Austin

I was in the car and driving to her house before I could even process what was I was doing.

I couldn't believe the rumours. I remembered the way my whole body tensed when Levi told me. The way I felt nauseous at the words. The way my knees felt weak when I thought of how scared she must have been.

I could kill him. I wanted to. That fucking tool bag, entitled asshole.

I knew something was wrong deep inside with Seren. I had known it from the day I slid down that wall beside her. She looked broken that day, the way her head was slouched into her arms. The way her eyes held a shadow in them. There wasn't much life left in them that day. I could see it, easily.

I never expected it to be this, yet at the same time... I wasn't really surprised that it was him. Everyone saw the way he looked at her.

The rumours at school were mixed, but they all revolved around the same thing. That Jax fucking Harrington was arrested for the rape of Seren Garcia. My hands clutched my steering wheel with rage as I repeated the words in my head. I could see the way my skin pulled tightly over my knuckles.

There were some people who didn't believe her. They said she was crying rape. They didn't believe her because they didn't see the look in her eyes. They didn't look at her carefully, as I had begun to. They didn't see her. I did.

I saw her. Yet, I didn't help her. I didn't even ask her what was wrong. All I did was supply the fucking weed to get her high out of her mind. All I did was feed her alcohol and watch as her sadness melted away. I thought she was just sad. I thought she was depressed. I didn't realize she was in fucking danger.

I pulled into her driveway, not bothering to straighten my wheels correctly as I slammed the car into park. I barely paused to collect myself as I exited my car and ran up to her front door. I wasn't sure what to expect. I had never met any of Seren's family. I didn't even know who she lived with. I didn't even know if she had any family. I didn't know anything about her.

I shook my head as I remembered her words, the last time that I saw her.

You're one of my only friends, Austin.

I should have done something. I should have helped her. I could have helped her. I could have beaten that motherfucker's ass so badly that he wouldn't dare to try and touch another girl for as long as he lived. I should have done that. I wish I had done that. For her, and for every other girl who he has laid his poisonous hands on.

I knocked on the door, three hard bangs with the sides of my fists. I couldn't stay still as I waited for someone to answer the door. I was anxious to see her. I was anxious to make sure she was okay.

Even though I knew she wasn't. How could she be okay?

Finally, after a couple long moments, the door creeped open. A middle aged man with greying black hair answered the door. He had reading glasses perched on the end of his nose, and he looked at me through them with a look of apprehension. I knew what he was thinking, it was the same thing that any of the parents I've ever met thought when they met me. Distrust, and suspicion.

And I couldn't blame them, with the kind of clothes that I wore and the tattoo that was bold across my neck. I expected it, but sometimes it still hurt.

"Who are you?" The man asked immediately. He had only opened the door an inch or two, no doubt fearing the worst.

"I'm Austin. Can I see Seren?" I asked quickly. I didn't have time for pleasantries. I just needed to see her.

"Why are you looking for my daughter?" The man asked me, looking me up and down.

"I'm her friend." I said sternly. I heard the pain in my voice and I wonder if he did too.

"Look, son, Seren isn't up for visitors right now." He went to close the door, but I stuck my foot out so he was unable to.

"Please." I said immediately, almost cutting him off. "I'm her friend. I want to help her. I won't hurt her."

I said those words because I knew that's what he was thinking. I couldn't blame him for it. I doubt I would trust any boy again if my daughter went through what Seren went through.

The man sighed, seemingly thinking as he tilted his head at me. He opened the door wider, and I felt hope that he might actually let me in.

"Austin, was it?" He asked me, and I quickly nodded. "She's not doing well."

I felt my stomach drop at his words. I don't know why. In what world could she possible be doing well?

He paused for another moment, before opening the door for me. I quickly entered the house, not pausing to take in my surroundings. He pointed to the stairs, and I didn't even take my shoes off before bounding up them.

"Austin." I halted at her dad's use of my name. I paused, and turned my head back towards him. "Keep the door open."

I nodded again, before taking the stairs two at a time. It was easy to see which one her door was. It was painted a pale pink, with butterfly stickers all over it. I frowned as I faced it. It wasn't her. It wasn't her at all.

I knocked, three times again. She didn't answer, so I kept knocking. It was on my ninth knock that she swung the door open. I could tell she was surprised to see me, but I didn't care. All I cared about was that she looked like a living zombie. Her eyes had bright red rings around them, like she had been crying for days. Her hair was sitting at the top of her head, and I wasn't sure if it was tied there or just knotted in place. Her skin was pale, sickly like she hadn't seen the sun for days. Her mouth was trembling, and her hands were too.

I sighed deeply at the sight of her. She looked defeated.

Completely defeated, and it broke my heart into pieces.