Bruises - JATP Fanfic (Luke x OC)

Chapter 18

"So, where have you been, Gabriella?" Brielle walks in to see her mother absolutely fuming because her grounded daughter left the house. Brielle can already feel the bruises forming on her body without a single touch from either of her abominable parents.

"Doesn't matter." She mutters under her breath, but completely unaware that both of her parents are somehow completely sober and completely aware of what's going on.

"Yes it does. You were grounded, young lady. If you don't tell me, I will be reporting Mr. Molina for kidnapping." Brielle flinches, knowing her mother could very well get away with those charges as well, since Ray was at the club, even if he wasn't aware she was there.

"I was at a club." If her mother was angry before, she's seething now. Deep, deep in her heart, Mrs. Angelo wanted what was best for her daughter, even if most of the time she was too drunk to ever see it. And the moment Brielle mentioned a club, the woman's first thought was the treacherous Ghost Club, which tied them there. It was most of the reason the two adults in the house were so angry and upset and drinking their lives away. There's no way out. Outside of the club, Taylor and Perry were completely normal. They couldn't see ghosts, time didn't pass in weird ways, and the two of them had full control over their bodies. At the club, anything could happen, and the two of them wouldn't be able to stop it. "I was just supporting Julie. She and her band were performing there."

"That doesn't mean you are automatically ungrounded. Your punishment has been lengthened to two weeks. And, your father, whenever he gets home, will make sure you understand what being grounded means." Brielle's ears ring with the last few words over and over, and the sweet, innocent girl runs to her room.

"I am done with this. Done with this house, this family. I need to go." Brielle mutters to herself, packing a carry-on with everything she needs, before feeling like her whole body is made of glass and she's about to break. "Why? Why did they have to go to that stupid club?" Brielle wonders, tears streaming down her cheeks and hitting her head on her knees moments later as she breaks down, feeling the weight of the world on her shoulders. "It's not fair."

"Brielle, it'll be okay." Luke poofs in, seeing the sixteen year old crying her heart out. "Isn't that what you always say?"

"I guess it is, isn't it?" Brielle laughs through the wall of tears, trying to bring even the faintest of smiles to her face.

"Why is your suitcase out?" Luke slides against the wall, sitting across from Brielle who has been crying against the side of her bed, trying to gather the courage to walk out the front door and never look back.

"I'm leaving. I'm done with living here."

"You're leaving?" Brielle nods, before hearing her parents stomping up the stairs and panics.

"I need to get this out of their sight. Shoot. No." Brielle pants and before she can begin to stand up, Luke is already grabbing her suitcase and poofs out of the room before her parents even so much as touch the doorknob.

"Brielle, you know the punishment for leaving while grounded. Thirty." Brielle is on her feet as soon as her father opens the door, nodding and already feeling the phantom pains from where her father usually hits on her body. "Dodge and you get two more." Luke reappears and Brielle doesn't even try to acknowledge him because it could cause her to be in more trouble.

Hit after hit after hit strikes her body from her legs to her chest to her arms, and by the end, Brielle is doing everything not to crumple to the floor, but well aware that doing that would result in at least five more punches. With the final blow to her right shoulder, she hears a radiating crack and her father is done.

"Bri, please look at me." Luke begs as Brielle's eyes start to close.

"I'll be okay." Brielle smiles before it turns into a messy, ugly cry and she is clutching her arm, praying for the pain to disappear.

"Wake up, wake up

If it's all you do

Look out, look inside of you

It's not what you lost

It's what you'll gain

Raising your voice to the rain" Luke sings to Brielle softly, and she starts to relax, even as most of her body is throbbing.

"You can do anything. Nobody will be able to stop you." Luke wishes he could take her in his arms and heal her of the physical and emotional pain she bears every moment of every day. He remembers how scared she was of him and the guys that first night and realizing why now.

Exactly why.

She has to push through so many late nights of pain and cleaning and he's sure her father isn't the only one knocking blows onto her body. "Wake up your dream and make it true

Look out, look inside of you

It's what you lost

Relight that spark, time to come out of the dark

Wake up, wake up" As Luke reminds her of everything she still has—Julie, Flynn, Julie's family, school, music—Brielle hears another pair of feet down the hallway.

"Are you okay?" Brielle hears her brother's voice for the first time in months, trying to figure out why he cares at all.

"I'm fine." Brielle winces as she moves her arm to get up.

"No, you're not. And we both know you aren't." Oliver walks in the room and Brielle takes a few steps back.

"Why do you care? You've left me to deal with them all on my own for ten years. I've been abused and bruised and broken so many times I don't see myself as anything else while you sit here and do whatever you want with your life and the parents love you." Brielle snarls, wishing she had the life Oliver did. "All you do wrong is play those stupid video games all night."

"All I do wrong? I'm in college. I have a job. I'm trying to find a way out. The parents and I aren't fighting about stupid video games, we're fighting about paying for my college tuition. I am studying to be a video game designer. It's an online school, which is why I still live here." Those words hit Brielle like a train. He's trying to get out and leave her behind to pick up the mess. "I was trying to save you the pain of living here for another two years or probably more."

"You were?" Brielle says, before feeling all of the pain wash over her in a wave and she nearly crumples to the ground. Her arm feels broken or at least fractured from her father's efforts to put her in her place.

"Of course. But for right now, do you have someone else you can stay with?" Oliver asks. "Being here is so dangerous." The little girl nods, forgetting about the ghost in the room who is watching as his lifer crush is realizing how strong she is.

"Hey, Aliyah?" Brielle types in the phone number, hoping it's the right one.

"Brielle, is that you?"

"It's me. I need help." Brielle cracks on the last word, sliding down the wall onto the floor in tears.

"I'm coming. I promise."

Author's Note: Here it is, a little early for those who are looking for a late night read. So, I published chapter 17, then looked at this chapter and half of it was gone. Great, right? Yeah, I know. But, I think I fixed it all. Sorry it's short, but let me know what you guys think and I might even post chapter 19 on St. Patrick's Day and 20 the Friday right after it, but only if you guys want it. Just be warned, chapter 19 is Perfect Harmony, so if I don't get comments and votes (must be a total of ten from now until Wednesday for any and all chapters), you guys will be waiting two whole extra days for what I have planned. Wake Up is from the show, and I really wish I had a Charlie Gillespie version of the song to attach to this chapter, but I don't (let me know if you do, though and I'll add it in). Love y'all and have a good weekend. Vote, comment, follow, etc.

Loves,

mistyrider921

~❣~