Sincerely, Jonah

Chapter 14

Taylor asks what happened as I'm walking V up the stairs.
"Nothing. I think you should go,"I say. It's getting late and I know you work an early shift in the morning."

It was hard to get her to her room. She kept trying to fight and push me out of the way. I shut the door behind us and sit her on her bed. The blankets are white with pink petals all over, matching her pillows and rug. I take in her room for a second. She's way more of a girly girl than I thought.

I'm worried because she's not crying. Not a single tear has run down her face. She's not talking to me or answering any of my questions.
"Are you okay?"
Silence. I try something else.

"Has this happened before?"
She didn't have to say anything, because I already knew the answer. When Bryce hit her, she didn't do anything. She let it happen like he hits her on a regular basis.

After looking her in the eyes and realizing, I pace around the room back and forth, running my fingers through my hair. How could I be so blind? He's been doing this to her the entire time and not me or Fin had a clue. None of us did.

I try to control my breathing. At first I get angry at her because of the fact that she gave him the right to do that to her.
"Why didn't you do anything? Why didn't you tell me?" I ask. I'm now desperate for her to talk, to say something that will explain all of this. But she doesn't.

V is quiet, sitting on the bed with her hands under her thighs. "Calm down Jonah," she says just above a whisper.

I turn and look at her. "Calm...calm down? Really? I'm now shouting, but mostly stuttering
because I'm now mad at myself.How did I not know?

This all takes me back to my mom and how I never knew how sick she was until it was too late. My mind travels to her final days at the hospital when I thought we would have more time together. I didn't get to bring any balloons, or her favorite breakfast.. I didn't even get to tell her that I love her one last time.

"You never tell me anything. I'm supposed to be your friend. I'm supposed to help you...protect you."
She tilts her head.
"Don't put this all on me. Ever since you got here you've been lying to us."
"What?" I shake my head. "Don't try and change the subject."

"You didn't move here because you "loved Edinburgh," or whatever lie you told me and Fin at the lunch table. And that picture of that woman on your nightstand is not your best friend. She's your mother."

They know. They've known all along. But how?
After a moment, I squint my eyes. "Did you read my journal?"
"Don't worry about it," she shrugs. "We've been lying about our lives to each other. Looks like we're both equal now."

I look at her for a couple of moments not knowing what to say or how to respond. I can't believe she's turning this on me, making me feel like I'm a bad person for not telling them about her. Things were going so great between the three of us, I just didn't want to trauma dump them out of nowhere. How was I even supposed to tell them?

'Hey, so we moved here because my mom died from cancer and I have a bunch of mental disorders that we can't afford to pay for most of the medication?'

I'm walking towards the door before I stop and turn around.

"Maybe I wanted to keep that part of my life a secret. You had no right going through my things," I say, aggressively pointing at her.
V doesn't do or say anything. She just looks at me blankly, not a single emotion on her face.
I couldn't take being in that room, in this house anymore. I storm out of her room after staring her in the eyes in betrayal.

"Jonah."
Fin is standing right outside the door. He was listening the whole time.
But I don't stop. I grab my coat on the way out, ignoring him calling me and start walking down the driveway. But I wasn't fast enough. He catches up to me, asking me if V was okay and if I'm okay.