Sugar And Spice

Chapter thirty-five: It hurts

Chapter thirty-five: It hurts (Faith's POV)

We finally reached the lakehouse and were dead tired. I left my stuff by the kitchen counter since we had two bathrooms and Hayley and I were showering first in them. I was sitting on the kitchen counter while Alex wrapped a plastic bag around the cut on my forearm because I wasn't supposed to get the bandage wet today. 

Once he finished he tried talking to me. "Faith-" I hopped off and went into the bathroom before he could say anything. 

I locked the door and stared at myself in the mirror. What the fuck happened? In the span of an hour, everything went so wrong. I wasn't mad at Alex for saving me, I wasn't mad at him for punching Cody, I was mad for taking it so far. I know he didn't do it single-handedly, Cody took it just as far as Alex, but what more could I expect from him? 

I think somewhere it stung me that Alex didn't even try to think from my point of view about why I wouldn't tell anyone and why I wouldn't ask for help. It's not something to be proud of, even for me. It's not something I like to talk about so why would I tell people? 

I stripped out of the colored clothing and got into the shower, rinsing the colors and Cody's touch off of me. I stepped out and realized I left my clothes outside. I wrapped the towel around myself and opened the door, peeking my head out to see Alex sitting on the floor. 

"What are you doing?" I asked softly. 

"Waiting for you to come out." 

To talk? 

"So I can shower," he finished. 

Nevermind. 

"Can you pass me my bag?" I requested. 

He stood up and gave it to me and I quickly got dressed and stepped back out. 

I was about to walk past him but he grabbed my hand. "Wait." He carefully pulled the plastic bag off and looked at the bandage. "I'll change it once I shower," he said before taking his bag and going to shower. 

Hayley came downstairs from the bathroom upstairs and sat beside me on the couch. "You okay?" she linked her arm with mine and rested her head on my shoulder. 

"It hurts, Hayley," I bit back a sob. 

"What hurts?" she asked in concern. 

"Seeing us fight," I let out a shaky breath. 

"You two will get through it. You'll figure it out, it's okay," she hugged me. "What upset you?" she asked. 

"They took it too far. It didn't have to get so violent and bloody. And how can he say I don't tell people and that's why no one can help me? Who am I supposed to tell? Who the fuck can even help me with this?" I sighed. 

"What are my parents gonna do? What is anyone gonna do? My mom knew and she told him to stay away. Did that work? No," I scoffed. "There's nothing more for her to do. You knew, but there was nothing you could do. Alex knew." I mumbled. 

"He did something, no? He might have taken it too far, Faith, you're right. But think about how angry he got when he saw Cody lay his hands on you. When he saw Cody hurt you. This whole thing was a ticking time bomb, Faith. It had to happen." 

She was right, I just wish it didn't happen like this. "Thanks," I sniffed. 

"It's my job, honey. I'll be right back," she went upstairs. 

I was sitting there and staring at the fireplace that wasn't lit when I heard a door open and Alex appeared.