‹ Prequel: You're Not Alone.
Status: Active
Me or the Music?
30
Marie's POV
Matt's grip loosened momentarily on my ankle as I bounded to my feet, hearing Zack and Brian's voices down stairs. I screamed as my ankle twisted, my boot holding my foot uncomfortably against the material.
I approached the next flight of stairs to the living room and somehow managed to run down without falling, quickly slamming in to a hard surface. My face had collided with Brian.
"Fuck, Marie, what the fuck-" His eyes scanned my face as they softened "Oh shit.."
"Fucking cunt!" Matt screamed "Get back in he-"
His voice was interrupted by Brian's fist. He had pushed me toward Zack as Matt hit the last two stairs. Zack pulled me close as Brian punched Matt straight in the jaw. Matt stopped in his tracks, falling on to his ass.
"What the actual fuck Matt?!" He screamed, punching him once more as he tried getting up in anger "Sit the fuck down, Sanders!"
Matt stood up, punching Brian in the stomach, but Brian barely moved "She's a fucking whore! She's been out fucking around with other guys and drinking all night!" He pointed at me as I clung to Zack's jacket, my fingers bleeding from the nails I had ripped back trying to claw the carpet away from Matt.
"She wasn't fucking doing anything!" Brian screamed, shoving Matt down "She fucking went out and didn't even fucking drink! She came home with Zack and you for fuck sake!"
Matt was still glaring at Brian as he stayed in his position, crossing his arms over his chest "She's a fucking liar, she's been out with other guys fucking around."
"No, that's probably you, Matt." Brian sneered "You've been telling her you're at the studio and you haven't been!" He screamed "It's about fucking time someone sets this shit straight!"
"Brian shut the fuck up you prick!" Matt shouted, standing now, toe to toe with Brian "You're a fucking liar-"
"No!" Brian screamed, shoving Matt back and decking him in the jaw again "You've been the one fucking around, Matt, she deserves to fucking know! She doesn't deserve this shit! You're the fucking same and won't ever change! You don't deserve her!"
Matt punched at Brian and ran towards Zack and I. I screamed and dug my face in to Zack's arm, holding tight on to his sleeve as he moved us out of Matt's way.
"Get her the fuck out of her." Brian shouted to Zack "He's a fucking loose canon, we need to fucking leave." His hands quickly grabbed mine, gently, but quickly, and dragged Zack and I from the house.
I couldn't keep my sobs down as Zack shoved me in the back seat of Brian's SUV, dragging Bax with us, and locked us both in. Brian jumped in to the driver seat and locked all the doors as Matt stumbled out of the house. Brian threw the SUV in reverse and left the driveway like a bat out of hell.
The car was silent for a few minutes, spare my sobbing in to Zack's side as he gently rubbed my shoulders, Bax was curled up in the third row seats.
"What," Brian broke the silence "The fuck was that." He glanced in the rear view.
"I.. I don't... I didn't do anything!" I cried "I had like two sips of my drink with the girls and then called Jackie!" I sobbed and wiped my face, realizing there was drying blood along my face "I slept downstairs and he came in, he thought.. he thought..." I paused, shaking Brian's words earlier from my head "He thought I was out cheating on him."
Brian bit his lip, knowing the thought that made me pause "Well... He's paranoid and needs to fucking get over himself. He.." He stopped "He hurt Cori once, and I swear to God he'll probably kill himself in the morning once he realizes how badly he fucked this up."
"I... I just..." I stopped my words as Brian stopped the SUV in Zack's driveway, my door quickly lying over.
"Don't touch her." Zack warned as Hannah reached for me.
"Oh babe!" She slapped her hand on her mouth, helping me slowly get out of the car. I choked back a sob as she pulled me in to a soft hug "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up.."
"Thanks..." I paused as she quickly brought me inside, Bax following but quickly finding a spot under the living room table, past a very concerned looking Jackie, who was on the phone.
Hannah brought me upstairs to the bathroom and began running the shower "I'll grab you some of my clothes, stay right here babe." She gently squeezed my hand as she left the room.
I looked up from the floor, to the mirror. I gasped slightly. There were darkened visible hand shaped bruises up my arms and my shoulders. I let out a sob. My nose was bleeding and my lip was swollen, blood caked down my chin and puddled in my collar bone. I rested my head in my hands and let the tears fall. How could I have driven Matt this mad? This crazy? He wouldn't dare touch a woman, but.. this? How?
I could hear Hannah approaching the bathroom and she walked in with a pile of clothes "Here, wash yourself down and change in to these... We'll be in the living room hun." She offered a small smile and shut the door, pointing at the towels on the rack before leaving.
I undressed, wincing at the pain taking my boots off. My ankle was puple and one of my toes was bleeding. My knees were scarred, I had a cut on my thigh which I assumed was from some glass in our bedroom when I fell.. I slipped out of my dress and stepped in to the shower, turning the water all the way cold before letting it run over my body. I watched the water running down the drain as it's color turned deep red.
I washed out my hair, and scrubbed down my face. Feeling the blood leaving my skin, the tight feeling washing away. I shut the water off and grabbed a towel, drying off quickly. I put on the clothes Hannah had left for me and tied my hair up in a messy wet bun and began walking to the living room.
I could hear Jackie talking, she sounded very annoyed, and the other three were silent. I walked in and noticed she was still on the phone, her eyes meeting mine.
"Just... fucking stop." She hissed at the phone "Shut your stupid mouth, and go fucking sleep or something. You really fucked up."
She hung up and everyone looked up at me "Listen..." I paused "Thank you guys... Literally, thank you guys. Brian and Zack, you guys literally saved my life." I paused, feeling tears drip down my cheeks. I wiped them away fast and winced at the pain.
"Sit down." Zack gestured next to Hannah. I walked over and sat "Listen, about earlier." He paused "What I said about Matt and you.."
"Zack, it's fine. I know. I don't know what my issue's been lately..." I sighed as Bax sat at my feet once I got settled. "I need to grow up.."
Jackie's phone rang again and she huffed, handing it to Brian "I can't talk to him again, I'm gonna tell him to jump off a cliff." She grunted as Brian answered her phone.
"No... No, you fucking go to sleep already. Ya? Well fuck you too-.." Brian's face grew angry "She fucking deserves to know, you're a fucking jackass, you know that right?... Well I fucking hope you do!... Yah, no, that's not happening. No. She's not... Matt, stop, she's not... No, not Zack's either.." He paused and looked around, eyeing Zack "No, Zack's at home with Hannah... No you shouldn't-... MATT!" He screamed "You're fucking hammered, don't you fucking dri-... Zack has your car you twat. Yah have fucking fun walking you meathead. go the fuck to sleep and maybe you'll fucking die in your sleep so you don't have to own up to the fucking shit you did... Yah, fuck yourself, Matthew. Yes, I one hundred percent plan on telling her, because she's your wife... No, you're right, not for long. Because you're a fuckup." He hung up Jackie's phone "I miss flip phones when you could slam them shut when you're pissed, or even house phones. Hanging up on someone was much more satisfying." He handed Jackie her phone as she powered it off "Good idea."
"Hun, you're gonna stay here ok?" Hannah put her hand on my leg "As long as you need, and we can figure this out. I mean... I understand you're not going back there.." I nodded as she took a breath in "I'm so sorry.."
"Listen," I laughed "It's... not fine, but I'm fine. I'm alive.. He flipped out, I get it. I get where he was coming from but I've never seen him that angry, I don't understand."
"He did that to Cori once." Jackie piped up, everyone giving her glances "He's... he's obviously not moved past that." Her eyes met Brian's as he took a breath.
"Marie-"
"Listen I get it." I put my hands up "He's been fucking around. I don't need to know with who, or for how long-"
"It's not like that." Zack stopped me. "He's.. It's no one physical."
"It's Cori." Brian's face dropped "He's... He always goes to the studio and cries about her, he just sits there and cries... He always says how much he misses her, that he loves her still, that he can't move on.. He's not being fair to you Marie." His words hurt, I understood always loving someone you lost forever out of your control, but was he seriously not sure of me "He loves you.. he really does, but that was unforgivable."
"I know." I whispered as I scratched Bax's ear "I.. I know what he's going through, obviously. I just... I just can't go..."
"I know." Jackie nodded at me. "That's why you can stay away from him for now, and we can help you. Move your stuff, find a place, get on your feet... We're really sorry that happened.. And believe me, none of this.." She gestured to all of them "With him will ever be the same. He's lost his mind."
I nodded as Zack's phone rang. His eyes rolling as the name flashed across the screen.
Matt's grip loosened momentarily on my ankle as I bounded to my feet, hearing Zack and Brian's voices down stairs. I screamed as my ankle twisted, my boot holding my foot uncomfortably against the material.
I approached the next flight of stairs to the living room and somehow managed to run down without falling, quickly slamming in to a hard surface. My face had collided with Brian.
"Fuck, Marie, what the fuck-" His eyes scanned my face as they softened "Oh shit.."
"Fucking cunt!" Matt screamed "Get back in he-"
His voice was interrupted by Brian's fist. He had pushed me toward Zack as Matt hit the last two stairs. Zack pulled me close as Brian punched Matt straight in the jaw. Matt stopped in his tracks, falling on to his ass.
"What the actual fuck Matt?!" He screamed, punching him once more as he tried getting up in anger "Sit the fuck down, Sanders!"
Matt stood up, punching Brian in the stomach, but Brian barely moved "She's a fucking whore! She's been out fucking around with other guys and drinking all night!" He pointed at me as I clung to Zack's jacket, my fingers bleeding from the nails I had ripped back trying to claw the carpet away from Matt.
"She wasn't fucking doing anything!" Brian screamed, shoving Matt down "She fucking went out and didn't even fucking drink! She came home with Zack and you for fuck sake!"
Matt was still glaring at Brian as he stayed in his position, crossing his arms over his chest "She's a fucking liar, she's been out with other guys fucking around."
"No, that's probably you, Matt." Brian sneered "You've been telling her you're at the studio and you haven't been!" He screamed "It's about fucking time someone sets this shit straight!"
"Brian shut the fuck up you prick!" Matt shouted, standing now, toe to toe with Brian "You're a fucking liar-"
"No!" Brian screamed, shoving Matt back and decking him in the jaw again "You've been the one fucking around, Matt, she deserves to fucking know! She doesn't deserve this shit! You're the fucking same and won't ever change! You don't deserve her!"
Matt punched at Brian and ran towards Zack and I. I screamed and dug my face in to Zack's arm, holding tight on to his sleeve as he moved us out of Matt's way.
"Get her the fuck out of her." Brian shouted to Zack "He's a fucking loose canon, we need to fucking leave." His hands quickly grabbed mine, gently, but quickly, and dragged Zack and I from the house.
I couldn't keep my sobs down as Zack shoved me in the back seat of Brian's SUV, dragging Bax with us, and locked us both in. Brian jumped in to the driver seat and locked all the doors as Matt stumbled out of the house. Brian threw the SUV in reverse and left the driveway like a bat out of hell.
The car was silent for a few minutes, spare my sobbing in to Zack's side as he gently rubbed my shoulders, Bax was curled up in the third row seats.
"What," Brian broke the silence "The fuck was that." He glanced in the rear view.
"I.. I don't... I didn't do anything!" I cried "I had like two sips of my drink with the girls and then called Jackie!" I sobbed and wiped my face, realizing there was drying blood along my face "I slept downstairs and he came in, he thought.. he thought..." I paused, shaking Brian's words earlier from my head "He thought I was out cheating on him."
Brian bit his lip, knowing the thought that made me pause "Well... He's paranoid and needs to fucking get over himself. He.." He stopped "He hurt Cori once, and I swear to God he'll probably kill himself in the morning once he realizes how badly he fucked this up."
"I... I just..." I stopped my words as Brian stopped the SUV in Zack's driveway, my door quickly lying over.
"Don't touch her." Zack warned as Hannah reached for me.
"Oh babe!" She slapped her hand on her mouth, helping me slowly get out of the car. I choked back a sob as she pulled me in to a soft hug "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up.."
"Thanks..." I paused as she quickly brought me inside, Bax following but quickly finding a spot under the living room table, past a very concerned looking Jackie, who was on the phone.
Hannah brought me upstairs to the bathroom and began running the shower "I'll grab you some of my clothes, stay right here babe." She gently squeezed my hand as she left the room.
I looked up from the floor, to the mirror. I gasped slightly. There were darkened visible hand shaped bruises up my arms and my shoulders. I let out a sob. My nose was bleeding and my lip was swollen, blood caked down my chin and puddled in my collar bone. I rested my head in my hands and let the tears fall. How could I have driven Matt this mad? This crazy? He wouldn't dare touch a woman, but.. this? How?
I could hear Hannah approaching the bathroom and she walked in with a pile of clothes "Here, wash yourself down and change in to these... We'll be in the living room hun." She offered a small smile and shut the door, pointing at the towels on the rack before leaving.
I undressed, wincing at the pain taking my boots off. My ankle was puple and one of my toes was bleeding. My knees were scarred, I had a cut on my thigh which I assumed was from some glass in our bedroom when I fell.. I slipped out of my dress and stepped in to the shower, turning the water all the way cold before letting it run over my body. I watched the water running down the drain as it's color turned deep red.
I washed out my hair, and scrubbed down my face. Feeling the blood leaving my skin, the tight feeling washing away. I shut the water off and grabbed a towel, drying off quickly. I put on the clothes Hannah had left for me and tied my hair up in a messy wet bun and began walking to the living room.
I could hear Jackie talking, she sounded very annoyed, and the other three were silent. I walked in and noticed she was still on the phone, her eyes meeting mine.
"Just... fucking stop." She hissed at the phone "Shut your stupid mouth, and go fucking sleep or something. You really fucked up."
She hung up and everyone looked up at me "Listen..." I paused "Thank you guys... Literally, thank you guys. Brian and Zack, you guys literally saved my life." I paused, feeling tears drip down my cheeks. I wiped them away fast and winced at the pain.
"Sit down." Zack gestured next to Hannah. I walked over and sat "Listen, about earlier." He paused "What I said about Matt and you.."
"Zack, it's fine. I know. I don't know what my issue's been lately..." I sighed as Bax sat at my feet once I got settled. "I need to grow up.."
Jackie's phone rang again and she huffed, handing it to Brian "I can't talk to him again, I'm gonna tell him to jump off a cliff." She grunted as Brian answered her phone.
"No... No, you fucking go to sleep already. Ya? Well fuck you too-.." Brian's face grew angry "She fucking deserves to know, you're a fucking jackass, you know that right?... Well I fucking hope you do!... Yah, no, that's not happening. No. She's not... Matt, stop, she's not... No, not Zack's either.." He paused and looked around, eyeing Zack "No, Zack's at home with Hannah... No you shouldn't-... MATT!" He screamed "You're fucking hammered, don't you fucking dri-... Zack has your car you twat. Yah have fucking fun walking you meathead. go the fuck to sleep and maybe you'll fucking die in your sleep so you don't have to own up to the fucking shit you did... Yah, fuck yourself, Matthew. Yes, I one hundred percent plan on telling her, because she's your wife... No, you're right, not for long. Because you're a fuckup." He hung up Jackie's phone "I miss flip phones when you could slam them shut when you're pissed, or even house phones. Hanging up on someone was much more satisfying." He handed Jackie her phone as she powered it off "Good idea."
"Hun, you're gonna stay here ok?" Hannah put her hand on my leg "As long as you need, and we can figure this out. I mean... I understand you're not going back there.." I nodded as she took a breath in "I'm so sorry.."
"Listen," I laughed "It's... not fine, but I'm fine. I'm alive.. He flipped out, I get it. I get where he was coming from but I've never seen him that angry, I don't understand."
"He did that to Cori once." Jackie piped up, everyone giving her glances "He's... he's obviously not moved past that." Her eyes met Brian's as he took a breath.
"Marie-"
"Listen I get it." I put my hands up "He's been fucking around. I don't need to know with who, or for how long-"
"It's not like that." Zack stopped me. "He's.. It's no one physical."
"It's Cori." Brian's face dropped "He's... He always goes to the studio and cries about her, he just sits there and cries... He always says how much he misses her, that he loves her still, that he can't move on.. He's not being fair to you Marie." His words hurt, I understood always loving someone you lost forever out of your control, but was he seriously not sure of me "He loves you.. he really does, but that was unforgivable."
"I know." I whispered as I scratched Bax's ear "I.. I know what he's going through, obviously. I just... I just can't go..."
"I know." Jackie nodded at me. "That's why you can stay away from him for now, and we can help you. Move your stuff, find a place, get on your feet... We're really sorry that happened.. And believe me, none of this.." She gestured to all of them "With him will ever be the same. He's lost his mind."
I nodded as Zack's phone rang. His eyes rolling as the name flashed across the screen.