Care For Me ✔️

S I X T Y - S I X

J A C K

Jacky

It's all I could hear, I couldn't get his voice out of my head, it's like I'm in my childhood bedroom again, I can't breathe. I couldn't sit in that room any longer, as soon as that name left his mouth, I could feel the bile arise in my throat. I had to get out, so I did.

I ran.

I told Lily to try, but yet I couldn't even do that. I'm weak, so fucking weak.

I could see the way his eyes lit up when he witnessed my fear, I could see his evil smirk, his fake tears, I could see it all; I could see through his full pathetic act, but could they?

I don't think they could. The gasps, the murmurs, the looks of disgust. I could see it in the eyes of the jury, I could feel their heated gaze burning my pale skin. They believed him, all of them. Would my friends believe him too? Alex? Leo? The twins? Lily and the eldest four know the truth, but what's to stop them from thinking I'm lying? Can I really rely on anyone other than myself? Can I even rely on me?

I'm not sure about anything anymore.

I pushed the stall to the bathroom open, unsure of how I even got here to begin with. Once I was inside, I locked the door, throwing up last nights dinner, tears steamed down my cheeks as I continued to gag. I could hear the faint knocking on the white door stall, Alex's worried voice filling my ears.

"Jack, please open the door." He plead, the crack in his voice sending a jolt of pain to my heart, "no one else is here, I made them wait outside, it's just me."

I wiped my mouth with a square of toilet paper, throwing it into the ceramic bowl before flushing away the contents of my now empty stomach. Taking a long breath, I opened the door.

Alex stood before me, tear stains on his flushed cheeks, "can I hug you?" He whispered softly.

I nodded slowly, I wanted comfort, I needed comfort, but could I handle touch?

Alex gently opened his arms to me, his eyes never leaving mine as he nodded his head for me to advance towards him. I liked how Alex somehow understood my needs. He asked before touching, and even after getting the go  ahead, he let me make the first move.

Slowly, I moved forward. Telling myself over and over in my mind it's Alex, it's only Alex. Gently, I wrapped my arms around him, unflinching as he hesitantly returned the gesture.

I couldn't stop the sob that left my throat as I melted into Alex' embrace. "Sh, I'm here, I've got you." He whispered, his ring cladded hand buried in my blonde locks as I cried into his chest, soaking the fabric of his polyester shirt.

I sobbed until my lungs burned, my throat becoming raw and scratchy from my heart wrenching wails. "It's not true," I whimpered, my voice hoarse, "everything he said, it's not true."

"I know Jack, I know." He said softly, "none of us believe him, we stand with you, always."

"Thank you." I choked, his words filling me with some form of hope.

"You don't need to thank me, okay? You never need to thank me. You're strong Jack, I'm so proud of you." Honesty lacing his every word, "can you do something for me?"