Helping 11

12

Tadgh

Blood, there was blood. My mind made the contention but my heart wished it wasn't true. It couldn't be true, I didn't want it to be true. I didn't want her to have to have gone through what I did but the evidence was there. The bruise, how she would always flinch, why she was always crying. She was practically a mirror to how Shannon was.

I let this happen. I saw the signs and I still let her go home to that house everyday. I'm worse than my dad ever was. I need to tell someone. I can't let her go through this alone. I run out of my room and down the stairs needing to find Joey. I find him sitting in the kitchen with some others.

"Hey Joe, could we talk?" I could see the moment his eyes found mine and saw how scared they were.

"Yeah kid what's wrong." He turns to me giving me his full action and I wanted to shout what wasn't.

John and dellie are sitting at the table with him, helping AJ finish his dinner. I know they both heard my tone of voice but they don't give it away, sitting there like they're not listening to our conversation.

"Look." I throw my hoodie at him, a little bit harder then I need to but I'm just so angry. With the world, with Nora for not telling me but most of all for the person hurting her. Who could do that to her. She was so sweet and the thought of anyone hurting her, makes me sick.

He turns it over, looking at it from all angles. " This is your hoodie, what am I supposed to be looking at?"

"Look at the sleeve." I raise my voice annoyed that he's not looking properly.

He finds the sleeve, looking at it but I can tell by the look on his face he's still confused. " Kid I still don't know what this is?"

I slam my hands down on the table. "It's blood Joe, It's her blood." I let out a sob and drag my hands over my face. "It's her blood." I repet, the words coming out barley louder then a whisper.

" Hey, hey Tadgh it's okay." He pulls me into a hug and I stand there whispering into him that it's not okay, that it was never okay.

"Tadgh love." Dellies soft voice interrupts us. " We need you to sit down and tell us what you mean by it's her blood."

"Who's blood are you referring to." John asks me but most people in this room know who i'm referring too.

" Nora's." My voice sounds blank to my ears, like I couldn't find the emotion I needed.

Dellie's soft gasp fills the room. "Oh my sweet baby."

"Tadgh we need you to tell us everything you."

So I do. I tell them about the bruises I've seen on her body, I tell them about the times shes flinched around people and all the bad lies she has told to cover up the things that's happened and finally I tell them about the blood on the hoodie.

I look over at Joey and I can tell that what we went through, Noras going through now.

"Tadgh I promise we're going to help her as much as we can."

Nora - earlier in the day

I feel sick

Im a sick, cruel human being. How could I tell someone that meant everything to me that they mean nothing. If someone said that to me I would break. I just feel so mad. With everything and everyone. Why, why was I born into this cruel family. At this point I would have been better if I was never born. It would be easy for everyone else. My da would still be alive, tadgh would be happier and micky and tilly wouldn't have to deal with a broken friend.

The day goes by in a blur of sadness. Connor kisses me and holds me but every time I wish it was tadgh. I dread going home, having to see cairain. He's going to want to talk about me and connor. How it's going, if I'm happy but he never really cares. He just doesn't want to look bad around other people. He only cares about himself and the only times when he talks to me is when he needs or wants something. Like I'm a pawn in his game of life.

"I'm coming around after school." Connor announces, telling not asking.

"Oh um how are you getting there." He has a history of not liking walking with me.

"We're driving."

"No Connor I can't"

"You can't or you won't. Nora there is no reason to be difficult." His harsh words make me think of tadghs soft words. He never got upset or yelled at me, all he would do is walk with me. It makes me miss him more.

"I can't Connor and you know why."

"Yes I do it's all you talk about. My dad dead and this and this and my life really sucks. You don't shut up about anything. But since you're being so stubborn about it we will have to walk."

"Thanks." I know it's not something I should be saying thank you for but if I don't he'll get mad.

"Meet me at the gate after school." and then he just walks off.

...

After school I meet Connor but not before I could see Tadgh leaving. I was watching him walk away and he turn, meeting my eyes. He dosen't look away and neither do I. We stand there making eye contact for a good minute before he mouths the words If you ever need help at me. He points at his phone trying to get the idea across. I want to. I so badly want to add his number back but I'm scared. Not for me, I don't care what happens to me but for him. I never want anything like that to happen to him. I walk away.

Walking with Connor is like walking with someone who doesn't care about you accept they are supposed to care so much more. He dosen't talk to me and I try. All he does is grunt at me and glare when I try to start a converstion. By the time we're at the house all he does is go upstairs muttering. something about taking a shower and lying in my bed. He leaves me downstairs with Ciarain.

"How was school." I'm surprised to see that he can speak probably, surprised he's not drunk or on drugs.

"Fine." I rummage around the pantry trying to find something for Connor to eat. I've already eaten to much today but he always gets hungry.

"How's Connor." I can hear the smirk in his voice.

"Ask him yourself."

"I'm asking you." The tone he uses makes me want to scream but I don't. If I start screaming at the world I'll never stop.

I shurg. "He's doing fine, he's happy."

"That's good, that's how it should be."

"Sure." I holding back tears at this point and I just need something to take away the pain. I can't do it again. I've tried so hard to get out of the hole I put myself in but it hurts. Everything hurts. Maybe later, when it's just me. I would never do it with anyone around. Never want anyone to know how hurt, how broken I am.

I leave the kitchen and walk up the stairs into my room. Connors on the bed, messing up my pillows.

"Come here baby." He reaches out towards me and it takes everything in me not to coil away from his hand.

"Not now, I'm not in the mood."

His smile falls off his lips and he glares at me. "Well then what was the point of me coming here."

I want to shout at him that I never wanted him here, never wanted to get back together. "We could just take a nap."

He sighs knowing this is all he'll get for now. "Fine come here."

I slip into the bed beside him, cuddling up towards him. I close my eyes and let out a deep breath. I fall asleep with his arms wrapped around me wishing it was tadgh.

Authors note

Right y'all sorry this took so long but I have a reason. Im going on hoilday soon for a couple weeks and wanted to have things to post so I wrote 12 chapters so now you can get 2new chatpers a week for 3 or 4 weeks. Also about the no posting on TikTok I got logged out and could not for the life of me remember what the email was but I got it now so I will post on there more too. Also lol I can't remember if tadgh knows about her dad but we are just going to say he doesn't. Love yall and again sorry. (I wrote that a couple weeks ago and right now I'm waiting for my plane that was delayed by 6 hours!!!!)

Word count: 1524