(RIVALS) The Upside of Falling ✔️

Chapter 30: Love

Chapter song: Say Something - A Great Big World ft. Christina Aguilera. Listen on repeat, warning: tears possible.

Brett

I ran out of the hotel as fast as I could. Nothing else mattered, I just needed to make sure she was alright.

Becca's voice sounded broken. I hated it. Hated the sound of her crying, of her in pain. I wanted to take it all away, to carry the pain for her. Anything to never hear her sound like that again.

I went thirty over the speed limit the entire way to her house. I was being a reckless idiot, but I couldn't get to Becca quick enough. I needed her in my arms to know she was alright.

My mind raced with all the possibilities as to why she could be crying. Each one made my fists ball up in anger. If it was Parker, he would get more than a broken nose this time.

I pulled into her parking lot and threw the car in park, my eyes searching wildly for her.

There. She was sitting on a bench, her knees pressed into her chest looking completely broken.

I felt my heart literally ache in my chest.

I pulled the keys out of the ignition and ran out of my car, reaching Becca in five quick steps. She looked up at me, her eyes red and full of so much sadness I felt my knees go weak. She closed her eyes and began to cry and I didn't care anymore, I sat beside her and pulled her to me, holding her body on my lap and pressing her into me tightly.

Maybe, just maybe, if I held her tight enough, I could take away the pain and bear it myself.

"Becca," I whispered, not knowing what else to say. I kissed her forehead softly, then brushed the hair off her face. She buried her head in my chest, sobbing quietly into my shirt.

I don't know how long we sat there. I held her until her body stopped shaking and her eyes became dry.

Becca removed her head from under my chin and looked up at me. She blinked, her crystal blue eyes now rimmed with dark red. I wanted to know what happened, but I knew that she didn't want to talk. Not yet.

I kissed her forehead once more and she sighed. A small, simple sound that assured me that the distance I felt between us this past week had disappeared.

It was just the two of us again. Me and her.

I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face. It felt so good to have her in my arms again. I wouldn't let go this time.

"My place?" I asked her quietly, reaching out to run my thumb under her eye, catching the tear that managed to spill out. She nodded once and took a deep breath, unfolding herself from me and standing up slowly.

My eyes widened as I noticed the blood on her shirt and how she nursed her hand to her chest. I sat up quickly and gently removed her hand from her chest. A long, red gash sliced across her palm, covered in dry blood.

"What happened?" I stared up at her and she shook her head. Of course, she doesn't want to talk about it. But she was alright, it seemed, and that's all that mattered. Her hand was a mess though, I needed to do something about that.

In a quick second, I pulled off my hoodie. Her eyes widened in surprise and I tried so damn hard to hide the smile that fought its way to my face.

Then, I pulled off my t-shirt too. The wind sent a chill down my spine, or maybe that was because of the way Becca was staring at my bare chest. Her eyes roamed over my skin, down and up until her gaze met mine. She blushed and looked away quickly.