Back In Black (Photograph Sequel)

Addicted: 15

Eight Years Ago

Fifteen year old Jo sat beside thirteen year old Adam on their worn, Brown sofa, texting Dean on her violet BlackBerry.

Her parents were having a heated discussion in the kitchen. She didn't know what was going on, only that Michael had disappeared to his room after yelling at their Mom.

Adam groaned, leaving the room and running up the stairs, his headphones still plugged into his phone on full blast.

Poor boy couldn't stand yelling, it made him cry.

He'd been picked on at school several times for this, but he was going to high school in a year where she could watch him.

Hopefully he'd make a new friend...

She sighed, turning off the TV so she could listen.

"We should have known! How didn't we notice!"

"Ellen, there was no way of knowing."

"We should have been more careful! Not let him out past five."

"He's sixteen, love. Every boy his age is out until ten. What happened was unpredictable."

"I'm a terrible mother!"

"Ellen, you've treated that boy like your own! Now we need to stop dwelling on what has happened and figure out a way to fix it."

"There isn't a way, the damage is done!"

Worried, Jo made her way up the stairs too, but stopped at the first door, knocking before letting herself in.

On the bed, in a curled up ball, lay Michael.

He was on top of the quilt and wearing only a pair of trackie bottoms.

As she approached him, she saw bruises dotted along his stomach and torso, handprints on his neck as well as a couple more of the circular purple marks.

And only a couple of these were hickeys....

"Mikey..." She said,tears falling from her eyes, "Who did this?"

Michael sat up, leaning his back against the headboard of his bed. He didn't answer.

"I'll kill them," she scowled, shaking her head as more tears falled.

"Dont. It wasn't his fault." Michael replied, his voice broken.

"What?"

"It was mine. I wouldn't do what he wanted...I didn't...love him, enough..."

"Dont be stupid, Michael." Jo answered harshly, "Who was it?"

Then it hit.

"Koel?"

Surely not, he was the nicest guy you'd meet...but the way Michael's head dropped at the name...

"We can fix this. We'll go the police. I'll come,if you'd like. Or Mom and Dad."

"No..." Michael sobbed, pulling on a shirt, "I need to see him...he won't hurt me again...he told me..."

"Mikey! You don't understand! This is how it starts! With a bruise  an empty promise and apologies. But he'll do it again, Mike! And the bruises will turn to scars!"

"No, Jo! I need to see him, you can't stop me!"he said opening the window. "Il always go back."

"Mikey no..."

"I'll always go back," he sobbed, as if he really didnt want to go but his body and mind wouldn't allow it. "He's my drug, Johanna...and I'm addicted..."

And with that....he left.