Page 256 of Releasing 10
“Don’t!”Roughly shaking her hand off, my girlfriend spun around to glare at my sister. “Don’t defend what you don’t know.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “Youdon’tknow what I know.” She sucked in a shuddering breath. “Youdidn’tsee what I saw.”
Claire looked to me, eyes pleading, and I subtly shook my head. There was no point in arguing. Not about this. Not when they were in the same vicinity as each other. We’d tried that before, and it didn’t go down well.
With a torn expression etched on her face, Claire backed away slowly before turning around and heading in search of Gibsie.
“Breathe,” I instructed, stepping in front of Liz to shield her from everyone’s view. “It’s okay.” Placing my hands on her trembling shoulders, I forced her to look at me. “Justbreathe.”
“I need to leave.” Swallowing down a hysterical sob, she reached up and swatted the tears from her cheeks, while her entire body shook violently. “I need to gonow.” The frantic look in her eyes assured me that she was moments away from losing it in front of everyone.
“Come on.” Wrapping my arm around her, I drew her into my side and quickly walked us into the house. Claire could deal with everyone else. “I’ve got you.”
“I kn-know he d-did it!” she choked out, barely able to breathe from the force of her cries. “I kn-know he r-raped my s-sister!”
“It’s okay,” I coaxed, leading her through the kitchen and into the hall. “I’ve got you.”
Bringing her here was a mistake.
It was cruel.
“I r-remember the s-sounds, H-Hugh. And h-his sm-smell. I w-was th-there!” Her fingers knotted in my shirt. “I k-know the t-truth and n-nobody b-believes me!”
“I do, Liz.” Guiding her up the staircase, I kept a tight hold of her waist, knowing that this could go south quickly. “I believe you.”
“I s-swear I’m t-telling the t-truth,” she strangled out, clinging to my body as I led her into my room. “I j-just c-can’t pr-prove it.”
“Where’s your bag, Liz?” Setting her down on my bed, I crouched down in front of her and gently peeled my shirt from her fingers. “Hmm.” Reaching up, I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before wiping a tear from her cheek. “Where’s your bag, baby?”
“O-over t-there,” she heaved out, chest rising and falling in a frantic pattern as she pointed toward the door. “B-but I’m n-not c-crazy, H-Hugh.”
“I know you’re not.” Rising to my feet, I made a beeline to retrieve the bag. “You know I don’t think that, Liz.” Unzipping her rucksack, I rummaged through the contents until my hand closed around the familiar bottle labeledClonazepam. “I would never think that about you.” Unscrewing the cap, I poured the lone pill into my palm. She only carried around one at a time because her mother was a smart woman. “Open your mouth, baby.”
“No, n-no, n-no!” The sight of the pill caused Lizzie’s entire expression to cave, and she dropped her head in her hands, crying even more hysterically than before. “I am s-so f-fucking s-ick of t-tablets!”
“Me too,” I replied, and that wasn’t a lie. I didn’t want to fill her up with medication. I fucking hated it. But I alsoremembered last summer and knew what would happen if this wasn’t stamped out fast. After last time, her mother had given me explicit instructions on what to do. Ihadto calm her down.
“Please, Liz,” I begged, loathing the words as they came out of my mouth. “Please do this for me.”
Sniffling, she snatched the pill out of my hand with her trembling one and shoved it in her mouth.
Any relief I felt from her complying was eclipsed by devastation when she looked at me with betrayal in her eyes.
“I love you.” Crouching back down in front of her, I held her tearstained face between my hands and tried to explain myself. “Do you hear me? I love you so much that itkillsme to see you hurting like this.” Swallowing down a lump in my throat, I continued to look at her as I spoke. “I’m not trying to hurt you, Liz.”I would die first. “I only want to help you.”
She clenched her eyes shut, blocking me out.
Still, I persevered. “I know you hate the medication.” A tear dropped from her lashes, landing on my thumb. “And I know you hate all the doctor visits.” Another tear dropped. “But I also know that you’renotcrazy.”
Her breath audibly hitched, and she leaned into my touch as a pained sob tore from what sounded like her soul.
“You’re going to get through this.” Using my shoulder, I quickly wiped the tears from my own cheek, voice cracking with emotion. “And I’m going to be right here with you for all of it.”
Sniffling, she reached a hand up and covered my hand with hers.
“I’m not leaving,” I vowed hoarsely. “I’m staying right here with you.”
Exhaling a ragged breath, she sagged forward and rested her forehead against mine. “N-no m-matter w-what?”
“Yeah, Liz.” I clenched my eyes shut and exhaled a ragged breath. “No matter what.”
