Tangled Love

CHAPTER 75

"We think you should go back to live with your mother. You're not eighteen yet and we don't think this isthe best environment for a young teenager."

I stare at her dumbfounded, my mouth hung open unattractively. For so long I always questionedwhether the police would really help me or not and today I found out the answer. . . They wouldn't.

"Trevor beats her and you want her to go back to that hell hole?" Jake says, breaking the silence. Iblink a few times, unable to believe her words.

This can not be happening. No way.

I sit there in silence, my body frozen as the sound of Jake's protests float around me. How can thesystem designed to keep me safe recommend that I go back to the abuse? I don't understand it. I feelmy lungs tighten and it becomes difficult to breathe. A grey fog builds inside my mind and I stand to myfeet, wavering a little.

"Excuse me," I mumble under my breath, my words shaky and barely audible. My feet begin to moveinvoluntarily and I find myself storming up the stairs, wanting to get away from the officers as much aspossible. My hands glide against the walls, keeping me standing upright as I stumble across thelanding. My breathing hitches and I suck in harshly, desperately needing the tight hold on my lungs toloosen.

I see an open door and stumble inside, blinking to remove the fog from my vision. My back hits the walland I inhale deeply, squeezing my eyes shut.

"What the hell are you doing in my room?"

I blink and catch eye contact with Tobias. He's lying on his bed, shirtless whilst propped up against hiscushions. There's a questioning glare on his face and I open my mouth to respond but no sound comes

out. The buzzing inside my ears intensifies and once Tobias notices the expression on my face, hestands up. I watch as he walks towards me, his dark eyes flashing with concern.

"What's going on? Are you okay?" He asks me. I nod my head even though I'm not okay. I can hear theofficer shout my name up the stairs and I squeeze my eyes shut again, shaking my head.

"Please don't tell them I'm here." I whisper and Tobias nods, walking over to close his door. I take thechance to slide down onto the floor, pulling my knees towards my chest. Images of Trevor and Mumcloud my mind and I shake my head, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"I cant go back. I can't go back." I whisper, feeling the tears invade my mouth. It's growing increasinglyharder to breathe and I feel myself grow light headed, desperate for oxygen.

"Emily?" Tobias asks, his voice full of unease. I'm aware of his presence but it does nothing to calm medown. Instead I'm embarrassed by Tobias seeing me like this, midway through a panic attack.

"Why does everything keep going wrong?" I whimper, my vision restricted from the tears in my eyes.Tobias leans down beside me and placed one hand on my knee.

"Talk to me, what did the police say?" He asks but the inability to breathe finally catches up with me.Black spots cover my vision and I groan as I feel myself lose control over my body. My eyes flutter shutand I know I'm seconds away from passing out. I vaguely hear a door slamming open and Jake's angryvoice fill the air. Before I have the chance to make sense of his words, my eyes roll to the back of myhead and finally the invisible fist squeezing my lungs finally lets go.

My eyes flicker open and I automatically bring my hand up to shield them from the bright sun that'sstreaming through the window. The light bounces off the wall, directed straight at me.

Why must you be so bright Mother Nature?

My head throbs painfully and I tried lifting it, groaning louder from the sudden pain it was causing me.

"Damn," I croak out but immediately regret it, feeling the sharp sting hit my throat. I felt like I had beenhit by a truck.

I inhale deeply, the memories of my panic attack coming back to me. It felt so damn good to be able tobreath again.novelbin

I reach over Jake's bedside table, glad to stretch my arm and lift the glass of water that was left there.The liquid feels amazing and I gulp it down, my body craving the hydration. I set the glass back downand wipe my mouth with the back of my hand before pulling the cover's away from my body. Bright pinkunicorn covered pyjama's stare back at me and I frown further.

Who changed my clothes?

I climb out of bed, stretching my legs as I do so. Jake's room is clean beside from the unmade bed I'mlying in. His weights are neatly stacked in the corner of the room beside his punching bag. I take a fewsteps away from the bed and stumble a little, feeling foreign on my feet.

How long was I out for?