Because of Karson

Chapter 40

"How are you feeling?" I asked Nora as I watched her slowly sit up. I brought her to my house last night, letting her sleep in my bed as I told Jace everything that happened. I thought it was best that she stayed with me for the night.

I was leaning against the doorway as she groaned, rubbing her temples. "Like I just got run over by a fucking truck."

I chuckled as I pointed to the Advil and water I placed on the bedside table for her when she would wake up. She quickly swallowed the pills and chased it down with water, almost chugging the whole bottle.

"Do you remember anything from last night?" I hesitantly asked as I watched her smile falter. She remembered.

She cleared her throat as she slowly swung her legs off my bed. Her eyes held a glint of uncertainty as she averted her eyes to look down at her fingers. "Not much, honestly. Just getting drunk, you know?"

"Nora..." I trailed off as I felt my heart clench in concern. I knew she was lying. I could see it in her eyes, it was the same look as yesterday.

"I'm fine, Dakota," she abruptly snapped as she put her tangled hair in a ponytail, using a hairband she found on my bedside table. She quickly got off the bed, avoiding my eyes as she walked past me.

"Where are you going?" I asked, following after her as she stumbled down the stairs.

"I need to go," she quickly got out before she was practically running to my front door. What the fuck?

"Jesus," I mumbled under my breath as I tried going after her. "Nora, what the hell are you doing?! You need to rest!"

She abruptly stopped and turned on her heel. Her eyes narrowed at me as she let out a humorless laugh. "I don't need your fucking help, Dakota. You treat me like I need to be watched 24/7. You didn't have to get me at the party yesterday, I was perfectly fine on my own."

I felt taken aback. After everything I just did for her, she only had this to say? Unbelievable. "Are you kidding? You were almost passed out drunk while a guy was trying to force himself onto you! You were fucking terrified, Nora. I couldn't let him do that to you."

"I'm not like you!" She screamed, her voice hoarse as she slowly took one step back. I felt my lip begin to tremble as I took it under my teeth, trying not to show her how much she was hurting me. I did everything for her, and she didn't even appreciate it. She was blaming me.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I asked, my voice sharp as I glared at the girl I once called my best friend.

"I'm not a pussy. I know how to fight people off unlike you," she growled as her eyes turned a shade darker. My heart immediately dropped to the pit of my stomach. That was a low blow. "All you do is tell me about how your mom hits you. Fight back! Are you that stupid? All you had to do was fight back, even I know that! It was your goddamn fault that she kept hurting you because you never fought back, Dakota! God, if you gave me time, I would've been able to fight that guy off, but you just had to be the hero and come save the fucking day."

The breath was knocked out of me as her words replayed in my head. Fight back. All you had to do was fight back. It was your fault. My fists curled into themselves as red clouded my vision. She kept rambling, telling me how it was my fault that I kept getting beaten because I didn't fight back to my mother.

I couldn't take it anymore.

Without thinking, I strode towards Nora, not stopping until my arm winded back and connected with the side of her face. Her head whipped to the side as she stumbled back, the force of the hit making blood immediately trickle out of her nose. I felt my fist throb, but I couldn't focus on the pain because of the adrenaline that coursed through my veins.