Grace.

Chapter 8.

There was one thing in particular that I liked so much about Edgar: his willingness to help. Anyone. Anywhere. Anytime. No hesitation. No complaints. It came naturally to him. And when I told them about what had happened, despite being in pain from falling through the table, he still got up and drove us to my house. I took the passenger seat and Naomi had the back. She was panicking. She kept calling and texting. "We're on our way, okay?! We're on our way!" Her voice was trembling and her eyes had gotten so red.
"Are you okay?" Edgar muttered to me.
"Yeah," I whispered.
"Don't worry, we'll be there shortly."
I turned my attention to Mimi. Now she was crying. "Please calm down, Mimi. We can't have Brooke seeing you like this. We have to be strong for her...no matter how hard it is." I begged.
"But it's so upsetting. Why does he always do this?! What is wrong with him?!" She sniffed.
"He needs to be given a taste of his own medicine, one. Two, he needs to be reported," Edgar opined.
"It's not that easy. Bebe doesn't want us to be involved," I sighed.
"That's crazy. It's insane," he argued.
"It is what it is. We're just there to pick up the pieces and wipe her blood and..."
"Stop, Mimi. Please."
It was an upsetting situation that we found ourselves in. Upsetting and frustrating because there wasn't really much we could do about it because Bebe wouldn't let us. Talking to her was like talking to a wall. I hated it. I think what we were most afraid of was breaking our promise to Brooke although it was stupid. That was the worst way to prove how strong our friendship was.
We arrived at my house and found the girls and Ria there. "Hola." I greeted her. She parted her lips to respond but stopped when she saw Edgar. She looked shocked to see him. "Edgar! Y-you're here!" She stuttered. Edgar walked in from behind Naomi and stood in front of her. "Hi, Gloria. It's been a while. You look good."
It was the first time seeing my sister speechless. Her and Edgar go way back. Same class in high school. Same friend group. She was probably overwhelmed because they hadn't seen each other since graduation.
"Ria, where's Bebe?" I interrupted.
"They're in your room. Do you mind telling me what's going on? Who did that to her, Grace?" She frowned.
I hated it when she'd ask me questions I couldn't answer. I didn't want to find myself lying to her.
"The less you know, the better." Mimi jumped in.
"No. The less I know is the more danger all of you girls could be in. What happens one day if you come home all beaten up like that, Grace? The less I know the better?" Gloria bit.
"Your sister is right. This isn't something we can just let slide. Tell her the truth or I will," Edgar threatened.
"He knows?! You know? Then tell me!" She yelled.
"Stop! Brooke's boyfriend is the one who beats her up!" I blurted out.
"The jock? What's his name, Henry?"
"No! What? No, it's Luke," I corrected her.
"Luke Rogers? Are you kidding me? And you all have just sat on this information, why exactly?" She scolded.
"It's some sort of friendship pact that they made," said Edgar.
He was starting to annoy me. Gloria looked at him in disbelief and then back at us. I knew that look on her face all too well.
"I promise you I will fix this," I pleaded with her.
"And I swear to you if you don't, Grace, you won't like me very much when I deal with it on my own. Because what rubbish is this? Have you lost your mind?! All of you?! Toxic, messed up friendship! And now? What's the plan? She continued scolding.
"W-we go check how she's doing?" I muttered.
"Help her get clean and stuff," Naomi added.
Gloria scoffed, gave us one deadly stare and sent us upstairs to my room. "Damn, Gloria is pissed," Naomi whispered as we rushed to my room. I swung the door open and found Bebe laying in my bed and Lucy was yelling, pacing up and down the room.
"Screw this! I'm calling the cops! Bebe, I'm sorry," she fumed.
"No, Lucy. Just sit down!" Donny commanded.
"Brooke, how are you feeling? I asked.
"And where the hell have you two been?" Lucy frowned at us.
I ignored her and sat next to Brooke whose eye and lip were badly swollen, with scratches on her arms and leg.
"Babe," I gasped.
"It's not that bad," she smiled weakly.
"It is that bad, Bebe. He needs to be punished," I disagreed, gently fixing the pillow under her head.
"Thank you! Where's my phone? I'm calling the cops!" Lucy continued, searching in her bag.
"No! No! Okay?! I just- I - I don't want him punished or arrested or anything okay?! It was my fault!" She cried.
"How is any of this your fault?!" Donna jumped in.
"What happened? Why'd he end up..." I stopped before making Bebe feel more uncomfortable.
Edgar walked in, "Can I come in?"
"You're still here?" I asked.
"I wasn't going to leave you girls here alone in this situation. We practically grew up together," he said.
I smiled at him and he smiled back, Luce squirmed in the corner she was sitting in. Quickly, I cleared my throat and focused on Brooke again. It took her some time to gather herself and to tell us what happened, and when she did the atmosphere in the room got even heavier. I couldn't believe it. None of us could. She started crying but we could tell she was in a lot of pain-and not just physically.
"I'll go get painkillers," I suggested. Stopping mid-way I turned around, "should we get her to the hospital?" We all looked at each other and back at Bebe whose face went cold.
"You won't have to tell them anything you don't want to," Lucy quickly said.
"Yeah we-we'll also be there and- and we'll tell them no questions, just medical attention," Donny added.
"I strongly suggest you go to the hospital, Bebe. You don't look too good." Edgar chipped in.
"If it's an issue maybe we can get Mom to do something?"
We turned to see Gloria at the door with a first aid kit in her hands. "You know how Mom is, Ria. She'll want to know what happened," I stressed.
"But look at her! I mean I can do what I can but she'll need more attention!" Gloria argued. "I swear, I could murder each and every one of you little shits right now! What the hell?" She continued shouting, opening the first aid box.