Chapter 12

Ella's POV:

I was released from the hospital this morning after spending three long miserable days there. I've always hated hospitals. They smell of nasty chemicals and bleach. Whenever someone walked by, the floors would squeak annoyingly, and it kind of reminded me of the screech of a chalkboard.

Not only was the smells and noises irritating, staying in bed all day, and only being able to get up to go to the bathroom was exasperating too.

It wasn't as bad when I had visitors to keep me company, but when I was alone, it was aggravating.

Declan spent all the nights with me. He said he didn't want me to be alone here. He couldn't come during the days though, because he had errands to run, or something like that. I don't know if he meant school and football or something else totally.

It's not like I was completely alone during the day. Olivia came with magazines and such to keep me busy. My mom was here too, but when she wasn't and was working instead, she sent me texts all day. I'm not even exaggerating when I say 'all day'. Oh, and Thomas popped in every day.

What shocked me was when Wes came one night with Declan. It was only for a little while, but still, it was sweet of him. He brought me a whole bunch of junk food and chocolate, claiming it would make me feel so much better. I couldn't stop laughing. Wes loves food, so he thought it would comfort me like it supposedly does him.

Declan called it, and I quote, 'packaged poison' which only made Wes and I laugh harder.

Thomas is driving me to school today, because my mom said she didn't think it would be safe for me to drive. I tried to convince her that I would be fine and driving won't cause an attack to happen, but she wouldn't budge and said it wasn't up for discussion. So here I am on the passenger side, looking out the window.

When we arrive at school, Thomas and I go our separate ways. I walk to my locker to do my normal routine. I bet I have a lot of work to do, considering I was gone for three days.

Hopefully, people have already forgotten about what happened at the football game and the attention won't be on me. Olivia said I was the hot topic this week. I don't do well with attention and definitely don't do well with interacting with others. So, I crossed my fingers praying the scene was already forgotten.

As I walk down the hall with my head averted down, I can feel the burning gaze of people's eyes all over me. I can even hear people whisper under their breath as they pass me. To calm my overactive brain, I try to think happy thoughts, like my birthday for instance.

Just one more hall and then I will be at my locker.

One more hall, Ella, you can do it. Breathe. One more hall. I chant in my head.

I quicken my steps and lengthen my strides, hoping to get to the safety of my locker faster.

Once at my locke,r I let out a big sigh of relief and open it, taking my sweet old time getting out the things I need. The longer I take to switch out my binders, the longer I don't have to face people's questioning eyes.

Reaching for my phone, I send a quick text to Olivia to ask her to meet me at my locker today. She immediately responds saying 'will do'. I didn't want to wait for her near the library when there were lots of people eyeballing me today. My discomfort would probably get to me, and I would probably end of bailing school.

When my binders are all in my bag, I turn around, and as I do I bump right into someone. Great, I've been doing that a lot lately.

I hope to God that it's Olivia, even though there's no way she could be here yet. I just sent the text.

Slowly, I turn around and ready myself for embarrassment. The person who stands behind me is Wes, his blonde hair bright in the artificial light.

"Morning, Ella." Wes chirps happily.

That's weird. Wes never greets me in the morning. "Hey, Wes, what's up?" I greet, though it comes out more like a question.

"I came to walk you to class." He tells me.

I glance at Wes confused. Why would he walk me to class? "Uhh okay, where's Declan?"

"He's not here, he had something important to do. But he should be here by lunchtime though." Wes mumbles, itching his head.

He must see my confusion and explains, "Declan claimed he didn't want anybody making you feel uncomfortable and since he couldn't be here..." He trails off.

Declan would do that for me? A smile that I can't control pulls onto my very chapped, bitten lips.

"Oh, you don't have to. Olivia will be here any second," I say politely. Still, I think the gesture is so kind.

"Are you sure?" He asks, examining me, probably making sure that I'm telling the truth.

"I'm sure," I say. Just then, Olivia shows up right on cue, standing next to me. Her brow knits in confusion as she glances at Wes then back at me. That's right, she does know Wes.

"Hey, Olivia, this is Wes."

Olivia smiles and waves to him.

"Well, I should probably go, but it was nice meeting you Olivia," He says turning around, but then stops. "Oh, and Ella, if something happens, don't hesitate and call me." Wes murmurs, handing me a small piece of paper with his number on it. I nod my head, appreciation clear on my face.

Olivia gives me a curious look, "Who's he?"

"He's Declan's best friend. I guess Declan wanted him to make sure I was okay or something," I mumble, looking down as my face reddens like a tomato. Saying it aloud makes me sound like I need a bodyguard or something to keep me safe.

She raises her eyebrows, then smiles when she sees my face is red.

We walk the hallways, waiting for the bell to ring. Another one of Olivia's friends walks with us. Olivia and her talk about a party they went to last week, so I just stay quiet and think of other things. Parties aren't really my thing. I have no interest in getting drunk and making a fool out of myself. I already do that without the alcohol.

Also, me in a crowded room with tons of people equals me getting claustrophobic and restless, which leads to a panic attack. So as you can see, me and parties don't mix.

The morning goes by so slowly, as always, but at least now it's lunch.

I put my binders away and go to the lunchroom, avoiding all the stares.

Wes was right, Declan is here now. He's already sitting at his and Wes's usual table. I walk over hurriedly and take a seat, knowing he would hunt me down if I went outside to sit by myself. As I sit down, his lips quirk in pleasure. He's probably happy that I came on my own and he didn't have to drag me here himself.

"Why weren't you here earlier?" I ask while eating my sandwich. Wes isn't here yet. He's probably waiting in the long line for his food.

"Something came up." He says vaguely. I don't pry, knowing he obviously doesn't want to tell me.

Wes takes a seat next to me with his lunch in his hands. It's chicken and mashed potatoes.

"Did you walk with Wes this morning?" Declan asks casually.

"No, I walked with Olivia," I mumble, chewing my food.

Declan seems surprised by my answer. He looks at Wes, his eyebrow raised in question.

Feeling the need to explain, I start talking, "Wes asked me to, but I told him Olivia and I were walking together."

Wes shrugs to Declan, then starts eating. I just keep eating my sandwich as the table falls silent. For some reason, Declan doesn't seem too happy. He was fine just a second ago. Did I say something wrong?

After what seems like forever, Wes speaks. "Well, this is awkward."

At least he knows how to lighten the mood.

"Y-yeah, umm so how was your guys day?" I ask, trying to get rid of the tension.

Wes immediately starts talking about his day. He put gum on a teacher's chair and the teacher sat in it. So when the teacher stood up, they had gum right in the middle of the back of their pants. Nobody in the class said anything either, so it was there the whole time. The teacher didn't know what was wrong as the whole class snickered and whispered about it.

A giggle erupts from my lips. I know laughing about it is mean, but I can't help it.

A sudden buzz startles me, but it's only from my phone so I pull it out to check it. A message notification lights the screen from my mom. She wants to know how I'm holding up. I frown and tell her I'm fine, there's no reason to worry.

I'm appreciative that she checks up on me, but now she thinks I'm fragile. along with everyone else I know, like I'm going to fall apart any minute or break like porcelain. I hate it, I hate it so much. It makes me feel like a little kid, a child who needs protection at all times.

"Everything alright, Ellie?" Declan questions, his green orbs on me.

"Yeah, my mom was just checking up on me," I mutter, shaking my phone in emphasis.

"You sure? You look upset." Wes states, his blue eyes scanning my face.

Is it really that obvious? I wish I wasn't such an open book, that I could hide my atrocious feelings better. "N-no no, I'm not upset, just tired." I lie, hoping they believe me, even though I'm a really bad liar.

"Ellie, what's wrong?" Declan murmurs, reaching over to grab my hand. I would be blushing if I didn't feel so upset.

I shake my head, trying to get them to believe me. "N-nothing."

Stupid stutter. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

There's no way they believe me now. Why am I so pathetic? I always stutter, especially when I'm upset. Tears prick my eyes. I try to fiercely blink them away so they don't notice. I'm such a baby who can't even hold in her stupid emotions.

Declan stands up abruptly from his seat, his hand tugging mine, telling me to stand too.

Wes gives him a silent nod in understanding, then Declan begins to walk, all the while tugging me along with him. Where are we going?

As we walk down a couple of halls, I try to hastily blink away my blurry eyes. We reach a silent hall, empty of people. Declan stops, suddenly pushing me against the lockers. A breath of surprise escapes my lips as my heart begins to pound.

Declan's hands rest on the wall on both sides of my head, his arms trapping me against the locker. His forest eyes watch me with such intensity. "What's wrong? And don't even think about lying to me."

The air around me definitely just became blazing hot. This close proximity has my face burning. The way his eyes are narrowed has my breath hitching in my throat.

"I-I just d-don't like people always c-ch-checking up on me." I struggle to get out. Him being so close is making my legs turn to liquid jelly. I can't think straight.

Declan studies my face. "Why?"

"I c-can take care of m-myself," I mutter weakly.

My vision is blurring with unwanted tears. No no no, I can't cry right now. I chant in my head.

Declan's features soften. "Ella, everybody just wants to make sure you're safe." He murmurs moving one of his hands to caress my hot cheek. I didn't even realize it at first, but he's wiping away my tears that I tried so badly to hold in.

"I-I know," I mumble, leaning slightly into the warmth of his touch. I think he notices, because the corner of his mouth curves.

I don't want to be here in school anymore. What if I start crying again and everybody sees me? Maybe I can't take care of myself. Whenever I become stressed, I always end up crying, and it makes me feel like a big baby.

"Hey, let's get out of here."

I glance up into his pretty eyes, wondering if he's serious. When I decide that he is, only then do I nod my head in agreement.

Once again he takes my hand, entwining our fingers, the touch tingling my skin. He leads us back to the cafeteria so we can grab our stuff, the whole time my attention is on our hands.

Once we get our stuff, Declan mutters something to Wes, then we head out the doors. He takes me to his car and we then leave. I don't know where we're going, but I don't ask, just grateful to leave this awful place.

The car is filled with the soft sound of the radio. I close my eyes and lean my head against the window, the smooth drive lulls me off to sleep.

The woods outside surrounds me, the sky a pitch-black, no stars in sight. The grass is covered with a thin layer of white frost. A cold breeze stings my pale skin, goosebumps adjourning from my head to my toes. I scan the area, shivering. There's nothing but the tall trees, nobody, I'm all alone out here.

"Hello?" I call out.

Maybe someone will hear me. I wait a minute for a response but get none.

"Is anyone there?" I yell louder this time. Once again, no response comes. I cross my arms, in hopes to warm my icy skin.

I begin to walk, looking for any signs that someone was here, but nothing. I can't find any animals or anything. It's completely quiet, except for the sound of my feet crunching onto the frost-covered ground.

As I walk farther and farther, I have this feeling that someone is watching me. My eyes swivel back and forth, but nothing. I then turn around, but like before, I find no one, so I pick up my pace, my stomach curling with nerves.

My body stings from the harsh temperature. I can hardly feel my fingers. I try to curl them but they are numb.

Suddenly, I hear something. Leaves crunching. I stop and nervously look around. My breath starts picking up. Who's out there?

"Hello?" I say. Still, no answer.

My heart races with fear. I'm in the dark woods all alone or maybe not since I can hear someone. I'm freezing cold, I have no idea where I am and have no idea how to get home. How did I even get here?

A branch snaps about ten feet away from me. I spin around, terrified. A person's silhouette hiding in the shadows.

Literal fear engulfs me. Without thinking or wasting another minute, I break out into a full out sprint. Mind you, I have no shoes on, just my bare frozen feet. I pump my arms, punching the chilly air. I swing my legs into action, moving them as quickly as they will take me.

I need to get out of here, I need to get out of here.

As I run, I step onto a rock, my foot springing in pain. I don't have time to stop and look at it, I don't have time to rest, I keep running. Every step is raw, piercing pain. Tears brim my eyes, but I keep going.

I can't run for long, I won't be able to. With this horrible pain in my foot, I'm sure there's a serious cut, which is slowing me down.

My heart hammers in my chest, threatening to jump right out. Intense fear shocks my skin.

I can hear sticks snapping quickly behind me. Whoever that person is, they are gaining on me. I need to hide, but the land is flat and there are only trees. What do I do?

"Help," I scream, tears spilling from swollen eyes. My pace is starting to slow and I can't steady my breathing. My adrenaline is increasingly falling short.

I can feel them getting closer. I keep pushing, the tears pouring out of my eyes. My lungs are filling fire. My chest is so heavy, it's difficult to breathe. The pain is an agonizing ache.

I see a road up ahead, not a road, a highway. If I can get to that road someone can help me.

My adrenaline suddenly spikes and I start flying. One foot in front of the other, I'm moving as fast as I can, ignoring the fear suffocating me, ignoring the stabbing in my foot. Just a couple more feet.

I reach the highway running right into the middle. Someone has to stop for me, they have to. I need help.

A truck is coming quickly. I wave my hands up fiercely to get their attention. I look behind me quickly to see how far the person is away. They're almost to the road, a mask only showing their lips and eyes, a smile on their lips.

I frown, looking back at the truck. It's coming at me full speed, it's so close now. I freeze up with a new fear. Then I'm screaming.

"Ellie." A voice calls.

My eyes shoot open.

Declan hovers over me, my name falling from his lips over and over again, his calloused hands shaking me. He stops as he sees my blue eyes open.

My body is covered in sticky sweat, my face wet with salty tears. Tremble's quake my body.

It was just a dream, I tell myself. I'm fine.

I take in the area around me and conclude that I'm in Declan's bedroom. He must have carried me here. My eyes land on his hovering figure, my vision blurry. His green orbs are filled with worry, his mouth pulled into a frown.

He sits down on the bed next to me, then pulls my shaky frame onto his lap. "I'm here," he coos. "It's all over,"

My head falls onto his chest, my body curling into his warmth. His steady heartbeat sounds into my ear. I find myself concentrating on it.

I shouldn't have fallen asleep, I should've known better. Of course, I have a nightmare when I'm with someone, this is the second time. He's going to think I'm traumatized or something.

That dream felt so real, and I was about to die. Nobody was going to help me.

Wet tears run endlessly down my puffy cheeks. Declan's fingers circle my back as his chin rests on top of my head. He murmurs all kinds of soothing things into my ears, his voice gentle. "Shh, it was just a dream, Ellie girl. Just a dream."

I can't respond, my mouth is sealed shut in shock.

Edited by @Marilyn_McKnight!! Thank you, I appreciate you lots!