Anywhere With You ? {J.C.}

"See alone we stand, together we fall apart."
-Someday

Harlow had slept in Julian's bed. He explained the situation to his parents, and was given permission to let Harlow spend the night. Although she swore Alex wouldn't return, Julian didn't like the idea of Harlow being there alone.

She awoke before Julian and crept out of the house before dawn, driving back home. Frankie would be there, probably asleep on the couch.

But, to Harlow's surprise, she was up—pacing the floor, on the phone.

"She's here- She's here now, thank you, thank you so much. I'll be sure to go to the station, yes." Frankie ended the call, tossing the phone onto the kitchen island before rushing to Harlow.

Harlow stood confused, her eyes wide as she tried to decipher who her mother had been speaking to.

"Harlow, baby... where have you-" Frankie stopped mid sentence—her eyes grew twice as large as a gasp escaped her lips, placing her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god... Lo... What happened?"

"It's nothing, Mom... don't worry about it." Harlow spoke monotoned—too tired to go into detail. Simply explaining what had happened to Julian had been too exhausting. She started up the stairs, wanting nothing more than to go to bed and get a restful sleep. She had missed school again, but another absence was the least of her worries.

"Harlow Emilia Mavericks, you come here right now!" Frankie yelled; she was terrified. When coming home to see her daughter's car wasn't there, she was angry—probably out again with that boy, Julian. But. when she played back the answering machine and heard—not one, but two threatening messages—she was worried, scared.

She couldn't make out who had left those scathing voicemails; the calls were from an unidentified number. And then now, seeing Harlow's face—swollen, with a busted lip. She looked worse for wear, her tanned skin somehow pasty and her typically straight hair wavy.

Harlow did as told, but only because she wasn't strong enough to fight back. Simply walking up the stairs was a chore—the drive back home a complete haze.

Frankie took Harlow's face in her hands, turning her head to the side a little too roughly as she examined her lip. "Did he do this to you?"

"He's an asshole... it's what assholes do." Harlow shrugged, itching to flee the scene. It had been a rough week; her feelings for Julian were getting out of hand, her life was changing and she was losing control. Perhaps Harlow had never been in control to begin with.

"We're going down to the police station and we're filing a police report. That kid is gonna pay for this." Frankie let go of Harlow's face, marching toward the entryway table for her purse.

Harlow stood perplexed, her eyes narrowed in confusion and judgement. The phrase, "that kid," sounding off silent alarms.

"I'm not pressing charges. He'll just have another reason to do this to me again and I'm not gonna give it to him- I'm done, I'm finished with him."

"Lo, baby, look at me... Julian is a bad guy. He needs to-"

"Jules didn't do this to me." Harlow snapped. She scoffed—her mother was completely oblivious. "Alex did. I went to Julian's house after it happened, he asked his parents if I could stay... that's where I've been. I was gonna come home last night, but Jules didn't want me being here by myself."

"Alex did that to you?" Frankie's posture went limp. "God, Harlow. How long has this been going on? Is this the first time; has he hit you before?"