True Love Hurts

All Hell's Breaking Loose

I opened the front door, and saw Johnny crying in the living room. I ran to him, dropping down on the floor next to him. I picked him up and held close to me. I looked at his face and there was a red hand print across his cheek. He hugged me and I didn't let go. I stood up, just as Josh walked in. I walked towards Josh, handed Johnny to him. "Where are you-" He says, as he realizes what I'm doing. I see Dad in the kitchen, making a sandwich. I walked in there and hit him on the arm, and I kicked his legs. "Jessica, stop!" Josh yelled, as Dad turned around and sliced the inside of my forearm with a knife. "Oh my god!" I yell looking at my arm, blood flowing from it. "Shit." My Dad says under his breath as he grabs his sandwich and starts to eat it. I see Josh picking up the phone. "911, what's your emergency?" That's the last thing I heard before I realized I was on the floor, the world going dark.

"Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep." Alright, alright I'm up. I roll over, as I feel something in my arm. I open my eyes, and realize I'm not in my bedroom. I look around at the white walls, as spot a group of people asleep. I rubbed my eyes, and saw Josh, Johnny and Lucas. Johnny was awake. "Sissy!" He says, as I shush him and wave him over to me. He climbed down from his chair, and over to my hospital bed. I helped him up, and sat him next to me. He held me, and I saw his cheek was still red. "It's otay sissy. It doesn't huwrt." He says, as I try to smile. Johnny lays his head on me, and falls asleep. A few moments later, Lucas wakes up. "Have a nice nap?" I say, giggling under my breath. "You're awake. Oh my gosh, Josh get up." Lucas says, shaking Josh. "What!" Josh says, sitting up and slapping Lucas. I laugh again, being careful not to wake up Johnny.

"Good morning sunshine." I say, a smile forming on my face, and quickly pulled away from the pain in my arm. "What happened?" I say, playing with the tube connected to my IV. "You don't remember, Dad hurt Johnny and stabbed you with a butter knife." Josh says, as I look down at my arm. "Where is Dad?" I say, looking at Johnny, as he sleeps in my arms. "Probably hooking up with one of the nurses. He somehow convinced the police and the doctor that it was an accident. So, they are releasing you today." Lucas said, holding my hand. I cringed at the thought of going home. Dad and Josh fighting. Johnny crying. "I invited Lucas over to help us until you get better." Josh says, as I smile and look up at Lucas.

I sat in the wheelchair, as Lucas wheeled me out. I tried to convince them to let me walk, but they wouldn't hear it. Johnny sat in my lap, giggling and smiling at the horrible jokes Lucas was telling. I tried not to laugh, but couldn't between Lucas's smile and Johnny's laugh. We made it to the car, and both of them helped me in. I was in the backseat next to Lucas and Johnny, while Josh sat up front next to Dad. Josh tried to get us another ride home, but my father wouldn't hear of it. The ride home was awkward, and other than Johnny's babble, it was silent. I stared out the windows as the building's passed by. The buildings disappear in the distance, as the green blur of the trees clouded my vision. Country played quietly in the background, luring me to sleep.

I roll over, my head pounding and my arm burning. I sat up with a gasp, and look down at my arm. My stitches were bleeding from my tossing and turning. I got and went to the bathroom, grabbing a towel, as I hear footsteps coming up the stairs. "What are you doing up?" Lucas, our recent home crasher, ask as he walks towards the bathroom. "Lucas, it a sprained ankle, and a stitched up arm. I think I'll be okay to walk from one place to another." I say, letting out a slight giggle. "Why is your arm bleeding? Are you okay?" He says, sitting me down on the counter and taking the towel on my arm. I laugh again, as he plays "doctor" trying to fix my arm. "We're going to have to remove it." Lucas says, as he laughs. "Ow!" I say, as he starts tickling me. I laugh, as I try to get out of his grasp. I finally get free, and I run to my room.

"Do I really have to go back?" I say, as Lucas sits in the drivers seat headed towards the town's doctor office . I have to go back for my checkup, and I didn't want to go. Lucas had one hand on the wheel, the other holding my hand. He knows how much I hate the doctors. We pulled into the small parking lot, mostly abandoned. Only three cars sat in the lot, old and dusty. Lucas parked the car in front, and hopped out, walking around to open my door. I stepped out and looked at the office, a chill running down my spine. I hadn't been to the doctors since mom, and the memories that were flooding back weren't happy.

I sat on the exam table, playing with the edge of the paper that covered it. The room was dark and cold, only a small light in the corner lit the room. The smell of latex and alcohol swabs was strong, making my nose burn. I looked at Lucas sitting in the small chair and smiled, watching him play games on his phone. I jumped, as the door opened and in came a young boy, around my age. He was wearing nurse scrubs, and had a stethoscope around his neck. His hair was messy, shining from the small light in the room. He looked up at me from his clipboard and smiles at me. "Hello, my name is Ryan. I will be doing your basic check up before Dr. Cole comes in." He says, as I smile and looked down at my hands, then over at Lucas. He looked up from his phone and saw Ryan. He frowned and put his phone away, watching me. He did the normal check up, as I watched Lucas's face grow angrier and angrier. I looked at Ryan and he smiled at me. "Alright everything looks good. Dr. Cole will be in soon." He says as he scribbled on the clipboard then left the room.

I was done with my checkup and we were headed out, as I see Ryan. He smiles and hands me a piece of paper, then walks away. I looked down and saw a number. 'Call me. -Ryan.' I quickly ball up the paper and shove it in my pocket. "What's that?" Lucas as I turn around. "Oh, nothing." I say as we walk out of the office. I hopped in the passenger side of Lucas's car. I opened my phone and see notifications. '10 missed calls from the devil' Great. "I have to get home. My dad's having another one of his moods and I don't want to make it worse." I say, as he frowns.

Lucas pulls up to my house, as I start to open the door, he grabs me arm. "You know, if you ever need to get away, I'm here." He says, as I smile. "Thank you." I walk towards the house,  my head held low, waiting for the pain ahead.
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