Trust Me

Chapter 36

*Warning: Mentions of death, rape, depression, angst, self harm, toxic relationship

The sounds of sobs and wailing kept getting louder by the second, which made my head start banging. I covered my ears to shut everything out as it was getting too much. By now the only thing I could hear was the muffled cries and the sound of my heart rapidly beating. My breath started getting short and my vision became blurry as my bare weak kneecaps touched the cold tile floor of the airport. 

By now I was unaware of what was happening around me, the only thing I was focusing on was on the banging of my head and the blinding light of the airport. Someone touched my back making me flinch back in fear. I started crawling back in terror, still not being able to face the person beside me because of my foggy sight. A familiar hand grabbed me by my wrist while the other cupped my face rubbing my cheeks. Come back to me, I was able to distinguish a faint mumble. My vision started coming back to normal and I started frantically looking at my surroundings trying to examine where I was. I started panting again when I realized I was still at the airport.  My eyes fell on the familiar face in front of me. 

Henry now cupping my face with both of his hands starring into my eyes intensely trying to snap me back into reality. I wiped the tear that fell from my face and I jumped on Henry's broad chest to embrace him in a tight hug. He hugged me back, playing with my hair, and planting small kisses on the top of my head.

"Take me out of here" I mumbled on his chest.

With a small head nod, he flung his arm around my waist helping me get up and leading me to the car park. We got in the car and I didn't speak, the numbness came back to me. I just stared at the empty road in front of me, while Henry put his hand on my thigh softly rubbing it.

How could this happen?
Why would it happen to her?
She had so much more to live for.
It should have been me instead.
It's all my fault. 
This wouldn't have happened if she didn't come to see me.

"I need to call her mum" I exclaimed anxiously as I snapped off my thoughts and I saw Henry giving me a reassuring head nod.

I got my phone out of my pocket and started looking at my contacts. When I found what I was looking for I called and waited for what seemed like an eternity for an answer.

Steph's mum was like my mum, we would often joke how she should adopt and that we should all live together happily ever after. How could I tell her that her happily ever after got crashed?

I heard the familiar high pitched voice at the end of the line as Martha picked up

Martha: Mia! I'm so glad you called. I told Steph to give me a ring when she landed but she probably doesn't have data. 

Me: Martha... Steph is not here.

We were talking in Greek and obviously Henry didn't understand anything but he kept giving me weak reassuring smiles.

Martha: Ohh, was her flight delayed? 

Me: Martha... I took a big breath trying not to burst into tears. Steph will not be coming. The plane crashed.

Martha: What do you mean it crashed? Stop playing with me. She tried to chuckle thinking I was playing a prank on her, when I heard her violently typing on her phone. The crash was most probably on the news by now so she was googling if what I told her was true. She let out a gasp. My baby. She kept repeating over and over sobbing.

I put my hand on my mouth covering trying not to let out the whimpers I felt coming.

Martha: My love, I gotta go, I'll text you when I've got everything for the funer... She couldn't continue her sentence and hung up.