TAINTED
Jordan took a seat in front of his brother. A shiver ran up and down his spine, everything was so cold in here – the air, the chair, the walls, the atmosphere, his brother's blue eyes. It made his skin crawl.
Ashton was covered in bruises and cuts, fresh and old ones. Jordan's heart constricted as he failed to remember the last time he saw his brother's face without any marks. He leaned over to gently touch Ashton's face but the sixteen year old pulled away with a harsh jerk.
Jordan's hand hovered mid-air for a few seconds before he slowly dropped it. His forearms rested on top of the table, fingers curled into loose fists. He wished his brother could see that he'd never raise a hand to hurt him, only to help. And even though it was an instinctive reaction from the younger boy's part, Jordan had a hard time pushing aside the concealed rejection that had come with it.
"I heard you got into a fight again."
Ashton's jaw clenched.
Jordan briefly pinched the bridge of his nose. "You really need to stop doing this to yourself, Ash."
Ashton's split lips remained sealed.
"I'm serious," Jordan's eyes hardened.
"You think I want this?" He leaned forward, blue eyes cold as steel. "You think I chose this?"
"Listen, I just need you to stay low for a few more weeks – "
"Stay low?" Ashton chuckled bitterly. "If only it were that simple. Last night my roommate jumped me just because I didn't have any cigs left. He threatened me with a knife, what the fuck was I supposed to do? Just stand there and let him fucking stab me?"
"Are you sure it wasn't the other way around?"
Ashton shot his brother a look.
"Listen," Jordan sighed. "Just stay away from those boys and stay out of fights. Stop talking back to your superiors, obey the rules, and maybe they'll release you on good behavior."
"That's what they always say but somehow I still keep coming back to this fucking shithole," he spat.
"You're gonna have to try harder, kid," Jordan reasoned. "You were supposed to be out of juvie two weeks ago. Do you even wanna go home?"
"You're right. Maybe I want to stay. Anything's better than going back to that fucking bastard," he muttered darkly.
Ashton's entire body turned rigid at the thought of his father. That son of a bitch was the reason he was locked up in the first place. Little did the man know he was doing him a favor, Ashton enjoyed the break from his father. Jordan's question echoed in his head – do you even wanna go home?
No.
Ashton didn't want to go home. He would do anything to stay away from that place. Even if it meant he had to resort to questionable measures, like threatening his roommate with a knife for not wanting to share his cigarettes.
"Hey, look at me." Jordan nudged his foot under the table. "Ashton, look at me. I'm gonna fix this alright?"
"How?"
For the first time ever in a long time, Jordan saw past the tough façade. He could see a young boy without the cuts and bruises, with warm eyes begging him to fix things – fix him. If only Ashton realized that there wasn't anything wrong with him, everything was wrong with the world.
"I'll figure it out. Just keep your head up," Jordan said with a tight-lipped smile. "You know the kids really miss you. Noah wants someone to play videogames with. Tristan tried to replace you for a while but he tends to take things a little too serious. I think he forgets he's playing against a ten year old. At least you let Noah win from time to time."
"Sounds like Tris. He never let me win either."
Jordan's expression softened. "Jade wants you to draw more princesses on her bedroom wall."
"She's still on about that Little Mermaid thing?"
"Actually, she's changed her mind. Last week some ginger girl at school told her that cats were stupid. And now she hates all redheaded girls, including the Little Mermaid. She's into Sleeping Beauty now, 'cause they share the same hair color."
Ashton's lips twitched into a small smile.
Jordan carefully put his hand on his brother's, a flicker of relief crossed his eyes when Ashton didn't pull away from the physical touch this time.
"If not for me, do it for them. Please."
Ashton stole a look at his older brother, thinking it was rare Jordan ever asked for anything. His gaze dropped to their hands and he swallowed hard.
"She never came to visit. Never even called. Not even once ..."
"I know." Jordan squeezed Ashton's hand. His heart really went out to him. "You got us, kid. You don't need her."
Ashton tried hard to believe this and he came to the conclusion that he might not need her but he still wanted her. But what's a boy to do when his own mother didn't even want him?
TAINTED
Tristan woke up to the touch of soft hands and warm lips on his bare skin. With a yawn, he groggily rubbed his fingers over his eyes and forehead. He blinked, momentarily confused as to where and how exactly he ended up in this comfy bed with blue sheets that smelled like lavender.
"Hey you," a very sultry voice purred.
He flipped over and was greeted with a beautiful sight. Dark hair, sensuous almond-shaped eyes and pouty lips that begged a taste.
Tristan's own lips pulled into a charming smirk. He rested his hand on the dip of her waist, gently tugging her closer until her naked, warm body was flush against his. "Mornin'," his voice still thick with sleep.
He couldn't remember going home with a girl last night, it was a bad habit – one he had a hard time giving up, one Jordan never ceased to complain about. It was one of the many perks of working late night shifts as a bartender in a popular club downtown. Tristan hated the job, he hated the pay but the female company made up for it.
"Morning?" the young lady chuckled, tracing her perfectly manicured nails up and down his chest. "It's nearly three pm."
"Mhhmm," he hummed. His head was pounding. "I feel like shit."
"I think you had a few too many tequila's last night," she chuckled lowly.
Tequila? That wasn't his usual go-to drink.
"Hey I got a little trick to make you feel better," she smiled against his lips before pulling him into a long, heated kiss. She let out a surprised sound at the back of her throat when Tristan suddenly lifted her on top of his body, her legs straddling his waist. He gripped her thighs and as she gazed down at him through half-lidded eyes, all she could think of was that she was one lucky girl.
His hand on the back of her head was tangled in her curly hair, keeping her head in the right angle. She moaned into his mouth. She could feel his arousal and it was such a turn on that she deepened the kiss.
"Last night was amazing," she panted in between kisses. "Let me return the favor."
Tristan groaned. "I'm all yours."
Her eyes ignited with a sensuous fire as she slowly trailed her hand down his front to circle around his –
"Wait," Tristan suddenly shot up in bed causing her to fall off his lap. "Sorry. Did you say three pm?"
Confused, she shot him a puzzled look. "Yeah. Why?"
"Ah fuck, I'm gonna be late again." Tristan jumped out of bed, quickly gathering his clothes. "Sorry, sweet cheeks. How about a rain check?"
"Sure," she licked her lips as she admired him in all his naked glory, hard and soft in all the right places. She was enjoying every second of it. "So what's the rush?"
"Gotta pick up the kids from school." Tristan haphazardly threw on a pair of jeans and buckled his belt. He found his t-shirt on the floor, gave it a quick sniff – it literally smelled like the inside of a bar but it would have to do for now. He wished he could take a quick two-minute shower but he was already late as it was.
"Kids?" Her voice rose to a higher pitch. "Aren't you too young to be a dad?"
"Don't worry, they're not mine." His statement didn't seem to clear up the situation, if anything she looked more bewildered and puzzled than before. Tristan didn't elaborate, he made a point of keeping his private life separate from his sex life. "Have you seen my phone?"
She pointed somewhere behind him. "On the nightstand."
Tristan fetched his phone and realized the battery was dead. Which was why he hadn't heard his alarm go off and why he hadn't received multiple texts and calls from Jordan making sure he was up. Which also meant he was bound to get another lecture from his brother again.
He quickly pulled his shoes on, ran a few fingers through his hair to look somewhat presentable and not like he had spent the entire night between a girl's legs.
"Guess I'll see you around, Charlie," he winked.
"Wow, you remembered my name" She looked mildly surprised and maybe even impressed. "You really know how to make a girl feel special, huh?"
Tristan grinned. "It's what I do." He took her in as she lay in bed, sheets barely covering anything and he felt that familiar pull again. What a shame ... The things he had to sacrifice for family.
"Bye." She lifted her hand to wave her fingers which caused the sheets to slip from her chest.
He blinked, shaking the thought out of his head. "See ya."
Tristan jumped in his car, an old pick-up truck he found at the salvage yard. It was a total wreck when he had bought it but Tristan never turned down the opportunity to get his hands dirty. He got a few new parts, fixed some stuff, got it rolling, and it didn't cost him a thing. It still made a few weird noises from time to time but Tristan couldn't for the life of him detect where it came from. Good thing he still had the radio – whenever the strange noises resurfaced, he just turned up the volume and tada.
Pulling up at his first destination, Tristan sighed as he observed the empty parking lot. He stepped out of the car and walked past the playground where he couldn't spot a single child. Oh, he wasn't just late, he was very late.
Noah was exactly where Tristan expected him to be – slumped in a chair, waiting in front of the school's secretary's office with a familiar glower.
"You're late. Again."
"Sorry buddy," Tristan apologized sheepishly.
Noah reminded him too much of himself when he was younger – tanned skin from playing outside all day, he could never be cooped up inside for too long. Tristan briefly ran his fingers through his little brother's sun kissed hair in a show of apology but it didn't do anything to fix the angry scowl on Noah's face.
The heavy door of the office opened, revealing a tiny sixty year old lady with the kind of glasses that made her eyes look ten times bigger. She looked frail but Mrs. Brown was anything but.
"This is the sixth time this month, Mr. Moore," she reprimanded through pursed lips.
Noah once made a comment that she always looked like she was permanently sucking on a sour lemon and Tristan thought he couldn't be more right.
"Please, just call me Tristan. And I'm sorry, I got stuck in traffic, you know how it goes."
Mrs. Brown didn't seem impressed with his new excuse, it did sound more believable than 'Sorry, my dog was giving birth'.
"Anyway, have a nice day!" Tristan threw in an extra smile, the one he knew made every girl and sometimes even guys swoon. It didn't do much to sway Mrs. Brown though. Tristan turned to his brother. "Let's go, kiddo."
TAINTED
"Hey, you've reached Tristan. Please hang up and text me."
Jordan rolled his eyes. "You better not be late to pick up the kids 'cause I'm really not in the mood to see Mrs. Brown again."
His brother hadn't spent the night at their apartment which didn't surprise him anymore. It also wouldn't surprise him if Tristan forgot to pick up their siblings from school again because he was too busy getting laid.
Jordan hung up and dialed another number. The phone rang for a few seconds before someone finally picked up.
"What do you want? I thought it was Tristan's turn to pick up the kids."
"Hello to you too, mother," was Jordan's dry response.
"I don't have time for small talk right now, Jordan. I'm busy," Carla grumbled, doing little to mask her irritation.
"Just wanted to tell you class starts at eight, I really can't miss this one. So try not to be late this time."
"Oh my god Jordan. I received your texts, stop reminding me. I won't be late."
"Just making sure." It wouldn't be the first time she'd claim he never told her anything.
Jordan was in the middle of taking evening classes to pass his entrance exam to the police academy. As a kid he never knew what he wanted to be in the future. The only thing Jordan knew with certainty was that his siblings were going to be in his future. His responsibility was to defend them, protect them, stand up for them, speak up for them – make their lives just a little bit better. That's when Jordan knew that helping the innocent was in his blood. It only made sense that he had aspirations to become a police officer one day.
"Alright, anything else? I'm at work."
Jordan's eyes narrowed in suspicion when he heard the sound of men's laughter in the background. His mother worked part time at a beauty salon. Last time he checked, the majority of the clients getting their nails and hair done were female.
He sighed, gripping the phone tighter. "I visited Ashton today."
"... Oh really? That's-that's good. Yeah. Yeah, uh listen I really gotta go now, Jordan."
There was a short silence, loaded with words that were left unsaid.
"Right," he eventually said.
"Okay bye."
Jordan pocketed his phone and let out a long breath. He struggled to understand his mother, struggled to see things from her point of view. Only there was no point in trying to figure her out. The woman had different morals, different priorities. When he was younger he constantly wondered what went wrong only to find out that there was no answer. He learned not to dwell on it too much, he had to save his energy to move forward, focusing on what to do next.
TAINTED
Tristan lifted his finger to ring the bell and stepped back with his hands in his pockets. A few seconds later a young woman in her early thirties answered.
He smiled politely. "Hey Mrs. Nielsen."
"Hey, Tristan!" she returned the smile, only hers looked less shameful. "Come in. The girls are playing in the kitchen."
Tristan followed her through the house. "Thanks for picking her up. Again, I am so sorry – "
"Oh don't worry about it," she cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I really don't mind. Lauren loves it when she comes over."
"Thanks," he said gratefully.
He followed the sound of giggles into the kitchen where he found two five year olds sitting at the table, surrounded by colorful beads and strings and bracelets and other things he had no idea what they were called. Growing up as a boy and being surrounded by men for most of his life, he learned that he knew absolutely nothing about a little girl's world. Having a sister opened his eyes – it was only two days ago that he found out what a 'scrunchie' was.
"Hey cutie pies."
Both girls looked up simultaneously at his voice. Tristan always thought it was funny how the two girls resembled each other so much. They could definitely pass for sisters – their hair was the same length and almost the exact same shade of blonde. Only his sister's was more curly and wavy while Lauren's was straight. They even shared that same twinkle of innocence in their eyes, eyes too big for their little faces.
"Tris!" Jade beamed. She instantly picked up her half-finished bracelet and said, "Look. Lauren and I are making friendship bracelets."
"Is that so?" Tristan walked up behind her, running his hand down the back of her head. "Looks really nice. Can I have one too?"
She bit the inside of her cheek. "Sorry, it's only for friends who are the bestest friends. Look, it says on the box. BBF. Right Lauren?"
Lauren nodded. She was a shy little thing and Tristan couldn't even remember the last time he ever heard her use her voice, well at least not around him. According to Jade she was 'imtimidated' by him.
Tristan put on his sad face. "Oh well that's too bad."
"Don't cry." Jade patted his arm like she had seen many people do when someone got upset. "Maybe you should find your own BBF and then make bracelets with them too," she suggested.
"You mean BFF," Tristan corrected, amused.
"Uhu, that's what I said."
He suppressed a smile and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger, giving it a playful pull. "Actually that's a pretty good idea."
"We will help you," she promised with a cute smile. She turned to her BBF, "Right, Lauren?"
Again, the little girl nodded quietly.
"Alright, that's settled then." Tristan clapped his hands together. "Why don't you two wrap this up, you can finish your bracelets some other time. Noah's waiting in the car and I think he's a little grumpy again."
"You should give him pizza," Jade told him. "Whenever he's grumpy, mommy always buys pizza and then he's not grumpy anymore."
"Sounds like a plan," Tristan winked.
After they finished clearing up the table, Jade shouldered her sparkly backpack and waved. "Bye Lauren, bye miss Nora."
As they headed to the car, Tristan picked his sister up, briefly throwing her in the air which elicited a string of giggles out of her. He settled her in his arms. "Hey, I haven't gotten my special hug and kiss yet."
She circled her little arms around his neck and pecked his lips when she suddenly wrinkled her button nose. "You smell funny."
'I really need to take a shower,' Tristan thought to himself.
TAINTED
"Hey Mo," Jordan greeted as he entered the apartment building. Mo was his landlord; a kind, bald, old Egyptian man with a heart of gold. And even though Jordan was behind in his rent, the man was understanding of their complex family situation and never pressured them to pay. There was a time Jordan thought good people didn't exist until Mo proved him wrong.
The man put his paper down and smiled. "Ah, Mr. Moore. Everything alright?"
"Can't complain." Jordan had a million things to complain about. "How's the wife and kids?"
"Good, good. Not easy raising teenagers if you ask me."
"Tell me about it," Jordan chuckled dryly. "Did Tristan bring the kids up?"
"Yes, they got here a while ago," he nodded, smiling. "Look what your little girl gave me."
Jordan eyed the bright pink bracelet around the man's wrist and couldn't help but smile too. "It's better than that butterfly hairclip she gave you the other day."
Mo laughed heartily.
Jordan took the stairs instead of the elevator. One of the requirements to enter the police academy was that he had to pass a physical exam too. He had to keep his body in shape.
He unlocked the door to the apartment he shared with Tristan and entered. It wasn't much but it was enough for the two of them. It had two small bedrooms with enough space for a single bed and a dresser. They had a living room attached to a kitchenette. And a tiny bathroom which also served as a laundry room, even though the washing machine was broke. Jordan tried to fix the stupid thing many times but Tristan refused to give up on it, he still had hope.
Jordan removed his jacket and hung it up on the back of the front door, he could hear the theme song of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles play loudly in the background. He cursed under his breath when he nearly tripped over a pair of blue tattered sneakers and a basketball. Bending over, he picked up the shoes and dropped them next to a purple pair of sandals which were neatly put against the wall. Say what you want but the boys in his family could learn a thing or two from a five year old girl.
Jordan found Noah sprawled in the couch, an angry frown etched onto his face. Yup, Tristan was late again.
Jordan fetched the remote control and lowered the volume. He ducked his head and kissed Noah's hair. "You alright, buddy?"
Noah made an unintelligible sound at the back of his throat.
"How was school?"
He shrugged, keeping his eyes trained on the cartoon.
Jordan looked at his little brother. "Wanna order some pizza?"
Noah perked up at the sound of that. "Sure."
Jordan refrained from smiling and tossed him his phone so he could order some take out. He was too tired to cook anything. "Extra cheese for me and no mushrooms for Jade."
"Got it," the young boy replied, his mood visibly lifted.
Jordan strained his ears when he heard a loud whistling sound. "What's that?"
"Jade's making tea," Noah said casually.
"She's what?"
Jordan rushed to the small kitchenette where he found his little sister perched on top of the counter. She was standing dangerously close to the stove where someone had put the kettle on – Jordan wasn't even aware they owned a kettle. The boiling water caught his attention and he quickly twisted the burner knob, turning it off.
He grabbed Jade around the waist causing her to yelp in surprise. He lifted her off the counter and onto his hip.
"What did I tell you about climbing on the kitchen counter?"
Her eyes widened innocently. "But I was looking for tea bags."
"Tea bags?" Jordan pushed the door open to the small bathroom where he could hear water running. "Did you know she put the kettle on?"
Tristan pushed the shower curtain aside, his hair covered in suds. He frowned. "We have a kettle?"
Jordan shook his head at his brother's lack of supervision. "So what excuse did you use this time?"
"Stuck in traffic."
Jordan nodded, impressed. "Sounds better than 'my dog was giving birth'."
Jade grabbed his face between her little hands. "We have a dog?"
"No sweetheart, we don't have a dog," Jordan said, closing the door to the bathroom.
"Can we have one?" her face lit up just at the thought only.
He hated to bust her bubble. "I'll think about it. So what do you need the tea bags for anyway?" he asked as he carried her back to the living room. He plopped down next to Noah who was now playing a game of Snake on his phone.
Jade settled on his lap and fiddled with the buttons of his flannel shirt. "Miss Liza told us that coffee is bad for your body, really bad, 'cause there's a lot of caffeen in it. And you always drink coffee so you should drink tea instead 'cause coffee is bad and you will be sick if you drink too much."
Jordan watched as she waggled her tiny pointer finger in his face as if she was lecturing him and he could only imagine that this was her way of mimicking Miss Liza.
"It's caffeine, you idiot," Noah grumbled.
"I am not an idiot!" she cried.
"Don't call your sister idiot," Jordan scolded. He smoothed Jade's hair with both hands and cupped her freckled face. "Alright, I'll try to drink less coffee. Good?"
"Yup!" She nodded enthusiastically. "And drink tea instead."
"I'll try." He started peppering several kisses on her cheek when she put her dimpled hand on his mouth, pushing his face away.
"Jordan stop, I want to watch tv now," she told him with a serious tone. Turning away from him, she rested her back against his chest to properly face the television.
"Oh okay." It took everything in him not to laugh. He draped his arms around her waist and dipped his nose in her soft hair. "Did you eat your lunch?"
"Uhu. I was really hungry today."
"Good girl," he muttered against the top of her head.
Jade wasn't a picky eater, she'd eat anything you served her. In fact she was the one that always wanted to try out new things. But the girl's appetite was almost non-existent so Jordan was relieved to hear that she finished her lunch without a fuss.
Until Noah spoke up.
"That's because mom forgot to give us breakfast today."
And Jordan sighed for the hundredth time that day.
TAINTED
"C'mon baby girl, three more bites," Tristan pleaded.
"No," Jade shook her head firmly, sending flying strands of hair around her face.
"Okay, one more bite then," he tried to compromise but his sister had made up her mind.
"I'm not hungry," she whined.
He leaned closer to her, lowering his voice to a whisper, "If you finish this piece of pizza I'll let you stay up to watch tv all night."
"I don't think so," Jordan spoke from across the room. He was in the middle of helping Noah with his homework.
"Why can she stay up way past her bedtime?" Noah demanded.
"No one's staying up late today, you guys got school tomorrow."
"Will you drop us off tomorrow?"
"Sorry buddy, I can't. I have to go to work," Jordan's eyes softened. "How about I pick you up instead?"
"Okay," Noah mumbled around the butt of his pencil. He went back to work, scribbling some notes on his worksheet.
"Hey," Jordan ruffled his hair. "What do you say after school I take you guys out for some ice cream?"
Noah raised an eyebrow. "Ice cream before dinner?"
Their mother was never an authoritative kind of person so Jordan had no choice but to step in. He provided structure for his younger siblings because he learned the hard way how it was to grow up with no parental guidance. Unfortunately for the younger ones that kind of authority meant that there were certain rules. One of them was no sweets before dinner.
But Jordan didn't mind making an exception from time to time.
"Cool," Noah grinned.
"Okay, I give up!" Tristan pushed away from the kitchen table. "I tried."
Jade looked up at him, her bottom lip sticking out. "Are you mad at me?"
How could he ever be mad at that face?
"I'm not mad at you, princess. I'm just not happy 'cause you haven't finished your plate again."
"You're not happy?" she pouted with tears brimming in her eyes.
Tristan crouched next to her chair. "Do you wanna make Tris happy?"
She nodded eagerly. It was so endearing to see how this tiny human being had a heart so big.
He moved her food around and pointed at two bite-size pieces. "You can make me happy by eating this."
"Okay," she agreed reluctantly, her voice small.
She didn't like the idea of eating, even if it was for her own good. But if it meant she could make her brother happy, she was all for it. Tristan wondered if this counted as blackmail.
He watched as she chewed the last two bites. He passed her a cup of water to try help her swallow it down. Those small pieces of pizza might seem like nothing to anyone else but Tristan could tell that it was a big deal for his sister. It was hard to see her struggle like this but it was even harder being utterly helpless.
"That's my girl," he smiled wanly. He planted a loud kiss on her temple and stood up. "I'm gonna go get ready."
Jordan looked up from correcting Noah's homework. He shot a quick look at the watch around his wrist. "It's seven already?"
His class started in an hour. If his mother doesn't show up in thirty minutes he would be late. Again.
"I'm off," Tristan announced. He planted a quick kiss on top of Noah's hair who pulled a disgusted face. Jade however just smiled her pretty smile. "See you kids."
"Hey, don't forgot to buy groceries tomorrow!" Jordan called after him. "We're out of milk. And bread."
"And cereal," Noah piped up.
Jordan gave him a look. "I was pretty sure there was enough to last a few more days. Did you eat all of it again?"
Noah paused with a blank expression. "... no."
Jordan rolled his eyes. He turned to his little sister who looked like she could fall asleep any second now. "Jade." His voice jolted her awake. "Let's go brush your teeth, baby."
"I'm not tired," she yawned.
He lifted her up in his arms and rubbed her back. "Of course you're not."
TAINTED
Jordan pushed himself off the window when he heard a knock on the door. He crushed the butt of his cigarette against the windowsill before throwing it away. He slid the bolt and answered the door.
Carla smiled. "Hey baby." She swiftly kissed his cheek before pushing past him like she owned the place. "Where are the kids?"
"Asleep."
"Already?"
Jordan tightened his jaw. "It's ten thirty."
"Oh my god, is it that late already?" she chuckled. "Time really flies by."
"What is the matter with you?"
"What do you mean?" she had the nerve to ask.
He scoffed in disbelief. "You're late! I told you I had class at nine."
"What class?" She tucked her hair behind her ear, feigning obliviousness. "When did you tell me about this?"
"Today," he forced through gritted teeth.
"Are you sure 'cause I can't remember – "
"Yes, I'm sure. I even texted you."
She pretended to rack her brain. "No. No, pretty sure you didn't."
His mother was a real piece of work.
"Anyway, do you have some aspirin?" she plopped down on the couch, lifting her feet on the coffee table. "I have a killer headache. I swear some people have no respect – this lady walks into the salon demanding a refund 'cause her nail polish cracked. I mean it's not my fault she refused a base coat, I told her it was gonna chip off but she wouldn't listen. You should've seen her – yelling obscenities, scaring away our clients. We even had to call the cops. Stupid bitch."
"I don't have any aspirin," Jordan said, pushing her dirty shoes off the table. "And you don't have a headache. You're hungover."
She gasped, offended. "Excuse me. For your information, I was at work all day. Trying to earn money so I can provide for my children."
"I can smell the alcohol on your breath, Ma."
She blinked. "Okay so maybe I went for a little drink after work. It was a stressful day, alright. I needed it."
"Whatever." Jordan was really not in the mood to argue with her. He needed to save his energy because thanks to her, he had to stay up all night for some much needed self-study.
"Enough about me, how're you?" she asked with a squeeze on his shoulder. "I worry about you. You know after – "
Jordan shrugged out of her hold. "Don't say it."
"After what happened to your girlfr-"
"Don't say it."
"After Millie died." She said it. "Jordan you have to accept the fact she's gone now. I mean isn't that like the first stage of grief or something. It's been six months now, you have to get over it."
"I'm not talking to you about this," he stated. His voice was firm which left her no room to get into another discussion.
"You're my son, I just want you to know I'm here for you."
Jordan narrowed his eyes. "Hey, I know a son who'd appreciate to know you're here for him too. Ashton."
Carla's face fell. "Ashton doesn't want anything to do with me."
"That's what you think."
"He hates me, Jordan. I'm the last person he wants to see right now," she said, the revulsion dripping from her tongue. And that's when Jordan knew the feeling was mutual.
"You're still his mother," he reminded her.
Carla snorted, humored. "He's just looking for attention. What is it, his fifth time in juvie? In the last two fucking years? I don't have time for that kinda shit. I got other things to do, I got other kids to take care of."
"You mean the same kids you forgot to feed breakfast today?"
"I gave them an apple," she shot back. "You were the one that told me they needed to eat more healthy. They decided they didn't wanna eat it, so it's their own damn fault."
"They're children, Ma. What the hell did you expect? They're not gonna eat fruit just because you tell them to."
"Are you done?" Carla rose to her feet. "Why is it that every time I come over, you always end up lecturing me? Stop acting like a damn parent."
If only it were that easy. Jordan wished he could tell her that if he could stop being a parent and be a brother instead, he would do it in a heartbeat. But if he doesn't take on the responsibilities of a parent for his siblings, who will? Not her, that's for sure.
"Mom?" Noah walked in barefoot, dressed in an old pair of shorts and t-shirt that used to belong to Ashton when he was younger.
"Hey, baby," Carla pulled him into her arms, smoothing down his bed hair. "I missed you so much."
He rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Are you taking us home?"
"Yes I am." She turned to Jordan. "Can you get Jade for me please. Try not to wake her up."
"Can we stay?" Noah asked, but his question wasn't directed to his mother. He was looking at his brother.
"I'm sorry kiddo." It was never easy to make his siblings leave but Jordan had no other choice. Maybe one day they could live with him instead. But as long as their mother was still in the picture, it was just wishful dreaming.
A few minutes later, Jordan came back with a sleeping Jade in his arms. As if she knew he was the one holding her, her face automatically buried in the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent and soaking up his warmth. He had her bundled up in a blanket and kissed her forehead before carefully handing her over to his mother.
"You need help?"
"No I got this," Carla brushed off. "Noah go get your coat, baby."
Jordan walked them to the door where he helped his brother put his shoes on. He drew Noah into a quick hug. "See you soon, buddy."
"Bye," Noah replied quietly.
Jordan faced his mother. "Take care of them."
"Bye Jordan," Carla replied with a roll of her eyes.
"Give him a call," he added before she could leave. "He'll appreciate it."
"I will."
She won't.
TAINTED
Noah watched as his mother quietly tiptoed out of his bedroom he shared with Jade. She had just put his sister to bed.
She caught him standing in the hallway and whispered, "Noah what are you still doing out of bed?"
"I was thirsty."
"Okay, well time to go to sleep now."
He followed her into her room instead and frowned as she applied some lipstick. "Where are you going?"
She twisted around to face him and smiled. "Mommy's gotta go to work."
"At the beauty salon?"
"Uh, no not at the salon. I-I, I got a new job," she quickly added. "Yes, I took on an extra job 'cause Mommy's got a lot of bills to pay."
Noah leaned against the doorway, taking in her attire that consisted of a tight blouse tucked inside her skirt and knee high boots. That couldn't be comfortable to work in. "What kinda job?"
"Oh just cleaning and stuff." She gave herself one last look in the mirror, pleased with her appearance she nodded and left her room.
Noah trailed behind her into the living room. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
Carla twirled around and tipped her head in confusion. "I thought you said you were too old to be tucked in. C'mere." She grabbed his face and kissed his hair. "Good night, baby."
She started leaving again when he called her back. "Mom, you're forgetting something else."
"Noah, I know you and Jade got school tomorrow. Don't worry I'll wake up to drop you off. I even promise to make some waffles this time. How's that sound?" She pinched his cheek and started for the front door.
"Mom."
She sighed, now irritated. "What?"
"You're supposed to tell me to lock the door and not let any strangers in."
"You're such a smart boy." She stroked his cheek and smiled fondly. "What would I do without you? Anyway, call me if there's anything. And no tv for you mister, straight to bed."
"Okay."
Carla opened the door but turned around to give her son one last look. "Hey, don't tell Jordan about this okay? Mommy really needs this job."
"Jordan said we shouldn't keep secrets 'cause we're family."
"Oh no, no, it's not a secret." She bit her lip, carefully contemplating her next words. "It's not a secret because I'm planning on telling him. You see, I just haven't found the right occasion yet."
"Oh. Okay then."
She blew him a kiss and left. Noah was a little disappointed she didn't stay long enough to check he had actually locked the door.
TAINTED
Tristan bobbed his head to the loud music as he carried a box of vodka bottles to the supply room. He was recently upgraded to Inventory Manager which sounded fancy but it basically just meant he had to know when to replenish stock and record it. Tristan didn't understand why his boss chose him of all people. Apparently he was 'good with numbers' which was bullshit because he hadn't even finished high school.
He reached into his back pocket to fetch a post-it where he had scribbled down the number of their new supplier. Instead he found multiple notes with phone numbers that were too cursive to be his writing. Tristan smirked, girls always found a way to get him to notice them. He wasn't complaining.
The door behind him creaked open and he put the notes back. "Hey Benji, I ordered some new containers for garnishes and bitters. And new coasters too. I need someone at the bar around noon tomorrow, that's when they're gonna deliver them."
"Sorry, I don't work here."
Tristan turned his head sharply at the female voice. "Charlie?"
"Fancy meeting you here," she drawled.
"I work here," he pointed out. Obviously. Although something told him that she was too drunk to put two and two together. "How did you get inside? It's staff only."
"Well I was looking for you." She swayed lightly as she took in all the liquor stacked against the walls. She picked up a random drink off the shelf.
"You're gonna have to pay for that." Tristan made a mental note to record the beer in the inventory register.
Charlie choked on the beer as she laughed. "Really? You're not even gonna offer me this one?"
"How about we head back to the bar and I'll think about it." He tried to lead her out of the room, the last thing he wanted was to get caught with this chick and lose his job. His boss might be a nice guy but he was also a stickler for protocol. Luckily she didn't protest.
Tristan settled back behind the bar and true to his word, he served her a new drink. "It's on the house."
She lowered herself on one of the stools and spoke over the loud music. "Drink with me."
"Can't, not when I'm on the job."
"Too bad." She raised her glass, winked, and downed the shot like it was merely water.
Tristan was busy serving other people when he suddenly noticed something out of the corner of his eye. Charlie slipped a couple of pills in her mouth before washing them down with another shot of whiskey.
The bar implemented a strict policy – no drugs allowed. Tristan had a duty to report this kinda stuff but he decided to turn a blind eye for once.
"You think that's a good idea?" he asked, making sure she knew he saw.
She shrugged. "Don't worry about it. I just needed something to get my mind off things."
"What kinda things?"
"Personal stuff. If you'd met my family, you would understand."
"Oh I understand," Tristan chuckled. He of all people knew what it's like to have a dysfunctional family – a brother who was forced to play a dad for two kids that weren't even his; another brother who spent more nights in juvie than he did at a girl's; a manipulative mother who always put herself first, booze second, men third and then followed by her own damn children.
Yeah, Tristan knew the feeling of having a family that made you want to drink yourself into oblivion.
"Hey!" Charlie leaned forward to get his attention. "What time do you get off work?"
"Why? Planning on kidnapping me to your place again?" he grinned cockily. Come to think of it, he still wasn't sure how exactly he ended up in her bed ...
"Who knows. Maybe I am." Her tongue darted out to slowly wet her lips while she took her sweet time giving him a once-over. "This time I'll fuck you so hard, you won't even remember my name in the morning."
Tristan laughed. Yeah, she was definitely drunk.
A/N: hello my beautiful readers! I've missed you guys so fucking much!!! Thanks for reading my new book. I know this is more like a filler, not much interesting has happened yet but it's only the first chapter. So please be patient, I have a lot planned for this one.
Please let me know what you think. I don't know why but I'm super nervous. I had a hard time keeping the characters 'the same' if you know what I mean. Like I know they're all younger but I wanted to stay true to their personalities and mannerisms. In a way this book is to show you guys how the characters are affected by the events that happen in TAINTED, and how that made them the person they are in FADED.
I hope I won't disappoint you guys. If you liked this chapter, please VOTE/FOLLOW, it would absolutely mean the world to me!
And also a big fat thank you for the ONE THOUSAND followers. Unbelievable. You guys it's ridiculous how much I love your support and kindness <3 <3 <3