Amnesia// C.H.

Chapter 36: Confiding

Calum's POV

I walked out. Max was comforting Brooke, and they are about to go out for ice cream. I just had to get out of that room.

I knew that there was something about her past. I knew that she didn't like to go home when she got the chance to. I just didn't think that this was the reason.

What kind of man would put his hands on his own daughter?

I get that he lost his twin brother, but that doesn't excuse him. He got drunk and started abusing Brooke. He started it when her mom was out of town and when her brother was away at camp.

Even after they both came back, he still did it, only then he started abusing Max too. Their mom didn't do anything to stop it. Max tried to stop it, but it still didn't stop. They both got hurt in the process.

Now I do know why Max is so protective over her too. Even for an older brother, it was still a lot. He is used to taking care of her, to make sure nothing happens to her.

Even though they left, he still feels the need to take care of her and not let her get abused again.

I am so happy that Max did step up like that and take care of her, because now I can see that she is the love of my life.

If she hadn't have gone through that and ended up at our concert that night, then I wouldn't have her now.

I wish that something would have changed that she didn't have to experience abuse in her childhood, but it made her who she is today.

Brooke is a strong, independent woman who I have to say has stolen my heart. Now that I know this, I want to do even more than I have before. I want to protect her.

--

I finally get to where I have been unsure to go for about five minutes.

I know that I told Brooke and Max that I was going for a walk, but I find myself in front of another hotel room door.

I raise my hand up to knock a couple of times. It comes out as pounds instead of knocks, though. Almost immediately the door opens.

"Hey Calum. What's up?" Luke says as he moves to the side to let me in.

"Is Lily here?" I ask impatiently.

"Uh no. She left with Marie and Emily to go shopping. They thought Brooke would want to stay with Max." He says as he nervously rubs the back of his neck.

"I just need to talk to someone and you know Brooke even better than Marie." I turn around to face him while we sit on the couch.

"Okay. What happened? Did you and Max get into it or...?"

"I found out something. Something from when they were kids." I look up to meet his eyes. I can see that he's confused and doesn't get what I am  saying.

"Luke, when you dated Brooke did you notice..... did you notice any bruises on her?" I watch his reaction carefully.

He gulps and several emotions flash through his eyes confusion, realization, guilt, and anger.

"She always made up an excuse for each bruise. She was clumsy I did see that, but I always thought something was up." I can tell Luke is being honest with me.

"Brooke and Max told me actually just a few minutes ago. It was their dad. He lost his twin and started drinking."

As I say those words, I can see Luke having the same reaction from that I did. Anger.

"That... that son of a bitch. I should have known. When did it start?" He jumped up and turned back to me.

"She was thirteen." I say quietly looking down.

"I wish I would have done something when we were together. I could have done something if I just hadn't brought into her lie." Luke stomps around clearly pissed.

Just now I realize that I am still holding in my anger. I couldn't let it out earlier because I was with Brooke. Now I can though, and to be honest, I really want to punch that guy's face in.

"I should have known. I could have done something." He says as he pulls at his hair some.

I rub my hands over my face to try to stay grounded. I tried not to let the anger get out because I was in front of Brooke and I didn't want to scare her.

Luke sits back down beside me. "Where is she now?"

"Max took her to get ice cream. I don't know when they will be back." I tell him still looking down.

"I just.... I just can't believe that." He speaks in a whisper.

"Brooke doesn't know I came to tell you. You can't say that I did tell you." I look over to him at the same time he looks up at me.

"Why not? Well, why did you come to tell me anyway?" He asks confused and still a little angry.

"I kind of... There was a small part of me that was hoping you would tell me it wasn't true." I tell Luke truthfully.

I was hoping that this was all a joke or something. I didn't want this to be true or real.

"I know. I get it," he admits.

-

We sit there in silence for what feels like hours. We both look up when the door opens.

I thought maybe, just maybe it would be Brooke looking for me, instead it's Lily.

After she walks inside the room so we can see her, Luke jumps up and hugs her.

"Hello to you too Luke," she giggles.

"I just missed you," he says while letting her go.

I can tell that he's just happy to see his girlfriend after finding out about Brooke's childhood.

"Hey Calum." Lily says while going to place her shopping bags beside her suitcases.

"Hey Lily. I think I am just gonna head out and see if Brooke and Max are back yet."

Luke nods as Lily tells me goodbye. I walk out and head back to mine and Brooke's hotel room.

--

I get back to the hotel room and enter carefully. It's quiet, but the TV is on in the living room part.

When I walk around, I see Max sitting up on the couch with Brooke stretched out and her head in his lap.

"Hey," I speak slowly to Max hoping he's awake.

"Hey Calum," he says while getting up and laying Brooke back down gently.

"I'm just going to take her to bed." I walk over and start to pick her up. She wraps her arms around my neck and nuzzles her head into my chest.

"Calum?" I turn around to face Max.

"I'm glad Brooke has someone like you. Just please take care of her."

I give Max a small smile, "Of course. I always will."

I continue to walk into the bedroom as I hear the hotel room door shut, signaling that Max has left.

I lay her down and change for bed. She's turn to face the other way so I pull her back. Her back is to my front.

I give her a lingering kiss on the cheek before moving my lips to her ear. "I love you."

It doesn't take long before I get an answer back. "I love you too, Cal."

--

*Edited*

I am thinking about ending this book after several more chapters though. Don't worry I'm planning on writing a sequel to it.

Thanks so much for reading. Please vote and comment.