Silenced

Chapter 22- Malfunction

Chapter 22

Malfunction

August Griffin

It had been days since what happened with the stalker. I did

Mr. Donovan told me to get rid of my phone and I did. He ran a thorough search on the old one but came up with nothing. I hadn't seen Kai outside of school in a while. I sighed at the thought.

Apparently he made a friend at his therapist office. A girl. My thoughts bounced around. Was Kai straight? I didn't even know. I was just pining after him, not even knowing if there was even a possibility of it coming true. I shook the ideas from my head as I walked.

They had been hanging out a lot. It was nice to know that he was having fun, like a normal teenager. It was good for him, to have friends.

The building was nearly empty being as it was after school. I was heading to the field to practice, even though there wasn't an official practice. I just wanted to since I had been so distracted lately and haven't gotten a chance to practice on my own.

My phone rang as I walked through the school's hallway. I looked at the caller id. It said Kai.

I stopped, causing the few people behind me to stumble. They mumbled curse words as they walked around me. I rose my brow. It was a nearly empty hallway, why were they so close to begin with? I refocused on the buzzing phone in my hand.

Was this another trick? Kai wouldn't call me. He didn't talk. He barely texted.

I hung up and started walking. Before I could even move, the phone began to ring again and I hung up again. The third time it rang, I found myself picking up.

"Hello? "I said hesitantly.

"Hello?! Is this August? "A girl's panicked voice asked.

"Yes?" I asked, slightly confused.

"This is Victoria, Kai's friend. I don't know what to do. I need your help. "

"What happened? " I asked.

"I don't know!" She yelled.

"Calm down. "

"He just started freaking out. He's like hyperventilating or something! I don't know what to do and his dad want picking up. "

"You need to calm down. Both of you panicking isn't helping anyone." I said as calmly as I could.

She inhaled loudly and exhaled.

"Okay. "

"What happened? " I asked, heading out of the building.

"Kai had a free period so I asked him if he wanted to go and get lunch with me since I don't have class today. And I picked up him up from your school and I drove us to this place a couple from there. And before we got out of the car, he just froze and started breathing heavily. " she said in one breath.

"What's the name of the place?"

"Shake Shack."

"I'm on my way. Just wait for me. Do your best to keep him calm.  "

I hung up and walked around my car to the drivers seat. I quickly got in and drove down to Shake Shack.

It took me less than five minutes to get there. I looked around the parking lot until I spotted them. You could see the panic in Victoria's eyes. I parked in a rush and basically jumped out of the car. I walked over to them, to him.

His hands were tightly clenched in fists. His eyes were closed but you could see the movement still. His breathing was erratic and shallow.

"Keep calling his dad until he picks up." I told Victoria.

Victoria nodded and moved out of the way and I went next to him. I gently took one of his fists in the hands. He opened his eyes slowly.

"Kai, what's wrong?" I spoke softly.

His hands remained the same. His eyes remained the same. His breathing remained the same.

"It's okay. You can tell me. You're safe here. No one is going to hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you, okay?"

I moved closer to him.

"Tell me what's wrong."

He looked at me, his eyes teary. His hand opened and squeezed mine.

I couldn't help but think about how close we were, even though he was scared. I couldn't help but think about how pretty his eyes were, even with tears in them. I couldn't help but think how much I love him, even in this moment.

He blinked. And blinked again. Tears wetting his eyelashes every time.

"You can tell me." I whispered pressing my head against his.

He sniffled and closed his eyes again.

"I saw him." He whispered so softly that I thought that I had imagined it at first.

Everything slowed down. His voice. It was... His voice was so beautiful. It had been years since I heard it. I let it sink in, embracing the way it sounded, enjoying the way it hit my ears, endearing the way it made me feel. I closed my eyes.

His low sniffle pulled me out of my thoughts.

"What?" I asked to be sure.

He looked up at me but said nothing.

"You saw him. Him?" I repeated with emphasis on the last word. I looked him, hoping that I would prompt him to soak again. So that I could hear him again. Only God knows what I would do to hear him again.

He only nodded. My heart fell a little but I moved past it.

Him? As in the guy that kidnapped and held him for years? As in the guy that changed the course of his life? As in the guy that hurt him forever?

I cursed in my head.

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. I looked to Victoria who was frantically pressing buttons on her phone screen. I turned back to Kai.

I looked him in his eyes and said, "It's okay. "

His eyes flickered around. I watched the glossy green orbs search my eyes for truth. He bit his lip before pulling me in and burying his face into my neck.

I froze, doing everything I could to make him stay close to me, to make him stay here on me, to make him stay safe with me. I hugged him back and we stayed there.

In our own world. Ignoring that his was falling apart around us.

*******
Sorry Again. I'm Bad At Updating.

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