Arkham's Crazies

The Parents

Present Day

Jerome and I are now seventeen with the same old parents. His mom has been the same old drunk, but my dad has gotten worse. He brings home a friend and they beat me worse than before. I've had to start buying makeup and put in on my arms and legs and sometimes my stomach so Jerome won't see. Oh Jerome, how I love him. He's asked me to all the proms and homecomings. He often gives me kisses of the cheek or on the forehead but I still don't know if he feels the same. Many of my friends think we're dating and that we're cute together. Over the years we've grown closer, and every weekend we go to our treehouse.

Jerome has lately been getting more mad with his mother and fantasizing the idea of brutally murdering her and my father. Not that I care; I totally agree. Those two whackjobs have put us through hell, but I'm glad I got to go through it with Jerome. The sweet ginger has always been there for me no matter what. I sat at the kitchen table doing my homework, listening to my father doing his thang. This is one of those times where Jerome would really get mad if he found out my dad was bangin some random person again in the small house we shared. I wanted to shout at them to stop, but I knew that would just result with a brutal beating. Sighing, I grabbed my textbooks and binders and stomped into my room trying to study.

Fifteen minutes of moans and groans. Fifteen minutes of anger coursing through my veins. I can't focus with them jumping on the bed, and squealing with excitement. A rock makes its way up to my window, making me jump a little bit and I ignore it thinking it's probably a bird. I go back to concentrating. Another rock hits my window. This time a little more force added. Taking my legs off of the messy bed, I get up and walk to the small window that showed my hero. Jerome Valeska.

"Jerome! What are you doing?" I asked putting a sliver of my brown hair behind my ear and stifling a laugh.

"I came for you gorgeous. I thought maybe you'd wanna go do something?" He asked with a delicate red rose in his hand.

"I guess that'd be alright. He's up bangin again so he shouldn't notice. I'll be right out." I said as I slammed the window shut, giddily running over to my closet grabbing my purse and a light jacket and raced out the door. "Jerome!" I silently screamed at him, jumping into his arms, hugging him.

"I missed you." He said kissing my forehead.

"I missed you too. Now let's get out of here before we get caught." I said taking my hand in his and guiding him into Gotham city.

"Ya know, I hate when he does that Jessie." He says, using the pet name from sixth grade making my smile and blush.

"I know. I can't control him. That's why when we graduate, we're getting far away from here. We could go to Brazil, or Italy! Or Paris! We'd be away from them." I said fantasizing about a perfect life with Jerome.

"We'll go there someday, but right now you're stuck with that man abusing you-" He said as I cut him off.

"And you're stuck with that woman who abuses you. I know you can't stand it. It's only a year left and then we can go, I promise you." I said.

"I don't know how much more I can take, doll." He said.

"I know. We'll get through this together, like we always do." I said with a faint trace of a smile and squeezing his hand lightly. "Why don't why stay at the treehouse tonight?"

"I'd like that very much." He said as he picked me up bridal style and swung me around, carrying me to the treehouse, despite my several attempts to walk. What a sweetheart!