Raise a glass

Chapter 36 - The story of tonight

Time skip brought to you by Glee (Watch it.)

Wednesday 27th October

Alex pov

I walked into John's room, closing the door to block out the sound of yelling. This was the third time this week.

"Laf and Herc are arguing again." I sighed "Laf want's roses, but Herc wants lilies."

John didn't look up.

"Are you okay, hun?"

He sniffed and I saw a tear run down his cheek. I crouched down beside him, wrapping my arms around him.

"Baby, why are you crying?" I pushed the hair out of his eyes and gasped at the sight before me.

John's face and upper body was littered with deep purple bruises and aggressive cuts. He had black circles under his eyes and his nose was bleeding. I had noticed before in the week that he had looked tired and upset, but whenever I had asked, he had shot me down. This time, I wasn't going to give him the chance.

"Who did this?"

"It's nothing...I just...tripped on the sidewalk and got a nasty cut from some...uh...broken glass." He stumbled over his words.

I shook my head "I'm not stupid, John!! Who. Did. This?"

He stared at the floor. "...Liam" He choked.

I got up, my rage taking over "I'm gonna kill that son of a-"

"No!! Alex, don't! He said we'd only get hurt...I don't want him to hurt you" He pleaded quietly

"WELL, I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO HURT YOU!!" I got up to storm out

John grabbed my arm "No! He threatened to kill me last month. You don't know what he's capable of"

I stopped short. Frozen with rage. "This has been going on for a month? Without me knowing?!"

"A-alex please...I tried t-to-"

"HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME?! I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT YOU!!! EVERYTHING I DO IS FOR YOU AND YOU CAN'T EVEN TELL ME WHEN SOMEONE BEATS YOU UP CONSISTENTLY FOR A WHOLE MONTH?!"

He whimpered and shielded his face "P-please don't hurt me"

That broke my heart. I realized what I had done and I covered my mouth.

"John, I am so so sorry. I love you so much. I would never hurt you. I was just so angry at Liam, it took over me. I am so sorry. I love you. I love you so much." I hugged him tightly and he melted into my arms.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, Alex" He apologised softly

"No. You shouldn't have to apologise. I'm sorry. You must have been so scared. I can't blame you for not telling me"

He smiled through his tears. "I love you too, Alex"

I was still confused "Why did you think I would hurt you?"

His face drained of colour. "I-I...um...When I was 16, I used to date this guy called Francis...H-he was kind to me...He called me beautiful" John smiled fondly at the memory, but then his face changed "O-one day at a party, I saw him making out with someone else...a-and I called him out about it...He said it was because I disgusted him. That was the first time he had ever called me ugly...the first of many. He used to call me ugly when we were making out...a-and then if I started crying, he would say that made me look even more ugly...So I wore make up to hide my tear-stained cheeks. And I'd do anything to make him call me beautiful" John's voice broke and I held his hand "Once he said that if I slept with him I would be beautiful...But I wasn't ready and I told him that...Then he got angry and called my ugly and slapped me...He said I was weak and dumb and annoying and needy and gross...He started punching me when he got back from college every day and when I tried to leave, he beat me until I couldn't move...I managed to run away, but only because he got drunk and didn't notice my backpack...He made me want to die and now I'm just so glad you'd never hurt me"