hold me really tight (until the stars look big) - I

Tate turns the water a tad warmer, remembering the instructions he had when he was younger. Cool, not cold. He eyes her for a moment, then leaves to retrieve the first aid kid he knows Mica has lying around somewhere.

Jael lets the water run over her damaged hand, staring down. The rush from the kiss is slowly vanishing, leaving her with an unfamiliar feeling in her lower belly. She can still feel Tate's touches, wherever he left them.

Tate returns with the first aid kit, gets out the gauze. 'Are you okay?' he asks.

Jael nods. 'Yeah… I wasn't thinking clearly.' She smiles a bit to assure him she's fine.
But the burn is still bugging her as Mica comes back and they're ready to leave. She's very quiet the whole time as they drive to the little coffee shop Denny picked out. She's playing absentmindedly with the bandages around her hand, staring out of the window.

Tate texts Mica, who told him earlier that she had already gone to the coffee shop, that they've arrived, and turns to Jael. 'I go in first, sit with Mica, then you come in. We'll be sitting close. Don't... don't do anything stupid. Please.' He gets out of the car.

Jael nods. 'I'll be careful.' She's nervous as Tate leaves and goes inside. She lets some time pass, grabs her things and steps out of the car. Once inside she sees Denny in the far corner by the window and she doesn't dare to come closer for a moment.

Tate sits down next to Mica, who shoves a coffee across the table. 'Black, like you like it,' she says, before mouthing in the corner.
He nods, sees a seemingly charming guy sit near the window, looking at his phone. He's... surprisingly handsome. Not that he thought Jael's boyfriend (ex-boyfriend? he wasn't really sure) would've been ugly, he just didn't think the boy would be this... decent.
He tries not to look at the way Mica's hand shake whenever she picks up the coffee to take a sip, tries not to look at the dark circles around her eyes, her chapped lips, her chewed off fingernails.
'I miss him,' Mica murmurs, catching his gaze. She knows he's worried. She knows he is afraid.
Tate takes her hand.

Jael takes a deep breath and starts towards Denny. With each step she takes, her confidence crumbles. He was furious when they broke up. He told her she was useless, weak and stupid not to choose him. She wonders if that's still the same. He was so happy when she called.
'Hi…' she manages as she's within earshot.

Denny smiles when he sees her. Charming, like he's good, like he loves her. He does, in his own way. Maybe not in a good way. He stands up, eyes sparkling, kissing her cheek before she can say anything. 'Jael,' he says, like it holds all the answers. 'I've missed you.' He pulls back a chair. 'Sit down.'

Jael smiles a little shyly and sits down. He's always been like that. Really gentleman-ish. "I missed you too," she admits, folding her hands in her lap. She's clearly still tense, nervous. "I honestly didn't think you'd want to meet up."

Denny frowns, shoves a coffee her way. 'It's black,' he says. 'I know you don't like it, but you need to keep an eye on those calories.' He looks her up and down swiftly, eyes blank, charming smile on his face. 'Why would you think I wouldn't want to meet up?' he asks, then, voice a bit offended. 'Have I ever done anything to make you doubt my feelings?' He raises an eyebrow.

Jael bites down on her lower lip and shakes her head. "No... I just meant—" Her eyes shift away from his for a moment as she puts her hand around the coffee mug. "You were so angry when I broke up with you." She takes a sip of the coffee and tries not to pull a bitter face. She absolutely hates black coffee.

'Meant what? Of course I was angry, honey. You broke up with me because of some things your parents said. How old were you? 12? You were nearing your 20s and still let your parents dictate your life. It's pathetic. Of course I was going to be angry.' Denny shrugs, taking a sip of his coffee.

Tate doesn't like Denny. He smiles too much, too fake, and he can only just hear what's being said and he doesn't like a single bit of it.

Jael swallows hard. "I'm not letting my parents dictate my life. I'm not even living at home anymore." She shakes her head a little. "I don't want to talk about this." Her hands are shaking as she takes another sip. She's scared and has a hard time hiding it.

Denny's face softens, he takes her hand in his. 'You're not? Babe, why didn't you tell me? When did you get out of there? You could've stayed with me.'

"I'm—I'm staying with friends." Jael gives him a tentative smile. "I got away like two weeks ago...?" She tries not to look in Tate's direction, knowing she'll give away too much when she would. "I've been in the news because my parents thought I went missing."

Denny nods, eyes hardening. 'Yes, I know. I even got the police at my place because apparently you acted so weird at home that your parents thought I had taken you. Thanks for that.'

Jael heaves a quiet sigh. "I'm sorry." She looks at him guiltily. "I didn't mean to. It just all happened so fast."

Denny rolls his eyes. 'Now, which friends were nice enough to take you in after you left your house "so fast" you couldn't even shoot me a message?'

Jael has to fight her tears all of a sudden. "I—I'm sorry, Denny. I just—I had to get used to the whole thing first. It wasn't like I planned on leaving home." She clenches the coffee mug in her hands. Her burned hand is stinging, but she ignores the pain.

Tate hears the little slip, tenses, hands tight around his finished coffee. Denny heard it too, and sighs. 'You didn't plan? Then why did you leave?'

Jael shakes her head. "I—" She can't get out of this anymore. Her gaze shifts to Tate, then back to Denny. "I left because my parents dictated me. That's why I left." Her voice is unstable now.

Denny smirks, devious glint in his eye. He takes Jael's hand. 'You know you can't lie to me, little bird. Just like you can't hide this. What did you do this time? You've always been a clumsy little thing, haven't you?' He holds her hand tight, putting pressure on the wound, fingers digging in harshly. 'Now tell me, little bird, why did you leave sweet little ol' mommy and daddy?'

Jael gasps, tries to hide he's hurting her. A tear runs down her cheek. "No," she whispers. "I can't tell you." Her heart is aching. She refuses to look in Tate's direction, knowing he's listening, knowing she ruined it all. She tries to tug her hand away. "Let go."

'Oh, honey,' Denny says, smiling. If you weren't within earshot, you'd never believe he was saying anything that wasn't achingly sweet. 'We both know what happens when you disobey, don't we? Why do you always have to be such a stubborn girl? All I did was ask a question. All you had to do was answer.' He sighs, like it's exhausting to even talk to her. 'You're coming home with me. You can message your friends.' He shakes his head. 'Why can't you ever listen to me, honey? Why can't you ever learn? You know I don't want to do this...'

Tate wants to jump up, but Mica beats him to it. 'The boy won't do good to authority or your intimidating face. I'll handle this,' she promises, squeezing his hand for the last time before letting go.
'Jael, babe,' she says, smiling sweetly. She looks a bit worn out, she knows, but she hopes she can pull it off anyway. Denny's annoyed features break out in a charming grin. 'We should really get going.'

Jael fights her tears. Denny is still holding her hand, still pushing into the damaged skin. "Let go," she begs him. She feels like she's going to be sick. Visions flash before her eyes. Denny with a belt. A knife. A glass chard. "Please."

Mica takes Jael's other hand to pull her up, but Denny isn't letting go. 'You can't be leaving already?' he says, seemingly hurt. 'Jael, where are your manners? Why don't you introduce me to your friend?' He digs his nails in a little deeper.

Jael shakes her head again, surpressing the urge to scream out in pain. "I can't," she breathes. "I'm—I need to—" She doesn't look at Mica. "You can't know who they are." Another tear escapes.

'Oh really?' Denny quips. 'Why can't I know who they are? They're just friends, aren't they?'
Mica pulls Jael up, teeth clenched, jaw set. 'We're leaving.'

Jael gasps, somewhat bends over so Denny won't rip her skin. "Let go," she whispers with clenched teeth. "Please, I beg you. It hurts."

Denny lets go, has the fucking nerve to look apologetic. 'I'm sorry,' he says (the asshole), 'I hadn't noticed you were hurt.' He gives her a pointed look, then turns to Mica. 'My name is Denny,' he says. 'Always nice to meet a friend of Jael's.'
Mica decides to play along, shakes his hand. 'I'm Emma,' she says, smiling sweetly. 'Jael and I really need to head home... I have dogs, you know... They don't really do well with being alone for long.'
Denny smiles back, steps in front of Jael in what has to be a protective pose, but it's all so he's between her and the exit. 'Now, I really appreciate that you've been looking after my girlfriend, honestly, but I'm here now.' He shrugs. 'Your job is done.'

Jael grabs Denny's wrist with her good hand. "No, please—" She tries to pull him away from Mica. "I can't go with you..." She's crumbling, can't fight him anymore.

Tate enters. And he's pissed. He grabs Jael, pulls her behind him. 'Denny,' he says, jaw set. 'We're going to walk away, here. And you're going to stay. When you see my car drive out of the street, you can do whatever the fuck you want, except come within two hundred feet of Jael. You got that?'
Denny doesn't listen, just smirks. 'Tate Hale,' he says, like that explains everything. 'I knew you would have something to do with this.'
'Sorry, do I know you?' Tate says as Mica exclaims: 'How do you know his name?'
Denny outright laughs, now, shaking his head like he can't believe how dumb these people are. 'My best friend is Tim Reynolds, does that ring a bell? Did you actually think that just because no one else suspects you, Tim wouldn't know it was you? He knows, Tate. And I know, too. And a lot more people might come to know, if I don't get to take my precious girlfriend home today. I missed her, you know?' He winks at Jael.

Jael presses her hand against her mouth. Denny never ever told her anything about or took her to his friends. She was his girlfriend, not his friends', he always told her that whenever she asked him about them.
She grabs Tate's wrist, ready to go past him to Denny because she would give anything to keep Tate safe. "Don't you dare," she says. Her voice sounds as if it's not her own. "I'll come with you, don't you dare."

Tate stands still in front of Jael, then leans towards Denny. 'I killed Tina Reynolds because her brother killed my sister,' he says softly, into the guys ear. 'You mentally and physically abused a young girl, who is now my friend.' Denny shivers. 'Don't think I won't do the same to you. I have reasons enough.' He is pissed. Very pissed. 'Do you know how it feels to get your throat slit? To gurgle, to choke on blood, to be conscious, and in pain, before your body actually admits its defeat? I bet I'd be able to make it last longer, for you.'
'I'm not afraid of you,' Denny says, but Tate knows he is. 'She's coming with me, or I'll go to the police.'
'If you go to the police, Jael here is going to go to the police too. And if her parents don't already have an expensive, fucking great lawyer for her, I'll get her one. Because who will believe Tim Reynold's best friend's theory about murder, when he's also an abusive little shit?'

Jael takes a step back. She can hear Tate's words, every one of them, and for the first time since two entire weeks she's afraid of him, even though he's fighting for their sake.
Her hand is still stinging, but the pain is nothing compared to her aching heart. She realizes she just put Tate's life on the line, and Mica's, and their safety, and probably everything Tate and Jael stood for up until this moment. She ruined it.

Denny steps back, hands in the air. 'Advice taken, man,' he says. 'She's yours. She wasn't worth much anyway. She's clumsy, you know? And she has this nasty scar on her stomach...' He shakes his head. 'Gross. You can have her.' He smirks at Jael as he walks out, leaving the trio alone in the almost empty coffee shop.

Jael is quiet. Her cheeks are wet, her face pale. God, she fucked up. She fucked up and she has no words to make it right. She doesn't look at either Tate or Mica, just waits for them to say or do something.
Her hands are shaking as she clasps them, Denny's words still echoing in her head. Worthless. Worthless. Worthless.
Worthless.

Tate looks at Mica. Mica looks back. She's crying.
'Hey,' he says, taking her face between his hands. 'Nothing's going to happen to you, okay? No one's going to hurt you, or take me away, or take you away. No one's going to do anything, yes?'
She nods, shakes her head, nods. Whimpers out a quiet, shaking 'okay...'.
It's the most wrecked Tate has seen her in years. He turns to Jael, face hard planes, eyes without any emotion. 'You,' he spits. 'Get in the fucking car.'

Jael doesn't say a word and is out of the coffee shop within two seconds. She's trying not to panic as she opens the car and gets in. She can't stop crying, can't stop the tears, buries her face in her hands and keeps repeating don't panic, don't panic, don't panic, a mantra to keep her going.

When they drive home, Mica sends Jael a look that's almost painful. It's not pity, it's despair, and hurt, and disappointment, and it's kind of frightened. Mica is scared.

Jael looks away. What could she possibly say to make this better...? Eventually she just closes her eyes, and tries not to sob. The silence in the car is deafening, frightening, choking.

When they stop at the house, Tate walks behind Jael. Like she's going to run away. Mica cries.

Jael stops at the door. 'Tate, I'm sorry,' she says, voice broken. She looks at him, desperately, guiltily.

'Don't,' Tate says. 'Don't talk to me. Go to the guest room. Pack your stuff.' He turns to Mica, who locks the door.

Jael tries to swallow back her tears and does as Tate says. Once out of his sight, she gives herself space to cry. She keeps herself busy, packing her things in the two suitcases she got from home.

'We're going to get out of here, okay?' he whispers, rubbing her cheek affecionately. 'Where do you wanna go? Rio? New York? South-France? Remember when we went there last year?'

Jael sinks down on her knees and hugs Polar who comes to see what's wrong. She buries her face in his fur and sobs, quietly, desperately. 'How do I ever make this right…?' she whispers. She never should have even wanted to meet up with Denny. Ever.

Mica shakes her head. 'I don't know. I don't know.' Tate shushes her, wipes away the tears.
'I'm scared, Tate,' she says. 'I don't... I don't know. What if the guy talks? Do we get in trouble? Do you get in trouble? You can go to jail for this, Tate... I can't... You can't...'

Jael can hear them talking, she can only just hear what's being said. It tears her heart to pieces. There's not even enough strenght for her to get on her feet. She just sits there and stares at her hands, vision blurry.