"You're so stupid, boy." The alcohol on my father's breath snaked it's way into my face. Still, I didn't flinch, didn't move a muscle. I was not afraid of him anymore. I couldn't be. "How are you ever going to make it if all you do is play on that damned guitar? You aren't any good, either. Useless. Why couldn't you be like your brother?" He growled. "Answer me, Jordan Allen."
"I don't know." I answered quietly, my confidence that I had worked so hard to gain left me. He roughly slammed me to the floor, kicking and hitting as I went down. I curled my tall frame into a ball, afraid to move.
"When I ask you a question, you will address me as sir!" He kicked me, over and over. I looked for my brother, begging, pleading for help. He was going to kill me if it was the last thing he did. Instead of helping, my brother stood frozen in the doorway, watching our old man beating me to a pulp. I didn't know what I expected. Dillon was always the star in my dad's eyes. Dillon could do no wrong. It's not that he couldn't stop dad, but he wouldn't. I cringed as another steel toed boot drove into my stomach. After thirty or so minutes, the old man finally fulfilled our daily ritual, and receded back to the living room to have another beer, and praise Dillon for making varsity on the football team. I laid on the cold floor, my stomach convulsing from the pain. Dillon shot me a sideways glance. That was my cue. He was distracted. I quietly got up and tip toed upstairs to my room, where my carpet would be the only one to tell of the painful beating I just got. I crawled into my room and laid on the floor, blood trickling out of my mouth and nose and into the carpet, staining it. It was my fault. I deserved this. I was the reason mom left, right? I was the reason he drank so much. I deserved it. A tear fell and mixed with the blood. What would she say if she saw me now? Would she defend me? I would never know; I pushed her away. I let the thoughts consume my head until I blacked out.
TAY'S POV
"Thank you! Come again!" I smiled warmly as the customer left with a friendly wave. It was nearing nine, which meant closing time! I smiled at Emily, the girl I was training. "So, what do you think. Do you like it?" I asked, trying to start general conversation.
She nodded. "Yeah, I think I'm getting the hang of things a lot faster than I would have imagined." I nodded in response. "I like it here."
"Good!" I smiled warmly.
"Tay?" I turned to face her, broom in hand.
"Hmm?"
"I know we just met, but do you think I could confide in you?"
"Sure!" I made us a couple of coffees, and sat down in one of the booths, gesturing for her to do the same.
"So, you know how my family just moved here?" I nodded, taking a sip of my coffee. She looked really nervous. "I have two brothers, they go to our school..."
"Yeah, Dillon and what's the other one? Justin... No.... Jordan!" I smiled, remembering his name.
"Well, my dad... He uhm..." She paused. "Promise not to tell?" I held out my pinky. She shook it, grinning. "He beats Jordan." My hands flew up to my mouth. I had always just figured he was shy. "Not like... slaps him around... He really beats him. He's broken bones... And placed a hot iron on him..." She looked down. "He does it every night. I can hear Jordan crying when I get home. I've seen it happen. He leaves terrible bruises, injuries. Sometimes he can't walk or anything for a few days..." No wonder he took sick leave from school a lot. "Dillon and I have tried to stop it, but then it only gets worse..."
"This is serious, Emily... Have you ever thought about reporting him to the authorities?" Her eyes widened.
"No! He'd kill Jordan. He already blames him for mom leaving... That's why he's so awful to him. Jordan blames himself... He always has." I felt the tears stinging my eyes. "He's always been jealous of Jordan, and I know he loves Jordan deep down... But I don't know what to do. I can't listen to him cry himself to sleep anymore, Tay. He's been hurt enough. What do I do?"
"Come on. We're going to stop this right now." I grabbed her arm and yanked her out the door, locking it behind me.
"What do you mean?" She questioned.
"We're getting Jordan out of there." With that, I jumped in my car and sped to the police station. When we arrived, I walked in and slammed my hands down on the receptionist's desk with determination. I was going to save Jordan tonight.
"Can I help you?" She asked, annoyed.
"We need to speak with an officer, please. It's urgent."
"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but all officers are on call right now."
"I need to talk to someone, or someone might die tonight." I spat. I wasn't taking no for an answer, and I wasn't stopping until I knew Jordan was safe.
"Alright, let me see if the Cheif is busy." She rang an office, and then directed us down the hall. I knocked politely, dragging Emily with me.
"It's open." I opened the door to see the tall, salt and peppered haired man sitting behind a desk. "Hello, girls. What seems to be the issue?"
I opened my mouth to speak, but Emily beat me to it.
"It's my brother..."
"Go on..." He said, ready to take notes.
"My father beats him.... severely."
The old man's eyes grazed over Emily's face.
"We'll get officers over there now. What's the address?" Emily spouted it off, and immediately broke down onto my shoulder.
"Oh, Tay... What have I done?"
I pulled her chin up so she was looking me in the eyes. "You saved your brother. You saved Jordan's life." She smiled sadly.
JORDAN'S POV
I came to, the sounds of sirens blaring and our door busting down pulling me from my unconscious state. I couldn't move. What was happening. I heard my father yelling something about being innocent, and Dillon racing up the stairs. My door slammed open.
"Oh, Jordy..." He fell next to me. "I'm so sorry... This is all over... He'll never touch you again." I couldn't speak. I couldn't do anything, I was paralyzed by the pain. "Jordy... Say something..." I closed my eyes, begging for the darkness to consume me again. More voices. Emily.
"Emily?" I cried out weakly, wanting nothing more than her comfort. She reminded me of mom, of safety.
"Jordan!" She cried out, shoving Dillon out of the way. "Jordan... I'm so sorry..." She sat me up, and in the doorway stood another girl, tears pouring down her face. I recognized her from somewhere. The EMTS shoved everyone away, and quickly tied me to the stretcher, attempting to calm my nerves. They only made it worse. Emily insisted on riding with me in the ambulance, and she talked to me the whole time; she told me of her first day at work, and how someone named Tay had convinced her to go to the police about our dad... I smiled weakly, finally feeling some relief. Hearing her voice calmed me.
TAY'S POV
Dillon walked up to me, his hands on the back of his neck. "What are we going to do?" He asked no one in particular.
"About what?" I asked.
"We can't stay here. It's a crime scene. We have nowhere to go." Worry etched his face.
I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed my mom, knowing she'd be the more understanding of my parents.
"Hello?" She answered groggily.
"Mom! I have a question! I have some friends that need a place for a while... Is it okay if I put them up in the garage apartment?" She sighed.
"Tay, it's 10:30... It's 10:30?! Where the hell are you?!" Worry laced my mother's voice.
"I'm okay, mom... But can I?" She hesitated.
"I suppose that'd be alright. I mean as long as you don't mind sharing. Remember? Aunt Millie is staying with us, and is using your room."
"Oh, I wouldn't mind."
"Alright. Get your butt home, missy. It's late." I smiled and turned to Dillon, hanging up with my mom.
"You guys can stay at my house... I wouldn't mind." He smiled.
"That's so nice of you! Thanks... I need to get to the hospital... Could you drive me?" I nodded. Mom would understand.
We drove in silence for a while.
"Thanks for talking with Em. We've been trying to talk about it for ages." I smiled warmly at him.
"No problem. I was worried for Jordan."
"Yeah..." He answered quietly. "We both were."
I pulled into the ER, knowing that's where they'd take him. I walked in, with Dillon hot on my heels.
"Play along." He whispered. "Hello, we're here to see Jordan Eckes. I'm his brother, and this is his girlfriend."
I blushed crimson. After taking directions, we headed up to the 4th floor, ICU.
When we walked into Jordan's room Emily looked up. I barely recognized the blond haired boy. His face was battered and bruised, his left arm in a cast and his ribs bound with tape and gauze. The monitors made an annoying beeping sound. That was good, right?
"Hi." Jordan said shyly.
"Hi, broha." Dillon called. I decided that I needed to give them time alone together, and turned to leave.
"Get back here." Jordan called after me. I turned to face him. "Thank you. For everything."
Our eyes locked, and my stomach flipped. What the hell was happening to me?