Broken

• Chapter 91 •

I don't realize I'm vomiting until I feel Aya pull my hair back. "What the fuck? Oh my God, are you okay?" she yells.

"I—" am vomiting again.

"Oh my God. Let's get you out of here!" she tugs at my arm as the employee cusses us out.

We step outside and I'm relieved to take in the fresh air. I felt as though I was suffocating. I collapse onto the grass and hold a hand to my forehead.

"Are you okay?" Aya's eyebrows are slammed down with concern.

I shake my head, "Aya... Your ex, he—he—"

"What?" she knits her eyebrows together, "Did that fuckboy try to hit on you at the party?"

My head is spinning so fast, I'm going to be sick again. How the hell do I tell her? She seems so confused. I'm so confused. How can she be with someone like that?

"Spit it out! What happened?"

"He—" I shake my head and inhale deeply. Her phone goes off and she rolls her eyes, "Hold that thought. He's calling, he's supposed to meet me here now. Give me a minute—"

My heart falls and my eyes pop, "No!" she startles back and looks at me like I'm crazy.

"Aya. Your ex harrassed me."

Her face stills. She stares at me with a blank expression, "What?"

"The reason I missed school... I wasn't sick with the flu. I couldn't move or speak. Your ex hurt me, Ashton found me and took care of me. That's why we were both absent," I show her the only bruise I have left, the one fading on my waist. I feel a weight lift off my chest when I confide in her.

She looks down at my waist in confusion. It's as though my words are finally sinking in, her eyes grow wide and her skin pales. "Are you serious?" she shakes her head in disbelief, "No. You must have him mistaken for someone else. Hassan's not capable of..." her words falter towards the end.

She frowns to herself, and I can literally see her heart beating out of her chest. I don't know what she must be feeling or thinking right now, her mind must be running like a freight train. Maybe more details will help her understand.

"He was drunk, I had just gone on a date with Adrien. I decided to walk home, though. Which was stupid, of course. Your ex cornered me outside Ashton's house and tried to... You know... But thankfully Ashton saw and stopped him before he could... Beat him up pretty bad," I explain.

Fear flashes in her eyes, "I—" it's as though something clicks in her head, and she bursts into tears.

"He is beat up badly! Oh my God. Oh my God."

I press my lips into a thin line, "I'm sorry..."

She looks up at me with a face red with fury, tears stream down her face, "Why the fuck are you apologizing? Oh my God, Clem. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!"

I shake my head, "Aya. It's not your fault."

She sobs, "He..." she shakes her head as tears fall from her face, "The third time we... I told him no, I was drunk. I didn't want to, but he did anyway... I—I shouldn't be surprised."

My heart falls, "Fuck, Aya. He raped you?"

She shakes her head, "No. We were together, it's not... That."

I press my lips together. Poor Aya. What a fucking scumbag. I hope he rots in hell for this shit. She pulls me into her arms, my heart aches heavily. I grow rigid in her embrace. I'd never really had any female friends. My only friends are Brandon, Eric, Tony, and Dorito. And Ashton too, I guess. So this is new to me.

"Um... Aya?"

She sniffles into my back, "Shut up and hug me."

I sigh and will my body to relax, hugging her back.

"Oh, wow. You actually give nice hugs," Aya tells me through sobs, "This is the first real hug you've given me!"

I snort and shake my head, pulling away from her. She wipes her tears and gives me a sympathetic smile, "I'm here for you. Okay? You can tell me this shit. You can talk to me about anything. I'm your friend."

My heart swells just a bit, I return her smile and loop her arm through mine.

"Let's get ice cream."

___________________

Aya drops me off a block away from my house, I'd felt weird when we were at the mall. But the feeling hasn't gone away. I glance around to see if I recognize anyone, but I don't. My eyebrows knit together as I pull my phone out and begin walking. I don't know whether this feeling is due to reliving that night, or if something is wrong. I'm so thankful it's broad daylight.

The terrible pit in my stomach grows, I know I'm being followed. I pick up my phone and pretend like I'm about to take a selfie, my heart stops when I see a dark figure a few meters back. My knees buckle and my legs turn to jelly.

It's him. It's Hassan.