I laid next to Justin on Clay's bed, I stroke his hair as I sustained my head with my hand looking at him.
He looks so in peace, his breathing was steady and calm, his expression is soft but a tired one, I can see he's stressed as well.
He jolts up and I fall off from the bed yelping, he immediately looks at me and I scoffed.
"The fuck?" I laughed, he furrows his eyebrows not understanding why I'm laughing.
"What are you doing here?" He asks running his hand through his hair.
"Taking care of you." I said sitting next to him.
"I don't remember much..?" He ask indicating me to explain what happened.
"Well, you passed out... in front of the whole school." I play with the hem of my shirt. "You talked to Jessica and things got rough..."
"And I saw you in Bryce's arms." I can see he's struggling with something.
"Justin..." He stands up clenching his fist.
"Why him?" He asks.
"He's helping me!" I stand up as well facing him. "He's paying my rent, he's giving Ellie a new life! And you know it, don't play dumb." He opens his mouth, but was cut off by a loud crash.
"What the-" He covers my mouth shushing me, I kept looking at him confused.
He walks to the door and he immediately pushes me inside the closet, he let's it slightly open and I saw someone entering Clay's room.
Justin pulls me further to the closet, holding me tightly while a hand covered my mouth.
"Don't make a sound." He whispered removing his hand from my mouth as I nod.
He intertwined our hands together and I hold his arm squeezing it a little, my heart was beating so fast and hard that I thought it would pop out of my chest.
"Clay, are you home?" I hear Clay's dad and I let a breath go, not noticing that I was holding one.
Justin walks out to the window, I start to panic walking in circles like a maniac. I turn around and saw Mr. Jensen with a bat.
"What the hell?" I step in front of Justin knowing he won't hit him as I stand in between them.
"It wasn't us!" I throw my arm up in defense.
"Who the hell are you two?" He asks waiting for us to attack, if I wasn't in this situation I would've laughed.
"My name is Winter. Winter Brooklyn..." I took a step closer to him gaining his trust. "This is Justin Foley." He nods. "It's a long story, but we're only going to explain it to you if you drop the bat." He hesitates, making me glare at him. "Drop it." I used my bossy tone and he obeyed. "Now let's go down stairs."
I look at both of them nodding, Justin walks out of Clay's room first. I raise an eyebrow noticing Mr. Jensen kept waiting for me to go. I cross my arms not moving a single muscle, indicating him to move or I'll make him move.
He finally gave it in, I groan not believing this is happening.
~||~
"Look, I was trying to help Hannah's case." Clay explained as all of us sat in the leaving room, Justin was fumbling with his finger, knowing him he's scared.
I poke his leg, he look at my hands and knew what I meant. He laid his hand on top of mine caressing my palm with his index finger.
"By hiding Justin here? In the home of a lawyer whose firm is trying the case?" She gives Clay a death look. "Do you have any idea how that could look?"
