Chapter 15: Love You Not

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~Andrew~

Later that day, after (Y/N) had come in, we had dinner quietly and watched a movie together. But during the film, she had fallen asleep. Pausing it I get up and uncover myself, walking up to the chair, I looked at her peaceful face as it was tilted to the side.

Carefully I pick her up, caring her bridal style I head for her bedroom. Slowly walking up the stairs I felt her stir a little in my arms. Then walking through the hallway I made it to her door. I open the door then lightly kick it open.

Stepping in I walk over to her bed and gently set her down. I take the blanket and flip it over her body, tucking her in I watched as she moved a little. Kneeling next to the bed I watch her for a bit. Extending my right-hand out I take a piece of hair and move it away from her face.

God, I love you. I wished she felt the same... but something happened that changed her whole personality. Something bad it seemed. Did her father do something that really fucked her up? What happened while she went missing?

The girl in front of me wasn't the same one I was best friends with in high school and before. All I wanted to do was make her happy, and help her forget all the bad things that happened in her life, to guard her from the things that wanted to harm her... but she wasn't letting me... that was about the only thing that remained the same, her need to take care of herself.

~Memory~

It was free period and I was following (Y/N) who was rushing away from her locker after someone had grabbed (Y/N) and nearly revealed something on her body. Curiously I follow her finding she hid in a janitor's closet.

Waiting a moment I look around making sure no one saw me. Then I entered, swinging open the door I slip in and I hear a soft gasp. Shutting the door I look back and find (Y/N) hiding her wrists.

Walking up to her I take her wrists into my hands and pull up her sleeves. There were bruises and on her right arm was gauze wrapped up her arm starting at her wrist and working it's way up to her elbow. "Are you cutting yourself?" I ask.

(Y/N) yanks her hands away and shook her head quickly. Afterward, she turned her head to the side in embarrassment. "I promise I won't tell anyone." I tell her. Her eyes glanced over and she blinked a couple of times before looking down at her hands.

"My dad... he's not the greatest-

"Your dad did that to you?!" I nearly shout, she covers mouth and glares slightly.

"Keep your voice down, someone could hear us." she whispers.

I peel her hands off of me and hold them in mine. "You gotta report him (Y/N)... what he's doing is wrong-

"I've tried... but I don't have a phone and he cut all the phones at home...and if he does get taken my mom won't take me... and I don't wanna go through the foster system.... I can't run away because he'll find me Andrew." she tells me.

I felt that she had to do something but never did. She endured the pain until graduation and I wasn't there... because I graduated early and left.

~Memory Over~

(Y/N) stirs in her sleep and turns her back to me. And thanks to her tank top, it revealed all the wounds. Wounds I never knew marked her skin, around me she always kept a T-shirt on... this was the first time she had a tank top on. Her dad is a monster. Gently my fingers grazed over the marks, so many indents in the once perfect skin.

How many times did Erick do this? And for how long? What kind of man does this?

~(Y/N)~

I open my eyes slowly... I felt his fingers gently glide over the marks on my back. He never knew of what was on my back... no one did not even mom... or Lizzi. I turn and look at him. "You weren't meant to see those." I mutter.

He leans back and crosses his arms. "You can't keep protecting yourself... see where it's gotten you because you didn't tell anyone else!" he snaps, standing on his feet he glares down at me.

"If you were in my position Andrew then you'd understand-"

"Oh no, if I were in your position I would've landed that asshole in jail. I wouldn't have cared where I went as long as that prick was gone." he argues.

I sit up in the bed watching him start pacing back and forth. "Why? Why are you so hell-bent on doing everything on your own? Why don't you ever ask for help? What's so wrong about asking?" he asks me.

For the longest time, I wasn't able to answer that... even now I wasn't sure if I'd be able to. "I just... I don't want help... I say that knowing there are things in this world that are too difficult for me to handle on my own... but even when I was being abused... I wanted to remain strong." I mutter.

"I hope you realize that you only push people away... people who love you and want to protect you-

"Like you? Obviously, you don't understand the difference between protection and coddling. All you've ever done is coddle me like a baby. Ever since you found out what my dad had been doing to me- you pressured me into telling someone else, as if it would make things better. And when you saw I was hurt you'd baby the fuck outta me! I hated it and yet you still do it to this day!" I yell. He turns his head and glares at the floor.

"I do it because I love you... but it seems like your father beat all the love outta you a long time ago." he says. With that, he left the room slamming the door behind him leaving me there slightly shocked by his harsh words. I fall back down into a lying position on my side as his words play over and over in my head. But it seems like your father beat all the love outta you a long time ago...

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