ᴛʜɪʀᴅ ᴘᴏᴠ

𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴

tw - mentions of suicide

♛♛♛

For the past two hours, the ringing in her ears has not yet stopped. Everything in her vicinity served as a constant reminder of what had occurred in those last two hours.

When she notices movement in front of her, she looks up to see two police officers, one male and one female.

They stand in front of her, towering and intimidating.

"Miss Alexis, may we speak with you for a moment?"

Hazel stared at the woman, her bloodshot eyes filled with fear and pain. She nodded hesitantly as she stood with the blanket wrapped over her frail figure.

They escorted her into a white room that resembled an office more than an interrogation station. She sat down as the male officer motioned her to do so.

The one in front of her sat at her desk with a notebook in her hand, while the other stood to the side, leaning against the wall, peering intently at her with deeply concerned eyes.

"We understand that what you witnessed was traumatic for you, especially considering the fact that it was your sister."

The woman was attempting to be cautious, if not light. But every word she spoke paralysed Hazel even more than she was already petrified.

Maybe it was the reality of what had happened, the fact that what she hadn't digested was still fresh and new, hanging in the air like a dirty scent.

She could still smell the blood on her hands, despite the fact that she'd cleaned them far too many times.

"However, whenever you're at comfortable and ready, we'd appreciate it if you could tell us what occurred before you entered the scene."

No.

She couldn't.

As more tears silently rolled down her cheeks, she shook her head, refusing.

The pain had become unbearable. Every second of the previous two hours was replayed in her memory, and she couldn't even get a word out.

The woman cooed, "We understand Hazel." Despite her best efforts to console her, Hazel felt compelled to remark that she understand.

"But we need you to tell us, or just try for us, honey,"

Hazel felt under pressure now, while she exhaled a trembling breath. They clearly needed answers to their questions, but Hazel was unsure if she could even talk.

"Okay," She breathed out, barely.

The woman nodded and the man then spoke.

"Did you have any indication that your sister was suicidal or contemplating suicide?"

And with those words, Hazel had her very first panic attack.

It's been four weeks without hearing or seeing Julius.

Four long torturous weeks.

She was tempted to call him or even message him to see if he was okay. But she didn't.

Fuelling the worry that she was bothering him was going to stick to her like glue with all the thinking she'd been doing lately.

So, she waited for him to text her.

College was about to end, and she had invited Percy down to the college cafe for a catch-up.

These past few weeks, she and Percy had become exceptionally close. He was still blunt and closed off, but he said these ridiculously hilarious comments that had Hazel giggling and Percy cracking a small smile when he saw her laugh.

Therefore, you could say Hazel and Percy were quite the catch now.

Hazel walked inside the warm cafe, the cool air around her was tendering her skin dry on most days, which lead her to buy more than a week's worth of moisturiser.

She took a seat near the window, peering out the glass at the life outside their college.

Hazel had ordered two hot chocolates when a waitress came over to take her order, knowing that Percy enjoys them as much as she does.

The cafe's door had chimed after the waitress had departed, and in walked black-haired, green-eyed Percy.

As he entered, his tall form unnerved everyone in his path, with his normal scowl and set narrowed eyes on his visage. Spite of the fact that there were less eyes on him, he seemed unconcerned or unaware as he searched for Hazel.

Hazel stood, lightly waving at him to get his attention. His gaze quickly shifted to her, and he strode swiftly through the tables to reach her.

When he sat down at their table, she sat back down, dropping his black bag next him as he slumped into the seat. Lazily spreading his legs and sinking his body low in the seat.

He greeted Hazel with a single nod, and she returned the welcome with a wide grin.

"How are you, Percy? By the way, I've already received an order for hot chocolate for the two of us." Regardless, she saw him take up the menu, his hungry eyes examining the meal selections.

"Thanks, Hazel. You gonna eat anything?" Behind the long lashes he was gifted with, he peered up at her. She leant forwards on her forearms and shook her head.

"Nope, you?"

He licked his lips and kept his gaze going back and forth between the options. "I'm fuckin' starving," He grumbled out, leaving Hazel to giggle the slightest.

After a few moments of Hazel chatting about her day, Percy listening attentively, nodding his head and humming occasionally, their orders had finally arrived.

Percy had ordered the Friday special, a Chicken Schnitzel Burger, and Hazel had gotten her hot chocolate with marshmallows on the side.

They fell silent as Percy delved into his meal and Hazel sipped her rich, chocolatey hot chocolate.

"So, you heard from the big man yet?" He asked her, slumping back in his chair as he chewed with his mouth closed.

Hazel bit her bottom lip anonymously, whoever he was mentioned it was to always make her heart race with every emotion within her.

"No. Have you?" She peered up at him, wondrous eyes blazing into Percy's bored ones.

He cleared his throat, looking back down to his food. "Nah, but I've heard he's been doing business up in Italy."

Her eyes bugged and curiosity shoots up her spine like an awful chill crawling your skin.

"Really? Italy. Woah." She looked flabbergasted outside the window, uncomfortable by how far away Julius was from her.

"You good?" Percy asked, leaning forward in his seat to get a better view of her.

She turned back to him, smiling and nodding. "Yeah, was just surprised that's all."

Before Percy could question her any further, or give her a look that said he knew something was up, Hazel changed the subject. A certain topic Hazel had learnt Percy loved to talk about even though he puts a wall up every time she mentions him.

"How's little Jamie doing?"

Percy takes another bite, staring at her while doing so.

"Good," He mumbled, chewing and swallowing his bite down.

"He likes some chick at his school,"

Hazel snorted at his choice of words, but then also registered his words and realised that Jamie has a crush.

"Oh my gosh," She blushes and squeezes her cheeks together. "How cute, what's her name?"

"Sarah."

Hazel gushed on further, expressing how adorable it was, only having Percy grunt in acknowledgement.

Furthermore, Hazel talked about one of her patients she had last night at work, all cut up and bruised, she had almost sent him to the hospital because of how horrible it was but the man refused to go.

Percy went nearly tense amongst her talking, every word she had blurted seemed to cause that tension to rise and rise more.

"Wow," Percy expressed with a short raise of his brows, clearing his throat right after. "Guess there's a lot of shady shit going on,"

Hazel hummed in agreement, oblivious to the fact that her answer was in front of her.

"You ready to go?" He asked her as he fished out a couple of bills from his pocket, paying for both.

"Oh, don't worry about me–

He silenced her with a scowl and a glare, which successfully silenced her.

As they began heading out of the cafe, Hazel overheard her name being bellowed from a table as they passed by.

"That's the bitch that's got Julius all over her,"

And then her heartbeat stopped and dropped to the floor in anguish.

One of the other girls scoffed, in agreement it seemed. "The fuck? How did she manage to get him?"

Her feet appeared to have come to a halt before she could escape the ear harassment, but they had only come to a halt because the boy in front of her had also come to a complete halt.

As his head snapped towards the table of three, his face was dead, with a cold, terrifying glare in his eyes.

Those girls' faces dropped as they realised the two had heard, and Percy was already striding over to them before she could stop him.

"You wanna say it to her face, Clementine?"

He pressed his hands on the table, leaning down looking at the girl with a clenched jaw and furious eyes.

"It's Chloe," The girl stuttered and looked over him briefly.

He chuckled dryly and dropped his head down in fake amusement. "I don't give a fuck. Apologise, now." He demands, standing and walking behind her, pulling her seat out from the table and directly pointing it at Hazel.

Everyone stared at them.

Everyone.

With red cheeks, the girl looked up at Hazel with fear. "Sorry," She muttered and swung her feet below her.

Percy shook his head again, his black hair falling over his eyes as he moved away and stormed out of the cafe.

Hazel was still spinning from shock, and she didn't want to be left alone in there, so she rushed following him.

Her eyes were fixed on the dark figure across the road, as the wind whipped on her cheeks and naked arms.

"Percy!" She yelled after him, he turned to her, a half-smirk on his lips.

"Talk soon, Hazel. Gotta get to work,"

With that, he got into a black Benz that pulled up beside him and took off within seconds.

Hazel has never, ever been more confused in her life.

But Percy had just stuck up for her, even when she wouldn't have done that herself for a million dollars.

She'd forever be grateful.

♛♛♛

Tonight was hell.

For the first time, in a long time, Hazel's parents fought.

When they were both extremely drunk, her mother would frequently use the words 'ungrateful' or 'divorce' around her husband.

She would complain about how, as a husband and father, he did so little around the family. "I'm going to file for a divorce tomorrow morning, just you wait," she would often threaten.

However, by the next morning, they had forgotten about the previous night. Or they did remember, but they never talked about it.

Of course, these were drunken insults, and it was verbal abuse in the string of words, but when they were sober, they'd never fight.

Tonight was one of those times when she yelled and he remained mute, likely because he was still heartless and cold from his too many glasses of Vodka.

"Fuck you!" From downstairs, she heard her mother's voice muffled. Her hands smacked onto a counter, and her glass shattered along with it.

Hazel wasn't surprised.

Eventually, they'd be out of glasses and her parents would have to go buy more.

Hazel shoved her earphones into her ears, scrolling through her Spotify playlists until finding her calming goddess, Lana Del Rey.

Her voice had a soothing timbre that covered the walls of oppression with only poetic musical lyrics.

Hazel leant against her bed frame and closed her eyes as she hummed along to the music.

Her mind wasn't in the right place. She still had to depict the events of today at the cafe, as well as the fact that Julius was torturing her mind.

Not even seconds later, her phone rang.

The music stopped and her phone buzzed, leaving her eyes to snap open to the phone.

And her heart dropped for the second time today.

That was the caller ID. Juls.

Shaking out of her shock, her index finger tapped onto the green answer button.

Silence.

Utter silence.

Oh, the way her body shuddered from the sound of that deep, familiar rumble.

"Oh, hi Juls," Her tone came out neutral as if she hadn't just spent minutes thinking about him and his pretty gaze.

She almost folded into two and turned into jello.

That nickname would live in her head and heart forever, and hearing it in his soulless, low voice would play over and over in her mind like a record.

"How are you? I heard you're in Italy at the moment?"

He chuckled. A deep, dark chuckle.

"Oh, wow,"

She tried hard to hide the disappointment in her tone, knowing still how far he was from her and that the fact he still wasn't coming back to her yet.

The word 'soon' was becoming her least favourite phrase. She might even cross it out in every dictionary if she heard it again.

"Well, I miss you. And there's something super important that I need to let you know when you come home,"

Yes, Hazel had gathered up all the courage in her system, along with the encouragement of her other best friends, Gracie and Trace, to let Julius know she liked him.

Like him more than a best friend.

He said rather huskily. Hazel nodded, knowing well that he couldn't see. "Definitely. So hurry back soon, please?"

She sounded desperate now. And her voice was held with everything but plead. It was frustrating to her mind but it came from her heart. Nothing she could do about it now.

His words had a peculiar tinge of something to them. Worry? Or concern? She had no idea, but it was either one of the two or both of them.

"Hazel!" Hazel became terrified as her mother shouted and the sound of her heavy footsteps reached her ears.

Julius asked with a firm tone. He seemed tense or something.

"My mother," Hazel replied calmly, but the tremble in her voice was clear.

Julius was speaking much clearer, much less playful than before, definitely the opposite.

"But—

"Hazel!" Her mother pounded her fists on her door, her energy resonating through the wood and onto Hazel's flesh, causing goosebumps to appear on her arms.

He demanded again, authority clear in his tone.

Hazel scrambled off of her bed, tucked her phone into her shorts' pocket and immediately started to pack some things.

Tears threatened to flow as her mother's banging intensified, as did her mother's comments. The terms 'Killer' and 'Murder' were tossed around as if they were nothing more than a grain bag.

She sniffled again before slipping on her bunny slippers and peering out the window to see how far she could jump.

It was as though luck was on her side for once because there was a ladder below her window.

After hearing her sniffles, Julius appeared to curse a couple times under his breath.

Hazel carefully climbed out of her house, having already placed her duffel bag into the grass, and placing her body next after stepping off the final step.

"Yeah," She breathed out warily.

Hazel giggled, minding the distraction lightheartedly. "Okay,"

Right as she stood onto the curb, a royal blue car rounded a corner and then landed right in front of her.

A muscular man in a suit stood out, sending her a small smile as he opened up the back door for her.

"He's here, Juls,"

He hummed and slight shuffling could be heard from his side of the phone.

Hazel entered the vehicle, thanking the man as she did. Once he was back in the car, he took off thankfully at a normal speed.

"I'm safe now," She stared out the window, silently thanking the Gods for this man over the phone.

"Yes, please,"

He hummed again, deeply. A sound came from his side again, a siren of some sort.

"I'll let you go now," Hazel said, not wanting him to get in trouble in case it was a police officer pulling him over.

He mumbled distractedly.

She smiled through the phone and hummed. "Speak soon, Juls,"

Julius Santo had once again saved her heart, and her lingering attachment for him became even deeper. It was possibly the strongest it had ever been, and it was on its way to becoming a breach of bloom.

♛♛♛

The next morning, Hazel woke significantly late.

And when she means late, she means 3:30 in the afternoon.

Yeah...

The large house she was in was empty, maids flew around now and then but other than that, Hazel was completely alone.

And she loved it.

After showering, she had changed into her most comfortable clothes—baggy sweats and a matching baggy hoodie.

Hazel figured a chef had made some pancakes early this morning because there was a stack of them wrapped up on the kitchen table.

She ate virtually all of the six that were offered. She rinsed her dish and returned it to its correct spot after spending many minutes identifying which cupboard it belonged in.

Exploring the house, Hazel found many hidden rooms, some locked, and some empty, and some filled with all sorts of things.

For example, one was filled with many types of different books, she might've taken a few to borrow from him.

Hazel landed in the additional piano room, not comfortable snooping around his house. This was the place where she felt the most at ease. Perhaps it was because it was there that they had kissed or played the most incredible song in perfect harmony. It was, however, her favourite.

Last night, Julius sent her a message. When asked if she was okay, she simply said thank you and added a few emojis to convey her gratitude for his generosity.

After the simple two texts, she hadn't heard from him since.

As of now, Hazel was lingering in his own home, content and safe.

Heading back home was something that hadn't crossed her mind yet. When Hazel realised how toxic her home had become, she knew she had to leave sooner than she had planned.

Maybe she could pick up more shifts? Ask that her boss give her more weekday shifts, and she'll only have to multitask when it comes to studying and assignments.