The Other Side - A Boys of Tommen Fanfic

Chapter 15- Misery

Marcella

I winced as the frigid shower water ran over me, the steady trickle of ice cold water sending stabbing pains through each of the angry red welts on my back.

My father had gotten the better of me, all because I had been too stupid to check if he was home before going downstairs to do the cooking.

My mistake resulted in me lying on the kitchen floor, as he struck my bare back with his belt.

He almost killed me, and he might have, if Joey hadn't shown up.

My brother had come to my aid once again, and torn the blood soaked belt from my father's clenched fists.

The same fists that had left blue and black bruises under Joey's eyes.

I felt like shit.

It was all my fault.

I tried my best to pull myself from the moment, from Shannon's horrifies screams, from my mam's

From my own.

But it was all too loud, too much.

Their terror was haunting.

I heard them every second, felt them in every move, and they were crippling.

I didn't know how much longer I could keep this up, hold the act, force the smile, because I was screaming on the inside.

The pain was clawing at me, desperate to escape, and I tried so hard to keep my mouth shut.

Because I couldn't tell.

I couldn't afford to.

I had heard the horror story's about what would happen to us if we told, Darren had all but drilled them into me, and Joey had followed in his footsteps, doing the same.

I could be battered here, tortured, screamed at, maybe even raped, but in foster care?

It could happen to Shannon.

The thought of it chilled me to the core.

I was pulled back to reality when I felt my stomach churn, a result of the crippling pain shooting through my body.

I bent over in the shower, emptying the remnants of my stomach down the drain for the fourth time.

I felt my eyes glass over as I remained on my hands and knees, in too much pain to get up, and watched the red vomit swirl down the drain.

I hovered over the drain, trying desperately to catch my breath before I even attempted to stand.

When I finally got the courage to move, I nearly cried out at the pain that shot through my body's.

My whole body ached

My head the most of all

I stood up, waiting for the stabbing pains in my body to dull before switching the water off.

I clambered out of the shower, shivering immediately when my toes made contact with the cold and filthy tile floor.

I inched from the shower to the bathroom door, stilling once I reached it.

I wrapped a scratchy and baby pink towel around my chest, and prepared myself.

Just bubble

I took a deep breath ignoring the burning sensation as I sucked the air deep into my lungs, and took a step into the hallway.

I was immediately met with Joey, who had either been waiting for me outside the door, or had just proved I had the worst luck known to man as I crashed into his chest.

I hissed in pain at the contact, despite trying me best not to.

"Shit I'm sorry Ella" he sputtered out, backing up to put space between us.

"You're all good Joe" I responded, my voice hardly a whisper since the light hit had pulled all air from my body and sent shooting pains through my chest.

I refused to make eye contact with him.

I didn't want him to see

But of course he wanted to

"Look at me Ella" He said, and I shook my head no In response.

I was too scared to open my mouth, because if I did, I might cry.

"Please?" He begged, and when I didn't respond he reached two fingers under my chin and lifted my head.

He ran his eyes over me, and I watched his eyes fill with rage as he took in the damage on my face.

I hadn't even seen myself yet, having been too scared to look in the mirror, but if Joey's reaction told me anything, I was in a bad way.

I clutched the towel closer to my chest and stared up at my brother.

I refused to let my gaze roam his face, knowing his bruising would only disturb me further.

Instead, I looked into his eyes, more specifically his pupils, which were dilated to holy hell.

He must have noticed me staring then, because I could practically see his walls shoot up.

"Joe-" I started, but he cut me off.

"Don't start Marcella, I really can't take more shit from anyone tonight, and I really don't fucking need you judging me" He snapped, clearly agitated as he pulled away from me, regaining distance between us.

I didn't respond for a second, which seemed to throw my brother off kilter.

In all honesty, I wasn't judging him in the slightest, I understood fully why he did what he did, why the drugs helped him.

But it still hurt.

I closed the space between us then, putting only an inch between my body and his chest, which was rising and falling at a rapid pace.

I held my stance for a moment, waiting for him to pull away with my gaze locked on the ground.

When he didn't flinch from me, or retaliate at our closeness, I rested my head on his chest.

I felt him stiffen beneath me, and his breath hitch, and I half expected him to pull away, before he released a deep sigh, and lay his head on top of mine.

We remained still for a moment, and I refused to move until I felt his breathing slow and willed my own to do the same.

Joey finally relaxed then, gently wrapping his arms around my back, pulling me closer.

I finally spoke then, the once comfortable silence now feeling crippling as I drowned in my brothers misery.

"I won't blame you Joe" I reminded him.

"Not yet" he choked out, his body stiffening once again.

We remained in silence for a moment then, while I thought through his words.

"Not ever Joe"

Authors Note

Hey so... cut me some slack? idk i'm on vacation (still i'm sorry for not updating) COSTA RICA LETS GOOOOO. sorry i'm a tad weird sometimes. also i've been re- reading the whole series since I got here, currently halfway through Joeys first book (hence why this chapter is so devastatingly depressing). God I love Joey. Joey is me I am Joey

PLEASE READ

ik you guys don't usually comment, but PLEASE tell me, do you WANT a chapter from Ethan's perspective, and if so, do you want the SAME amount as Marcella, or like an 80/20 split

anyhow ily all (you are so loved ❤️)

- Author

WC- 1165 (hehe that's my notes app password)