Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Twelve: Empty

Have you ever noticed how slow time moves when it finally comes time for something major to happen?

Most people I ask say "No, you weirdo, time speeds up." But I guess two people don't experience time the same.

Well, time slowed down for me as the wedding got closer. The boys had taken every chance to baby me and carry me around, telling me I was adorable. I would angrily retort that I was not cute, I was fierce.

They laughed at me!

My father had taken to easier beatings since Lila was pushing half of the final plans on him and he was tired. Lila was exhausted too and was barely around.

That being said, Jaydon did keep my secret and hung around me even more. His thinking was that my father wouldn't hit me in front of him, but he was sadly mistaken.

Father got his cast off a couple of days ago, so he had taken right back to kicking me.

Jaydon was sitting on my bed, reading some book and I was finishing up my homework. My grades were steadily rising since the boys had taken it upon themselves to help me out. That, and Peggy, Liam, and Carter were helping me.

Not that I needed it. I knew all the material, it was just everything with my dad had stopped me in the beginning. So, once he stopped beating me so much I was able to pick my grades up.

Jake was still a jerk but at that point, I was used to it.

Anyways, I had just finished up some AP Calculus homework that Bryon had given me with several threats about what would happen if I didn't do it and didn't do it right.

That being said, I was slightly afraid of him. I couldn't deal with two beatings in one day.

"Ari, do you know what's for dinner?" Jaydon asked randomly. I thought for a minute before shrugging.

"I dunno. Go ask, doofus." I answered with a small smile. I physically felt safe around the boys and their friends. I didn't know if that was a good thing or not, but I thought it was a good thing. I was slowly warming up to Lila, but I still couldn't understand how someone could fall in love with a monster like that.

Then I realized. He was just tricking her. Like he always did.

"Jaydon, I think your mother called you downstairs." Father was suddenly standing at the door. I jumped into a standing position. Jaydon was calmer than I was.

He had a hard time adjusting at first to being around my father, but he figured out the ropes quickly.

That being said, he was calmer because he didn't have to worry about getting the crap kicked out of him.

"I didn't hear anything." Jaydon said, looking towards the door in confusion. 

This boy. So oblivious sometimes.

"Fine then. You can stay." Father have a slight smile. I could tell this was going to be nasty. I really hoped Jaydon would leave. Now.

"Father, I don't know what I did. I'm sorry." I whispered, trying to save my butt for the last time. I had nothing left in my arsenal after apologies.

"You didn't do anything. Lila irritated me." Father smiled in Jaydon's direction apologetically. Father was sorry about talking badly about Lila in front of Jaydon.

The next thing I knew, father's hand was buried deep in my hair and yanking it back. I bit my tongue to keep the agonized scream back. I was really tender headed.

I was on the floor, as Father used my hair to throw me across the room, and he punched me in the gut.

I looked at Jaydon, who was green with horror and fear, and shook my head. He wanted to run and grab one (or several) of his brothers to fight off my father. That couldn't happen.

His punching slowly turned to kicking. I was coughing up blood by the time he was done.

He pushed his hair out of his face and then sneered down on me, silent and numb on the floor. There were no tears, no screams, nothing but the usual sounds.

Once my father spat on my face, telling me I was nothing but a worthless bitch and then left, Jaydon moved.

And it was to vomit into my trash can.

"Jaydon, are you okay?" I asked in a croaking sort of voice. He wiped his mouth, looking at me like I was nuts. He then ran over to me and helped me stand up and move to sit on my bed.

I curled up into a ball.

"Me? What the hell is wrong with you? Your father just beat the crap out of you and you're asking me if I'm alright? You crazy girl." Jaydon exclaimed, only quieting when I shushed him.

He sat on the bed next to me. I picked my head up slowly and looked at him.

"I'm used to this. You aren't," I then gestured to my trash can. "Obviously."

He shook his head at me and sighed. Then Lila called us both down for dinner and I had to think up something really quickly. He and I both sat in a panicked sort of silence for a moment before I came up with something that wasn't foolproof, but would have to work. 

"Tell Lila that i'm very grateful, but i'm on my period and my cramps are really bad." I bit off a short, speedy lie as Lila yelled up the stairs again. Jaydon's face twisted into a face of pure disgust. Why did that make me want to laugh?

"Um, sure, yeah. Gross." Jaydon mumbled as he walked from my room. I curled up even further into my ball. My knees were crushed into my chest, my arms pinched to my sides. I wasn't comfortable, but it lessened the intense pain. 

I looked around my room. It was beautiful, don't get me wrong. It was everything I ever wanted it to be. But it was empty. So empty of everything that would make it normal, or even a safe place I could escape to when the boys got to be too much to deal with. 

There were no pictures, no posters, nothing. Books and socks were thrown out on the floor, but other than that, there was nothing of any real meaning in my room. 

Maybe this time, I wasn't just thinking about my room when the echoing thought rushed through my thoughts. 

Empty.