Chapter 23; The girl who broke down, and the boys who cares

Another chapter so soon?! I must be sick!

*Unedited (Is anyone even surprised?)*

Enjoy the chapter!

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I dreamt of my parents.

I haven't thought about them in a very long time, so the fact that they appeared was a surprise to me.

We were in the car, driving for a very long time as we returned home from a vacation somewhere in the mountains.

And then my life changed.

The car apparently had something wrong with it, and it made my mom crash the car.

They were killed on the spot. I only got out with my condition; photophobia.

After that, my aunt was the one who got custody on me. She claimed Uncle Bart was too irresponsible to take care of five years old baby who liked hitting people with her tiny fists. Needless to say, she was very much right.

When I slowly began to regain consciousness and my dream slowly faded, I heard deep male voices talking.

I laid in a soft bed and felt a blanket covering me. There was a weird, alcoholic scent that made me wonder if I was in the hospital.

I opened eyes and bright, white lights greeted me. Turning my head to the side, my gaze landed on Grey and Officer Jason.

I groaned once, feeling the start of a horrible headache.

"Turn off the lights," I mumbled, making the two men quiet down and glance at me as I pressed my palm to my eyes. A moment passed and I felt a relief as the lights were dimmer now, a glance told me that only a small light was on. It was enough to look around the room without it hurting my eyes.

I met Grey's glance, and aside from the fact that him being here was odd, the worry and concern were so visible in his eyes it shocked me. Maybe he did care about his brother's new girl friend after all. I wonder if he cared about Caleb.

I really wanted him to.

"Okay?" he asked in a low voice, as if he was afraid my head would hurt more.

I nodded once and then found myself smiling at him, my face turned towards him as I laid there.

"Hey, dark prince." I greeted. Grey stared at me for a moment, before a smile formed on his face, brightening his tired looking face. "Hey Rhi the rhino." I looked at his blue mixed with grey eyes for a second before I started to giggle.

"Wow, that's a first," I told him. "I like it. Call me Rhino from now on, please." He raised a brow, still grinning.

"Rhi, I know it might not be the best time but-" Jason started to say, but I quickly cut him off. "I'll tell you everything, it's okay." He nodded, then sat down on a chair besides Grey.

I told them everything that happened. From the moment Mr. Hobson called me in to the principal's office -which they told me that apparently he already left to go for a meeting, and so did the secretary-, to them moment he stuck a syringe in my arm that made me dizzy and weak.

Apparently, the main reason they took me to the hospital was because Mr. Hobson injected me with some type of drug, and that was why I had hard time fighting back. They wanted to make sure the drug was out of my system.

"And then he said that I was going to end up like 'those boys', and then he'll finally get some peace and quiet." I finished, taking the glass of water Officer Jason brought me. "I assumed he meant the boys that disappeared. Maybe he had something to do with it?" I added, moving the pillows behind my back as I now sat up instead of laying.

He nodded and wrote the things I said. Grey frowned at me, and I met his gaze in question. "Why would he get peace and quiet once you were gone?" He asked me, making me sheepishly scratch the back of my neck.

"Well, he was never really a fun of me. At first I thought it was because I was a girl, and he didn't like the plan my-" I stopped, realizing Grey didn't know about my uncle being the principal. Then, I quickly corrected myself after faking a cough. "-the principal's plan with accepting only one girl to an all boys school, but then when a few more girl came and they didn't get the same treatment I started to think maybe it wasn't very normal." I finished explaining.

Grey turned from the soft, happy self he was seconds ago, into an angry one. "It wasn't the first time he tried to corner her, either." Officer Jason suddenly cut in. My eyes widened, and I found myself shaking my head at him.

However, he paid me no attention as he told Grey about the other time Mr. Hobson confronted me.

I sighed. Now I was really done for. He'll probably tell about this to the boys, which will make my situation worse. I was never going to walk a foot without one of them next to me.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me about this? I'm a cop, I could've helped you." Grey pointed out, making me scowl at him.

"Because you're one scary motherf*cker," I simply. Officer Jason chocked on the water he drank as I was talking.

Grey's gaze softened before he sighed.

"Well, we had to call your uncle and tell him about everything, and he said it might be best to avoid telling your aunt." He told me, and I only nodded at first.

Then I realized what just said.

"Wait, what?! What d-do you mean," I turned to Jason, "What the f*ck does he mean?!"

Grey held up my phone before putting it on the table beside the bed, making my gape at him. "Y-you know..."

He didn't need me to continue as he nodded in reply.

I lowered my gaze down. Now, I was really done for.

He was going to tell the guys everything I tried keeping from them.

"I won't tell them anything," He said, making me raise my head so fast it almost hurt my neck. "You won't?" I asked, as if what he said was my imagination.

"No. It'd your story to tell, not mine. Just..." He stopped for a moment before continuing, "Make sure to tell them as soon as possible." I nodded, though in my head I didn't know if I could hold my end of the deal.

"Where are they, anyways?" I asked, and the door suddenly opened with a bang.

I jumped in surprised, looking at all of the guys as they hurried towards me.

Grey and Officer Jason exited the room, and I realized I forgot to ask how come they were there together. They must've been friends, or coworkers. Maybe both.

Elliot came first, holding my hand as moving as eyes over me even though he could actually look for any injury. I squeezed his hand once so he'll know it was okay to hug me, and that it won't hurt.

A moment later, his arms were around me and he buried his face in the crook of my neck. I felt something warm there, and it took me a second to understand he was crying.

I looked at the other guys as I wrapped my hand around him, moving my hand through his soft hair.

He must've been terrified, thinking about someone else getting hurt by somebody like he was.

Klay looked at me through the tears in his eyes, and it only took me holding up my hand for him to fall apart, clenching to my palm as he sat down on his knees besides the bed.

He put my hand to his forehead and started to cry, much like Elliot.

I looked at the other boys. My friends.

Reagan stared at the floor, clenching his jaw as if he was trying to stop himself from breaking down, too.

Thomas looked at me, but his eyes were unclear as if he wasn't really here.

Oliver was stood besides Klay, rubbing his now flame red hair, and Caleb stared at me with tears already streaming down his face.

This boys were crying for me. And I wanted to cry too.

When was the last time I cried? Really cried, sobbing and all?

Then I broke down.

It was all too much. The looks on their face only made me realize in what kind of situation I was in. What Mr. Hobson tried to do to me.

It was as if my almost quiet sobbing awoke them- especially Reagan. Elliot pulled away, Thomas taking his hand to help him sit on a chair Grey once occupied.

Reagan took Elliot place, making me move on the bed to give him enough space to sit.

He put his arm around my shoulder, and I found myself crying while pressing my face to his neck.

With the arm around my shoulder, he used his fingers to massage my sculp in a comforting way, and his other palm came to rest on the side of my face, his thumb rubbing my cheek.

"I'm sorry," I said in a barely there voice. I didn't know if anyone else could hear besides Reagan.

Snuffling and my sobs were the only voices that filled the room.

"I'm sorry," I managed to repeat again, loader this time.

I saw Klay raising his head to look at me, rubbing his face and slightly red eyes. "What the f*ck are you apologizing for?" He asked, blowing his nose with a tissue Thomas handed him.

What was I apologizing for? For not being honest with them? For thinking I could handle things by myself because I didn't realize how much in trouble I was?

Maybe I was apologizing they had to be around someone like me.

Someone who said nothing about themselves.

"Why didn't you tell us, Rhi?" It was Thomas who asked, bringing a chair for Klay, Caleb and Oliver to sit on but not for himself. He always did put others first. Or maybe he just didn't want to sit.

I waited for moment for my sobbing to stop, drying my tears with the blanket.

"I didn't know it would get this... bad. I thought I could handle this. I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys," I told them, looking at each and every one of them. Even Oliver, the guy who I thought had no feelings looked like he was one second from tearing up.

"That's right," Reagan said, making me pull away slightly to look at him. "you should've had. But instead of nagging you about your stupidity to not do so, we'll ask that you'll tell us everything next time." He said, his fingers tracing my face and drying the last of my tears. I stared into those dark eyes that made me feel so warm and protected.

Then, I glanced at the other before nodding.

"You don't have to deal with things by yourself anymore, Rhi." Elliot said, trying to keep in the tears this time. Who would've thought that the grumpy boy, who just a month or two ago hated me, was actually crying for me.

Who would've thought this boys would care so much for me. I had friends. No, they were more than that. They were my family.

"You're not alone, okay?" Thomas said, taking my and in his and squeezing in once before letting go, as if to emphasize his words. "We're in this together."

Suddenly a smiled formed on my face, making the other look at me with question in their eyes.

"I just thought of High School Musical," I told them and started to laugh, and finally smiles and grins appeared on their faces.

I had to let them know more about myself. If they were my friends, they deserved to know.

I just had to figure out how.

"Also, you guys should know that I get pretty touchy with people that are close to me," I pointed out, and just to prove a point I turned towards Reagan and press the tip of my index finger to his cheek.

He took a hold of my finger with his own hand, bringing it to his mouth before pressing is lips to my finger.

"I wouldn't mind," He told me with a heated gaze, and I felt my cheeks getting warmer as I stared at him.

"Oh, for f*ck sake! Get a room, you too." Klay yelled at us, his face scowling. Reagan glared at him, then he took off his shoes and threw it at him.

Klay gaped at his friend after the shoe made contact with his chest, putting a hand to his heart. "And I thought we had something special between us, cute boy," He shook his head.

None of us were surprised when Reagan's second shoe flew at him, fast enough to hit Klay before he could even move.

~*~

Hopefully I made someone tear up. Hopefully.

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