Drew Grier: A Broken Girl

Chapter 5

~Drew's POV~

 Knoxville was interesting, and exhausting. All I wanted to do was hit the mattress after a day of driving and the show when we got there. I loved singing, but my energy was drained. The next day we had another show, and meet and greets. I woke up this morning, thankful for the day off.

 "Hey, most of us are going to explore Knoxville, wanna come?" Mahogany asked, standing at the mirror, applying lipgloss.

 I shook my head, "Raincheck? I'm exhausted, how the hell do you guys do this shit?"

 "You get used to it babe. Want me to bring you back food or something while I'm out?" She asked.

 "Nope, I'll probably order something. Have fun, but not too much fun." I joked.

 "Turn up, country style." She added.

 She said a goodbye, walking out the door. I laid back down, closing my eye's. Counting sheep in my mind. It wasn't another five minute's and there was a knock at the door. I groaned, dragging my feet, opening the door. I saw Jack standing there, and the thoughts of what happened yesterday flooded my mind, the drive, the van.

 "Hey, want to watch movies in my room, I got Netflix? Nobody is here except for us and Aaron, but he's passed out." He asked, stumbling over a few words.

 "Sure. Let me grab my key." I said.

 I was silently praising myself for getting dressed, wearing a pair of yoga pants and a sweat shirt. And that I brushed my hair, braiding it. I shut the door, walking with him.

 "Why did't you go out with them?" I asked.

 "Too tired, how about you?"

 "Pretty much the same. I didn't have the energy." I explained, as we walked into his room down the hall.

 It was the same as ours, I sat on the bed, laying back. He grabbed his laptop, opening Netflix. Looking at me, "What do you want to watch?" He questioned. "I was thinking Breakfast Club?"

 "John Hughes? I like you even more now Gilinsky." I said, not realizing what I was saying. I hoped he didn't catch that.

 He pressed play, laying his head on one of the pillows. It was hard not to watch him, than the movie. Every move he made, was just right. The way his mysterious eye's locked onto the screen, taking everything in.

 It felt good, to relax. And not have to worry about anything. Not about Nash, or my horrible parent's. My back sank into the mattress, laughing as one of my favorite scene's played. I didn't notice at first. But Jacks arm wrapped around me, moving me closer to him.

 I leaned my head on his chest, feeling that warmth again. Was Johnson right about what he said, does Jack like me? I don't know alot about boys, but they usually act like this when they like you. Right?

 When I think about him, I know I like him. As we neared the middle of the movie, our stomachs had other plans. He ordered a pizza. I tried not to think about how much his touch affected me. Usually when people touch me, all I would see is disgust.

 I can thank Nash and George for that, they ruined any chance I had. But now, with Jack. It's so simple. I don't think about George, and what he did to me countless times. The past, it's staying there for a reason.

 "You didn't have to pay." I frown at Jack, taking a slice of pizza.

 "Yes I did." He nodded, "The guy always pays on a date."

 My eye's widened, "Is that what this is?"

 "I uh- If thats okay with you?"

 "It is." I smiled.

 We sat there, in a silence for a moment. So I asked him what Omaha was like, and his life there. He told me about his school, his family, his Mom. "My parent's are divorced, and my step Dad is a complete dick to be honest. All he does is sit around and drink all day, if it wasn't for my Mom, I would have been long gone." He explained. "She's all I really got, except for Jack and Sam. I wish she'd see how shitty he is to her, he constantly is an ass but she still loves him."

 "Maybe she doesn't want to be alone." I stated.

 "She has me, she wouldn't be alone." He sighed.

 "You know what I mean. Sometimes love isn't about loving another person, it's about another person loving us." I said.

 "I never thought about it like that." He said, "But, she deserves so much better."

 "She does, she'll have to realize that on her own." I said.

 "Tell me about you now." He said, "What's your family like?"

 I took a deep breath, "My family isn't what everyone thinks it is. It's pretty shitty to be honest. I'm a sucky sister."

 "Why would you say that?" He asked, setting down his plate, looking at me.

 "I'm lying to Hayes." I sighed, not knowing I said that out loud. "There is a reason Nash and I don't get along. To put it in good terms, we hate each other. It's an extremely long and tiring story, but when they left for Magcon initally, I left too. I moved in with my oldest brother Will, and he even become my legal gaurdian. Hayes has no fucking clue."

 "Are you going to tell him?"

 "I will, I don't know how yet. I hate lying to him, but he won't understand." I stated.

 Jack clenched his fists, "You said you and Nash hated eachother, and that it's a long story. Give me the short one."

 "He doesn't treat me like a brother should."

 "So he does hit you."

 "I-I don't know what your talking about." I shuttered.

 "I heard you yesterday on the phone." He said, "And I'm not stupid, you covered up the bruise on your cheek."

 I clamped my eye's shut, only to open them letting a tear drip out. "You can't tell." I whispered.

 "Drew, he hurt you." He said, moving closer, wrapping his arms around me.

 "I know, but I can't do anything about it. He wants me gone, I'm not letting him win." I sobbed.

 Now he was angry, teeth clenched, fists together. "I'm going to murder his sorry ass." He spoke, angrily.

 "Don't." I mumbled.

 "Why shouldn't I?" He asked. "He deserves it."

 "He'll make my life hell."

 "No, because I'll protect you." He said.

 "Why?" I questioned.

 "Because I care about you." He said.

 In the week that I've known him, I care about him too. I nodded, settling my head into his chest. I felt safe, from all harm. From Nash, or my father George. Nothing could hurt me right then because I was in his arms.