by R. S Burnett
“Noooooo!” I scream so loud my chest hurts.
The man swings around startled and I watch as my step dad throws his head back and laughs at me. I don’t stop running towards him not taking my eyes off the grave to see how much damage has been done so when I reach him and he puts out an arm in front of me I’m not expecting it and fall straight to the ground with a crash knocking the air out of me. I try to get back up but he sits on top of me straddling my stomach. I watched amazed at how calm I am when he raises a fist and it crashes into my face. Blood flows from my nose and scream out. I try to struggle against him but he’s too strong. I swing my arms about at an attempt to hit him but he grabs them and pins them above my head using his own.
“I’m going to enjoy watching you struggle. And I’m going to take you on top of you’re fathers grave so he can see what a whore you really are” he laughs down at me. He grabs my breast through my top and squeezes it hard making me whimper. He shoves his mouth onto mine and I turn my face to the side so he gets my cheek. He bites me and lifts his head up. “Look at me” he shouts down at me. I turn my face to look him in the eye. I don’t know why I do it but I spit at him, it goes in his eye making him swear and close his eye just as his head reaches down I hit it with my own wincing at the pain that flashes above my eyes. He stumbles back off me and I struggle to stand but he’s quicker than me and kicks me back down. The kicks keep coming and I try my best to block them but my body starts getting tired. When another kick doesn’t immediately follow I look up to see he’s picked up his hammer. He can see me watching him horrified and laughs again, I close my eyes and wait for the blow, the one I know will end it all.
It doesn’t come; instead I hear a loud grunt. I gingerly open my eyes to see Tucker on top of Sam throwing punches and from what I can make out not missing one.
“Stop!” I shout not knowing how far Tucker will go. He stops and seems to be trying to catch his breath. I shake my head at him wiping away the tears from my face but they don’t stop falling “He’s not worth it … stop” He throws the hammer to the ground next to me and gets up. I watch confused as he pulls Sam up off the ground and pushes him away.
“Get out of here and stay the hell away from her, next time I won’t stop” he growls at him. He stands watching as Sam stumbles his way out of the graveyard. I crawl over to my dad’s grave crying out in pain as my ribs protest against any movement I make. I wrap my arms around the headstone and cry, unable to stop. I can hear the deep howling cries that tear through my mouth but don’t care or even attempt to stop them. Tucker comes at sits next to me and I turn on him.
“What are you doing here?” I yell at him, still crying.
“I followed you, just like I have for the last three nights. I usually just sit in my car and watch you, to make sure you’re safe” he says quietly.
“That’s not for you to do! You shouldn’t be here, this is where I come, th0is is supposed to be my happy place!” I shout at him. Before I realise what I’m doing my fists go flying and I’m punching his shoulders. “I don’t want you here. I don’t want you anywhere near me.”
“I’m sorry Brooke” he makes no attempt to stop my attack.
“I hate you” I yell trying to put more force behind my punches but not finding the strength.
“I know I’m sorry” Still not trying to stop my attack which takes my anger up another notch.
“I trusted you and you told” I scream at him as a painful sob breaks through “I trusted you!” I cry softly and give up on my attempt to hurt him because it obviously isn’t working. He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest. “You told” I cry into his chest as he rocks us both back and forth letting me cry.
“I’m so sorry Brooke, so sorry I don’t know what I was thinking. I was drunk she was bitching about you and it all just came out. I’m so sorry...” he says quietly stroking my hair.
“You told” is all I can say, he doesn’t reply just picks me up and carries me to his car. I drift in and out of sleep in the car and he carries me up to the dorm knocking softly on the door. I pull my eyes open as the door opens and Sophie and Matt stand in the doorway staring at us. Sophie’s mouth drops open at the sight of me and I groan. She takes a step towards us but Tucker shakes his head at her and says something I don’t hear but it makes her take a few steps back. He puts me down on the sofa and climbs on next to me and wraps his arms around me, holding me close. Waiting for me to break down again I suspect. Sophie and Matt join us and start asking questions, all of which Tucker answers thankfully.
“Are you okay Brooke” Matt asks, I look across and see Sophie crying softly.
“Yeah, step dad, hammer, hit my dad’s grave, then hit me, was going to kill me. Tucker stopped him and hit him. Step dad went. Tucker told and I hit him. Tucker said he’s sorry and I’m still alive” I mumble sleepily. I can’t hear the rest of what’s said. I feel a blanket being pulled over us and snuggle down.
“It’s over now Brooke” he reassures me stroking my hair.
“It’s never over, not for me” I mumble and let the sleep take me.
Chapter Nine
When I finally wake I attempt to stretch out a little but groan as my body resists the small movement.
“Brooke?” Sophie calls softly.
I turn my head and see she’s at the table with Matt and Tucker I close my eyes again and groan as flashes of last night come back to me. “I’m here” I call back knowing how worried she must be about me.
“Here” I open my eyes again and she’s crouched in front of me holding a glass of water, two aspirin and Matt is next to her offering me a cup of coffee.
“Thanks” I say weakly accepting the water and pills first.
“How bad is it?” Matt asks as I take the coffee from him.
“I’m mostly sore and I have a killer headache. I’m glad I don’t have to go in today, I don’t think I could manage it” I admit.
I look over to where Tucker is sat at our table, he has he back to us and his head resting in his hands. I frown when I realise he hasn’t said a word since I’ve woken up. Noticing my frown Sophie squeezes my hand, I turn my attention back to her and shake shakes her head sadly at me.
“I’m going to have a bath” I smile reassuringly at her and she helps me up and to the bathroom.
“He’s struggling with what he saw last night, he thinks he should have got to you sooner when he realised what was happening you were already on the floor” Sophie says quietly while I run my bath.
“It’s not his fault” I sigh stripping out of my clothes.
“I don’t think anyone will change what he thinks” she whispers before she leaves me to wash away the night before.
I stay in the bathtub while the water drains away and watch horrified as my bruises are revealed one by one.
The tears run down my face and I give in to the soft quiet sobs knowing no one can hear me. When I climb out of the bath my vision is blurred from the tears and I slip on the tiles, I cry out in pain as I land on my side, leaning up against the bath I hang my head in between my legs and continue to cry.
“Brooke?” Tucker shouts shouting frantic as he bursts through the bathroom door.
“I fell” I tell him between sobs lifting my face to look at him.
“You should have called, I would have helped you. Sophie and Matt went out to grab something for dinner” he takes a few cautious steps towards me grabbing a towel on his way. He lays the towel on my shoulders.
“Need a hand?” he asks keeping his eyes on my face instead of my naked body. I nod up at him and wrap the towel around me. He helps me out of the bathroom, turn to sit down on my bed and my towel slips, I make a grab for it but I’m not quick enough, I watch as it falls revealing my red and blue angry looking body.
I hear a strange noise and look up at Tucker as I sit on the bed.
“Brooke …” he chokes out.
“It’s okay” I shake my head at him the tears falling freely once again.
“It’s not I should have been there sooner. I could have prevented this” he sits next to me on the bed
“I told you before, no one can stop what happens to me” I nudge his shoulder with mine “You saved me though, you stopped him when he was about to …” I trail off on a sob thinking about what could have happened had he not been there.
“When I seen him with that hammer…” he shakes his head not able to carry on, the light catches on a tear rolling down his cheek.
“I missed you” I whisper resting my head on his shoulder hating that I’ve caused him pain.
“I’ve missed you too”
I turn my head to his as his arms wrap around me so I’m looking into his eyes hoping he can see the pure appreciation in them “Thank you for saving me” I whisper
“Always” he whispers back laying us down and pulling the side of the blanket up so it’s covering my naked body. Surprisingly I had forgotten that I’m naked in his arms my front pressed against his. He places a soft kiss on the side of my mouth “He won’t hurt you again, I’ll make sure of it”
I’m not sure how long we lay like this, wrapped in each others arms in silence apart from sniffing back sobs until the tears finally fade from both of us.
“Right you’re not staying in bed all day Brooke, Tucker help her over to the table, we bought her favourite” Sophie announces walking into the room followed by Matt, none of them blink an eye at our position so used to us sleeping together.
“Uhh …” Tucker looks down at me frowning I look back up at him but he turns his attention back to Sophie and Matt. “Matt could I have a word outside with you a minute?” I watch as he waits for Matt to leave the room before he turns back to me. Sophie is watching us just as confused as me. “Will you help Brooke get dressed? She fell in the bathroom” He says to her quietly.
I blush as I remember my nakedness and Sophie’s eyes fall to the floor, her eyebrows shoot up and I assume she’s noticing my dropped towel for the first time.
“Sure” she says blinking at how close we are and Tuckers arms that are still wrapped around me.
“You didn’t ….” She starts once Tucker has left the room.
“No!” I say horrified. She doesn’t say anything further she just throws me some underwear and yoga pants which I manage to put on my self. I shake my head when she holds up a bra and put the T-shirt over my head and pull it down while she helps put my bad arm through the hole.
By the time the guys return back to the room we are sat at the table waiting for the food to cook.
Tucker takes a seat next me and I smile my appreciation at him for getting Matt out of the room while I get dressed without drawing the attention to the fact that I had no clothes on. He grins and winks at me.
Through dinner we talk about parties and upcoming exams. My mood lifts along with everyone else’s as we move on to the sofa’s and watch a couple of comedies.
Tuckers phone beeps but he ignores it, I then remember that Matt and Sophie have been ignoring their phones all day too. I don’t say anything straight away because I know that I have something I should have done by now too.
As if he can read my mind my phone rings, everyone watches me as I answer.
“Hey” I say into the phone ignoring them.
“Hey yourself. You okay?”
“Yeah, what are you doing later? I’d like to do it tonight please if we could”
“Are you sure Brooke? You’ve had a hard week”
“I’m sure, trust me. It’s time; I’ve put it of for too long”
“Fine I’ll be out front in an hour”
“Could you come up to my room instead?” I ask biting my lip nervously.
“I’m not going to like what I see am I?” He asks sighing.
“No, I’ll see you in a bit” I hang up and turn to the others who are still watching me.
“Something happening tonight?” Sophie is the first to speak.
“I know you lot have been fielding messages all day and night and you all have somewhere to be. I really do appreciate you all being here for me and taking care of me but I have something I need to do tonight, something I should have done last weekend”
“With all due respect Brooke, the last time you said that to us you went a little crazy” Matt says softly, Sophie glares at him but I smirk.
“It’s nothing like that, in fact this is what I should have been doing when I said I had something to do last weekend instead of what I did. I’m not in any danger. I’m going to be fine”
“Can you tell me what you’re doing?” Sophie asks me pleadingly.
“Luke’s going to help me do something that’s all, it’s nothing to worry about and I’ll only be gone a few hours, it’s something we’ve done every year since we were sixteen”
“You’ve known Luke that long?” Tucker asks surprised then I remember when he first spoke to me he thought Luke and I were together.
“Umm yeah, I’ve known him about ten years all together, why?”
“I thought you met him through Sophie” he frowns at me.
“No I met him when I met Brooke, he helped her move here” Sophie tells him frowning “Well I suppose we could go out for a few hours, I like knowing your with Luke, he wouldn’t let anything happen to you” Sophie smiles kindly at me but I notice Tucker wince.
“Sometimes it can’t be helped” I tell her squeezing Tuckers thigh, he thinks last night was his fault which is bad enough.
I watch as Sophie and Matt sort themselves out before they head out.
“You’ll call me if you need anything right?” She asks leaning over the sofa to give me a quick hug.
“Of course” I assure her.
They let Luke in as they leave. “He’s going to shout at me, just let him” I quickly whisper to Tucker, knowing what Luke’s reaction will be once he has seen me. He doesn’t have time to say anything back as Luke walks towards us.
He doesn’t have to say anything I already know the routine.
“Could you help me up please?” I ask Tucker once Luke has taken him place in front of us.
He backs up a few steps as Tucker stands me up, using my good hand I lift my shirt up to just below my breasts.
“You promised me Brooke” he shakes his head at me “You promised you wouldn’t go back there no matter what. How many times does this have to happen to you?” he shouts.
I lower myself back onto the sofa Tucker helps when he notices me wince.
“Did he …?” Luke asks quietly, flicking his eyes to Tucker but I know he’s not asking anything about him he’s asking if my step dad finally raped me.
“No, He tried but I fought back” I say just as quietly “Then Tucker showed up and stopped it”
“You went there?” Matt asks him surprised.
“It wasn’t at the house” I answer before Tucker can.
“Then where the hell was it? You told me he would never come here. I knew we should have moved further away” he’s shouting again.
“The grave yard” Is all I tell him.
“Brooke” he sits in the chair opposite us and runs his hands down his face.
“He won’t go back there” I try for reassuring but I sound desperate even to my own ears.
“You’re going back there?” Tucker asks clearly not happy with this.
“Why were you there?” Luke asks him in return, turning on him now.
“I was following her, she’d been spending the night there for the last week” Tucker answers him calmly.
“Well if you were there, why didn’t you stop him sooner? You know if you hadn’t ...”
“Enough” I cut him off not wanting them to get into a shouting match. “Luke are you coming with me or not?”
“Is he?” he asks not breaking his glare at Tucker.
I turn to Tucker who is in return glaring at Luke. “Aren’t you going out?” he shakes his head in answer.
“Okay well I’m fine with him coming if you are?” I ask Luke
knowing he doesn’t like Tucker after last weekend.
“It’s probably better if he comes anyway, just in case he does turn up again that way one of us can stay with you” Luke says finally looking at me “If he is there, he won’t try anything if there’s two of us”
“I’ll make it quick I promise” I assure him.
“No, you take all the time you need for this, we’ll make sure it’s empty then wait by the gate for you” Luke shakes his head at me “Where is it?”
“In the shoe box, under my bed” I point to the box sticking out from under my bed and ignore the questioning look Tucker is sending me.
“Are you ready?” Luke asks us passing me my jacket.
“Umm, I just need to use the bathroom and then I’m ready” Tucker stands up and walks to the bathroom, Luke stands me up and helps get my bad arm in the jacket.
“Brooke what’s going on with you two?” He whispers pulling me into a hug.
“We’re just friends Luke” I whisper back
“He hurt you though; you shouldn’t let people that hurt you back into your life”
“He saved my life last night”
“I don’t trust him, promise me you won’t let him hurt you again” Tucker clears his throat from the bathroom, I know he can’t hear us because we have been whispering for the very reason that he doesn’t ear us, he’s just letting us know he’s back. We pull apart and I smile at both of them “Ready?”
“Brooke” Luke says sternly.
“I promise” I nod at him. Tucker sends me a strange look, I’m not sure what it’s supposed to mean so I just shake my head him, this seems to be the right answer because he smiles again.
Chapter Ten
It took a week for me to heal completely Tucker only ever left my side to go to class, I know Sophie is bothered by the amount of time he spends in our room and with me but she never mentions it. I think the only reason she never mentions it is because whenever we are together he is too. I haven’t heard from Luke since he took me to the graveyard but I have heard from his dad, he rang me and gave me the number of a man that he says used to be my dad’s best friend. I haven’t rung the number yet simply because I don’t know what to say to him.
