Chapter 17 - Photos

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Criticism spot! :)


Jack's POV

"What the hell is this?!" He roared, staring Crutchie down with pure rage in his eyes. We had both sat up from the noise of him bursting into the room, our backs against the wall.

"I-" Crutchie began, his voice trembling.

"What the fuck are you doing in my house?!" He focused on me now, getting ready to grab me by the shirt. That was until Crutchie put his arm out in front of me, stopping him.

"Don't!" He yelled, the room going silent. "He didn't do anything. It's my fault," my heart shattered as he spoke, realizing he was saving me from getting beat up by his Dad.

"Of course it's your fault, everything is," his Dad said, now grabbing Crutchie by the shirt instead. He was thrown to the floor, instantly making me feel protective, but knowing I wouldn't be able to fight his Dad off as he was far, far stronger than I was. "Why did I get stuck with you?" He grabbed Crutchie again and pinned him against the wall, and I felt sick to my stomach when I saw just how terrified he was. Without further hesitation, his Dad kicked him as hard as he could in the right leg, making Crutchie scream in a way I had never heard before. "You're in for the beating of your life," he dropped Crutchie to the ground, leaving the room. Without further hesitation, I rushed to his side, not even realizing I began to cry.

"You need to go," he said, visibly hurting.

"I can't leave you," I sobbed, my chest feeling tight.

"I'll be okay, please, go," he pleaded, meeting my gaze.

"Cr-"

"Jack, you need to fucking go," he spoke sternly now, refusing to break eye contact. "He's coming, please, go," he begged one more time, and I finally did as he said, staying on the lattice beside the house so I could listen.

Crutchie's POV

"I've got two whole cases of beer here," my Dad began, setting them down. "I wonder if I'll miss any throws?" He picked up the first, full bottle, throwing it as hard as he could at me from the opposite side of the room. It shattered over me, cutting me in various places and covering me in beer.

He managed to hit me with eleven out of the twelve bottles, most of the cuts on my hands since I had used them to block my face. After he finished using me as a target, he came toward me, kicking me multiple times in the stomach, then leaving the room at last. I coughed up a bit of blood as I laid there, eventually sitting up and slowly picking the class from my hands. 

I slowly made my way to the bathroom after a bit, turning the shower on and picking more glass from myself as I waited for the water to warm up. As I waited, my phone went off, Jack having messaged me.

02:12 am How much hit you?

I realized he had listened to the rest of the beating, not able to force himself to leave.

02:12 am Most of it

02:12 am Shit, do you need help??

02:12 am No, I'm okay. Get some sleep, I'll see you at school tomorrow, alright?

02:13 am Fine, fine. I love you.

02:13 am I love you too.

I didn't get to sleep until far later, as I had to clean my room a bit as well. The moment I woke up, it became apparent just how horribly I was aching, and I found it extremely hard to walk because of the bruises on my stomach, and the cuts on my right hand, burning each time I used my crutch. Jack was the first one to arrive at our usual spot with me being the second, meaning we got some alone time before anyone else got there. The moment he saw me, his face changed to one of worry, looking me over as I sat down beside him.

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