Fading Scars [incomplete/no current plans of completion]

Chapter 9: Fading Scars

Oh My Gosh!! 1,000 reads and 16 fans!! Thank you to all the new readers and fans. Thank you also for voting and commenting constructively it means a lot to me. 

So in honor of reaching 1,000 reads... here is chapter 9

 Recap:

“Bridge they're going to send me away, Annabelle found me and dragged me back here, she said she’d send me to Massachusetts. That’s on the other side of the country! What are we going to do?” She cried.

“I will figure something out. I won't let them separate us.”

Just then the door opened to reveal Annabelle, she smiled an evil despicable smile. 

 Chapter 9:

I pushed Joan around me so that I was facing the threat. She chuckled, finding humor in the situation—as always.

“Awww adorable, but you can't protect her from the inevitable.” Annabelle crackled.

“Which is what…exactly?” I questioned.

“You will find out soon enough my dear, soon enough,” and with that she closed the door behind her.

 I got up and went to the door surprised when it was unlocked I opened it and looked back at Joan, fear was present in her face.

“Don’t worry I will be right back.” I didn’t realize until I reached the living room that those were the exact same words I'd said to Elizabeth, before she was lost forever. I wanted to run back to the basement, but I turned and Annabelle was standing right there. I looked down, she slapped me.

“I told you never to look down when you are speaking to me,” she said in a monotone.

“Sorry,” I mumbled.

“so,” she said circling me, “why weren't you at school today?” I gasped shocked how did she know already, but then it dawned upon me. John. Or Mr. Caldwell, he was my bio teacher.

“Didn’t think I would find out did you?” her voice began to rise and she stepped closer to me, but I was spared, when the door bell rang, I went to answer it, Annabelle on my heels.  I open the door, and standing there in jeans and a nice black shirt, was Jayden. I felt my eyes go wide. He had rang the doorbell, and I had forgotten to tell him Annabelle would be home. I turned to Annabelle, knowing she’d be furious because I'd be breaking her no-boy rule, but instead she was smiling.

“Jayden, I can't go tonight I'm sorry,” I said sincerely sorry.

“Yes, of course you can,” Annabelle said from behind me. She pushed me rather harshly into Jayden’s awaiting arms and slammed the door. I heard the deadbolt slide home and I knew that for whatever reason, she wanted me gone, it was going to be bad for me once I returned.

Jayden’s brows furrowed in confusion,

“I’m sorry I didn’t-” I didn’t let him finish. “It’s okay everything will be alright.” I told him even though I was more trying to convince myself then him.

“I can't let this go on anymore, you need to tell someone it kills me to see you're scared of your own home.”

I laughed, but to no mirth,

“This is not my home it’s just the house I live in, I haven’t had a home since I was 3.” I said, “I can't tell what if she finds out, Joan would be doomed, hell I would be doomed, I'm scared. I can't be protected from the inevitable,” I said using Annabelle’s words.

“You can do this I will be there, right by your side the whole time.” Jayden said soothingly.

I nodded, we got into the car a drove to his house confused, I looked up at him, but before I could ask the question he answered, my mom’s home and she works for the state police department, she's the head officer and I thought it might be easier for you to tell her than walk into the police department and have a large handful of police officers staring at you.

I nodded, taking a deep breath, I hope I was ready and would be able to do this. 

Once we arrived at his house I felt frozen, I couldn’t move. I. was. Terrified. What if Annabelle found out and somehow escaped the charges? What about Joan I wouldn’t be 18 for another year, so would we get separated? I looked at Jayden, who had walked daround to my side of the car. He helped me out of the car and we walked up his front steps together, but I started pulling back, in the direction of his car.

“I can't do this, please don’t make me do this Jayden,” Annabelle had nailed it in my mind consequences if I disobeyed her and all I could think about was what happened to Elizabeth, happening to Joan.  

“Look at me, buttercup,” Jayden told me softly. I frantically looked his direction. Once I met his eyes my heart slowed, “I will be right here. You can do it, its for the best and for the safety of Joan an yourself.”

I took a deep breath and nodded, he was right. We walked through the front door hand-in-hand.

“Jayden?” I heard a warm voice callout.

“Yeah, mom it’s me, and a… friend.”

“Oh.”

I heard feet scattering across the carpeted floor, then a lean woman was standing before us. She smiled.

“Hi I'm Jayden’s mother,” she said seeming as if she was shocked I was a girl.

“It’s nice to meet you Mrs.—”

“Oh, no ,no, no,” she said cutting me off, “Just call me Lisa.”

I smiled, “Okay well… Lisa Jayden has made me aware that you work for the state police department and…I need to…um… report something.”

I felt Jayden squeeze my hand and lead me to a chair in the living room. We all sat.

I continued, “I'm… my sister and I…well we are um… being illy –treated, I mean abused” I spoke the last word so soft it was nothing, but a whisper. I couldn’t look up I refused to meet her eyes, the disappoint me for not speaking sooner.

“Oh, Sweetheart, you can't stay at your current residence its unsafe and I can't protect you there, you are welcome- you and your sister- to stay here until everything is situated.” I nodded.

She continued, “First we need to get your sister, then we need to get a restraining order place on…”

“Annabelle and John Caldwell .”

“They got married? For real?” Jayden asked interrupting.

“Yes it was a private wedding at the house.” I responded.

Lisa once again continued “Annabelle, yes, then we will work through the rest, but for now your safety is my priority, but I must tell you I have to call this in, tell the department, I could get fired for not telling my boss of something this serious.”  I nodded.

“I have to go home just for this night I won't be able to get Joan away from Annabelle, and as of right now we don’t have a restraining order.”

Lisa was hesitant, but agreed. I smiled on the way back to the house, we were going to win, Annabelle would lose and I'd finally live in a home again not just a house.