Chapter 24

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Chapter 24
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        As I was in the car to Kevin's, I decided to act like nothing was wrong, until my mood believed it.

When I pulled into his driveway, I exhaled all of the worries that were clogging my brain out of my system. I told myself that the throbbing pain in my stomach was just from me being a klutz and bumping into something, and that I had nothing to hide.

I was just at a fun night with my friends. And I was going to enjoy myself.

When I walked up to the door, I reached up to reign the door bell when the door swung open.

Suddenly I was swooped into the air and held above someone's head. It hurt like a motherfucker, but I tried not to let it show.

"What the fuck?!" I screamed as I was being held above someone's head as they walked. I heard laughter and suddenly I was being held bridal style in someone's strong arms.

"Your fun to startle." I heard Eli say as I glared at him.

"Ha ha very funny. Now put me the hell down you dick face," I didn't mean to get mean, but I just couldn't help it- and he was being a dick face..

He laughed and put me down when we were almost to everyone. I recollected myself and walked into the room.

"Aye Crys what's good?" Kevin asked as he was looking through movies.

"To be honest, nothing." I replied and plopped down on the couch next to him. Ouch.

"Awe... OOOH! You can pick the movie! It'll make you feel better," Kevin exclaimed over enthusiastically and basically threw the remote at me.

Ashton was sitting on the other side of Kevin. His face showed strong disapproval.

"Since when are we letti-"

"Shhhh..." I held a finger up to him, shutting him up. He looked confused as hell. "Just let it happen." He rolled his eyes and I continued to scroll through Netflix.

I stopped on random movies, but each one received a strong no from the crowd of boys. Why do guys only want to watch movies with guns and high action car chases??

I mean, they're great and all, but there are other movies that exist, too. After a couple more movie choices, we finally found one that was a winner... Finding Dory.

Of course, the only reason that we were able to choose that movie was because Ashton was using the bathroom, so he wasn't there to criticize it.

We waited for him to come back before starting the movie. I was excited. I had already seen it, but none of them had. It was honestly one of the best movies in history. That might have been my 5-year-old alter ego speaking, but it was true.

When Ashton came back in and saw the TV, he looked as if he completely died inside. I couldn't help but giggle a bit at his pained expression as he sat back down on the couch.

As the movie started, Ashton let out an unnecessarily loud groan.

"Oh shut up," it came out of me before I could even think it through. Everyone chuckled besides Ashton and I.

On the bright side- he stopped groaning like an obnoxious idiot who was trying to impersonate Dory's whale language..

Throughout the movie, whenever I would crack up, Kevin would join in and Ashton would shoot me a judgmental look.

When the movie was over, Kevin started clapping like a mad man. I chuckled and so did everyone else.

"See? That wasn't so bad now was it?" Kevin asked Ashton.

"Still wanted to kill myself the whole time..." he replied.

"What a coincidence! I felt like killing you, too." I chimed in and he snickered at me.

"It wasn't my fault that the movie sucked,"

"But it was your fault that you kept sounding like a dying velociraptor while we were trying to enjoy it." I came back at him. It was a little bit of an exaggeration. Technically he was only sighing, but it was always at the quietest parts. We glared at each other for a little bit. Suddenly, Kevin broke our silence.

"CANN YOU FEELL THE LOVEEEE TONIGHTTT!!" Kevin started belting "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from the Lion King. That bitch.

"Shut up!" I said and shoved him. He chuckled.

"So we're gonna play that game?" He said and I was very confused. That was until he was on top of me, tickling me more intense than I had ever been tickled before. I was trying to kick him off of me, but he wouldn't budge. I was shrieking laughing, and everyone else in the room was laughing at me.

A couple seconds later, everyone stopped laughing in unison. I looked down to my shirt. It was lifted up just enough to reveal my bruise. I swiftly slid out from under Kevin and pulled down my shirt.

"Uh, what is that from?" Scarlett asked. The rest of the boys still looked shocked.

"Um, nothing! I mean, uh-"

"Did someone do that to you?" I heard Eli ask in a firm voice. I could feel my face turn red.

"Huh?? No! I just, uh, bumped into my night stand this morning." I tried my hardest to lie without it looking like a lie.

"Crystal. I know I'm dumb, but I'm not stupid. What actually happened?" Kevin said seriously. Jeez... Kevin being serious really seemed to darken the matter.

"I told you guys, I just bumped into my nightstand," I repeated.

"A nightstand wont do that to you." Eli stated. Damn... He was right. As I stuttered to further my explanation, Ashton chimed in.

"Who was it?" My heart stopped. Ashton looked me dead in the eye. He seemed to be looking into my soul through my eyes, trying to read it.

"What?" I asked. A sudden look of realization flashed through everyone's eyes. Then it turned to anger.

"Who did that to you?" Ashton asked slower, and more intense. I froze and looked down at the ground. I didn't know what to do. Why did Ashton care so much anyway? I thought he hated my guts.

"If I tell you, they'll hurt you guys, too." I tried to plead, my eyes tearing up.

"I'd like to see this dick try." Eli said.

"Guys. I'm fine." I attempted to reassure them, but to no avail.

"No your not." Ashton butted in again, catching me off guard. "Who?"

I sighed, knowing that they would never let this go. "George," I shyly admitted. Nobody said anything, they were all just taking in what I had told them.

"He said that if I hung out with you guys that he would hurt me, and that if I told anyone he would hurt them," I said sheepishly. Flames burned through the eyes of everyone in the room.

"Please don't try to get back at him. I know that you guys would end up winning in a fight, but you still might get hurt," I begged. There was a long pause.

"We can't just let you-"

"Yes you can. It was my decision," I cut Eli off. I turned to Scarlett. "I think I'm gonna get going."

She looked at the ground and nodded. I awkwardly stood up and started walking toward the door.

"Thanks for tonight," I said to Kevin, who didn't say anything in return, just a look of rage and hurt. I shouldn't have told them.

That night I cried myself to sleep. I hoped more than anything that the boys wouldn't try to retaliate. My conscience wouldn't be able to handle it if they got hurt.

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