My Brother's Best Friend -VS- My Abusive Ex.

Chapter Three

I hopped out of the truck, still nervous about what was to come. I walked around the truck, meeting Aiden at the tailgate. We walked side by side to the front door of the school. We’d almost made it in when I felt an arm make its way around my shoulders. I panicked and was getting ready to scream when my brother’s voice said, “It’s only me sis.” I grabbed onto him, holding back the tears that threatened to fall down my face.

I carefully hid my face in his chest. “Eric please don’t make me do this. I can’t do this. I won’t be able to last all day.” I knew the people walking past us to get to class were glancing our way with weird looks and/or whispers. I knew, but I didn’t care, I just wanted to go home.

“Okay Case,” he replied reluctantly. “Let’s go. Aiden, if you want you can stay here, but I’m not coming back today. I can’t leave her in that house alone.”

“You stay here man,” I heard Aiden say. “I’ll take her home and stay with her. Face it, you need to be here more than I do.” I tried to hold back the laughter that wanted to explode from inside of me. I looked up to see my brother nodding. Eric knew he needed school. He wanted to be an engineer, and his grades were nowhere near good enough for that. I felt Eric pass me from his arms to Aiden’s.

“I’m not a baby,” I said feeling my face heat up, “you don’t have to hold me.”

He pushed my shoulders back gently, but held onto them so we were still close. He wiggled his eyebrows and said, “What if I want to?” I could hear my brother quietly choking on the laughter he was trying to contain. I knew Eric had done something stupid behind me when Aiden got a serious look on his face and told Eric to go to class. Without a word he led me back to his truck and we got in. He looked deep in thought as he started the truck and began driving to my house. I knew if I said something he would snap out of it, but he looked so into his thoughts that I didn’t have the heart to disturb him. I stared out the window and watched as we passed by house after house.

By the time we’d pulled into my driveway, I’d had enough of the silence. “What is it Bear?”

“Nothing Bunny. Just something Eric said back at the school, but I’m over it.” He saw the confused look on my face. I wanted to ask what Eric had said, but I knew if Aiden wanted me to know he would’ve already told me. “Seriously Bunny, it’s okay.” I hopped out of the truck, deciding I’d just get Eric to tell me when he got home.

I ran up the porch steps, unlocked the door and threw it open. I walked over to a small side table my mom had put near our front door to get it out of her way while she was redecorating, and that when she never put it back in it’s place, I’d began to use for my keys and any mail my parents received while they were away. While putting my house keys on the table, I noticed a white envelope with my name written neatly across the front of it. I knew the writing belonged to Joe. I looked around realizing he would’ve had to have been inside the house to put the letter there, and that he could still be in the house with me. I knew it sounded paranoid, but I’m sure you’d react the same way if your boyfriend had tried to kill you the night before. I slowly opened the envelope and began to read the letter.

Casey,

     I’m so sorry about what I did to you. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I love you so much. I would never purposely hurt you. Please forgive me. I WON’T live without you, so if you care about my life and me living at all, you’ll forget about that pretty-boy, senior Aiden and come back to and forgive me

     Love Always,

          Joe