The Devil You Know

Chapter 10: Can't Sleep

I woke up very early, it was four in the morning and I didn't bother to go back too bed. I looked over at a sleeping Jade and I smiled a little, she was my best friend and I felt obliged to protect her. I couldn't believe those bruises on her it brought tears to my eyes when I thought about it. I stood up, covering her with my blanket and walking out the door. I walked down the hallway of my quiet house, everyone was sleeping. I walked down the stairs, trying not to wake Joel who had ears that could hear everything. I made my way to the fridge, pouring myself a glass of water and sitting at the table. There were footsteps into the kitchen and I looked up at Joel who looked at me, concerned.

"You alright..?" He mumbled, walking up to me and sitting beside me, looking into my eyes. I wanted to tell him about Jade, about what Pop was doing to them, but I made a promise.

"I miss mom and dad so much" I sobbed, holding my face in my hands.

"Oh... Nae..." He breathed, pulling me into his arms and holding me tightly. I sobbed into him, holding his shirt desperately. I could feel his chest heaving, he was crying too, but silently. "I miss them too... But we gotta stay strong, you're all I got" his voice was thick as he ran his fingers though my hair.

I pulled myself away from him and looking at his face, his puffy eyes met mine and we gave each other the best smile we could. He held my face in his hands, examining it for a second. "It's crazy how much you look like her..." He smiled, tears welling up in his eyes again. "But you got Dads eyes" he chuckled.

There were footsteps approaching and me and Joel turned to face Tommy who froze in his tracks as he saw us. "Uh....." He shifted awkwardly "water." Joel laughed and told him where the cups were and saying he could help himself to anything in the fridge.

The sun was rising, and i decided to help Joel with breakfast like we did every Saturday. "You hungry?" I asked looking at Tommy, who's bright, blue eyes locked with mine for a second.

"Yeah... Sure... Thank you" he mumbled, nodding. It wasn't long before grandma made her way downstairs. She walked straight up to Tommy and grabbed his chin with her hands and examined his bruises and cuts.

"Such a cute face" she shook her head, "poor thing" Tommy smiled at her a little and she walked over to Joel and I. Joel was frying bacon and eggs and I was mixing pancake batter. Joel kissed her on the cheek as she stood next to him.

"Morning gramma" I mumbled, leaning my head on her shoulder affectionately. She smiled, and walked to the living room to sit in her chair. Brendan was the next awake,  walking into the kitchen rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Morning" he mumbled, looking over Joel's shoulder at the bacon. "Oh my god" he sighed happily. Joel laughed and shoved him away playfully, and I began to make the pancakes. Tommy sat on the counter watching me make them in silence, noticing my eyes were slightly puffy and furrowing his eye brows, but he said nothing.

Finally Jade woke up, making her way down the stairs and we heard her say good morning to grandma before she made her way into the kitchen. "Oh my god are those pancakes" she spoke, wide awake now "and bacon oh lord" I laughed, smiling back at her.

"Mornin'" she punched my arm play fully, a smile on her face and walked over to the table, sitting there and putting her head down on it. Brendan grabbed some plates from the cupboard and held them as Joel put some food on them for everyone and placed them at the table.

"Grandma" Joel called down the hall "come eat" she walked in, smiling at Joel for cooking.

"You're such a good boy" she chuckled, sitting down at the table with us. "You're gonna make some girl very happy"

"Oh be quiet" he laughed, digging into his food. They all thanked Joel and me and began eating, oddly enough, it felt right being at the table with these people, they all felt like family, even though we didn't know each other that well yet. I smiled to myself looking around at all of them, hoping that this wouldn't be the last time something like this happened.