Raine Walker

Chapter Twenty-Four

Scott POV

         Apart of me knew that something bad would happen. And that part of me told me that I had to be by her side to make sure that she wouldn't get hurt. When I heard her scream for help, it felt as if my heart shattered. I was supposed to be by her side and make sure she wasn't getting hurt, but I lost her in the crowd of people. Maybe I should've tried to convince her to not go. Maybe I should've ignored keeping my distance from her to make sure she doesn't think I'm creepy.

        I punched this Dean guy as hard as I could, not caring what kind of consequences there was to follow, but I heard her sniffle, making me pull back and take a look at her. Her mascara was smeared across her delicate blue eyes, but they were staring off into a space beyond me. She tugged her shirt together, curling together as if everything around her is toxic. 

        I made my way steadily around the bed, approaching her side. She looked down at the carpet as her eyes found mine. A tear strolled down her cheek as she blinked. I didn't want her to cry. I reached up, softly brushing my thumb across her cheek. She sniffled as I brought her closer to me, taking a seat on the bed for her to burry her face into my shirt. I wanted her to know that everything will be alright and that I'm here for her.

        I wanted to beat the shit of the Dean for hurting Raine. She didn't deserve that. I push my face into her hair, smelling the sweet scent of flowers. I felt terrible for letting this happen to her. She grabs a fist full of my shirt, pulling herself closer. I didn't want to move, but I knew that she had to get out of here. 

        "C'mon, let's go," I told her as I stood up. I draped my arm along the contours of her back, guiding her swiftly out of the room and out of the house. The cold air swept through me as we stepped out the doors. 

        "Wait, Scott?" I hear a girl's voice echo behind me. I turn my head, seeing Holland's worried glance. Raine twists her body, glaring at Holland. "What happened?"

        "Why don't you ask your boyfriend on the floor of the bedroom," I smirk, a nasty tone rising in my voice. I knew that I should've of used that tone, but Holland had to find out what kind of a bastard Dean really is.

        Holland didn't say another word as I ushered Raine to Adam's vehicle that I happened to steal the keys to without asking him. Whoops. I opened the door for Raine as she lifelessly stepped in and took a seat. I hesitated before closing the door, wanting to tell her something that would make her feel better. But I realized that nothing I could say would make her feel any better. She's tattered, torn, shredded to bits by forces of life.

        I want to put her back together, like a jigsaw puzzle.

        I drove in silence, listening to the sound of water sloshing beneath the tires as I drove down the highway. Even though her silence was killing me, I knew that now is not the time to get her to talk to me about it. I know from experience that sitting and dwelling on things will only make her turn the tables and blame herself for this.

        We pull up the house in a matter of thirty minutes, hopping out quickly to help open the door for her. She steps out, glancing at the ground beneath her as if the things around her weren't interesting. I walk up to the door, opening it to let her inside. She heads directly to the stairs, trailing up them. As I set the keys on the shelf near the door and prepare to follow after her, Adam's appearance startles me.

        "What the hell is wrong with you?" he states.

        "Yeah, bro, sorry," I say, turning my glance to the sight of Raine disappearing around the corner of the stairs.

        "Sorry for not asking to take the car. Sorry for letting my little sister out of the house," Adam begins with a loud and stern toned voice.

        "Yeah, dad," I bug him with the name before going up the steps quickly to follow Raine. As I enter her room quickly, I see her sitting on the side of her bed, her face buried into her hands. Her sobs hurt me. 

        I walked over to her, taking a seat beside her cautiously. She lifts her face, her eyes red and blue. "He said that I should have a drink to forget about everything that's bothered me. He said to not fight. He said he needed a piece of his...reward."

        She spoke. Without me asking.

        "It's not your fault, no matter what you think," I whispered to her, knowing immediately that that's what was running through her mind.

        "Isn't it?" she turns her glance to me.

        "No, not at all. Don't blame yourself, please," I look down at my own hands, trembling with what I feel. Every part of me wants to be sure that she doesn't blame herself for this.

        "I can't help but think that it is, though," Raine sighs.

        "It's not your fault. Trust me," I say, without thinking.

        She blinks at me, her eyes drying from the tears. She pushes her fallen hair out of her eyes, giving me an assured look. Her blue eyes trace far into my dark brown eyes. She doesn't trust me, yet, and I'm okay with that. I still have time to prove to her that I'm trust-

        "I trust you," she replies softly. I look at her, unbelieving to what I just heard. "Can I ask you something?"

        "Anything," I respond.

        "Do you think you can stay in here with me?" she asks. "I just-"

        "Yeah, sure," I respond. She was still frightened that Dean would come back. She feels safe around me.

        "Thank you," Raine looks at me, tears swelling in her eyes. Instead of saying no problem or you're welcome, I simply pull her in for a hug. She responds by draping her arms over my shoulders, burying her face into the crevice of my neck. My hands were in the middle of her back, making sure to not cross boundaries that she wasn't comfortable with.

        I close my eyes, savoring the smell of flowers that only she smelled like. The feeling of her being this close to me. The sound of her breathing. 

        We sit like that for a while, not bothering to pull apart. We were comfortable being like this, and that was totally okay with me.

        I wanted to be around her more.

        I don't know what's happening to me...