Chapter Twenty Nine
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Dedication: Twinkletune for commenting so many times! I love reading all your comments! <3
Recap:
I shake my head, even though I know he can't see me. "Miles, please don't overreact. Listen to what I have to say-"
My words die down when I hear a girl laughing.
"Who is that?" I ask him in a small voice.
He hangs up without a word and I let my phone slip from my hands.
This is not happening.
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The sinking feeling of my heart plummeting into my stomach is something I never want to feel again.
It's the same feeling when he stood me up, almost two years ago, and I found he was with another girl.
It's a terrible, heart-aching experiencing that I don't wish upon anyone.
I feel numb as I stumble through the house. A few people glance in my direction as my eyes scan the room. I instantly see Jai and Finn to my right. Jai is gripping his shoulders and speaking with him. I know it's about me.
"Hey!" I hear my best friend's voice call out to me. "Where did you run off to?"
I swivel my eyes and see Kiarra bounding towards me, a light smile on her face and her cheeks sporting a soft pink tone. Her face falls instantly when she sees mine.
"Is? What's wrong?" she asks urgently.
I'm not sure whether it's her familiar kindness, her worried expression or the fact that her touch is one of the most comforting things in the world - whatever it is - I am quick to let the tears that have welled inside my eyes pour down my face.
Her arms wrap securely around me and I let myself cry. I begin to ramble an explanation to her, hardly drawing a breath as I do.
She steps back, her mouth hanging open.
"Samara said what?" her voice is shocked as she stares at me.
I nod weakly, unable to repeat Samara's horrible words to me one more time tonight. A look of fury crosses Kiarra's face.
"She is not going to get away with this," she snarls and I have honestly never seen my best friend this angry before.
Her slender fingers pierce my skin as she drags me towards the kitchen. When we enter, Jai is still conversing somewhat seriously with my brother. Alec has a cigarette in his mouth as he leans on the kitchen counter next to Samara, who is running her hand up his arm.
"How dare you!" Kiarra's voice is cold and deadly as she walks up to Samara.
She wrenches her arm away from Alec. Samara's dark eyes turn to Kiarra in surprise.
"How dare you," she repeats, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "This girl, right here," she continues and points at me. A number of people have quietened around us and have gathered closely, to watch the argument. Even the music has been lowered. "Has so much love and kindness in her. Much more than I can say for you."
I stand there, stunned. I feel like this fire that is pouring out of Kiarra right now, has been caused by a series of bottled up feelings inside her, that have snowballed to breaking point. This last moment of Samara's behaviour towards me, has made her snap.
"Kiarra, save it," Samara whips back, planting her hand on her hip and rolling her eyes. "This isn't about me and you."
"You are a hypocritical bitch," Kiarra hisses at her through her teeth.
Samara cocks her head to the side, a sadistic smirk playing on her red lips. "Is this because of Jai?"
So she did know.
The next thing I hear, is the sound of Kiarra's palm slapping Samara's cheek. Samara rears back and holds her face as she lets out a cry.
"You fucking bitch!" Kiarra screams at her, before lunging.
My mouth is swinging open as I gape at them. Jai leaps forward, as Alec is merely standing there, enjoying the show. He wraps his arms around Kiarra's waist and pulls her off Samara. Samara stumbles back, tripping over her own heels. When she removes her hands from her face, a bright red mark is printed on her right cheek.
"Thanks for making my welcome home party, all about you!" Kiarra snaps, her voice like ice as she glares at Samara. "Like always."
For once, smart-mouth Samara, has nothing to say back.
A light hand touches my back. I look over to Becca, Finn's girlfriend. Her wavy blonde hair frames her face and my eyes fall to the dark freckles dusted underneath her eyes.
"Come on," she says softly. "Let's go."
I let Becca guide me from the kitchen, a seething Kiarra in tow. Jai sends a fiery look over his shoulder to Alec and Samara, who stay where they are. Finn is noticeably quiet as we make our way through the house, a number of people stepping away from us to let us through.
"Isobel," Finn says once we're outside and touches my shoulder.
I jerk back from his touch. His face falls as he stares at me.
"I'm sorry," he says quietly.
"No," I ground out. "You chose not to believe me. I would never do something like that to you, or to Miles."
"I'm paranoid and I'm angry and I'm drunk," he offers to explain but I shake my head, stepping further away from him. "But I was out of line, no matter what reason. I'm sorry."
I step back from him as he reaches out for me again.
"Isobel," he says firmly. "Look at me."
"No," I snap.
He takes two quick strides and grips my face roughly. I slam my hands against his chest, in attempt to get him to release me.
"Finn..." I hear Becca warn.
"I'm sorry", he says slowly and forcefully. "I am really fucking sorry. I love you, okay? I promise I will never treat you like that again. You don't have to forgive me, but just know I'm sorry."
Traitorous tears continue to fall down my face. I nod at him and he finally releases me. He steps back, a strained look on his face.
"Come on," Becca says quietly and beads her hand with his.
They walk ahead and I watch them for a moment, my chest heaving.
Finn is the one person in the world I can turn to, no matter what is going on and he let me down. I know I've given him a reason not to trust me, with Miles and Alec, but I would never be with Eli, to spite him.
I glance over to Kiarra and Jai. He is rubbing her back soothingly as her face is buried into his shoulder.
"Do you want me to walk you guys home?" Jai asks us after a moment.
"Yes," Kiarra says at the same time I say, "It's okay."
We exchange a look.
"I mean," I correct myself and sniffle. "Can you leave your own party?"
"I can do whatever I want," Jai smirks.
I shrug. "Okay then."
Keeping his hold on Kiarra, he begins to walk us home, even though Finn and Becca are only a few metres in front of us.
My mind keeps wandering to the worst scenario. Is Miles with another girl? What does this mean for us? What if...
I shut off my brain. I can't handle any more thoughts. I try not to drag my feet as we near my house. I feel drained.
"Oh," Jai says softly.
I look up, to see an ashy-haired boy sitting on my porch, with his head in his hands.
I swallow uneasily as my eyes land on Miles. At least he is here, instead of the party, but I feel too exhausted to fight with him. I only hope he hasn't done anything he will regret.
"Thanks Jai," I say to him softly, not only thanking him for walking us home, but for everything else he has done for me tonight.
He smiles at me and nods briefly.
"You okay, Isobel?" Becca calls out to me as she hovers by the front door.
I nod. "Thanks, B."
She gives me a smile, before disappearing into the house. I walk from Kiarra and Jai, to give them some privacy. I hear them speak in hushed tones, before he gently kisses her forehead. He sends me a wave over his shoulder, before digging his hands into his pockets and beginning the short trek back to his house.
"I'll be inside," Kiarra says to me as she passes, giving my arm as a squeeze as she does.
It's not until the front door has been shut for a minute or so, that Miles finally removes his hands from his face. His cool, blue eyes meet my swollen ones. I wipe at my face and stare down at the ground.
I hear him rise to his feet.
"Isobel," he says quietly.
"Miles," I whisper, my voice betraying me by cracking.
He sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know what to say."
"Me either," I reply quietly.
"Eli is someone who causes trouble wherever he goes," he eventually says. "I should know by now to not believe anything he says. Which, I really didn't, but seeing you two walk out together, after that girl was spreading those rumours about you two... I was seeing red. All I wanted to do was feel his blood on my knuckles - but I didn't," he finishes quickly, noticing my expression. "It took every single fibre of my being not to lay him out on the grass. I had to walk away. I would have killed him."
I weakly nod, my fingers absently rubbing the waist band of my skirt.
"And the phone call and the girl?" I ask him, finally meeting his gaze.
"What phone call?" he quirks an eyebrow.
"I rang you and tried to explain, but I heard a girl laughing and then you hung up." My voice is monotone as I explain.
He furrows his brow as he reaches for his phone. "You called me?"
"Of course I did, you left me."
"I must have answered on accident," he bites his lip and I have to look away, because I love when he does that. "I wouldn't have hung up on you on purpose."
"Where did you go?" I ask, my voice having a slight edge to it.
"To the bathroom," he tells me simply. "I threw up."
"Oh."
"Yeah," he agrees, rubbing is neck. "The thought of you two literally made me sick."
"I know the feeling." I murmur drily.
"You know what went through my mind as I was in that bathroom?" he asks me but doesn't give me a chance to respond. "I thought, for a second, that this might have been your plan. Let me back into your life, show me how good it is to really be with you, and then break my heart in the way I broke yours."
I draw in a shocked breath as his words slice through me. His gaze softens as he decreases the gap between us.
"But I know you and you could never do something like that," he whispers.
I lightly wipe at my cheeks again. He reaches out and tucks a chunk of my hair that had come loose, behind my ear.
"And this next part, I have been trying to figure out how on earth to tell you..." he trails off, looking conflicted.
"Oh God," I choke out. "What did you do?"
"Nothing," he quickly answers and reaches for my face. "Nothing, I promise."
"Then what?" I cry.
"Samara..." he pauses as he wipes another tear from my skin. "She came into the bathroom... she... wanted me and her... to get back at you..."
It feels like someone has plunged their hand inside my chest and punched me right in the heart. I step back from him, my entire body shaking as I glare up at him, through bleary eyes.
"What?"
"I swear to you I didn't let her get close to me," he pleads with me to understand. "She asked me if I wanted to go into the spare room with her. Of course I didn't, but I didn't want to keep this from you. I thought... she was different. What kind of friend, would do that to another friend?"
I feel breathless as I gaze up at him. "Not a very good one."
He nods in agreement. "Look, it's her loss. She has lost you, Kiarra, Finn, me and probably even Jai. She dug her own grave."
I let him draw me to him. He wraps his arm around me and I melt into his firm, familiar embrace.
"I fucking love you," he says to me, planting his chin on the top of my head.
"I love you," I reply back, letting my arms tighten around him.
After staying like that for a while, I finally let go. He runs his fingers though my hair gently as I gaze up at him.
"I guess I should go," he says with a reluctant sigh.
I shake my head. "Stay."
"Stay?" he asks, clearly surprised at my request.
I nod at him and loop my fingers with his.
"Stay, please?"
A warm, genuine smile spreads across his face.
"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."
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Lots happened! Tell me your thoughts! Samara? Kiarra? Finn? Miles??? Tell me every thought that is going through your head!
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