When We Meet Again (Kiani)

Twenty Seven

will

He took a deep breath and locked his dead eyes with my own.

"W-well. Where do I start?" he forced out a dry laugh, "My boyfriend, Ryan, died right before I met you. We had been dating for five years. I was planning to propose the month after Pax." he said as tears fell down his face.

I slowly sat down across from him, "it's okay." I mumbled, encouraging him to continue.

"Ryan and I had a, um, special relationship. If he felt that I misbehaved I was punished. Whether it be a beating, starvation or," he choked out a sob, "Having Reg..." he trailed off and unraveled into a puddle of tears.

I scooted over to him and wrapped my arms around him, letting him cry into my shoulder.

"Jor," I whispered, "You don't have to go on. It's okay."

I felt him shake his head, "No. I need to tell you everything." he mumbled into my shoulder.

"At first you were just a replacement. I'll admit it."

"What?" I asked with tears getting ready to fall.

He said nothing. "Jordan?" I urged, pushing myself away.

Jordan quickly tried to explain while tripping over his words, "No! Only at first! I thought I loved him! But after being with you I realised that I never did love him." He took a breath, "I love you."

"Y-you do?" I asked, almost unable to breathe. He nodded and wiped a tear from my cheek.

"Now for the worst part." he said softly.

After a moment of silence he opened his mouth again.

"Since I was fourteen, the year before I met Ryan, I've been being molested." he paused and swallowed.

"It doesn't happen as much anymore but it still happens. I can't tell the police because he says that he'll hurt my mom." he looked at me with ready eyes, "My mom is in a mental institution, Will!" he sobbed.

"She's not mentally stable!" he cried as I pulled him back into a hug.

"Shh, it's okay. you don't need to continue." I said quietly.

But he didn't stop. "I-it's Reg. H-e takes m-me into the back r-room and does all these t-things to me." he stuttered, "t-that's why I'm so b-bipolar and aggressive a-and other things."

I stroked his hair, "Jordan it's okay. I'm here for you. We can get through this."

I kissed his forehead just as Reg ripped the door open, "JORDAN!" he yelled, "I THOUGHT HE WAS GONE!"

Jordan looked like a deer in headlights. Before I could say anything Jordan was trying to apologise. "R-Reg I'm s-sorry h-he w-wa," Reg cut him off with a slap across the face.

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT STUTTERING! I HATE IT AND YOU KNOW DAMN WELL RYAN WOULD TOO!" he screamed, "BACK ROOM! NOW!"