***

Angelic lights surrounded me, along with relaxing soft voices in the near distance. Everything was blurry. I blinked once, and again my eyes eventually adjusting to the room. Within seconds of realising I had fallen unconscious, I shot up in bed.

Bed?

How the hell did I get in a bed? 

"Shhh, it's okay Grace. Try and get some rest." A figure appeared beside me, crystal blue orbs glistened igniting the darkness of the room.

"L-Leo?" I croaked, my head began to pound, as if there was a toothache in my brain. My stomach began to churn, along with a burning sensation as if the alcohol was going to come back up again.

"I think you had a panic attack, so I carried you upstairs. But don't worry you're okay." He whispered, his hand rested on my shoulder. Sparks escalated up my arm, my heart rate increasing just like all the all other times his skin had brushed against mine. 

"How did you know I was having a panic attack?" I questioned, Leo lean't over me propping a pillow up on the headboard. 

Leo shrugged, "My sister used to have them. But I don't think the fact your wearing loads of layers in the middle of the hot summer helped the situation. I think it was a mixture of a panic attack, and your body temperature being so high." 

I lifted my knees to my face, resting my chin on the caps. Shivers travelled down my body, goose bumps covering the bruises on my thighs underneath my jeans. Leo's the first person to comment, the first person to notice that I was wearing a long sleeved top and jeans during the summer months. Although British weather is completely unpredictable, today had been a scorching summers day and even I knew anybody that wore jeans and a t shirt in the muggy evening would have to be crazy. 

Leo stared me at contently, his bubbling blue eyes illuminating his perfectly shaped face. His blonde hair was messy, strands fallen down across his forehead damp from what I could only assume was sweat from the party.

"I'm sorry, if I ruined your night. Last thing you probably want to be doing is looking after someone like me." I spoke softly, not breaking eye contact. His eyes were to beautiful, to enchanting to not look at.

I'd only known this boy for a few days, but the presence I felt when he was around me was unbearable. Something I had never experienced before in my life, it made me feel alive. I could physically feel the warmth of my blood under my skin, pumping quickly through my veins. Bubbling towards my heart, making it pump faster but still maintaining at a healthy speed.

Leo chuckled before he said, "Don't be silly Grace. This parties pretty dead anyway, I wanted to make sure you were okay." As his caring words escaped his small lips he smiled, how is it possible that something so small, so simple made me feel so relaxed and full inside?

"Do you want me to come with you to find your boyfriend?" Leo asked as he stood up, brushing his hands down his clothes straightening them out.

Shit.

Luke.

He would be furious, enraged if he'd been looking for me and couldn't find me. I jumped up, the room spun slightly from my sudden movement. My body wasn't ready, prepared even for movement; but I had to move – I needed to find him.

Within seconds, Leo's arms were wrapped round my waist holding me upright. "Slow down! You'll hurt yourself Mrs Clumsy." He chuckled, helping me back onto the bed.

My mouth tugged into a smile, all thoughts of Luke softening slightly. "Why do you always think I'm clumsy? I haven't fallen over in front of you in a few hours now." 

"You must be clumsy, considering the bruises on your arm and hand. You must of taken quite a fall for them!" Leo forced out a laugh, his eyes settling on the hand Luke squeezed the other day during lunch.

A purple bruise had appeared over my knuckles, travelling down my veins. The foundation I had covered it with before the party had rubbed away, leaving the memento of Luke's abuse visible to the naked eye.

Backing away in horror from Leo, my eyes widened. 

How had he seen? Why had he been looking?

I tugged my long sleeves over my hand, covering the consequences of my mistakes. Leo couldn't know, he couldn't find out how useless I am; I deserved it. He'd never look at me the same, he'd hate me when he found out the person I truly am. 

"Why the hell were you looking at my arm?" I yelled, disgusted at where else he had looked whilst I was unconscious.

Leo stepped towards me, his face saddening. "When I carried you up here, I lifted your arm over me and you winced. I thought you might of hurt it downstairs, I was just examining it." He paused, "Hold on, what did you think I was doing?" 

"I-I-Don't know." I stuttered, slowly shuffling back from Leo creating a great space between us. 

"I'd never hurt you Grace, I promise. I care way to much about you to ever hurt you."

Leo stepped towards me, each stride his face inching closer and closer. His eyes sparkled, instantly brightening the room and dragging me out from the nightmare that is my life. Nobody has ever been able to make me forget, make me feel normal for just a few seconds but Leo, he can do that in a heartbeat. One stare, one tiny glance makes it all fade away into nothing. Each ounce of ache and pain inside my body transforming into euphoria. 

As the space between Leo and I lessened, my spine backed against the wall. I was trapped, unable to escape. My heart began pounding inside my chest, each intake of breath I took was getting harder and harder to process. I closed my eyes, one particular voice began to radiate through my ear drums along with vivid images as my mind wandered back to one of Luke's outbursts.

"You see how close I am too you Grace?" Luke whispered, as his hand tightly clamped round the side of my waist.

"Yes Luke." I replied, my eyes flickered towards the door. My brain telling me to run, my heart telling me to stay.

"It's funny, how one minute I could be this close to you intimately and then within seconds, all I can feel towards you is disgust, anger, hatred." Luke spat, before laughing intimidatingly at his words.

"Wh-what?" I asked, my heart aching inside my chest.

How can he hate me? He should love me.

"When I see you with another boy, flirting the way you were today – it makes me physically hate you. I despise you, it disgusts me." Luke tormented, jabbing his index finger in the middle of my chest and applying pressure. "You, Grace, you revolt me. You are an ugly slut."

Luke didn't punch me, nor kick me that day. But the blow to the heart I received from his words was more agonising than any physical act he could ever carry out on my body. They rattled me to the core, questioning everything about myself; my looks, my personality. 

Did I really whore myself about? Was I flirting with other boys without realising? 

Luke needed to know that he was the only boy for me, he needed to know I didn't want anyone else besides him. I had to become a more respectable woman, every boy I ever encounter needs to know I am taken.

And that was the day I decided I needed to change.

A sudden gentle brush came across the side of my face. Frightened, I flinched back, my eyes clamped tight. I clenched my fists, my red painted finger nails jabbing into the soft skin on my palms; the pain feeling somewhat enjoyable, satisfying. Sweat began to drench my skin, tiny beads trickled down my temples towards my cheeks.

Tears began to stream down my face, my body disconnecting from my mind. Numbness over took me, my legs and arms felt miles away as if they were no longer attached to my body. As I sank to the floor my ability to think faded away, all I could focus on were the screams that were penalising through my skull. They were recognisable, screams that I had heard over and over again. 

They were frightened, petrified of the events that were unfolding around them. Begging for help, a way to escape from the nightmare. As I began to scream, they matched the very ones that clouded my brain; they were my screeches for an escape from hell.

"Grace. Grace. Listen to me, calm down. I'm here." Leo whispered, his voice echoing through my ear. His warm minty breath brushed across my earlobe, causing my entire body to shiver.

"Get away from me. Get off!" I shouted, my arms wailing about as if limp out of my control.

"Shhhh Grace, it's Leo. I'm here!" Leo's arms wrapped round me instantly pulling me into his chest. His breathing was gentle, slow; in and out, in and out. The more I focused on his inhales, the easier it was to pay attention to the exhales. I wasn't sure on how something so simple was calming me down, but it was. Every inch of fear was beginning to slowly fade away. 

Leo's embrace was somewhere I could stay forever, I felt unharmed, serene. Life was normal, even if it was only for a few minutes; it was perfect. In the ideal world, Luke would make me feel like this - he'd never hurt me physically or emotionally. I'd prayed, hoped that he'd change - one day he'd wake up and be the boy I once thought he was. But no matter how much I wish it still hasn't come true. Luke was the person who made me feel like I was entering hell, but Leo was the opposite; Leo was my safe haven.

Once my body ceased quivering, and all the hairs on my body returned to their usual position I released myself from Leo's hold. I grimaced as I lifted myself up from the floor, and sat back down on the bed as if my meltdown had never occurred.

"What was that about Grace?" Leo asked, taking a seat beside me.

"Nothing to worry about." I smiled, before it flitted away.

For some reason I felt guilty, I shouldn't be spending this much time with him alone, Especially in a bedroom. I should be downstairs with Luke, my boyfriend. Luke would never approve of this, of me spending time with Leo. 

"That was not nothing... you jumped away when I touched you." Leo whispered, keeping a comfortable distance between us.

"You're not my boyfriend Leo, you shouldn't be touching me." I yelled, the words coming out harsher than I intended.

"Grace I wasn't touching you in that way, I was just trying to be there for you." He replied, reaching his hand out for mine.

I rose from the bed taking a few steps back, with each step my face turned into a deeper scowl. "That's what all boys say, Luke's warned me about boys like you!" 

"Grace-"

"No, stay away from me! Leave me alone!" I wailed, turning round and running out of the door behind me. 

I pushed and shoved past the groups of people that were compacted in the hallway. I sped up; running as fast as my little feet would take me. Nothing made sense to me any more, my life was a mess, I was a mess.

Luke never wanted me to be in the same room alone with another guy, and I had gone behind his back and done the opposite. Why do I always do the wrong thing? Why do I never listen to Luke and do what he wants me to do? He's told me enough times - so why do I never listen?

My stomach whirled with anxiety, the thought of Luke finding out about my betrayal made me feel sick. He'd lose it with me, everything we had built up would be in tatters once again, all because of me and my stupid choices.

All because I wanted to feel safe.

For the first time in two years, I felt protected in another boys arms.

A/N:
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because I loved writing this one. I loved the Leo and Grace moments! 💜
- How do you feel about the fact Leo has seen some bruises and he may have an idea of what is going on between Luke and Grace?
- Do you like Leo's character?

Don't forget to vote, comment and add this book to your story ✨