Dareen

32# Almost A Whisper

Music: Almost A Whisper- Yanni.
Elliot
"Thanks for the ride." Dareen smiled openning the car door.
"I'll walk you to your door. It's late." I said quietly unbuckling my seat belt.
"It's not a problem. Go home. You must be tired." She shook her head, but I just ignored her.
"I won't take too long." I told Ethan who didn't utter a word since we left the hospital. Good for him.
Locking him in the car, I followed Dareen to the building.
"I'm sorry for this shitty night, Dareen. I promise to make it up for you-"
"Shh- forget about it. All that's important now is that you take better care of your brother. He needs serious help."
"I know." I sighed. "Make sure that no one knows, though. You know how things may reach the paps. It'll have a horrible effect on our work."
"Don't mention it. I'll take care of everything." She smiled pecking my cheek. "Try not to be so brutal, I know how you get when you're angry."
"I'll try." I sighed kissing her forehead. "I don't want to leave him any longer. Gotta call you later." I whispered and she nodded.
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"What happened?" Linda and mum attacked us once we stepped back in.
"Go to your rooms. We can talk later." I dismissed.
"At least tell us what happened!" Linda insisted.
"Am I not clear? Go to your rooms now!" I raised my voice talking more sternly now.
Taken aback by my rough reply, they both sighed walking upstairs.
"Where are you going?" I stopped Ethan.
"My room." He sighed.
"No. You'll sleep in mine tonight." I sighed dragging him to my room.
"Why is that?" He frowned as I closed the door.
"Just like that. Take off your shirt." I grabbed a basket and pointed at it.
"Why?"
"Listen Ethan, you lost your right in understanding anything. You'll just do as I tell you cause I don't want to be rough with you. Let's take this easily and without problems. No take off your shirt." I closed my eyes as he started taking it off.
"Throw it here." I motioned for the basket.
Rolling his eyes, he obeyed.
Pulling him closer by his hair, I ran my fingers over his scalp to make sure that he's no hiding something here or there.
"Ouch, Elliot." He whined.
"Open your mouth." I ignored his comment looking in his mouth.
I know how they get when they turn addicts, they can stuff it anywhere. Literally, anywhere.
"Your shoes and socks." I continued.
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"Wear anything from my drawer and sleep cause tomorrow will be a rough morning for you without your dose." I sighed picking up the basket and walking to my bathroom to remove the razors.
"You did this to me. The way you're acting is what forced me to do this!" He yelled.
Not able to control myself, I backhanded him so hard that he stumbled back.
"You're doing it again?" He yelled raising his arm to return it.
Holding his wrist, I lunged to the wall holding him against it with his wrist behind his back.
"Once before I told you that you can go live with your father cause I'm not your father. Now, you have no choice. Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Your father was just buried and you were getting high?!" I yelled tightning my grip over his arm.
When he didn't answer, I left his arm, but he didn't dare to turn around to face me.
"I gave you everything! That's how you repay me?! The more you grow up, the more I get dissappointed in you and in myself! The more you grow up, the more I blame myself for not being strict enough with you! I made you my friend, but you never appreciated anything!" I screamed.
"I won't let you destroy yourself." I shook my head before walking out with the basket in my hand and locking the door from outside.
Walking to his room, I locked the door to start my journey of searching it.
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"Yes, Mark?" I sighed already worn out from running around too much.
"Did you find anything?"
"What do you think? In every freakin' inch, I find something worse!" I scream.
"Calm down. Where's he now?"
"I locked him in my room cause he won't be able to sneak out of the window, and it's the only room I'm sure is clean."
"Right, but does he want to stop or what? Cause as much as I know, he won't stop by force."
"I didn't talk to him. I mean, I kept reprimanding him without knowing it."
"Fine, but I'm just warning you that it won't be easy at all." He sighed.
"I know." I rolled my eyes as Ethan started yelling and banging on the door once again. "I'll call you later." I sighed hanging up.
"Linda, where do you think you're going?" I ran to her as she was walking towards my room with my key.
"Uh- what's going on?" She tried to play dumb.
"If you tried to open the door, shit will break loose. I'm dead serious, Linda!" I yelled.
"Don't you hear him?" Her eyes were glossy.
"When the dog barks, we don't just unleash him! We let him bark all he wants!"
"He's your brother not a dog!"
"A dog is better that him!" I yelled grabbing an apple off the counter.
"Stay here, Linda." I warned before walking to my room.
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"Good morning, Maria." I sighed stepping in my office with her following.
"Good morning, sir. Sorry for your loss." She said quietly as I took a seat behind my desk.
"Thank you. Tell me what do we have today." I sighed.
"You have a meeting with sir Richard at 5 PM, and-" She was cut off by a knock on the door.
"Sorry for cutting you off." Dareen said quietly.
"Sit down." I nodded turning to Maria.
"There's nothing else. Miss Dareen asked me to postpone all the meetings, but that-"
"Yeah, I understand. Thank you. " I nodded as she handed me my notebook.
"Excuse me, sir." She said quietly and I nodded.
"Are you okay?" Dareen turned to me once the door clicked shut.
Pursing my lips, I shook my head not able to reply.
Walking around the desk, she placed her hand on my shoulder.
"It'll be fine, babe." She whispered.
"I don't know what to do." I shook my head.
"Be patient." She cupped my cheeks.
"Sit down." I sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"You didn't go to Uni today, did you?"
"I had too much work to do." She sighed.
"I'll hire someone to help you."
"No Elliot, I don't need anyone to help me."
"I'm not asking you. I am telling you." I said sternly.
"Let's talk about it later, then." She sighed.
"Okay. Now get back to your work cause I have that meeting with Richard." I huffed standing up.
"So you're kicking me out?" She faked a gasp.
"No babe, stay here all you want, but excuse me." I smiled faintly pecking her cheek.
"You're excused." She giggled following me outside.
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