Crazy Little Things

16 - Falling To Ashes

TRIGGER WARNING: SELF HARM

(Sadie's POV)

I lay in bed just to cry. Why can't these girls leave me alone? Haven't they tortured me enough? Wasn't I hurt enough?

The messages said horrible things. How I wasn't worth living. How I should go with my parents. How fat I was, and ways to fix it. How I had no friends. How pathetic I was. How I didn't deserve anything nice. But it was the last one that got me.

Unknown: Location — Byway Psychiatric Hospital
Unknown: Which one was your room? :)

How did they find out? None of my brothers could have said anything, could they? Going to this place was one of the most humiliating experiences for me, even though it helped.

It made me feel unwanted. It made me feel like I was a pain in the ass that no one wanted to deal with anymore. It's why I'm scared to talk to my brothers now.

Someone knocks on the door, so I hide under my covers. It opens, but I don't look to see who it is. I listen to the footsteps as they grow closer — Gavin.

He pulls the covers down and I smile up at him. He gives me a pitied look before crossing the room to close the door.

"What's wrong, Ella?" he asks. I shake my head, trying to keep the smile on my face. "Stop, come on. Tell me."

I shake my head again. "I can't tell you, you'll send me back."

"Back where? To the hospital?" I nod. "Never. I would never let that happen again, okay?"

"Okay." I whisper.

"Now tell me what happened."

I show him the Instagram comments, since that's where this started. Then showed him the texts.

"They know, Gavy, they know what happened." I sob. He pulls me up into his lap and presses my head into his chest. I cry there, letting him comfort me.

He rubs my back. "Listen, Ella, we're gonna change your phone number. The only people who will have it is family."

"And Ben?"

"Sure, Ben, too." He shushes me as I start to calm down. "Are you ready for bed?" I nod. "Okay, lets lay down."

He leans us back on my bed and pulls the covers over us. My eyes start to close and I lay my head in the crook of his shoulder.

"I love you, Sadie. Not a single thing those girls said is true, okay? You deserve the world." Gavin says. He's never been like this, but I'm happy he said it. I think I needed it.

"I love you, too."

(Ash's POV)

Since we're not touring our first school until tomorrow, Liam made me go to our current school today. I haven't had as much of an issue as my twin, so I should be okay.

After third period, I'm at my locker, switching books. I start to walk toward my next class when I see someone in the hallway.

Palmer.

What is he doing here? I heard he dropped out. Maybe he came back. Why would he come back?

I look around for someone I know. A friend, a brother, even a sister, but my brain can't seem to remember that she's not here.

A hand falls on my shoulder and I jump. I feel my eyes burn and his porch in front of me.

I can see the hallway, too, but it's almost like it's tucked behind Palmer's house.