Nothing but trouble

15. We should talk

I knew I had to tell Kieran everything. If I didn't he would probably find out and I'd rather him hear it from me than some half true version told by someone else.

I sat at the bench at the trail entrance waiting for Kieran to show up. Since Harlan still had our shared car, Ava had been nice enough to drop me off.

I watched as Kieran's car rolled into the parking lot and parked in the closest spot to me.

"Hey." I waved.

"Hi." He got out of the car and walked over to me.

I didn't waste time and wrapped myself around him. I missed being in his arms, I missed everything about Kieran. After a rough day I just needed to be with him.

"I'm sorry," he said softly in my ear.

"For what?" I pulled away and looked at him.

"Asking Nate to look after you. To be fair I didn't think he'd go up and ask you how you were doing." Kieran laughed slightly.

"You could've just asked me yourself, I don't need babysitters I can take care of myself," I told him.

"I know, I just worry about you."

I leaned up and kissed him. I wasn't mad about it but i was definitely slightly annoyed that both my brother and Kieran decided that I couldn't look after myself and needed someone to keep an eye on me.

"I'm not mad, but we should talk," I led him to the bench and sat back down.

"Are you going to tell me what made you upset yesterday? I don't want you to feel like you have to but just know you can tell me anything." He grabbed my hand and squeezed it lightly.

I knew I could trust Kieran with anything. No matter what things wouldn't change. I was falling for him and maybe I already loved him but if I wasn't quite there yet I knew I would be soon.

"I don't exactly know where to start but yesterday I freaked out, I had a panic attack because my brothers ex best friend Elliot showed back up. I didn't think I'd ever see him again but then all of a sudden he was there."

I looked at Kieran trying to read what he was thinking but his face was blank. He just held my hand and let my know he was here and listening.

"My brother and Elliot were like attached at the hip the moment they met. He was always at the house and playing basketball together every weekend. My mom had just accepted that he was basically family even after only being friends with my brother for just over a year. It all happened so fast but there was always something about Elliot I didn't like. Maybe it was the way he would stare at me whenever he was at the house or how he would brush up against me whenever he walked past me. I never felt comfortable with him around but I felt like I couldn't tell my brother that because it was his best friend." I had to stop to take a breath.

Rehashing the past wasn't something I liked to do. I hated having to think about Elliot and all that went down.

"I kind of thought I was crazy, like imagining it all. At least I thought that until one night during sophomore year. Elliot was staying at the house because his parents were away for the weekend. Harlan had a doctors appointment in the morning so he crashed out early. I was laying in bed watching one of my shows when my bedroom door opened. Elliot just walked in and sat down. He said he was bored and heard the tv and figured that he'd come hang out until he got tired."

I felt Kieran pulled me closer to him as I started to struggle with my words. My throat felt like it was closing up and I knew I was close to tears.

"I didn't think much of it, I mean we never just hung out the two of us but at the same time it didn't exactly seem like a strange thing. But that was before he kept inching closer to me, before he rested his hand in my leg. I remember being confused and not knowing what to do. I thought maybe I was reading too much into the situation and he didn't mean it like that. I tried to talk myself out of freaking out. But I wish I did, I wish I moved away or left." Tears started to fall and I knew it would be hard to finish the story.

"It's ok." Kieran said softly wrapping his arms around me.

He was letting me know I was here with him, I was safe. I didn't need to panic because as long as Kieran was here everything would be ok.

"By the time I realized that I needed to get out of the situation it was too late. He had a grip on me and I couldn't escape. I said no I tried to push him off me but he was much stronger than I was." I pressed my face against Kieran's chest.

"Did he-?" Kieran didn't need to finish the sentence I knew what he was asking.

"No, my mom heard noises coming from my room and went to check in on me. She went ballistic on him and dragged him out of our house."

"Did you go to the police?" Kieran asked.

I knew I should've. Maybe if I had went that night and didn't wait. If I had, maybe things would've been different.

"I was going to, it was late and I just wanted to sleep so I said I was going to do it the next day. But I guess I didn't realize what could go wrong in less than twenty four hours. My mom told Harlan, I said I didn't want to be the one to tell him so the next morning she sat him down and told him everything that happened. To say he was pissed would be an understatement, he went straight to Elliot's house. He beat him up badly, he almost killed him. He left the kid bloody and alone with the vow if he ever saw him again he'd finish the job."

"You didn't report him to protect your brother?" Kieran seemed to put the pieces together.

"I knew that if I went to the police Harlan would probably end up with assault charges. So I decided to not report him as long as he didn't report my brother."

Maybe deep down I blamed my brother, he not only brought Elliot into my life but he ruined my chances of getting justice, of making sure it never happened again. But he was my brother and I'd rather have him here with me than in jail because of me.

"You're amazing Jade, like seriously an amazing person. You are the strongest person I've ever met." He kissed the side of my head and I'm glad he supported me.

I was worried things would change, and that him knowing would cause more issues with him and my brother. 

I was wrong to ever doubt Kieran.

A/n:

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and if you did don't forget to comment and vote!!

-Cora Leigh