Be Quiet, He Can Hear [To Be Edited]

Be Quiet, He Can Hear: Prologue (Edited)

John sighed. "Okay mom. Come on Nick, let's go." He got up from the table, scratching at the back of his head, the blonde curls at the nape of his neck touching his collar. He would need a haircut soon. Derek didn't like long hair on boys he though it made them seem like barbarians.

"Don't forget your coat," Carrie mumbled, finally turning off the water and turning around, her long brown hair following over her shoulder. John nodded and hurried after his little brother.

"What did you want to talk about, Bab-"

"Shut up!" Derek barked, standing up suddenly. Carrie flinched and backed away, her head down.

"You look at me when I'm speaking to you!" Derek grabbed her jaw and pushed up, tilting Carrie's head all the way back. "You're a slut," he hissed running a finger down her cheek. A tear leaked out of Carrie's eye and rolled down her face, into her hair. She couldn't speak with Derek's hand so tight around her face.

"Nothing to say for yourself, hmm?" Derek's eyes flashed and he pushed Carrie away, sending her flying into the stove. She cried out and slumped to the floor. "Derek, I-"

"I said SHUT UP!" He screamed, stalking over to her and kicking her hard in the stomach. His wife coughed and gripped her stomach, curling into a ball. He grabbed her by the hair and yanked Carrie off if the floor. She clamped her mouth closed, tears streaming down her face.

"I've warned you about cheating on me, Carrie! I WARNED you! You deserve every bit of this!" With that, he shoved her hard and Carrie stumbled, falling. She made a tiny, "oh," sound as her head connected with the granite counter top and she collapsed onto the ground.

Derek calmly walked to the phone and dialed 911. "Yes, h-hello," he said, making his voice shake. "My w-wife fell. She hit her head. Oh my God, there's so much blood-" he sobbed. After he hung up, Derek calmly sat down and shrugged. "She deserved it."

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Twelve years later

Nicky's POV

"Hey, Nicky! What's up man?" I looked up and nodded as I got out of my car, grinning at my friend Gerry as he ran towards me to walk with me to class. We were both freshmen at Marymount University, studying prelaw for me and biology for him.

"Not much, just got back from vacation, how's it going?" I asked, fist bumping him.

"Same, same. Finally got Vanessa to go out with me!" Gerry beamed, his teeth stark white against his tan. As he started walking with me across campus.

"No way! Damn, you've been after her for years, what changed?" I asked, happy for my friend.

"I finally grew some balls and asked her properly." I clapped Gerry on the back, proud of him. He was a bit like my brother, timid around girls, although John, at 23, was married now. Not like me who knew how to handle women. Not that I really bothered with them much, I hadn't found a girl that caught my eye.

"Speaking of asking chicks out, I got a girl for you," Gerry was saying as we neared the main entrance. I chuckled.

"Oh, yeah? Who?" I asked.

"Well, you know that girl Jackie Garcia who's in my English class?"

"Yeah? I guess she's cute but Spanish girls aren't really my-" I started but Gerry laughed, interrupting me.

"Relax Nick! I know that. She's got a friend that studies performing arts at The dramatic Arts academy. She's 18, 19 in march. Apparently she's smokin'. Her name is Charlotte Andrews. I haven't met her but Jackie says she's chill. There's a party at Ricky's on Thursday and Jackie's bringing her so you should come."