Chapter Forty-One
I felt cold and numb as I walk out of the school car park.
Without Hayden, I am pretty much alone. I'm to blame for this, obviously, but it still hurt. I have Harvey's divided attention and that's about it. Other than that, who do I have?
The walk home felt much longer than it usually would. Probably because I am dragging my feet with me. The wind is harsh, slapping the loose tendrils of my hair to my face. I hug my blazer to me, wishing I could go to sleep and wake up when high school is well and truly over.
My phone began to vibrate in my bag. Pulling it out, I stare emotionless down at the screen as mum's name appeared.
I answer but don't say anything as I continue to walk, my shoulders slumped.
"Grace? Are you okay? I just got a call from the school. Apparently, there was a disturbance and now you're not in classes but were seen there this morning?"
"Hayden and I got in a fight," I replied bluntly. "I'm not going to classes today."
"Are you okay?"
"No, not really."
I'm glad she called. Hearing her voice made me feel better. It made me feel like maybe, she had time for me, after all.
"Do you need me to come home? I might be able to get out in a few hours."
I shook my head. "No, don't bother. I'm miserable company anyway."
"Are you sure? You don't sound okay."
"I'm fine," I muttered as I walk up the pavement. "I'm going to go to sleep and hopefully I'll feel better when I wake up."
"Alright, call me if you need me? I'm going into surgery, but you can leave a message at reception."
"I'll be fine."
"Okay. I love you."
"You too," I muttered, not wanting to say I love you to anyone else, ever again.
I felt empty as I walk up my stairs and into my mum's bathroom. I open her mirror cabinet and scan through the few medications she had. I found the ones I was looking for - she was prescribed sleeping pills when she had nightmares after dad died. They occurred for years but the more she worked, the more tired she got and the less nightmares she seemed to have.
They're probably expired but I slid three onto my tongue anyway, filling the glass on the sink basin, before putting the container back onto the shelf. The label had read to take only one at a time, but I thought three would keep me knocked out for a while.
I walk into my room, shrugging off my blazer, dry tears staining my cheeks, before face-planting onto my bed, begging sleep to consume me.
***
A loud bang downstairs caused me to jump, startled.
My eyes felt heavy in my head as I peer around, wondering where the hell I am, what year it is and what the hell that noise was.
As my groggy mind slowly piece everything together, the thick hurt I felt deep inside my chest re-surfaced.
"I know you're here!" a voice yelled loudly.
It is hard to distinguish what the person said. I'm not sure if it's because I'm zonked out of my head on sleeping pills or if the person is drunk.
Peeling my body from my mattress, with enormous effort, I wobbly get to my feet, my vision blurry.
Stumbling down the stairs in complete disorientation, I see Ashton standing at the bottom of my stairs.
"What the hell?" I asked, my speech slow.
He is swaying, a glassy look in his eyes as he stared at me. I look around, noticing that it isn't daylight anymore.
Had I slept all day?
"You stupid bitch. Carrie left me because of you." His face held an expression I've never seen before.
His eyes are a mess, his hair ruffled, his pupils abnormally small.
"Who's fault is that?" I asked groggily, walking down towards him, my throat feeling dry. I needed some water before I pass out from dehydration.
I was gaining a little more energy due to adrenaline but I still felt like a ton of bricks had been dropped onto my body.
"Now, Grace, you have no one," he dragged out his words, his teeth gritted. "You're not my number one, you're not Hayden's. Even your dorky friend has someone."
I gulp, feeling his brutal words as a slap across my face. Does he not realise that I already know this? Why else would I have drugged myself into being in a coma-like state all day?
"Get out of my house before I ring the police," I snapped, my words having a slight delay as I yelled them.
"Big threat coming from someone off their face on God knows what," he sneered and I looked at him incredulously.
"That’s rich coming from you. Go home and sleep off whatever you've taken." I demanded, folding my arms across my chest.
"No thanks."
"You're 22 years old. Grow up and get the hell out of my house before I scream."
He let out a crude laugh. "You're a little bitch. No wonder you have no one."
Ignoring his cruel words, I begin to move towards the kitchen, considering he is blocking the door. I am going to ring the police.
I safely manage to get into the kitchen. I reach for the cordless phone and just had my fingers around it, when I felt his hand grip my arm, wrenching me back. I clung onto the phone with dear life as I stumble back, falling over. The phone banged onto the floor, the back busting open, the batteries spilling out of it.
Of course. That always happens in the movies, doesn't it?
My body is sluggish from the pills that I can hardly get up.
"Where are you going, Grace?" he sneered. "I don't have Carrie; you don't have Hayden. It's just us left now, right?"
Slowly getting to my feet, I watch him as he came closer to me.
"You put out for Hayden?" he asked in a slow, eerie voice. "Why didn't you, for me? I told you the things you wanted to hear. I acted the part, didn't I?"
I felt my stomach clench as I listen to the words coming out of his mouth.
You can really be wrong about a person.
"It's the dating part that I got wrong," he murmured, more to himself, than me. "If I had just played along, maybe you would have."
I feel sick.
My mind is reeling. This is not looking good - he is on drugs and I am doped on sleeping pills. My body is not able to fight him off in this state.
I turn and run out the other exit in the kitchen, running towards the door. I almost made it, when Ashton shoved me roughly. I stagger to my left, hitting the table that usually had mum's keys and handbag on it. It smacked against the wall roughly as I collided with it.
Wrenching my body around so that I am facing him, he drove his outstretched hand into my throat, the pressure of him on my wind pipe crushing my airways. I try to scream but instead, a hoarse, raspy sound coming out.
"Shut up, you worthless whore!" he screamed, shoving my head backwards into the wall.
I struggle to breathe as his long fingers tighten around me. I can feel my eyes begin to bulge out of my head as my oxygen is cut off.
His eyes lock with mine as he continued squeezing.
"Don't ever show up to my house and speak to Carrie again." he threatened, pressing his face up into mine. "She's the one that chose me. She's my number one. She'swho I'm meant to be with but you've fucked it all up."
Feeling the blood rush to my face, I know I have to act fast or he might actually kill me. I can see in his eyes that he is gone. He is in a black, enraged state and he isn't going to quit until I stop breathing.
Reaching my hand out, I fumbled for the air freshener that is sitting on the table. I knew it was there because I always thought it was a random spot to sit it but never questioned mum about her choice. Somewhat surprised that I didn't manage to drop it considering the state I am in, I push him back as hard as I can and aim it at his eyes, before spraying.
A wretched scream tore from his lips as he fell back, clawing at his face. He let out a series of howls as his eyes burned. My heart is hammering in my chest as I try to move around him.
He quickly got to his feet and swung his hand forward, connecting it with my face. I felt my lip split as he made contact. I fell back, hitting my head on the corner of the table. I hoarsely scream as I landed in a painful sprawl on my left arm.
By now, we had both made enough noise that surely someone had to have heard the commotion.
Ashton struggled to stay upright, hardly able to open his eyes.
"I'm coming for you, Connaway," he bit out. "This isn't over."
I watch as he staggered out the door, slamming it shut behind him. My body sagged as I laid in a pile of unwavering pain.
Blood is running down my face from where I've clearly split my head open. My lip is burning and I can feel the hot blood trickling down my chin. I attempt to get up and let out another cry, my left arm completely giving out.
How the hell did this happen?
Recently, I had thought Ashton was nuts but I didn't think he seriously was. I guess for someone to go for two underage girls when he was their coach at high school, should have been a red flag. But even then, he could just be categorised as a creep, not a deranged sociopath.
I should have known something was up that day he came to my house and threatened me. The way his attitude changed so drastically... I should have known.
Slowly crawling up the stairs, I used the support of them to pull me up.
I fumbled for my phone. My fingers trembled as I began dialing.
I tried calling Harvey. No answer. I tried calling Mum. No answer. I tried calling the hospital, automatically being placed on hold.
If I can't get onto Hayden, I have no other choice than to call the ambulance and I really don't want to have to fill out a report of what just happened.
I rang Hayden and on the third try, he finally answered.
"I'm not ready to talk to you," he snapped. "Stop calling."
"Hayden," I rasped, my voice slow. "Can you-" deep breath, "drive me to the-", more ragged breathing, "hospital?"
"What?"
"Hayden," I gasped out, the room spinning. "I'm bleeding. I need to go to hospital-"
Suddenly, the line is dead.
I feel my phone slip from my grip as I fall to the floor. My body felt so weak and tired. I just had to get my phone...
I don't know what that meant. Is Hayden hanging up because he doesn't care or because he's in a hurry to get over here?
No, he would care. He's Hayden.
My Hayden.
My eyes began to close as I lay on the floor, cradling my swelling arm to my chest.
"Grace!" a voice said to me, shaking me, sometime later. "Grace! Wake up!"
Slowly opening my eyes, I stare up at Hayden's concerned, green eyes.
"Hayden," I whispered, feeling blood in my mouth.
"It's okay, I'm here," he told me, grabbing me and lifting my body. He hugged me to him, making me feel much safer.
I felt myself crying as he carried me down the stairs. My cries drowned out his heavy breathing as he placed me in his car.
"Stay with me, Grace," he urged, gripping my shoulder as he started the car. "Stay with me."
Those were the last words I heard, before I blacked out.