restricted ~ JJ Maybank

1.33

That night I tried to fall asleep, it seemed like an impossible task at first, every time I closed my eyes, I was back in the hallway. But after what must've been two hours of tossing and turning. Darkness consumed me. But a dark nightmare got the best of me, causing me to wake up the next morning drenched in sweat with heavy breathes. I brushed my finger through my hair, swallowing the saliva in my mouth, only now noticing how dry my throat was. I held my throat, pulling away immediatly as a stinging pain in neck emerged. Drastic movements in my face stung, ripping open the heeling cuts on my face.

I sighed deeply, ripping the blanket of my legs, the bruises on my knees were developing quickly. I circled my middle finger around them, noticing how they weren't that painful, only a dull feeling aching my knees when I pressed on the blue spots. I groaned as I stepped out of my bed since my whole body was soar, it wasn't bad. But I just didn't expect it. I walked to my bathroom, trying to avoid the mirror before I got into the shower.

After 15 minutes, I got out. The mirror was fogged up, so I wasn't able to see my face. I went to my closet, grabbing a shirt with a high collar, lucky enough that it comepletely covers up the bruises on my neck. I sighed as I grabbed a pair of ripped jeans, purposely not putting under a bikini, not planning on going swimming any time soon. I pulled my hair down from the bun it was in and brushed it to cover up some of the bruises. I decided not to wear any make up today since that required for me to look in my mirror, something I was drastically avoiding.

I grabbed a pair of sneaker and figured it was best to sneak out through my balcony. Since my mom was still inside. So I grabbed my phone and car keys and climbed down one of the pillars leading from my balcony to the terrace. I sneaked round the side the of the house, I got in my car, sighing in relieve when I made it there. But I wished I hadn't done that when Toppers car pulled into the driveway, stopping next to me. I should've just drove off, immediatly, not wasting any time by celebrating this little victory too soon. I couldn't get away before he stood by my car, his forarms leaning on the door. I held my head down, hoping he wasn't able to see.

"Look, Jess, you know I didn't mean to push him that hard." He reasoned. I knew he didn't mean too, he can be harsh, but never too harsh to actually throw something off of a tower. But because he couldn't see my bruises, I had to keep my head down, causing him to believe I was still mad at him. "C'mon, at least say something." He whined. I sighed, looking up a bit, but not too much.

"I'm not mad at you." I said, only now realizing how sore my throat felt once I talked. I coughed, unknowingly indicating to him that something was wrong.

"Jessi, are you good?" He asked. Dipping his head, trying to meet my eyes. I turned away, but me turning my head caused my hair to move away, and reveal the bruises. "What the hell!" He said, as he moved my hair from my face, pulling my head up gently with his pointer finger. "What happened, I swear to God if this was that Maybank kid-" he said, ready to beat the blonde up for something he didn't even do.

"No!" I yelled. "Top, it wasn't him..." I said, letting my voice die down since it was still hurting my throat.

"Than who was it? Routledge? Heyward?" He said, I heard in the way he said Pope's last name that he didn't actually beleave that it could've been him. He might not have really known him, but even he knew Pope wasn't able to beat up one of his friend, especially not a girl, how unfair it sounded didn't matter. But Pope would never beat up a girl. I knew John B and JJ wouldn't either, but Toppers ideals didn't let him think that way.

"No, Topper, stop thinking it was them. It wasn't one of them." I said, pulling my head away from his grip.

"Then who was it, because I swear to God. I will let him pay!" He yelled, Top was getting heated, but he didn't know that the one who did it was our own mother, someone he couldn't just beat up.