“For a guy who says that he kicks ass, you seem to suck at fights,” Jacob said to his brother as he opened up a first aid kit.
I watched on from my spot on the couch as Jacob assisted Jayce on his injuries. When Jayce had explained that he would get into fights on a somewhat daily basis, I had only thought he meant it would last a few weeks. But it’s been a month, and he gets fresh bruises and cuts every week. I don’t understand where he gets them from, it’s not like he’s in some fight club.
“These are definitely worse than the others,” I pointed out about his injuries.
Jayce was getting physically and mentally weaker, and he wouldn’t tell me why.
He winced as Jacob applied ointment onto his split lip, “Well the two of you talking doesn’t make it feel any better, now does it?”
I pushed aside his hostile tone just because he was injured. It seemed that this time, he was more pissed about the situation than any of the other times. He was just slumped in his armchair, letting his brother aid him back to health. I’d do it, but Jacob and I had a system going on. Since this happened so often, we alternated shifts in taking care of Jayce’s wounds. And this week just so happened to be his.
“Damn it! Jacob that hurt!” Jayce exclaimed in pain.
“He’s just trying to help,” I tried to reason.
He rolled his eyes, and crossed his arms, “Whatever.”
Not that it mattered, but I’d be lying if I said his attitude wasn’t bothering me right now. He’s probably just frustrated. Frustrated at the fact that he’s been getting beat up for some unknown reason he won’t reveal to anyone.
I’ve been observing Jayce for weeks now ever since he told me about his fights, and none of it actually made any sense to me. And it was because of the timing of it all. He picks me up in the morning and we drive to school. We have classes all day, he eats lunch with us, then we go back and finish up the rest of the classes. On some days he has football practice, but on the days he doesn’t, he drives me home, and we hang out for about maybe an hour or so. There isn’t any open time slot in the day that this could happen.
Unless… unless on his way home.
That’s it!
I cleared my throat, “Jacob, want to take a break for awhile and help me make some snacks?”
I gave him a look that read, “We need to talk.”
He quickly understood my message and followed me to his kitchen.
Once we reached out of earshot, I spilled, “What time does Jayce usually get home everyday?”
He sent me a weird look, but thought about it, “Uh on days he doesn’t have practice he gets home around maybe between 5:00pm and 5:30pm. When he does have practice, I’d say around 6, since our mom wants us all home before 6:15pm on weekdays. Why are you asking?”
I rolled my lips inward, “Because if he gets home approximately 10-15 minutes after he leaves my house on weekdays, then that leaves no time slot for someone to beat him up. It’s impossible.”
He thought about this for a moment, “There’s a possibility that he ditches class, or maybe he’s forced out of class. Have you thought about that?”
I shook my head, “Actually no. But that can’t be, if he got into a fight at school, he’d come into his next period looking all bruised and battered, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have the makeup or skills to cover up his wounds in a matter of a few minutes.”
We pondered on this subject for a few minutes, before moving onto another one.
“Are you still getting your daily beatings Jacob?” I asked hesitantly.
He thought about it for a moment, “Actually no. They just stopped, I don’t know why.”
“Do you remember when?”
“Uh, I think the week Lennox started attending our school.” He replied.
Crap, there goes my brilliant theory that Jacob’s beating had somehow tied in with Jayce’s.
I huffed out in annoyance, “This is frustrating Jacob, all I want to find out to find out is who is beating up my boyfriend, and why are they doing it!”
A sound of footsteps from behind us caught out attention, “You know what else is frustrating?”
Jayce stood in the kitchen doorway, walking over to the island in the middle of the kitchen, with a slight limp, “When my girlfriend won’t learn how to let things go.”
“Jayce, I’m just worried about you. I care for you so much and –“
“If you care for me so much, stay out of my business!” He snapped.
Jacob intervened, “Hey! She’s just trying to help Jayce.”
His brother shot him a dirty look, “You’re no better than her! Why would you keep a secret like this from me?”
Jacob looked taken back, “What are you-“
“Your daily beatings?” Jayce said with venom, “How could you not tell me? You decide to tell her but not your own brother?”
Was I supposed to be insulted by that?
“I-I didn’t kn-know how. If you found how who it was, you’d freak and-“
“Who is it?” His brother cut him off.
Jayce was now looking as angry as ever. His hands were clenched into fists, and he was breathing out steam.
I slowly walked over to him, “Jayce, you need to calm down. You’re injured and you just need to rest.”
He brushed off my hand on his arm, and scowled, “I don’t need to listen to you. I’m frustrated enough with these stupid injuries, and I don’t need you telling me what to do. Just lay off Alex!”
I flinched at his loud tone of voice, and I backed away, standing next to Jacob again.
“Jayce, she’s trying to help you for your well being. Don’t just push her away,” He said, trying to reason with his older brother.
“No, it’s ok Jacob.” I said softly.
Jayce scoffed, “Yeah it is ok, because Alex was just leaving.”
I furrowed my brows at him, “Wh-What?”
“Just leave Alex. You being here is stressing me out, and I don’t need this right now. I’m so damn injured and it hurts so much, and you being here isn’t making it any better. So just go.” He said.
Jacob glanced at his brother appalled, “Jayce, how could you-“
“No,” I cut him off, “It’s okay. I’ll go.”
“Alex, you don’t have to. He’s just frustrated and angry.” Jacob said.
Jayce rolled his eyes at his little brother, “Jacob just let her leave. I don’t want her here right now.”
I walked out of the living room, and grabbed my bag off from the couch. My heart hurt a little bit. Ok, maybe I was overbearing when it came to talking about this certain subject about Jayce, but I would have never though that he would push me away. I get that he’s frustrated, I’d be too, but if he just told us who did it, we’d be able to help.
♔
I haven’t talked to Jayce for a few days. It was the weekend, and usually we’d be together right now, but since he didn’t want to see me, he hasn’t contacted me at all. Instead of moping around my house, like I did for the past two days, I decided to get out of the house with two people who I know I could certainly count on; my brother and his best friend.
I really did miss hanging around Cameron and J.C. Before all this Jayce stuff happened, they used to be the only actual guys I spoke to, aside from Colton of course, but he’s completely long gone. So to make up for my absence with Cam and his best friend, I decided to tag along with them on their trip to the mall. And apparently Cam had a surprise in store for me.
Since they were coming from J.C’s house, they were supposed to pick me up from our’s. Seeing their car pull up in front, I skipped over, surprised to a see a familiar head of auburn hair with highlights that resembled the sun. I opened the door behind the passenger seat, “Hey, who’s this?”
I slid in right next to J.C, since the girl was the one in the passenger seat.
She turned around and I finally caught a glimpse of her face, “Hi, I’m Cassidy. You must be Alex, Cam talks about you a lot.”
I returned her smile, and seemed to remember the day I caught them in the park together on their date. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Likewise,” She replied.
“So if you don’t mind me asking, are you two uh, a couple now, or are J.C and I fourth wheeling this date of yours?” I said with embarrassment.
Cameron’s cheeks overwhelmed with redness, “That’s sort of classified information for now.”
I rolled my eyes at him as he started the engine of the car, driving off towards the town’s mall. I let out a breath of ease, fully knowing that today I’d be avoiding the drama that included Colton and Jayce. Sometimes I have to think of making myself happy rather than others, no matter how selfish that sounded.
“So how are you doing Alex?” J.C asked, attempting to make conversation.
I sent him an uneasy look, which he quickly responded to, “Right, stupid question, I shouldn’t have asked that.”
I really wanted to avoid subject of my well being today. The rest of the drive was filled with the background music of the radio whilst my brother and Cassidy had a conversation together, occasionally asking J.C or I for our input. As Cameron pulled into the parking structure for the mall, I couldn’t help but notice the array of shoppers going in and out of the 3-story building. Well, it is Saturday, and that is when most people do their errands and such.
We helped my brother pull into a vacant spot, and as soon as we entered the building, Cassidy interlocked her arm with mine and bid my brother his best friend a goodbye, saying something along the lines of, “Girls needing their girl time.”
She dragged me inside a store I’ve grown to like, ‘Cotton On’, and immediately started scouring throughout all the clothes racks and shelves, whilst also keeping up a conversation with me.
“So Alex, tell me something,” She said, picking out a tank top from one of the racks. “Has Cameron had any girlfriends before me?”
Now that I actually think of it, Cameron has never had a steady girlfriend. Yes, he’s had girls fall to his feet, and occasionally he’s been on a few dates but they never went anywhere.
“I’m pretty sure he’s had a girlfriend or two before you, but lately he hasn’t. He doesn’t date a lot due to the fact that he’s always too caught up with taking care of me or focusing on school.” I watched her expression carefully, wondering if my answer was what she was looking for.
She seemed to accept my answer, “I totally get it. Cameron told me everything about your situation with your parents, but he then told me that your relationship with your mom was getting stronger.” She sent me a comforting smile, before picking out another shirt.
“Yeah, we sort of started talking more, especially with what’s been going on with me, and I’m getting more comfortable around her, more so than my dad.”
“I guess you could say that I somewhat know how you’re feeling, with your mom I mean. My mom’s a nurse at the local hospital, she overworks herself a lot, so I barely see her sometimes. We talk sometimes, but most of the time she buries herself in her work ever since my dad left.” Her mood instantly went down once she mentioned her father. The smile that was practically plastered on her face was wiped away. “It’s so stupid too. The only times I actually have decent a conversation with my mom, she would only talk about her work. Like yesterday, she talked about some patient that’s been stuck in a coma for a while – awhile being almost 3 years. Yeah, she kept reiterating how his son went to our school, and how it’d break her heart every time he’d visit his father.” She huffed, and blew out a piece of her hair away from her face, “I mean, yeah I feel bad for the kid, but I just want my mom to talk to me about something, other than her work. I love her and all, but sometimes I feel like she doesn’t treat me like a daughter, more like as if I’m just her friend.”
I laid my hand on her shoulder, giving her some comfort, “You made the right choice.”
She gave me a wary look, “What do you mean?”
“You made the right choice, being with Cameron and all. When he cares about someone, he’ll do anything to make him or her happy. I’m glad you’re the one he chose.”
She grinned with genuine happiness, engulfing me in a hug, squeezing me tight, “I’m sure we’ll get along just fine.”
After our serious talk, we accompanied each other to the fitting rooms, trying on our potential purchases.
“Hey Cass?” I called over to her from the dressing room beside her.
“Yeah?” She answered.
“That patient your mom talked to you about earlier, did his last name happen to be Michaels?” I questioned.
The story her mother told her seemed so coincidental to Colton’s situation.
“Uh I really don’t know. I asked my mom who it was, but she said something along the lines of, patient confidentiality.”
I pursed my lips, anxious to know if it was him or not, “Did your mother tell you the patients condition.”
There was a slight pause before she responded, “She informed me that he didn’t have much time left. If he doesn’t wake up from his coma in a few weeks, they’re pulling the plug.”
My heart nearly dropped. Here I was, thinking I could avoid the subject of my best friend, when I kept pestering Cassidy for questions about his dad. I should be there for Colton; does he even know this news about his father? I’m a hundred percent sure that this patient Cassidy was talking about is Mr. Michaels.
♔
My family was sat around the dinner table, for what felt like the first time in forever. Our mother decided that at least once a week, she wanted the whole family together for a family dinner. Due to the protests of dad and Cameron, our mother had given them a stern look, which resulted in tonight. Cam and dad still haven’t made amends, like mom and I. Well technically we didn’t “make amends”, but our relationship has grown stronger than it was before.
“Why are we doing this?” Cam said, breaking the silence in the dining room.
Our mother gave him a confused expression, “What do you mean?”
“Why are you making us pretend that we’re a family? It’s never going to work.” He admitted harshly.
“At least give this a chance Cam. Mom’s trying to put our broken family back together,” I informed him.
He shrugged, “I mean I’m fine with Mom trying, and I’d actually believe that this would work, only if someone tried as hard as she is.” He sent a pointed look to our father sitting at the head of the table, but this time, our father wasn’t oblivious to the dirty look Cam was giving him.
“Son, I want things to change,” Our father confessed with genuine sincerity.
Cam sneered at him, “Since when? Since the Reynolds family wanted to know if we were truly a family? You’re only doing this for your stupid case.”
“Cameron, I know you’re angry, but as much as you want to blame dad for this, I know those feelings won’t overbear the ones you have for wanting this family together.” I said with confidence.
He scowled at me, “This family can never be together. All because of him.”
Our father stood from his seat, placing his hands on the dinner table, “Cameron, I’m sorry ok? I know that I haven’t been a father for years, but I want to start, and your forgiveness would help.”
Cam shot up from his seat, causing the chair to fall over behind him, “Forgiveness? Do you honestly expect me to forgive someone like you?” His chest was heaving up and down, his breathing becoming heavy, “For years I’ve had to take care of myself and my sister. That’s not a teenaged boy’s job!” By now, I notice the water building up in Cameron’s eyes, “Because of you, I never got to live the life of a normal teenage boy. I looked out for Alex every damn day of my life. For years I dropped off and picked her up from school, with no help from you whatsoever! I got a job on my own, bought my own used car, paid for my own gas, bought food for Alex and I, I did everything a parent is supposed to do. With everything I just said, how do you expect me to forgive and forget?”
I hadn’t known that Cameron suffered so much from taking care of him and myself. He never got to live the life of a regular teenager. He took it upon himself to be both parents to the both of us, and I hadn’t known that he was feeling this way.
“Cameron,” My mother said after his outburst.
He shook his head, and pinched the bridge of his nose, “No, I just – I just need to get out of here.”
He stormed out of the dining table, grabbing a jacket off the coat rack and keys off the table before walking out the front door.
Without even thinking, my feet moved on their own, following Cameron through the door. It was already dark outside, the sun replaced by the crescent moon. Aside from the shining moon, the street lamps along the sidewalk torched the road and pavement. By the time I reached the driveway, his car was already started. Before he drove off, I practically threw myself inside of the passenger seat.
“Get out Alex,” He said as I sat down.
I sighed, “Just drive.”
He shook his head, and let a tear slip down his face, “No, you need to leave.”
“No!” I snapped, “I’m tired of having the guys I love push me away, I’m staying whether you like it or not. Just fucking drive already!”
He didn’t ask any more questions and did as I said. The trip to wherever Cameron wanted to go was filled with lethal silence. It felt like if one of us bothered to say a word, the other would blow up. I put my head in my hands, and in took deep breaths. I don’t know how much time had passed since we left home, but I felt the car stop.
Not expecting any comfort from my brother, I stepped out of the vehicle and onto the pavement, only to find that Cameron had driven to the town’s park – the same place he had his first date with Cassidy.
I didn’t know where I was going, but I just kept walking straight across the grass field. Not wanting to be in the playground part of the park, I decided to stay beside a big oak tree somewhere in the isolated part of the park. I let myself scan the outskirts of the park. It was fairly dark for a public place like this. There was only a few lampposts scattered around the area, only illuminating the playground part of the park, filled with slides, a set of swings, and other child like structures. The whole park was empty, due to the fact that it was almost 9 at night and most kids were already at home.
I slid myself down the trunk of the tree, sitting against it.
I began to reminisce about how things were before any of this high school drama happened. My only friends were Lil and Colton; Jayce was still with Quinn and would always be seen with his two trusty best friends Parker and Miles. I remember when they didn’t even acknowledge my existence. The only time they probably knew I existed was when their football accidentally hit me, and they asked for it back. And now look at the catastrophe that’s happened.
I can’t help but think that if I had never continuously tried to speak to Jayce, even if he rejected me openly in public, all this shit would have never happened. And being with Jayce just made everything else in my life far more complicated than it’s supposed to be.
The sound of a reiterating thud startled me, causing me to be alert. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, but as I looked around my surroundings, all I caught sight of were trees and grass. A loud grunt sounded throughout the air.
I looked towards the lit up playground, and saw a body hovering over another, but due to the fact that I was a great distance from it, I couldn’t recognize the face. But what I did recognize was the person’s fist up in the air, bringing it down to the body below it.
My eyes widened as I realized that someone was getting beat up. I contemplated on running over there to stop it. But what if they were men? What if they were bigger than me? They’d probably hurt me as well. But I couldn’t just leave that poor person getting beaten on the ground.
I was about to flee from the scene, until I heard a cry out of pain. The sound made me cringe, and I knew I couldn’t just leave them hopelessly being beaten.
Before my mind even comprehended what was happening, my legs moved on their own, running towards the playground.
As I came closer, I noticed that the two bodies were guys. One on the ground and the other beating him with his fists and feet. I was about 4 feet away from them, when I recognized the face of the assaulter.
Do my eyes deceive me?
I looked at him with absolute fear. I stared at his face as if he were a killer. His fists had dried blood on it. How could he do this? Why was he doing this?
“C-Colton? What are you do-doing?”
At the sound of his voice, he turned around in surprise and complete utter shock. He dropped the limp and weak body that he had a grasp of by the shirt.
When the body hit the ground, I could hear the groans, whimpers, coughs, and cries of pain coming from the victim’s mouth. They were struggling for air.
I glanced down at the person on the floor clutching their stomach. My knees went weak as I saw whom my supposed best friend was beating the life out of.
My breathing instantly quickened as I caught sight of his bruised and battered face. I practically cried out, “Jayce!”
-
Authors Note:
so i guess the challenge didn't work, but whatever, here's the next chapter
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Until next time,
- queenfreakco