My feet are dangling off the edge

"No hunter play it with an e minor" I said as hunter groaned before picking up the guitar again.

"This better sound good" he groaned and I laughed

"Play it"

He started playing the string of chords we had already written down then added the e minor at the end making his face light up.

He stopped and cheered

"Fucking genius!"

He quickly scribbled down on the notebook paper he had hanging on his lap with the song we had been working on for weeks.

It was mid April and a few months since I met hunter. Since that day,everyday after school unless something came up we came back to my house or his house and played music together.

It started off with just me and him singing while he played guitar but we soon started to fool around with recording little covers or our own songs at his house. Since I played bass and drums i covered those parts and he handled the guitar.

I didn't share any of the songs with anybody but hunter and occasionally Ashley if I needed help on a bass part but that was it.

My goal was to find more people to be in the band, to get somewhere with this but right now, I was lucky to have what I had.

" so how's the lyrics going on this?" He asked and I looked down at my own lap seeing my paper filled with scribbled words, eraser marks and grey smears.

"See for yourself"

I chucked it at his face and he laughed grabbing it and pushing the guitar on the bed before focussing on the book. I watched his face as it broke into a smile as his eyes read deeper down the page.

"Not bad purdy not bad" he said still looking at the lyrics

I smiled as he handed it softly back to me. Lyrics were what I was best at. He wrote all of the music I added the lyrics, I loved mixing words together, I lived for it.

"Thanks"

He sighed before groaning and stretching his body out.

"Lets go do something I can't sit like this for much longer"

I laughed before nodding and getting up putting my book on my desk as hunter threw his on top if mine and placed the guitar on a black stand beside it.

I picked up my phone and saw the time read 4:00.

"How about Taco Bell? " he asked pulling on his black rude jacket.

" like you had to ask" I said sarcastically as I put my own sweatshirt on and walked out my door flicking the light off on the way.

"True sorry " he said as we both skipped down the wooden stairs.

I walked down the hall hunter following slowly behind me as we went to the living room.

"Wow shocker seeing you guys here" I said walking in and seeing everyone in the living room.

"Well hello to you too" cc said from the couch beside me and I flicked his head.

"Hey hunter" jake said and hunter smiled

"Hey"

"So we were just talking about what's going on for tomorrow" Ashley said and I looked a him

"What's going on tomorrow?" I asked having no idea

They all laughed

"do you just tune us out?" Ella asked and I shrugged

"Mainly you"

She chuckled flipping me off before I walked over and fell info the couch beside cc, hunter siting next to me.

Ashley was on the other side of cc and Jake, Ella, and Jinxx were on the other couch Andy sitting in a chair.

"tomorrow Julia's coming" jake said and I nodded I forgot she was moving down here again, I guess she lived here when she was younger and now was coming here.

They were all very clear that since I would be seeing a lot of her that I needed to meet her, apparently we would be good friends.

"Oh that's cool"

They chuckled

"We wanted to know if you wanted to come to the airport" cc asked and I shook my head

" why not?" Jinxx asked raising an eyebrow and i shrugged

" I don't know her so it's weird to go pick her up from the airport with you guys" I said and they sighed before nodding

"Fine, that's true"

"Ill stay with you then and well do something tomorrow" Ashley said and I smiled nodding.

He's been trying to spend more time with me alone, taking me out sometimes just for rides or anything and I liked it.

"But sometime next week you are meeting her" he added and I sighed before nodding.

It wasn't that I didn't want to meet her, I did I really did, she seemed awesome in my opinion but it was all my paranoia and anxiety.

I was scared to meet new people and her past freaked me out a little, not that mine was any better but. Today was Saturday so I knew by Tuesday I'd probably be meeting her so I had to push my fears aside.

" wait who's Julia?" Hunter asked

"My cousin" jake said and hunters eyes light up

"There's more of you?" Hunter exclaimed and we all laughed

" how old is she?"

"She's 17 shell be a senior next year" jake added and hunter nodded looking at him

"Can I date her?"

Everyone started laughing as jake rubbed his face

"No, no you can not" he said as I laughed harder

"Why not, I can marry her and well take her last name so I can be hunter Pitts!" He said smiling

They all laughed harder

Hunter got pretty used to them after about two weeks even jake but it didn't mean that he didn't joke constantly about his obsession.

"And on that note I think it's time to go" I said standing up as they all laughed again

"Let me guess, Taco Bell?" Andy asked

"Well duh" I said and they shook their heads

"You're going to die from too much Taco Bell"JInxx said and I went to protest but shut up.

"Ehh probably" Hunter got up also as we left the living room

"We will be back soon"

"Bye!" They all called out and I smiled walking out the front door and to hunters small red car.

We got in and he turned the car on the sounds of Beartooth blasting throughout the tiny car. He pulled out silently and started driving. After a few minutes he turned down the radio

" so you don't seem so excited to meet Julia" he said and I let out a breath and started to trace circles into my leg like I did as a distraction.

"it's not that, it's just I don't know I told you about will" I said and I saw him glance at me as he nodded

It wasn't that I didn't want to meet her it was that I was unsure about people who did that stuff. It sparked too many memories

" I just get nervous with that stuff it's fine don't worry" I said smiling and he nodded pulling into the Mexican fast food place.

"Lets go get our tacos!" He cheered before hoping out of the car and I followed close behind slamming the car door just as he was running into the store.

I followed behind him walking in just as he was at the counter ordering for both of us as usual. He payed for the food and we stepped to the side waiting for only 5 minutes before the food came and we grabbed it walking to a table and sitting down.

We both ate in silence mostly because he was too busy shoving two burritos in his mouth to make conversation. I finished mine just as he finished his and stood up.

"Ready? I got to get to the siblings before a fire starts" he said I chuckled laughing before standing up my face instantly paling.

"Hey what's wrong?" He asked then followed my gaze to the table next to the door.

Will was smiling his evil smile before he stood up and I grabbed hunters arm in a panic.

"That's will"

He tensed as will came closer

" just stay calm ill get us out okay?" He asked and I nodded as hunter went in front of me just as will came up.

"We'll hello there Jessica"

I peered around at him

"Hey man were just trying to get by" hunter said trying to walk around him but will got in his way

"I don't think I asked you" he said

"We'll I don't think I asked you either so just fucking move" he growled shoving will back.

Will went to lunge but hunter grabbed my hand as dragged me past him and out the door. He let go of my hand and we both jumped in the car slamming the doors shut as he locked the doors.

Will ran out and hunter shoved the car into reverse before peeling out.

I leaned back into the seat breathing heavy and looked over seeing him smiling

"How's that for adventure?"

I chuckled shoving his arm

"Thank you"

"Anytime" he said saluting me

--
"Thanks again" I said getting out

"Anytime don't worry about it" he said and I smiled shutting the door and walking up the stairs to the house pushing the door open.

I walked into the living room seeing Ashley sitting there. He smiled at me

"Hey, how was your Taco Bell trip?"

I groaned before falling into the couch next to him.

"It was good beside the fact that will was there"

He tensed and turned to me grabbing my face

"Did he hurt you?are you okay?"

I laughed and pushed him off me

"I'm fine I'm fine we left it was okay" I said and he sighed in relief

"I worry sorry"

I shook my head.

"It's okay but I'm fine"

He kissed my head

"So are you exited to meet Julia?"

I groaned again

" you're really scared to meet her aren't you?" I nodded but then Shrugged

"Not scared exactly I just don't know ,you know that stuff scare me" I said and he nodded

"I know Jess the whole will situation"

I shook my head making him look at me

"It's not that, although that keeps me from sleeping at night but the real reason was before I met you." I said and Ashley looked at me I had never truly told him about what happened and I felt like I needed to give him answers.

" the dad, Bryan, he was big on drugs and alcohol and he- he would come home mid day while the mom was a work and the kids were always gone and he just he just went crazy" I said starting to shake as the memories started flooding back.

Ashley looks at me concerned and touched my arm.

"Crazy how Jess?" He asked and I clawed at my head slightly

"Jess , tell me please I think I'm finally uncovering something here , your depression the way you get timid by alcohol and the way you haven't been sleeping this is affecting you and I need to know you need to let it out"

"He- he would come up to my room and hit me when I was little like 7 he would shove me and yell at me and just be brutal"

"Then when I turned 12 he, he got worse" I said and I saw Ashley pale

"Jess what did he do" he asked and I shook my head violently refusing to say anything.

"Jess you need to tell me"

I started to cry harder feeling my air start to get harder to take in. The memory, the first time came stumbling into my mind, the ring I've been trying to get rid of and had finally started to, now came crumbling on me.

"Jess, Jess what did he do?" Ashley asked and i shook my head

"I can't tell you"

"You can Jess" he said rubbing my back I know he knew he just needed to hear me say it.

"No because if I say it ill feel dirty because that's what I am." I said an he shook his head

"Jessica"

I took in a breath before closing my eyes.

"He raped me" I said softly through tears.

I know he heard though because he grabbed me and pulled me into his chest as I started to sob out.

"I was only 12 and he did it and I couldn't stop him, it's my fault maybe if I yelle louder or struggled more I could've stopped it" I said and he shook his head whipping my tears.

"No Jessica it's not your fault" I stayed quiet

"I'm so dirty and used , I just , I can't take it all these years no matter how hard I scrub my body I can't get clean and the will situation is the only reason why this all came back."

"It's okay Jess he was a sick man, a very sick man"

"But it happened so many times like every week" I sobbed

"I know it's okay it's all over its just a terrible memory I have you okay?" He soothed holding me tighter as I cried into him.

I let it all out as he held me, not how I intended this day to go but I'm happy I got it out, Ashley needed to know. As my sobs turned to hiccups and sharp intakes of breath Ashley rubbed my back more

"I'm glad you got it out, remember it's all over now, I'm so sorry I wasn't there to keep you safe , I'm so sorry but I'm here now and mark my words no one will ever do anything like that to you again you hear me?" He asked and I nodded against his chest.

He lifted my head and I stared into his caring eyes that brimmed with tears them self.

"Hey, I mean it" he said and I smiled slightly as he kissed my forehead.

" I know you do"

I laid back against his chest as he rubbed my back

"I'm never going to let them hurt you" he said quietly and with every ounce of my heart, I believed him.

Notes