Guilty Pleasures

16- Jack

Austin Brooks

"Take your time, I'm right here" I caress his hair as he takes a deep breath in before speaking.

"I met him online. It was supposed to stay that way, forever. I was a dense, dumb teenager. I was 14. My condition was bad. My mother left around that time, Sam turned to alcohol to cope and left me with myself and Johnny to deal with. Apart from this, I had vague flashes, forgettable dreams; I used to wake up at midnight and remember nothing of my dreams.
  It was fun chatting with Jack. Or at least the dumb Ross thought it was. It was casual chatting, he used to flirt but I never returned it back. One day he asked me to meet, and I strictly specified him on the first day that, that question was prohibited in this online friendship.
  But he kept pestering me so I met with him at a public park. In the open with many people around me so it would be safer. When I saw him, i was shook. He was 19 years old. I suspected by the way he texted but I couldn't believe it. I tried to run away, but he noticed me. I couldn't escape, he kept the conversation going, just like when we texted. And then..."

Flashback (Ross'POV)

"You are the most beautiful creature I've ever seen" Jack trailed his fingers on my face. I knew that sentence and his action was trouble. I pushed him away and cried for help.
  A man, probably in his 30s reached us as Jack wrapped his arms around my waist still looking calm.

"Is there a problem here?" The man asked.

"I'm sorry, my brother here is struggling a bit. I'm trying to help, things at home aren't that good. He's having an episode"
 
  He pushed me in his chest where a cloth was lying his pocket, slightly seen outside. I felt dizzy all of a sudden, the voices faded and I blacked out.

Flashback end ~~

"I don't know what he told that man, but somehow he convinced him and he took me to his home. He...

"It's okay baby, take your time" I whisper softly.

"He raped me" tears sting at his eyes. He is staring into space as if relieving the memories, or worse...going back. I shake him slightly and force him to look at me. He wipes his tears and smile at me before continuing and that's when i knew that there was so much more to the story and that he's preparing himself to break down at the end of the traumatic incident.

"I remembered every bit. He tied me up and did the worst things possible. He beat me up when I tried to escape or cried for help. It was pure hell and torture i couldn't bare. After he left me, all night i kept repeating 'forget it, it's over'. The next day I woke up, remembering nothing of it.
  I went home and got scolded by Sam for forgetting to pick Johnny from school"

I can't believe it. Sam didn't even bother to ask about the bruises or where he was. Nothing. I'm going to have to kill him one day.

"That's the end of that. I used to have nightmares but I never remembered what they were about.
  Time skip to three years. I'm 17. 6months back. I hooked up with him. At a party" he laughs, a broken laugh. What are the odds that he ran into him again? God.

"We dated. Can you believe that?? Even after 3 years. I'm still stupid and dumb. He made me self conscious. Forced me to gym and to starve sometimes. But by the end of the day, he cuddled me and whispered soft loving words to me. All he wanted from me even after those years was SEX!! WHY WHY DID HE DO THIS TO ME?!!" There it was. He broke down. Sobbing and shaking so violently. He pulled his arms to his chest and whispered himself to calm down. I let him be.
   After a few minutes, he looked at me with a broken smile and pecked my lips. I still had one doubt about the story which he clarified without me having to ask him so.