It's Not All Roses

Chapter 16

MAE

I've never liked being around drunken people; it's always bothered me to the point of making me uncomfortable. So, that's why I'm not happy with Hero. How can he come over and pretend to be caring when he's drank a fifth of whiskey.

"Listen, I don't think tonight is the best time for this," I state.

He looks up at me from his seat on the bed. He looks relived and hurt at the same time. "I met Lia during a frat party, she as doing $10 tattoos. Niall dared me to get one and-"

I shake my head, "I can see where this is going to go. You two talk, fall for each other and then you hurt her until you get back together, am I right?"

He looks pissed, but so am I, he shouldn't have came here drunk and I don't want to hear any more lies when it comes to him. I can't do it.

He stands, towering over me like always. "Well, I guess you got my life story figured out Mae. All I want to do is fix what I did out in front of the library with Lia, but I guess I can't because you are being a total bitch, like always," his words are like venom.

He looks at me one last time before grabbing the doorknob, opening it and storming away. I guess I'm in the wrong, but I'm tired and I can't deal with stuff like this right now.

I fall asleep, my dreams showing me a couple, where the boy doesn't hurt the girl, in fact it's the girl that breaks the boys heart. It took me hours to finally pass out, but when I did sleep, it was nothing but bad dreams.

The next morning when my phone goes off, I groan and let it ring. At first I think the caller has given up, but I'm wrong when another call comes thought.

"What?" I snap into the phone.

"Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed didn't they?" Lia's voice rings through my ears.


I sigh, nervously and annoyingly.  "How did you get my number?"

A terrible chuckle rings through my ears. "Oh sweetheart, I got it from an old friend of yours, you can be so ditzy it's ridiculous."

I don't bother saying anything at the moment. I'm to lost in thought about the old friend she got my number from. Finally I sigh and ask, "Lia... Why are you doing this to me? I've never done anything wrong to you, just please leave me alone."

She's quiet for a moment before speaking, "Once Hero gets out of your life then so will I," she states with so much hate in her voice, it makes me uncomfortable.

"Well guess what Lia, you win. He wont be back anytime soon, ok?" I ask.

"Oh, is that a fact now?"

"If you want to know so bad, ask him, just please leave me alone, I'm tired of this and I'm done with this conversation."

"Oh, you probably need to hold on a minute," she laughs and I let out a sigh.
"Why?" I ask.

"Someone wants to talk to you."

"I barely know anyone around here, so who the hell would want to talk to me, listen Lia, I'm so done with this conversation, just leave me alone I wont tell you ag-"

"Hey Mae," a silky voice comes on the other end, one that isn't Lia's and one that I wish I could forget for the rest of my life. I'm so quiet you would think I hung up the phone. "Awww, I feel so hurt Mae, did you forget about me?"

How does Lia know her? Why are they harassing me? I know I need to speak, but nothing is coming out, it's completely blocked.

"Come on Mae, talk to me."

I bite my lip and take a deep breath. "Sam, please leave me alone."

A little laugh escapes her lip, "There you are, I thought maybe you did hang up on me."

Flashbacks start pounding into my memory, which makes me stomach turn, I can feel my chest getting tight and I can't hear anything but the pitch of Sam's voice.

"Listen Mae, I just need you to know that we're not done with you, and in fact I'm just beginning on your cousin, so you better tell that bitch to fuck off."

"Sam, please, I'm begging you to just leave me and my family alone."

I hear some clicks on the other end. "Hey you remember Nick right? I mean how could you forget him? Just know that he says he misses you and can't wait to have another round with you because you were so great the first time."

If I had eaten anything, it would be all in my trashcan by now, I can feel the color draining from my face. "Leave me alone." I say this quickly and shakily dial a number.

As always, it rings and rings and rings, but she eventually answers. "Baby cousin! Sorry I was practicing, how are you?"

I gulp, "Elle..."

I hear my cousin's breath calm down a little bit from doing her gymnastics. "Hey, what's wrong?" She asks and after a few moments I still can't say anything. "Mae, talk to me."

"Sam... Sam, she.... Well she..." I'm choking back all my tears, trying my best to just breathe.

I hear Ellison's anger in her voice, "I'm going to fucking kill her, this time I will smash her head in so hard she wont survive. What did she do?"

"She just called me and-"

"How did that bitch get a hold of you? Mae, you need to get your number changed, we all told you to do this after the trail, I thought you changed it."

"I did, but she got it through someone else."

I can hear her angrily zipping up her bag, Leo must be around, but that doesn't stop her from snapping at him. "Don't fucking tell me to get off the phone, Mae is... I'll drive myself then you fucking prick!" I can hear her stomping away from her boyfriend and he's yelling at her in the background. "Mae, don't tell me it was Hero that gave out your number."

"No, I don't think it was him," I state honestly. "Are you okay?" I ask.

"Then who is it?" She starts her car and I wait for it to connect to her Bluetooth, totally ignoring my question.

I run my fingers through my hair. "Remember when I face timed you last week and I was a wreck? I was telling you about Hero's ex girlfriend?"

"Yeah," she says.

I gulp and close my eyes. "Apparently, they know one another."

She's quiet for a few moments, "She's like a fucking virus with no cure, not unless she's locked away or..."

"I don't wish anyone dead," I mumble. "I'm not that type of person."

She chuckles a little bit, "Well, you know me, I don't think that way. Mae do you think Hero knows Sam? How else would Lia would have gotten your number."

"I don't know if Sam and Hero know each other. I can't trust him anymore though."

"When's the last time you two talked?" She asks.

"Off and on last night. He was going to tell me about his and Lia's history, but I was so pissed he wasn't sober."

"Mae..." Ellison starts out and sighs. "I don't mean to sound pushy, but some people need that to be able to talk, maybe he did it out of being scared, he needed some kind of courage. I know from experience."

Deep down I know she is right, that it's an anxiety thing. Ellison couldn't function without pills for a long time, and she was very good at hiding it from everyone. I just can't imagine him wanting to be good to me after what he did in front of the library.

"Maybe or maybe not. I don't know what is really on my mind right now. Too much is happening and now since I got Sam and Nick down my throat again I will never feel like I'm-"

"Wait, Nick talked to you?" Ellison asks me.

"It wasn't him directly, but he left a message, saying he cant wait for another round with me because I was so good the first time."

The phone must have dropped out of Elle's hands because her voice fades away and suddenly it's back. "Motherfucker, I should have knocked him the same night I knocked sam out."

Then, out of nowhere, it all hits me at once and I start bawling. My fingers are tugging at my hair. "Elle, I can't go through this again... I... I w-want to be... Happy again."

"I know Mae. I wish I could pack you up and bring you to Washington, but things are really stressful around here. I don't want you alone right now."

"Elle I don't have anywhere to go."

She sighs, "Now would be a really good time to call your friend, Kiya, and see if she will let you stay with her. I'm sure she would."

"She has enough on her plate, shes been really sick and-"

"I don't fucking care Mae. I need you to be with someone right now. I'm 1900 miles away, you need a friend and there is nothing wrong with reaching out, trust me."

I know what Leo does to her, so she's being totally hypocritical right now, but my situation is different. I let out a sigh and look at the clock on my desk. 10:57 AM. She should be up. "Alright, I'll call her."

"Good, and if she doesn't answer call Tom."

"Okay."

Saying bye to Ellison is hard. She's always been like my big sister, so having her so far away has been difficult. And knowing that Leo hurts her makes me feel so bad for unleashing my problems on her. I can't help but pace around my room for a little bit waiting to call Kiya.

I finally give in and bite my lip and it rings a couple times before, "Hey love! How are you?"

"I hate to bug you, but do you think I could stay at your place for the time being?" I didn't want to be so abrupt in the conversation, but the longer I stay in this dorm, the worse I feel.

I hear Kiya smack someone and a male's voice goes, "Ow!" She laughs a little bit, "Yeah of course you can, stay as long as you need. What's wrong? You sound like you've been crying."

"I'll explain when I get over there, who is with you?"

"It's just Niall and Hero, boys shut up!"

I can hear Hero mock Kiya. "Just get here," she says. "Then we can talk."

She hangs up before I get the chance to say anything.

The knock on my door makes me jump off the bed. I sent Tom a message to take me to Kiya's but he had to knock a certain way before I would answer it.

"Mae, open the door, it's just Tom."

"Are you alone?" I ask through the crack.

"Yeah, I came here by myself like you asked."

I open the door and step out of it into the hallway, locking it behind me, my backpack tight against me. "Let go to Kiya's."

Tom touches me on the shoulder and I pull away.

"What's wrong?" He asks, concern laced through his voice.

"I will tell you once we get to Kiya's. Everyone is there and I just can't drive right now okay?"

"Yeah, of course." Tom states and we go out of the dorms to the parking lot. The ten minute drive to Kiya's is quiet and there is no music in the car, which I'm not used to. Once we pull up to Kiya's complex, I look over at my best friend.

"Whatever is going on with you, just know I'm here and I will not leave your side. I've got your back," he smiles a little.

"Thank you Tommy Boy. I love you." I wipe my eyes and try hard to stop crying.

"Hey," he takes my hand. "It's okay Mae, were all here for you."

I laugh a little, "Not Hero."

Tom tilts his head to the side slightly and lets out a sigh, "Of course he cares about you and will always be there for you."

I suddenly feel like crying all over again, but I keep it together. "He's mad at me. I don't blame him, maybe it would be better if he stays away from me. It'd be better for all of you, I'm just trouble."

"I never want to hear you say that again Mae. Friends like us stick together, you're not trouble, and we are all here for you no matter what. Listen," he grips my hand. "Kiya is a beautiful soul, but when she first got here, she was a mess, a terrible mess. Hero saved her life, literally, twice. It was hard for her to open up to the rest of us. We've been through this before, and we will take care of you."

I take a deep, shaky breath and nod. "Thank you Tom."

"You're welcome. As for Hero, just talk to him, trust me."

I nod again and he helps me grab my stuff and it's quiet as we take the two flights up, knocking on Kiya's door.

The door swings open and my best friend stands there. Her green eyes are bright and she has a small smile on her face. "Hey, I told you, you didn't have to knock! Just-"

I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her and start crying. The closest thing I have to Ellison, who has alway is Kiya. I think that is why I automatically hit it off with her. She has become like a big sister and best friend. Her arms wrap around me and she hugs me tightly. "Mae, what's wrong?" 

I step away for a second and look at her. "I'm sorry."

Her hands are on my shoulders and she wipes my eyes quickly. "Don't be sorry for being sensitive. It's who you are." She hugs me again and I can tell, by her posture that she is mouthing something to Tom. Niall and Hero walk out of the bedroom laughing and stop almost automatically when they see me crying.

"Hero," she steps away from me and has her hand on my back. "Will you get me some water with ice?"

"Yeah," his accent is deep, almost pissed off, but not towards me. "Anything else?"
Kiya leads me over to the couch, where she sits next to me, handing me the glass of water when Hero comes back.

"Mae?" Niall catches my attention. "Do you want us to leave?"

"No, it's alright, just give me a minute."

Niall sits on the chair, Hero stands against the wall, looking up at the ceiling, avoiding eye contact with me, but for some reason, I know he's not mad at me. I just know he's not. Tom sits on the edge of the coffee table. It's weird to see so many people be here for me.

"Okay..." I sigh. "Lia called me, I mean it was more of a threat, telling me that I have to stay away from Hero. I don't know how she got my number at all, but..." I hiccup. "She was with someone and it made my blood go cold."

That's when I feel Hero's eyes on me. I'm just watching the ice float in the glass before Kiya asks, "Who was she with?"

I take a deep breath, but my voice comes out in a whisper, "Sam."

Tom tenses up, Hero removes himself from the wall completely, and I see lean forward in his chair, running his fingers through his hair.

"She also gave me a message.. f-f-from...." I start to cry. "From N-nick."

Kiya has been quiet, rubbing my back trying to get me to calm down, but I can't seem to calm down. "Everyone but tom and myself, out. I love you guys, but she's going to have a panic attack."

"I'm not fucking leav-" Hero starts out.

"Now," Kiya snaps. "I'll come out there in a few minutes."

I put my face in my hands the second I hear the door close, sobbing into my hands. "He's going to hurt me... He's going to hurt me..."

Tom and Kiya wrap their arms while I ride out this panic attack, both of them telling me that it's going to be okay. After about 10 minutes I finally relax a little bit and calm down enough so I can breathe normally. "Mae, are you okay by yourself for a few minutes?"

"Yeah, I could use a little space," I smile at her a little.

"Okay, we'll be right back. Yell at me if you need anything."

I take some deep solid breaths and look out at the window, watching the rain slam into the window. The door opens, but my focus is on the window. I just want the pain to go away. I watch each drop fall. If I had listened to Elle about Sam and Nick I wouldn't be in this damn mess.

I feel a hand rest on my shoulder and I turn to see beautiful green eyes looking down at me. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm sorry!" I blurt. "I should have never judged your rela-"

"That doesn't matter right now Mae, at all," he sits next to me and rest his hand on my knee.

"Do you know Sam?" I ask suddenly.

"No. I don't know her. I mean I knew of her, I never knew the girls name, but Lia would go off and work for her, so I knew of a girl, but I didn't know who it was," his eyes seem genuine. "If I would have ever met her, I wouldn't have liked her."

I close me eyes and sigh. "If Lia and Sam are together, I'm not safe. I'm scared, I don't..."

He grips my thigh softly and I look at him, he smiles and says, "Calm down. It's going to be okay. Kiya is going to let you stay. Niall and tom will stay here too."

"What about you?"

He raises his brows, "What about me?"

"Are you staying with us?"

He bites his lip and looks at me, "I mean, if you want me to be here for that stuff, I can, but it's up to you. I'm not picky."

"I'd like for you to stay, so I'm with everyone."

He nods and I start getting teary eyed again. He grips my face and looks at me, "Mae,  I will never let Nick touch you as long as you live. I will never allow him to be near you ever again."

I look into his eyes, somewhere for false hope, but I don't see anything, all I see is trust and a glimmer of something else. "You promise?" I ask quietly.

He runs the pad of his thumb across my lower lip. "I promise on my life," he says.