Living With Animals

Chapter 38

Jacob's POV

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I'm going to fucking kill him. It will happen.

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Claira's POV
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Jacob lightly runs the rag over my back with anti-bacterial medication. It burns, but it does the job, cleaning out the wounds. I'm still hunched over somewhat, crabbing my ribs as they ache. I worry that when I heard the crack, I fractured or broke a rib/s.

I hear him grab out bandage, feel him place gauze over the marks, then wrap bandages around it.

"Alright we're done with that. What's wrong with your stomach?" he asks, now standing in front of me.

"I think I messed up my ribs." He gets a thoughtful look on his face, then inches closer.

"Do you mind if I look at it?" he asks, hesitantly. "Not in like a creepy way, like in a 'I want to see if it's swollen or if it's broken or anything' way." I nod and lift my shirt the tiniest bit, so that it's now showing my stomach. My shirt begins now right under my breasts.

He looks at it for a moment, the sighs.

"Claira, it's bright purple. I think you definitely messed up something. I'm not sure what though. I'm not a doctor, nor am I studying to be one."

I nod, and let my shirt drop back down. then I carefully , still hunched over, walk to my bed and sit down. I bring my knees to my chest, as putting pressure on my ribs, is the only thing that helps the pain.

"DO you want me to go get ibuprofen?"

"It's okay. I keep some in my wallet just in case I get headaches when I'm out and about. If you could grab that, that would be great please." He walks over to wallet, and I assume he questions how i fit ibuprofen in there. It's like a light bulb over his head when he realizes I put it in a small ziploc bag.

"Thanks." I grab the water bottle that sits on my nightstand and take the ibuprofen. Jacob leaves the room, giving a small smile and saying goodnight.

I lie in bed for around 20 minutes, then decide I won't be able to sleep, as I worry about my dad walking back in here.

I get up, and pace back in forth in my room, wincing at the pain in my ribs, but then ignoring it. After a few moments, my door creaks open. I jump, only to turn around and find Jacob look at me with concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I just need a minute to calm down."

"Okay." He starts to walk back out the door.

"Jacob?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me?"

Such a ridiculous request, but I feel that I'll actually be able to sleep if he's in here, comforting me.

A small smile shows.

"Of course, Claira." He walks over to the bed and sits down. "Do you care if I lay here with you?"

"Please do."

I sit down on the bed next to him, then lay down. He does the same, lightly wrapping his arms around me, careful not to hurt my back.

"Are you okay with this?"

"Yes." I move in so I'm laying against his chest and he wraps his arm around me, tighter, casuing butterflies in my stomach. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for anything. I'm always here for you. I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. It was irrational."

"it's okay. It was probably rude of me not to accept, but you have to understand why. If you were in my position, would you take the apartment?"

He thinks for a moment. "Probably not," he sighs.

"Exactly. So I greatly appreciate the gift, but could not take it. Sorry"

"It's okay. Let's just get some sleep."

"Okay."

It's quiet for a few moments.

"I love you, Jacob."

"Love you too, Claira."

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(A/N: From here on out it will be Claira's P.O.V unless I say otherwise.)

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"What the hell?" My dad's voice booms throughout my bedroom. I wake up, still tucked in Jacob's arms. "Julie, Isabelle, come look at this!" Mom and Isabelle charge up the stairs. Isabelle gasps. Mom just smiles.

Jacob wakes up, confused, but quickly realizing what's going on. He gives an awkward smile.

Isabelle marches over, and she grabs him by the hair, pulling him out of the room. He sighs, knowing he's in tons of trouble.

My parents just stand there, silent.

After a few moments, Jacob and Isabelle come back, bags in their hands.

"I'm taking him home earlier."

Jacob frowns and waves to me and I sigh, waving back. The moment we hear the door shut, my dad starts yelling.

"What the hell was that?!"

"Was what?"

"Him! In you room! In your bed!"

"Why are you freaking out? We didn't do anything anyways!"

"First of all) I don't believe that for a second. Second) He shouldn't be in here even if you didn't!"

"Well I couldn't, so he came and laid with me."

"And why coudln;t you sleep?"

"Because of anxiety."

"What do you have to be anxious about!?"

He did not just fucking say that.

"YOU!" I yell, turning around and lifting up my back to see the bandages, I can feel that blood has seeped through.

Then i turn back around and show them the bruise on my stomach. I look down at it. Jacob was right. It really is bad.

My mom's expression looks shocked. She knew he abused me, but not like this, I don't think. I don't think he even hurts her this bad.

Mom looks pissed.

"Are you fucking serious?" Mom asks him. "You're accusing her and getting her in trouble for sleeping with a guy, even though she didn't, when you're the one who caused him to be in there, and you're doing this to her!"

He falters. He doesn't answer. He looks shocked. Doesn't know what to say.

Then he stomps off.