Rock Show

Chapter Two

You've never felt fear before unless you're scared to be hurt again, physically I mean. Right noe I feared for my life, literally, for the man whom stalked towards the door was a man whom I feared and hated like no other. My father got custody of my older brother and I right after the death of my mother about three years ago. He never loved my mother, he always used to beat her and now that I'm old enough to be a spitting image of her, he now beats me. Nobody knows about the encounters yet this is the reason why I'm labeled as shy.

Once I realized I was home alone with him, I bolted off for the stairs to my bedroom. You see my bedroom was my safe haven at times like this yet I was to lake to be there. On my way, running up the stairs, my legs where grabbed making me slam face first into the stairs themselves. I was then drug down the stairs, my dazed head hitting every step on the way down.

I screamed which was a big no for him. My father flipped me over to face him where he back handed me, the class ring on his finger digging into my skin as he did so. Tears sprang into my eyes at the sudden sting of pain, blood trickling down from my new wounds.

Suddenly there was a loud knock at the door making my father growl as he then slapped me once more before going to answer it. And as I stood I saw Jagger in the door way asking loud enough for me to hear.

"Is everything okay?" He asked, his eyes wandering over to me. " I heard a scream."

I shook my head mouthing the words "Help me." But my father answered Jagger this.  "My daughter just fell down the stairs, clumsy thing she is." He gave a forced chuckle before turning to me with daggera in his eyes. "Go clean up."

I bolted off and into my bedroom where I locked the door. I then went into my bathroom to clean up my wounded face but I was inturupted by someone tapping loudly on my window.

I walked out into my room to see that Jagger was hanging inroads tree and tapping on the window. I ran to the window to let him in shocked at his actions. Jagger climbed through the window making it so that we stood inches apart.

He was slightly out of breath as I gently touched my wounded face. I flinched at that moment at the sudden pain, hissing at even his gentle touch.

"What happened?" He whispered.

I shook my head pulling away from him to go look at myself in the mirror. I touched a wet cloth to my slightly bloody face as I whispered my father's lie. "I fell down the stairs."

Jagger snorted. "Yeah, okay just lie."

My eyes widened but I tried not to hide that fact.

Jagger leaned in the doorway of my bathroom. "I guess I'll go then seems how you just 'fell' down those stairs." He used air quotes around the word fell but that the thought of him leaving ne here alone frightened me to no end.

"Don't go." I choked out.

Jagger stared at me. "Why?"

I shook my head. "Please!"

"Bye." He said turning away and before I could even stop him, he was gone leaving me in an empty room to cry and I went to do exactly that, I curled up in my bed just to cry myself to sleep.

*************************************

I awoke during the middle of the night, my bedside table clock blinking 4:45 in red at me. I wanted to go back to sleep but one thing had me scared for my life once again, my father was screaming at someone. I knew the yelling would be aimed at my older brother but when my brother thought he wad helping he didn't realize it never did. The beating only came after the call yet ten times worse then other times.

My brother Andrew was put in jail shortly after the concert, in fact it.was because of that night. My father had called the police when I never came hone, o had gone to my brothers house afterwards telling my father I would be there. My father claimed that Andy had kidnapped me, he paid a buddy of his to make the arrest and lock him up for awhile. Andy always tried to make amends with our father yet nothing could make that man forgive his only son. And with that said my father would soon take his anger out on me.

I made a decision at that moment, I pushed the covers to the side before changing into sweat pants and a tank top before grabbing a small bag to put some of my need to have thing for the night and two more things. I then pushed open my window before climbing out my window.

I walked over to Jagger's house nearly banging on the front door. "Please open up before my dad finds out I'm gone." I whispered to myself. I had no idea when my father would notice my absence.

A minute of pure torture went by before the door opened to reveal a very shirtless Jagger. His bright blue eyes locked with my own as he leaned in the doorway. "Emma?"

I smiled at him. "Um, hi."

"Emma its five in the morning, I had another couple hours of sleep before work, which I just got back from, might I add." He looked over me. "Your face looks swollen still."

I sighed. "Can you give me a ride?"

He looked at me before looking toward my house. "What happened?" His voice was hard yet neither of us moved.

"Can I come in?" I asked just as I heard my father yell. "EMMA MARIE ERICSON!" My window was still open letting his voice carry. "Dammit andethis is your fault!"

I flinched just as Jagger pulled me inside locking tthe door. I leaned against the locked door sighing at the feel of having another safe haven. Jagger stood inches from me begging me with his eyes to tell him the truth.

Why do I feel as if I've known him forever? It dawned on me then as I walked into his arms whispering. "How did I forget about my brother's best friend?"

He chuckled. "It's been five years." His arms wrapped around me in protection. "Now what happened?"

I sighed softly. "He hit me last night. He dug me down the stairs and hit me before you came but I can't talk yo any police because he has friends there. Andy got arrested cause my father convinced the police that Andy had kidnapped me the night of your concert."

Jagger's expression hardened.