Lakeview's Outcast {Wattys2015}

Chapter 37 - Police Bust And More

"Thank you for the information Miss Storm, I can assure you these goons will be put away in jail for good" Detective Mallory Powers smiles, patting me on the back. I manage a stiff smile, watching as she walks off. The past twenty four hours had been one roller-coaster ride and was definitely not how I imagined spending my senior Homecoming.

I had already been checked out by the paramedics, so I was free to go. My dad wraps his arm over my shoulder and pulls me to the car where my mum was waiting anxiously. 

They don't speak but they do share worried glances as my brothers enter the car as well, sitting on either side of me. To say I was in shock would be an understatement. I don't know how I feel or what to think. I am just numb. 

And that scares me more than anything else has so far.

Once we're home I rush up to my room and take a shower, my movements seem almost mechanical. My brain not quite thinking as I follow the routine. Under the hot spray of the shower I am still numb. All I can do is stare at the tiles letting images of the day run past me. I can still see myself walking down the stairs and watching Ashton gape at how I look in a dress. I can still see the flash of the camera as my mom took multiple photos of the two of us. I can see Ashton and I acting like idiots on the dancefloor.

I can hear the sound of knocking as my mum comes to check up on me. The sound nearly makes me jump and I quickly turn off the shower and mumble a quick reply. Through all of this I never thought how my parents must be feeling. Their only daughter had been kidnapped.

Right now they were scared. Scared that I was traumatisied, that I had been hurt. And I had to make sure that they didn't stress themselves out worrying over me because I was fine. Physically at least. Emotionally and mentally, I wasn't sure but that could all be changed. With time and some therapy session.

I console myself with the fact that it was normal to be in a state of shock after such an event. That I wasn't going crazy. I just need to come to terms with everything that happened in my own time. But through all of this I am proud of myself. Because as scared as I was, I didn't have one panic attack in that poolhouse. Which was a small achievement.

But sometimes it's these small achievements that keep us going longer.

****

After lunch I made my way up to my bedroom, snuggling deep under the covers and closing my eyes. The best thing about having my brain shut down was that my exhaustion finally pulled me to sleep. 

When I got downstairs it was sometime past eight, in the living room my dad was hugging my mum as she sobbed and that sigh alone was enough to make me cry. Because I was the cause of that. If I hadn't started this whole war business with Justine my senior year could have turned out a whole lot different. And the ones paying for my stupid mistake are my parents, who spent hours wondering where their daughter went. My tears catch my dad's attention pretty quickly and it doesn't take long before my mum notices I am in the room. She quickly wipes away her tears but it's too late.

"I'm sorry mum" I whisper and that only causes her to cry more as she pulls me into a hug.

 I don't know how long my mum and I spent hugging after that, the two of us bumbling messes. At some point my dad made us some hot chocolate, turned the fireplace on and kissed us both goodnight.

Tears weren't exactly his strong point. 

Which explained Ethan and James' absence. 

Eventually my mum and I parted ways to go to bed, my mum almost breaking my rib cage as she squeezed me tight.

That night I slept fitfully eventually giving up as I sat up in bed. The clock beside me read quarter to twelve. If I hadn't been awake I might have missed the buzzing of my phone but I was awake and that caused me to answer Ashton's call.

"Ashton?" I draw my blanket around me in a little cocoon hearing the sound of his breathing on the other end of the line.

"Hey Belle" he finally whispers and the sound of the nickname has me smiling.

"What are you doing still up?" 

"I could ask you the same thing" The speed at which he responded had me rolling me eyes, trust him to still be sarcastic at midnight.

"Are you -uh- are you ok?" he clears his throat and I can just imagine him scratching the back of neck in embarrassment.

"Kind of shocked to be completely honest with you. But I think a few rounds of hot chocolate could cure that" he chuckles and that causes me to involuntarily curl more into myself a grin forming.

"I'm surprised you aren't fat already, you eat more sugar than I do" he teases and I scowl.

"Yeah, yeah Knight we all know that you have a stash of mars bars in your room" Of course that wasn't true, at least I have no proof but come on who doesn't love chocolate?

"I hate mars bars Belle, you of all people should know that. Some girlfriend you are" I know he meant it as a joke but I couldn't help but think it through with a frown. 

"To be fair you've never talked about confectionary with me" I pout slightly, wondering why it has never come up in conversation. I mean, you think with a sugar addict like me I would have asked him sooner or later what his favourite candy was.

"Oh yeah, sorry I must have confused you with my other girlfriend" he laughs and I scowl even more.

"You are so lucky that you're at home right now. Otherwise I would have punched you in the stomach right now"

"I kind of wish I was there to be honest, you look so cute when you glare at me with your nose all scrunched up and everything"

"I do not scrunch up my nose when I'm angry" I look down in suprise as I realise that I in fact do.

"You did it right now didn't you?" he laughs boisterously.

We continue speaking for hours and it isn't until the early morning that we finally say goodnight.

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(12/7/15) 

Hey guys :) So since I've entered this story into the Watty awards this year I would really appreciate your support. All you have to do is share the link to Lakeview's Outcast on Wattpad with the hashtag #MyWattysChoice or vote for Lakeview's outcast on twitter when the polls open :)

Anyway hope you guys liked this update :)

Shout Out to @CorvusTenebrae for the amazing new cover