North Star
six.
I knew instantly where I was without opening my eyes. I must have made it to the safety of a hospital. I didn't remember how I'd gotten here but I knew I was safe. I kept my eyes closed for as long as possible. When I finally opened them I realized I wasn't alone. Ben was seated on one side of me, Spencer on the other. Eric was by the window, arms crossed tightly.
"Hey," Ben said softly. I looked up at him, expecting to see the same anger that my brother was so clearly exhibiting. Instead I saw compassion and I relaxed. I reached for his hand. Spencer tried to reach for my other hand but I pulled away quickly.
"Why are you here?" I asked hoarsely.
"Where else would I be baby?" He asked. I laughed harshly.
"I don't know, how about with the girl you fucked last night?" I asked sarcastically.
"I knew it," Eric yelled. "I knew there had to be a reason she ended up alone. You bastard, you let this happen to her." He flew across the room and punched Spencer in the face. I don't know if he would have stopped but two men ran in and pulled him away from him.
"Whoa, whoa calm down," one of the men ordered. I realized they were police detectives. I wondered if they had been waiting outside.
"It's his fault," Eric cried. "He was supposed to be with her."
"She's the one who ran off," Spencer argued.
"Stop," Ben ordered. The room fell still as he stood up. I forgot sometimes how imposing he could be. "This isn't helping Avery."
"Spencer, you should leave," I said quietly. "Please don't come back." Spencer looked like he might protest but when he met Ben's glare he turned abruptly and left. I looked up at Ben towering over me and felt safer. "I don't want to talk to the police."
"Avery you need to tell them what happened so that they can catch the guy who did this to you," Eric told me. I looked down at myself. I must have been on painkillers because I couldn't feel anything but I could see a lot of bruises and bandages.
"I think he might kill me," I admitted. "I thought so last night. That's why I ran as soon as he was asleep."
"Who?" One of the detectives stepped closer. "Who did this to you honey? Can you start from the beginning?"
"I went with him," I whispered. "I let him get me alone in his apartment. I was upset because I found Spencer with another girl and I went with him. I was so stupid."
"Hey," Ben said softly. I looked up at him, expecting to see the same anger that my brother was so clearly exhibiting. Instead I saw compassion and I relaxed. I reached for his hand. Spencer tried to reach for my other hand but I pulled away quickly.
"Why are you here?" I asked hoarsely.
"Where else would I be baby?" He asked. I laughed harshly.
"I don't know, how about with the girl you fucked last night?" I asked sarcastically.
"I knew it," Eric yelled. "I knew there had to be a reason she ended up alone. You bastard, you let this happen to her." He flew across the room and punched Spencer in the face. I don't know if he would have stopped but two men ran in and pulled him away from him.
"Whoa, whoa calm down," one of the men ordered. I realized they were police detectives. I wondered if they had been waiting outside.
"It's his fault," Eric cried. "He was supposed to be with her."
"She's the one who ran off," Spencer argued.
"Stop," Ben ordered. The room fell still as he stood up. I forgot sometimes how imposing he could be. "This isn't helping Avery."
"Spencer, you should leave," I said quietly. "Please don't come back." Spencer looked like he might protest but when he met Ben's glare he turned abruptly and left. I looked up at Ben towering over me and felt safer. "I don't want to talk to the police."
"Avery you need to tell them what happened so that they can catch the guy who did this to you," Eric told me. I looked down at myself. I must have been on painkillers because I couldn't feel anything but I could see a lot of bruises and bandages.
"I think he might kill me," I admitted. "I thought so last night. That's why I ran as soon as he was asleep."
"Who?" One of the detectives stepped closer. "Who did this to you honey? Can you start from the beginning?"
"I went with him," I whispered. "I let him get me alone in his apartment. I was upset because I found Spencer with another girl and I went with him. I was so stupid."