Destructive Healing (Part 2)

Chapter One

Elijah's POV

I slowly opened my eyes.  My brain must be getting used to this, waking up every night to this.

Harlen's screaming continued as I turned over and sat up.  She was in so much pain.  I prayed every night that I could take the pain away so that she could sleep, but every night she still woke up.  Sometimes it was screaming, other times just gasping and sitting straight up and still others she slept walked.  Those were the scariest night.

I grabbed her arm and pulled her into my arms, wrapping her arms against her chest and pushed myself back against the headboard so that we could remain sitting.  I hummed into her hair, rocking her back and forth until the screaming stopped.  It has been months since it happened.  Graduation was last week.  What was supposed to be a celebratory day had been tainted by darkness by none other than Alice.  She was being held back, surprise, and had tried to kiss me the day of graduation.  I pushed her back, knowing full well that Harlen was watching us.

Harlen had joined once I managed to get her to stay back and she smiled.  "Hey Mr. Reign," she had smiled, looking between the two.  "Hi, Alice."

"Hi."

She turned back to me.  "I just wanted to thank you for being a great teacher and putting up with me in detention."

I had smiled at her and given her a nod.  "It was great having you in class."

"She wasn't even in class for the last four months," Alice snapped, folding her hands over her chest.  "She was at home, drinking and fucking around."

"Alice," I had warned.  Harlen had taken up a bit of drinking, but only to help her sleep.  I was trying to get her to switch over to cannabis or edibles, but she swore the alcohol worked better.  It didn't.  "This is a good day."

"It is," she smiled, turning her eyes on me.  "Because now I have you all to myself," she beamed, stepping forward.

"Do you have any plans for the summer?" Harlen had asked, trying to put water on the fire.

"Just staying in the city," I had replied, giving her a smile.  "What about you?"

"Yeah, Harlen," Alice spat.  "Any colleges?  Any plans with the fam?"

I watched her work her jaw.  "No," she replied, trying to stay calm.  "I'm taking a gap year.  My parents think it's for the best and I agree."

So did I.  I wasn't ready to let her go.

"You mean the mother who caused you all of this pain and allowed Peter to do what he did?  That mother?"

"Alice Nichols," I snapped, only to have Harlen grab my arm behind her graduation gown so no one could see.  She always had a way to calm my anger.  "I may not have been able to get you suspended, but I can have you removed from my class."

She gave me a wicked smile.  "So protective."

Harlen's grip on me tightened and she stepped forward, releasing me.  "If you want to know the truth, Alice, here it is; my brother threatened to kill us all at any wrong move she made.  So she made a call and yeah, it was a bad call, but so was every other choice she was given.  I'm still alive right now and Peter, he's gone forever.  The only people who bring up the past despite the horrors hidden it is are those who can't get over it.  Take some advice while you redo your senior year; get over it."

She gaped, but didn't have anything else to say.

Harlen turned to me then and gave me a tight smile.  She was struggling.  "My parents wanted to see you and thank you for this last year."