants to say it. But it better be soon, or else he feared that her life was on the line.
Each time the makeup was thicker, the concealer covering more, it hurt him to imagine what she tried to hide from the world.
He needed proof. He didn't have any.
The Police Department even sent a group into the house disguised as mechanics checking for a 'gas leak' for any particularly gnarly looking rooms.
Nothing.
They thought he was crazy by now. Only Maeve encouraged him to go on.
And he did want to, for the sake of Bubbles.
How hard it was for him to hide what he really thought.
He felt like this was the worst time for him to confess his hidden feelings for her, of course it was.
He didn't want to seem like he was taking advantage of her situation, what if she only saw him as a person who was friendly. What did she even think of him now.

*flashback*
'Hey Boomer.' Bubbles walked up to him, she was sulking a bit, something wasn't right, she wasn't her cheery self.
'What's up Bubs? What's wrong?' Boomer replied, tilting his head, he stroked her head, she didn't smile or look up. She kept avoiding his gaze.
'We need to talk. I have something to tell you.'
'Sure, go ahead.'
'Let's stop doing this.'
'Wait? What do you mean 'this'? Why?'
'You know Jack? The guy in the football and diving team?'
'Yeah? What about him? How does this relate to our relationship?'
'He's such a nice guy, and I've been chatting to him. And you know he asked me yesterday if I wanted to be his girlfriend.'
'And?'
'Well our relationship isn't really official Boomie. Look at Blossom and Brick, or even Buttercup and Butch. They told the whole school they were together. I don't want a guy who's not in for a real relationship Boomer.'
'Bubs I'm totally in for a serious relationship with you.'
'I don't really think you're ready for it though. Boomer, sleep on it. We can still be friends.' She smiled, and patted his shoulder as she turned to leave with her books.
Boomer looked over at Blossom and Brick, Blossom was trying to toss grapes into Brick's mouth and they hugged at each small victory between them. Butch and Buttercup? No more words were exchanged between them since they realised their feelings for each other. All they did was make out now. Was that what Bubbles wanted in a relationship?
Or more?
And after that, he always told himself:
If you really love them, you should let them go.
*flashback ends*
It was apparent to Boomer that Jack was definitely the bad guy in the situation but Boomer never really stopped loving Bubbles, even as a friend. Who wanted their best friend to stop talking to them forever after confessing their true feelings.
So he let her go, and she ended up like this.
It was his fault.
He didn't tell her sooner.
He let her go to Jack.
He had to tell her, time had gone by. And he couldn't sleep every night thinking of alternatives of what could've happened.
He even went to a therapist after a few years of insomnia. He thought he was working too hard.
Even the therapist told him to get rid of his feelings. It was the only thing he could've done to help himself. But he was too obsessed with it. Altering the fantasy in his head each night.
He just couldn't wrap his head around it. What were these feelings? Why do they hurt so bad now? Where were they before?
Bubbles wasn't feeling so great about how she acted too. She was so naive, at that young age, why did she make such a bad decision?
Because she loved Jack, did she at this time now? Maybe. Or not.
-
Knocking.
Bubbles ran downstairs, after her pain spreading through her body as she bent up from the chair she was sitting on.
She opened the door, seeing a familiar woman. Who was she?
'Hi there, I am Marilyn Davidson, an intern of the Townsville Water Department. I think there is a leakage, which was reported by someone? Was it... a Mr. Jack...to check... is that alright?'
Bubbles didn't even care, once she heard his name, she replied: 'Yeah.', letting the woman in.
The woman looked around, 'Can you lead me around the house? I need to check all the floor boards of each floor for its pipes.'
Lead her around? Sure.
Just not the attic, aka Bubbles' resting place.
After 30 minutes of suspicious lurking that Bubbles noticed, the lady requested to go to the toilet.
Bubbles kindly showed her the way and walked off the mind with other things.
Without Bubbles actually knowing, Maeve had disguised herself as an 'engineer' and snuck into Bubbles' house with a hidden camera on her 'uniform'.
'Yo Boom.' She muttered into a headset.
'Maeve? How is it going?'
'It's fine, she definitely thinks I'm up to something. The looks she's been giving me...'
'We already expected that though... any sign of the guy?'
'Nope.'
Maeve put her ear against the door to try and hear if anyone was outside.
As much as Bubbles felt that Maeve was possibly a burgled or crook, she couldn't care less for the guy who actually owned the place.
'The girl doesn't care though. She looked awfully concerned about me but when I asked if I could use the toilet she just showed me and disappeared. I think it's definitely this house. But they're aren't any odd rooms that looked out of place...' Maeve spoke again, adding to her last reply.
'Hmm... I see, try and hang around, we'll try and get some people help over the-'
'No, don't. The girl is already scared for her life. I've seen those bruises from the report from before and up close today. The guy is violent and I've seen some weapons lying around the crevices of the house.'
'So you'll just leave her by herself with the guy?'
'No I'll wait and I'll see if he's the possible suspect.'
'Ok, talk later.'
'Alright.'
'Hand tight there.'
A knock on the toilet door, 'You alright there? Miss Davidson?' Bubbles' soft voice said.
'Yes, just umm... I-You know, big lunch...'
Maeve looked in the mirror above the sink and scolded herself for saying that. Ugh, an embarrassment.
She turned the door knob and found Bubbles' with a guy.
His eyes were bloodshot, he's on something, if only Bubbles could tell anyone at all what she knew.
The guy was an asshole, Bubbles could agree, but the fact that she thought he held control over her life made her scared. It gave her fear she never thought one could feel.