As soon as Leah discovered that Theo wasn't breathing, she scurried backwards on the ground and let out a piercing scream, which signalled the entire family to come upstairs immediately- Leah could tell by the sound of galloping that they were running. They were going to see that he was dead.
Gabriel and Jared came barging through the door and Leah swung her head round to view them, her mouth was still wide in shock and her eyes scarred. She'd never witnessed a dead body before. Especially after the person being so unwell, and she couldn't get the feeling out of her fingertips- when she'd touched his wrist, the germs from his dead body seemed to linger, causing her to cringe.
Gabriel knitted his brows together, a serious look on his face. He looked Leah up and down who was still kneeled on the ground, then settled his eyes directly on Theo in the bed. He took enormous steps over and repeated Leah's actions by placing his thumb on his sons bony wrist. It's as if he knew this day was bound to come. Leah didn't have to speak for him to know what she had screamed over.
Gabe knew he was dead when he felt nothing.
At this very second, Lindsay came bursting in, gasping for air, as she placed her frail hand against her chest, the other placed against the door frame. She noticed Gabe in front of her son, and her eyes were suddenly glued open. Jared stared at his mother, trying to communicate through his eyes with her, but she was having non of it.
Gabe's ear twitched at the noise she was making- she sounded like a dog in the summer. He turned around and his eyes narrowed into two angry slits when he saw her.
" What are you doing?" Gabriel shouted. " I told you to wait downstairs!"
" What's wrong with Theo?" Lindsay asked, her voice soaked in concern as it broke completely. It was like she already knew the news which was coming next. It was incontrovertible.
Gabriel's face was stolid- his expression was too calm, and his eyes were fixed on his wife. He placed his hands behind his back and took slow, dangerous footsteps towards Lindsay who shrivelled, feeling smaller than ever beneath his intimidating eyes.
When he reached her, she stared up at his manly figure, awaiting a response; she knew not to rush him.
" He's dead," Gabriel said emotionlessly, and quicker than anything Leah had ever seen, Lindsay dropped to the ground, letting out a painful wail, and her hands landed on Gabe's mucky shoes. All heads darted in her way, and she stayed, shaking on the ground.
The crying only got louder and louder, and Leah couldn't take her eyes of Lindsay's crumbled figure- she looked as if her bones had audibly shattered. Unfixable. She'd cracked completely, and there was no way she could be mended. It was so sudden, but Leah could see it clearer than water on supermarket shelves. It was so strange seeing her this way- Lindsay was always one to try remain strong, despite her crying yesterday. She was bound to break at one point, but Leah never imagined it like this.
This was heartbreaking.
Gabe huffed and focused his attention on his now only son. Although, Jared was staring into space, not looking his fathers way.
" Jared, help me carry him into the back garden," he ordered, and Jared sprang up from the wall, jumping out of day dream. Leah had watched the look of his face when Gabriel explained Theo had passed, and there was no affect on him whatsoever. But surely he must be sad. It was his brother, and despite their arguments, they loved each other. Theo had even said so to Leah in the basement.
When Lindsay heard Jared rushing over to Theo's corpse, she flung up from the ground, tears still streaming down her face.
" W-wait, no!" Lindsay cried, her words rushing out too fast to understand. " I need to, I need to see him before he goes. I need to say goodbye."
Gabriel placed himself in front of Lindsay and gripped her thin arms in his large hands, preventing her charging, unstable body from reaching Theo.
" Sweetheart, be the good little wife you are, and get out of our way," he commanded, but calmly. However, Lindsay was having non of it, and was writhed against his grasp, attempting too break the barrier between this monstrous man she'd spent most her life with, and her dear son.
" Gabe, please. I can't, he's my son. Don't do this to me!"
" No, Lindsay you better-"
" No! I won't let you take him from me without a-"
Before Lindsay could finish her sentence, Gabe swung a slap across her face, causing her to silence almost automatically, and she brought her shaky hand up to her splattered red cheek.
Lindsay began to whimper, and Leah gazed over at her, her eyes unable to blink. Gabe was so infuriated in this moment- Lindsay's behaviour was so unnatural and not normal compared to how she usually acts. This must've have pissed him off.
" I'll deal with you later," Gabe spat, and just dirty looked her before moving back to Theo's body and helping Jared lift it up. Both men began to carry his corpse out of the room, whilst Leah watched Lindsay with an astonished appearance, still stunned as to what the night had brought.
Once they'd left, Lindsay, for a second time, threw herself harshly against the ground, and banged her head against the floorboards, screaming cries from the top of her lungs, to the the point where Leah didn't know if she'd stop breathing too. It was that airy cry, where no noise was coming out because they're was too much pain within the whimpers.
" Why, why, why?" Lindsay was yelling like a woman gone mad. Her eyes were red, completely blood-shot as she lifted her head up to cry some more; she appeared possessed, slamming her fists into the ground, veins furiously popping out of her head.
Leah's eyes widened and she rushed to Lindsay's side, wrapping both her arms around Lindsay's shoulders- it was a natural instinct at this moment in time.
Lindsay returned the favour by lying into Leah's shoulder and painfully sobbing like never before, Leah cradling her as if she were her mother. It was such a sight seeing Lindsay this way, and it somehow caused tears to swell in Leah's own eyes. She'd never seen anything like it. Poor Lindsay had just lost her son.
Leah couldn't imagine losing a child.
" Come on, Leah," said a voice, and Leah jolted her head towards the door to see it was Jared. He immediately noticed the tears streaming down her face and that her sockets were almost black, but the turquoise in her eyes still standing out brightly, but full of darkness.
Leah jerked her head to the side and looked at Lindsay. She didn't want to leave her this way, but Leah knew if she didn't listen, she'd be punished. So instead of trying to be the caring person she wanted to be, she lightly kissed Lindsay's clammy cheek, pushed her hair back and got up from the ground.
Jared held his hand out, and Leah took it before exiting the room.
As they walked down the corridor, Leah noticed Jared's movement was quick. She brought her eyes down to his feet to see his legs hurrying at fast pace. She then tilted her head upwards and stared at his face. His expression was slightly different now. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and he continued to look straight forwards. But Leah noticed that glossiness about his eyes that told her he was hurt by this. It was so hard to notice, but Leah had lived with Jared long enough to recognise these things.
Did that mean anything?
Was he hiding his feelings from his father? Or was they even there at all?
Leah couldn't help but feel sorry for Jared. Theo was his only brother, and he'd lost him. She could only imagine the memories they'd created as a pair- of course she knew that life was terrible out here due their murderous ways, but at the end of the day, Theo was family. And that must hurt Jared like hell, whether he's ready to admit it or not.
" Jared, are you okay?" Leah asked quietly, staring directly at his cheek, but Jared didn't turn to look at her.
" Yeah, I'm fine," he said, but his voice was uncertain.
" Are you sure?" She pushed, and Leah felt as Jared's arm tensed on hers. He gritted his teeth before responding.
" Yes, Leah. Stop asking questions."
" Because.. well, it's okay to be sad he-"
" Drop it, Leah!" Jared now interrupted, throwing her hand from his. " I said I'm fine."
Leah flinched from his sudden temper, and bowed her head against the ground. This actually caused her to feel hurt- being yelled at, but it was as if she understood why Jared had gotten so mad at her. His brother had just died, and she was pestering him with questions. He was clearly upset, but he'd never say.
Jared clenched his jaw before entering the bedroom. Leah trailed behind slowly and Jared quickly began removing his clothes, hinting to Leah to do the same. She took her night wear, which was already placed out, from the bed and put it on. She went to the bathroom and washed her face before entering the room again to see Jared was already inside bed the bed, gazing into space as if he was thinking about his entire life in one moment.
Leah toddled over, and he snapped out of it, whipping his head towards her. He kept his eyes on her for a long period of time, causing Leah to look a way for a moment, but they still irritated her skin. You could cut the tension with a knife. It was times like this where Leah was desperate for a TV in this place, just so she could use it to create some noise- ease the awkwardness.
Leah placed herself in the bed, and removed her glasses from her face. Once she lay down, Jared turned the lamp off and moved his body so that he was facing the opposite way, without even saying goodnight. It's not like she usually, did, but for some reason Leah's feelings reacted to this tonight.
It might of been the death. Despite who it was, Leah was never good with it.
She felt a pang of hurt spread through her body, but she decided to try and not dwell on it by doing the same; it was harder than she pictured in her head.
Although, it was like Leah's body couldn't get comfortable in the position she was placed in, and was writhed beneath the covers. No matter how much she tossed over, she just couldn't get to sleep. It seemed almost impossible to her. She let out a sigh before shifting in the bed to face Jared's way, aggressively dragging the covers with her.
His back was facing her, and she began to hear light snoring, letting her know he was fast asleep. Leah just glared at his body for a long period of time. For some reason she examined his plain black shirt and the slight pit of skin that peaked out from his collar.
She felt so alone right now. The house was as silent as a mouse, and Jared had gone to sleep without a word to her. She didn't know why she even cared, but she did. And now she had to sit here as the silence gave her ear ache, wondering why she always had to mess things up. She messed things up with her family, which is why they never spoke to her. She messed things up with Derek, which is why he got bored and left her. She messed things up with her friends by blowing them off for a boy who didn't give a single care in the world about her.
And now, Leah was going to ruin things with Jared; she'd be stuck with him for the rest of her life whilst he hated the sight of her rather than loved seeing her each morning as she pondered down for breakfast.
Jared wanted to care for her, and Leah was preventing that from happening..
Before she knew it, she was moving closer to Jared, and she quietly removed her hand out from beneath the comforter. Lightly, she placed it on Jared's arm that was facing her, and began to draw small circles on his skin using her index finger. There was a tickling sensation in her hand when the finger gently swiped the hair on the back oh his arm, that added a vibration to her body- like the BIA was sending electric impulses through her veins. It was making her feel for just a split second that she somehow had developed telekinetic powers, and could rule the world!
Somehow, this gesture gave her comfort.
She was barely touching him so that she didn't wake him, but this simple movement of the hand against Jared's heated flesh helped soothe her emptiness, and there was a part of Leah that hoped it soothed Jared's too, no matter how much he denied being bothered about Theo passing. And no matter how much Leah claimed she hated Jared for what he did to her.
All of that was gone in this very moment.
Every single ounce of it.
Soon enough, Leah was relaxed enough to fall fast asleep.
- - -
" Stop crying! You're being pathetic now." Leah was awoken to harsh yelling that was heavy on her delicate ears, and a echoing cry followed along with it that only added to the sudden infliction of pain.
Leah rubbed her eyes, but the room remained pitch black. Her face was perplexed and her brows were furrowed as sleep was deprived. She turned over to see Jared's eyes gazing at her, despite the darkness, and she jumped a little in shock. Her blue eyes were still barely open, and she rubbed them again before speaking at Jared.
" What's going on?" Leah asked him, her voice thick with sleep.
Jared immediately wrapped his large, bear-like arms around her skimpy body, and Leah felt as his body heat swallowed her up; she relaxed against his body as he pulled her into his chest, stroking her hair lightly.
" Shhh," he cooed. " just go back to sleep."
" Our son is dead. And you don't even care!" Lindsay's voice now screeched, hurting Leah's ears once again. There was a large cracking sound, and another croaky scream came from Lindsay.
Leah pulled from his body at the sound off this, but his arms stayed locked around her. She stared over at the door, as if she could see the situation right in front of her.
She didn't have to witness anything to know what was going on behind closed doors. Leah could already tell by the violent sounds.
Gabe was hitting her.
Leah's heart began to smash against her rib cage, and her pulse was thudding in her ears. She sprang up, but Jared's large arms dragged her back towards his torso. Leah was trying hard to pull out, but instead of getting angry, Jared wasn't giving in.
" Is he hitting your mother?" Leah's voice was coated in incredulity. She knew the answer, but she was so stunned that he was beating Lindsay after such a tragic event. Silly Leah should know that Gabriel has zero feelings or consideration. " Oh my gosh, Jared. You have to go and help her!"
" It's non of our business," Jared said calmly.
Leah couldn't believe her own ears. This wasn't right. Did Jared not care about his own mom? She was clearly hurt, and he was allowing his dad to trample all over her whilst she was so broken- like she was suffering from empty nest syndrome, only Theodore would never return to the house.
He was gone.
Jared placed his hand back on her head and stroked her hair again comfortingly. Leah's she's fluttered, as it felt rather luxurious.
" Go back to sleep, sweetie. You're safe here with me."
Those simple words rose goose flesh on her skin, but not in the way they usually did. They somehow made her feel like it was all going to be alright. Like she was alright. Right now, Jared wasn't angry at her for whatever happened before. He just needed to care for her. Leah played her role as a housewife, whilst Jared made it a priority to keep her safe.
She wasn't the one being beat, and she didn't want to be.
Leah didn't realise how harshly she was gripping onto the bare skin on Jared's arms. It was too dark to see if she'd caused any marks, but she was certain there would probably be some red there. She continued to cling onto him, because she couldn't deny that this was making her feel safe- like he'd promised to the first day she entered the farm house.
Wait..
Jared didn't lie. Jared had never lied to her..
Unlike Derek. He'd made more lies than Leah had made hot dinners. That'd been Leah's plan all along, to escape Derek. And it succeeded.
Leah was thinking hard, and she allowed herself to get cosy against Jared, the heated emotion to race through her veins.
Jared doesn't lie to you.
Jared has never lied to you.
Jared made a promise, and he kept it.
Despite the desperate calls for help coming from the other room, Leah managed to fall asleep, now knowing she was being protected by this boy who she'd viewed as the devil for months of her life.
This boy who she now realised actually cared about her.
Leah Marshall.
Gabe's just that angry because Theo has been sick recently and he's taking it out on his family.