The love triangle **[ONGOING]**

Chapter 7

When I finally woke up I saw Erick standing near the window and muttering, "This is all my fault. I should have kept her safe. Shit. shit."

I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and make all his worries disappear. I tried to sit up but I felt dizzy. My movement made Erick turn towards me and rush to my side. "Are you okay? I should have kept her away from you. I am sorry love, you scared me there." He said. The word 'sorry' seemed foreign on his tongue.

I shushed him and said, "Who knew Britney would be such a crazy-ass bitch" I laughed thinking about it.

"I apologize. I didn't know you two were dating and I should have kept my distance." I told him.

He covered my mouth with his hand to stop my rambling. He said, "Nothing is going on between us. Not one bit. We dated for a few months but we were toxic so I broke it off. " After he finished his sentence, a foreign feeling flooded my body. A feeling of jealousy and relief. Relief that they weren't dating anymore and jealous that they both dated.

I shook my head out of these thoughts as I wasn't supposed to be having them in the first place. "I am okay, I promise." I answered him. After Erick made sure I was okay, when I walked out to the living room I saw Alyvia, Alexa, Cole, and Caleb sitting there with sad and dejected expressions on their faces.

They didn't see me yet so I broke the silence by saying, "Relax guys, I haven't died yet. It'll take more than a slap to knock my life out." Relief flooded everyone's faces and Caleb tackled me in a hug.

While Caleb was hugging me, Erick walked out. I didn't want to abruptly let go of Caleb but I also didn't want Erick to be mad. Confused, I just stood there. After we said goodbye to everyone I headed to my room. I hoped that I didn't have the nightmare today.

When sleep finally hit me, I saw it again. But the difference this time was that instead of the girl, it was me. My cries filled the atmosphere. Someone shook me awake and I looked up to see Caleb holding me. I was almost sad that it wasn't Erick but I still calmed myself down and sent Caleb back to his room.

In the morning I got dressed as today was my first day on the job and I was excited! I chose to wear a brown graphic hoodie with black pants and a brown belt.

*Athena's outfit*

I felt guilty for staying at Caleb's house rent-free and him buying me clothes just added upon that guilt. When I finally walked outside and grabbed an apple to eat Erick did the same thing as yesterday and forced me to let him drop me off at the cafe. He was so bossy!

His caring side which I had seen two times had disappeared and instead stood the egoistical who I had met on the day of the party. When he was about to drop me off he pulled me closer and whispered in my ear, "I care about you love. Don't make me regret it." His voice sent shivers down my body and my cheeks had a blush tainted on them now.

After my shift at the coffee shop ended, which was fun and enjoyable as I met lots of sweet new people. When I walked outside, I forgot that I didn't have a phone to call Erick nor Caleb with. I started walking as that was my last resort and the weather was amazing.

When I finally entered the house I went straight to Caleb's room and asked him to take me to my 'parents' home so that I could get my stuff. After a lot of back and forth, he finally agreed. When he dropped me at the house, I stood at the door alone as I had asked him to leave me there and convinced him that I would walk home as I only had to get some light stuff.

When I entered the smell of alcohol hit me again and I almost went into my memories but I pushed them back and quickly packed my school books and my book in which I wrote all my stories. As I was getting out of the room, someone unfamiliar entered the house.

The person who entered the house looked around nineteen and had a rough-edgy look to him. He came over to me and I dropped all of my books. I was about to scream but he put his filthy hand on my mouth.

I tried to kick him where it would hurt but he was too quick and pinned me to the floor.

"Your dad couldn't pay up but I need to gather my payment somehow. You are gonna pay up for him whore."he said.

Those words almost made me throw up. I wanted to scream out for Erick, Caleb, anyone but I couldn't. The next thing which happened to me was worse than all the physical, mental abuse I had gone through over the years. The thing he did was too horrible for words and I don't think I would ever be able to forget it.