Celeste

02 | job

     I gritted my teeth, attempting to stop a scream of pain from leaving my lips. My hand clutched tighter onto my abdomen, stopping the blood from oozing onto the couch I was sitting on.

My head throbbed with pain, and black dots started to cloud my vision. Jack's words faded into a single, yet annoying ringing one; my mind not processing any single one of them.

Every breath I took got trapped within my throat, not reaching my lungs that were pleading for the slightest amount of air. A horse sob escaped my lips the moment my head got yanked backwards with a great force.

Jack's eyes pierced into mine, fuming with the familiar hatred I had always seen within their depths. His lips moved, different words leaving them. Yet, I couldn't process any single one of them.

Honestly, I preferred not to hear his words, because I knew that they'd only be hurtful ones. Whether they were the curses and bad names he'd call me or his explanations to why my father and brothers had left ten years ago.

I had heard his hurtful words for too many times that I had memorised every single one of them. And as the time had passed, they stopped hurting the way they used to do. But I couldn't deny that a part of my heart still stung upon hearing his words.

Jack's grip loosened around my hair. Or that was perhaps an illusion my mind created to make me feel better about the situation I was in. I had no idea on what was reality. My surroundings were spinning, and my abdomen was burning as though it was set on a fuming flame.

Soon, the black dots took all over my vision as I allowed my thoughts to drift into the familiar peace that enveloped me within its peaceful embrace. The darkness.

Pain jolted all through my limbs, jerking me awake. My inhales for air were rapid, and my heart was pounding loudly agaisnt my chest. My eyes frantically scanned the room I was in, noticing that it wasn't the dark basement.

My body rested painfully on a twin-sized bed, a thick, yet soft comforter pulled over my shoulders. A white bedside table was placed to my right, nothing but a cup of water placed on top of it. And a black, worn out punching bag hung from the ceiling opposite to my line of vision.

It only took a few seconds for my mind to process where I was and for fear to overpower my feelings.

"You passed out."

My eyes instantly flitted towards the source of sound, locking with my stepbrother's frigid gaze before trailing all over his face. A gasp left my lips the moment my eyes landed upon the hues of red that littered his right cheek, forming a new bruise.

Lorenzo swiftly pulled his hood over his head, concealing the massive bruise away from my sight. I sat up on the bed and attempted to pull my legs to my chest, only for my expression to morph into one of pain.

"The painkillers are beside the water," spoke Lorenzo, closing the door behind him and leaning against it. I weakly shook my head in refusal to his offer. As much as I needed the painkillers, I knew that I shouldn't take them.

Jack would take it too far if I did. I'd end up with more bruises than ever before.

"What do you mean by no?"

"I mean no," I muttered out in response to Lorenzo's words. His eyebrows knitted in what seemed like confusion, but he quickly masked it with his frigid demeanor again.

He ran a hand over his face in evident frustration before he pulled away from the door and headed closer to the bed I was sitting on. He sat on the far end of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. A defeaning silence hung upon the air as my gaze dropped to my hands.

Fortunately, the blood that had stained them a few hours ago had vanished. I would've started panicking if I had to see it once again.

"Let me assume."

Lorenzo's voice disrupted the silence that had settled upon us. My eyes met his as I eagerly waited for him to continue talking. It didn't matter if he had changed a lot after leaving the juvie, and it didn't matter that he was acting cold and distant; I just wanted to believe that he was still the brother whom I once depended on.

"Jack saw you taking some painkillers and hurt you or some shit?"

I wanted to nod. I really wanted to tell him. But I was certain that it might lead to another fight between him and Jack. Worse yet, I was aware that the fight could end up with Lorenzo getting extremely hurt. Or even with him going back to the juvie. I shook my head.

"Celeste!"

"What did Jack want, anyway? Why did he drag both of us to the living room?" I asked, ignoring Lorenzo's question. 

"We're moving out," he responded. That didn't surprise me; it wasn't a new thing. We had been moving in and out of different houses for as long as I could remember. Jack would usually justify his actions by saying that he didn't feel comfortable at the house. I had always suspected that there was more into it, though.

"Why?" I questioned. "Does he feel uncomfortable once again?"

Lorenzo shook his head, his gaze travelling to the dull, creamy wall opposite to his bed. His eyes wandered all over the room, and he opened his mouth quite a few times as if wanting to say something but shut it every time.

"He says that he got a new job. Better one," said Lorenzo, a scoff leaving his lips, and his head shaking in disbelief.

I had always been aware of Jack's lies about his jobs, and by the looks on Lorenzo's face, I could tell that he was aware of them as well. We both just preferred to take the safe side and never dig into his business.

"Was Jack the one who gave you the new bruise?" I asked Lorenzo. He stared at me for a few moments before he shook his head. He was lying.

I opened my mouth to speak up, yet got instantly interrupted by Lorenzo. "You should pack your stuff, Celeste. We're leaving this afternoon."

lorenzo was away because he was sent to the juvie, hehe. any thoughts on that? what do you guys think about lorenzo? do we like him?

also, they're moving out which obviously means that celeste is gonna meet her brothers soon *smirks*

love y'all, take care <33