My Brother's Friend ✔

Chapter 26

The morning light was harsh on my face. "Wake up sleeping Beauty." A voice whispered. "Justin?"

He was laying next to me with his head propped up on his hand. "Hey." He said. He looked alot calmer than he did last night. "Are you okay?" I asked. He sighed, "yeah, but I guess I owe you an explanation."

"You don't have to." Even though I lreally wanted to know. His sad eyes returned.

"Yes I do....I had the perfect family until my dad lost his job. Mom wasn't working at the time because she was pregnant with Gabby and things started getting tight around the house. Dad started drinking and would come home late. He would take his anger out on me behind mom's back. I would take it because I rather him hit me than mom. But one night he was arguing with mom and.... and he." I grabbed his hand for support. He took in a deep breath and continued, "he hit her. She was six months pregnant and he hit her. All I saw was flashes of red and I had his gun in my hand and I pulled the trigger. I didn't mean to kill him but he was hitting mom and I didn't know what to do."

There was no crying this time, just his sad eyes and harsh breathing. It took me awhile to process what he said. His dad abused him, hit his mom and he killed him. He killed his father.

"Justin- " I started. He pulled away from me. "I'm a monster. I killed my own father Taylor, in June. I killed him June 3."

That's why he gets depressed around June. I reached for him but he flinched away. "I don't deserve you." He whispered.

"Shut up. I never want to hear those words come out your mouth again. You protected your mom and Gabby from him. You did the right thing." I pulled him towards me, holding his face in my hands. I kissed him on the lips lightly. "You are not a monster."

"Thank you." Was all he could say. We stayed in his room all day and cuddled until I got hungry. Trudy made us grilled cheese sandwiches.

"I should get going. Matthew is probably worried about me." I said.

"Yeah, good idea." His sad eyes were gone finally. I gave him a kiss goodbye and headed home. I took a long shower and thought about what he just told me. I was a little shocked, I wasn't expecting him to tell me that.