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I sit for what could be hours before I remember I was supposed to meet with Kat. I send her a message so she doesn’t worry.
Hadley:
Hey, babe. Not feeling well. I need to reschedule our session.
I turn my phone off, not even waiting for a response. I crawl to my feet, standing on trembling legs, and make my way to the kitchen for ice and an aspirin. I grab the soft ice pack from the freezer and wrap it in a thin towel before placing it on my face. The coolness feels excruciating and satisfying, taking away some of the heat from my inflamed cheek.
The swelling is already starting; I can feel my face tightening from where he left his mark. The skin around my left eye is so taut, I can’t open it to see anything. With my right eye open, I look down at my hands. I see they’re covered in red, gooey liquid. Oh, God.
I run to the bathroom off the foyer and see blood dripping from the side of my face that took the impact. The tears and snot mixed with blood make my face look like I just bathed in someone’s blood and resemble something out of a horror movie.
I’ve been staring at myself for the past twenty minutes in a daze when the front door opens. Immediately, I stiffen and shrink down against the wall to the floor next to the vanity, pulling my knees to my chest and making myself small on the floor in case it’s him.
“Hadley? Are you here?” I hear Kat call.
Oh, my God. I can’t face her. Not now. Not ever. Not like this.
I try to stay quiet, the soft whimpering sounds of my fear escaping without my consent. I hear her padding down the hall toward the bathroom where I’m hiding. I hear an abrupt gasp when she reaches the doorway, and I know I’ve been found. I glance up to see Kat’s face, the color completely drained from her normally warm copper coloring with a horrified expression.
“Oh, babe, what happened?! Who did this to you?” She collapses on the ground next to me.
I shake my head, not ready to answer her. Saying nothing, she stands back up, grabs the dark hand towel hanging next to the sink, and runs it under the faucet to dampen it. She kneels in front of me, cleaning up the mess on my face so it doesn’t dry any more than it already has, gently wiping away my blood.
Kat sits on the cool tile with me for hours, holding my hands before insisting we get up and walk out to the living room. We sit on the couch together, and I fall into her arms, sobbing into her chest. Her arms encase me in the safety I need, and I fall asleepwrapped in her embrace. Sometime later, unconsciousness fades, and I see that Ryan is now with us.
“Hey, bestie.” She’s so quiet, like she’s worried she’ll spook me if she speaks too loudly.
She’s never spoken to me like this. It’s as if she’s afraid I’m going to break.
“Hi,” I croak.
“Can you tell us what happened?” Ryan’s softness is messing with me.
I shake my head at her, too ashamed of what’s happening.
“Okay, you don’t have to, but can you please stay with one of us until we can get to the bottom of this? We can’t leave you here alone like this.”
The door opens at that moment, and Andy rushes in. I stiffen in Kat’s arms. She grips me tighter, and I know she knows, at the very least, who did this to me.
“Had, honey? What’s going on?!” he shouts with faux concern, as if he doesn’t know.
“Get the fuck out of here, you psychopath! What gives you the right?” It’s Kat who responds, releasing me to stand, getting in his face and shouting at him.
“What the fuck, Kat?” Ryan and Andy ask simultaneously.
“You didn’t just feel the way she tensed. This motherfucker is the one who did this to her,” Kat snarls.
“What the fuck?” Ryan repeats, this time shooting an accusatory glare at Andy.
His hands shoot up in a defensive gesture.
“Kat, Ryan.” I speak for the first time, my voice hoarse. “I am okay. Andy and I need to have a conversation.”
“The hell you do. We’re not leaving you,” Ryan hisses.
“Please, I’m okay,” I say with more confidence than I feel.
I don’t know what it is, but I feel like I need to speak to Andy.
