If I Stay✔️

30

Trigger Warning;
Mentions of SA|Rape.
Abuse.
Mental illness.
—

Z A C

The world around me slowed, similar to that of a slow-motion moment you'd see in a movie. Through the mist in my gaze, I stared wide-eyed at the doctor in front of me, his lips moving though no words reached me. The only sound I could hear being the constant shrill and echos of ringing. So loud, I could feel the vibrations in my bones.

"What?" I mumbled, so lowly I'd be surprised if he even heard me.

"Leo's injuries, Zac." The doctor paused, his words still nothing but a muffle to me. Straining my ears, I squinted slightly as I angled my head to the side. "They're similar to those I've seen in abuse victims." His eyes quickly drifted to Jack before they locked back to mine.

"Abuse?" I repeated, my heart thumbing rapidly in my chest as a cold sweat broke out on my forehead. This can't be true, Leo wasn't— he hasn't ever been abused. The words he spoke on the bridge kept replaying themselves in my mind. Who is this 'he' that Leo spoke of? And better yet, where do I find him?

Dr. Owens sighed, his eyes filled with guilt. The emotion confusing me completely. "Zac, sit down, you're in shock."

I nodded absently, allowing him to gently push me back to my chair. My eyes glancing to the left, watching helplessly as Ace began to sob, the sound of his wails filling the painfully silent office.

Callan moved from his seat, pulling Ace into his arms as he tried his best to comfort him, all whilst trying to comfort himself. Moving my eyes to the left, I observed my other three brothers.

Carter had his hands clenched into tight fists, his jaw locked as he glared at the carpeted floor. Alex was silent, simply watching everything around him, though I could see his eyes barley taking anything in. Like me, he was clearly in a state of shock. Jack on the other hand, he looked... guilty? His whole body trembled as his fingers latched themselves to his blonde locks. He was mumbling incoherent words under his breath, even straining my ears, I couldn't hear him. Not until he spoke up.

"This is all my fault." What?

Clearly I'd been the only one to hear him, our other brothers to lost in their shock for their ears to process his admission. I chose to ignore Jack's words for now, deciding it would be best to speak with my younger brother in private, away from the hotheads; being Ace and Carter.

"What kind of abuse?" I found myself asking, unsure of why I even did. It was so obvious and yet I couldn't bring myself to admit it.

I could see the discomfort and anguish in Dr.Owens eyes as he looked at me. "There's multiple bruises on Leo's body, some healing, some new. The oldest I'd say are from around a week ago." He paused, clenching his hands together tightly. "He has a... bite mark."

"He what!?" Callan asked, his eyes filled with anger, failure, sorrow. "Bite marks? Someone fucking bit him?"

"Maybe... maybe it's just from a hook up or something? You know, like a love bite?" Carter tried to reason, though you could hear from his tone he didn't believe his own words.

"I don't think so." Dr. Owens shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger, he exhaled a heavy breath. "This bite mark was rather deep, so deep that it required stitches. I'd say it's a few days old, possibly three."

"The party... could Maya have done it?" Ace spoke aloud, his eyes darting between our brothers. "Never mind, we would've noticed if she had. So it must've been after that?" He continued to ramble to himself, trying to put the missing pieces together.