In A Matter Of Seconds (o2l)

Chapter 22

LAINA'S POV

I woke up in my bed and the first thing I did was turn and puke in my trash can. my stomach hurt like crazy and when I lifted up my shirt there was a huge purple and blue foot shaped bruise. Memories came flooding back, even ones of Connor and me from my birthday night, the night I gave away my virginity to someone I thought was someone else.

I stood up, unable to bear the stress of my life anymore. I walked into the bathroom. I looked in the mirror, I had huge dark circles under my eyes, I look like I hadn't slept in days, my check had a bruise on it, reminding me of how awful and useless I must be.

I repeated to myself how no one cares about me.

I'm better off dead.

Worthless and that's why Kian sat and let Sam beat me.

Because I deserve it.

I took out a razor and made deep cuts all over me, my wrist, my hips, my thighs, everywhere.

I cry as I try to clean up the mess I've made and the mess I've become.

I hear a knock and I open it, not really carrying who saw.

"Lai." Kian said as I opened the door, "Lai you look awful I'm sorry-" he paused as he saw all of the cuts.

He ran his fingers through his hair and looked down at me with tears.

He walked away.

He walked away from me and I just walked after him.

"So, you just see these scars and walk away? I'm that hideous? I'm that fucking atrocious that you can't even stand to look at me. After everything we've been through I would've expected a little more from you. I wouldn't have expected you to walk away and leave me." I was screaming my the end and Jc had come up to see. He saw the fresh and still bleeding cuts all up and down my arms.

"Lai you need to calm down." Jc said as Kian just sit on his bed staring at me. Like I was some monster.

"I NEED TO CALM DOWN? HAHA I NEED TO CALM DOWN? FUCK THAT JC I NEED TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE. IM SWITCHING FLIGHTS. IM LEAVING TOMORROW. AND YOU CAN THANK THIS BASTARD THAT IS JUST SITTING THERE AND STARING AT ME IN DISGUST LIKE IM A BEAST." I scream and tears start falling. "WHY ARE YOU STARING AT ME KIAN? SAY SOMETHING!"

He doesn't speak. He just keeps staring. I shake my head and storm out. I slam the door to my room and lock it.

My best friend just sat and stared at me as I broke down. I thought if anyone would, Kian would be my light.

I can't stay in this house anymore.

I pack up all my clothes and leave a note on my bed and address it To anyone but Kian.

I sneak out the window and go to the only place I can.

I go to Sam's

***

KIAN'S POV

I can't believe she did that.

Jc is trying to shake me back into reality as I sit and think of all the things she just screamed at me.

I get up and walk downstairs to where Connor was on the couch.

"Why. Why did you fuck Laina when you know everything I've been through to get her? Why did you do that?" I say grabbing his collar. He looks at me confused and then Lia jumps in and breaks us up.

I walk back upstairs to Laina's room and knock.

No answer.

More knocking.

Still no answer.

I expect the worst and I throw myself through her door. I run to her bathroom, she's not there.

I see her open window and I look at her bed.

There's a note, it's addressed To anyone but Kian.

***

LIA'S POV

I walk upstairs to see Kian with his whole body shaking and a note in his hands.

"Open it Lia. Please open it and read it to me." He's crying and he looks like he can't breathe.

I open the letter and read it to Kian,

"Dear my family for the past almost year,
I'm sorry that it has come to this. I had to leave. Today. I couldn't stay in the same house as people who viewed me as disgusting and awful and a slut.
I need to go home for a while, maybe forever. Please take care of Joker for me. Please try to move on. Most of all please don't come after me. I don't want you to.
I love you all,
Laina Anne Scaltes"

By the end of the letter I was crying.

"Where could she be?" Kian screamed.

"Wherever she is, it's where she needs to be. She said don't go after her. She needs space Kian." I say flatly and go lay in her bed.

Kian looked at me like I was insane.

"Lia. This is the girl I love and you're telling me to let her just leave? Let her go home and possibly never come back because of my lack of words?" He was bawling at this point. His words were slurred together and I could barely understand him.

"Unless you want to lose her forever, that's exactly what I suggest." I said and he walked away to I don't care where.

***

LAINA'S POV

I had just gotten to Sam's house and knocked on the door. Kian popped into my mind. Tears were streaming down my face when Sam opened the door.

"Laina?" He said and I collapsed into his arms.

I told him everything, and I told him that I needed to leave for San Antonio tomorrow.

He held me like old times, rubbed the nape of my neck in a way that calmed me down like he used to.

"Okay, you can sleep here, and I'll drive you to the airport on one condition."

"Shoot."

"You say goodbye to Kian."

"Sam if that's your condition I'll walk myself to the damn airport." I say and get up with my luggage.

"Laina you have to understand his position. He's fucking in love with you for Christ's sake!" He laughs his words out at me.

"Sam if he was in love with me he wouldn't have let me walk out."

"Or maybe he thought that's what you wanted."

"Or maybe he wanted me to go."

"Laina I'm not going to argue."

"Fine I'll just call Jenn."

I grabbed the door knob about to leave, but I turned around and ran into his arms. I inhaled his scent and I smashed my lips into his. He kissed me like he had a thousand times. I ended it too soon with tears streaming down my face.

He drove me to the airport that night instead, like he understood after that kiss.

I got a flight for 7:30 and waited at the gate. No one was seeing me off, and no one was coming with me. No one even knew I was coming home.

***

KIAN'S POV

Sam just texted me and told me Laina was at the airport.

I grabbed my car keys and sped my whole way to the airport. I got a ticket from a camera but I didn't care.

I sped through security and I looked at the gates, seeing the one for San Antonio.

I saw her sitting there. She was one of ten people sitting outside the gate.

She looked peaceful, she looked like she could finally breathe.

I couldn't take that from her. She got up for a split second to go to the bathroom, she left her bag. I slid in a note I had written, and I walked away.

Out of the airport, and out of her life.