Mr. Mendes

chapter 10 - confrontation

(Shawn's point of view)

As I scanned over Eleanor's bruised body, I felt a rage begging to let itself out. How could Jack do that to her? She's the kindest person I know and he decides to batter her? God, I need to sort this mess out. I need to put him back in his place. These high school jocks think they're untouchable.

I leaned in close to her and pushed her hair behind her ear. I wanted to make her feel safe when she's with me. I want her to never have to feel like she did again. I know I'm crossing all sorts of boundaries, but that's what you do when you can't help but love someone you're not supposed to.

Hmm, love. Yeah that fits. You can't tell her yet though Shawn, you've only just transferred. You don't want to mess this up. One chance.

"I'm gonna make Jack pay for what he's done."

I feel the hairs stand up on the back of her neck when I whisper in her ear, she's so beautiful.

With that I pull away from her warmth and walk down the stairs before she can stop me. I grab my jacket from the counter and my keys along with it. When I open my jeep door, I almost pull it off its hinges because I'm so angry. The mental pictures of her bruises keep flashing through my head, they're like a bad memory that I can't shake. My driving is appalling while I rush to his house, my fists gripping themselves tightly to the steering wheel. I pull up to his house.

Calm. You need to get past his parents first.

After a few deep breaths I get out of the car. I stop at the door after knocking a few times. His mother answers the door.

"Hello Mrs Gilinsky, I'm here to see Jack about his grades."

"That's funny, he never told me." Her eyebrows furrowed together.

"Teenagers often keep quiet about failing classes."

"Oh, I see. Come in."

She stepped out from behind the door and let me in. The house felt cold. Not because there was little heating, but because the atmosphere didn't feel welcoming. To be honest  I wouldn't blame them for not loving him, their monster of a son, especially after what he did to Elle.

"He's upstairs in his room," Mrs Gilinsky sighed, "I can call him down if you want."

"No no it's fine, I think this is a chat that needs to just be between me and him." I told her, my tone getting slightly darker towards the end of the sentence.

"Okay, well his room is up the stairs, first on the right."

I thanked her and began to walk up the stairs. I felt rage beginning to boil up inside of me. My stomach was in knots but I knew what needed to be done, I needed to put him in his place.

I opened the door to his bedroom. There were clothes all over the floor, the bed wasn't made, nor was his desk organised. I guess he was too busy beating up Eleanor to clean his tip of a room.

His eyes widened when he saw me, wondering why I was standing at his doorway.

He scoffs, "You could've knocked."

"Well we all do things we regret don't we." I said. He was confused at my reply.

"Sir, why are you here?" He said, rolling his eyes as he did so, "I have stuff to do."

"Oh really," I replied, pretending to be interested, "do tell."

"Well I," I had moved further into his room and closer to him. "Uh."

"Go on, spit it out."

"Homework." He answered, his eyes on the floor.

"So," My anger was now fully fixated on him, images of Eleanor's body flashing through my mind, "you weren't spending your Saturday beating and bruising Eleanor Hill?"

My body was now towering over his, his cocky facade was building itself up, trying to make himself look tough. He could tell I was becoming irate.

"I don't know what you mean." He had now stood up, making himself just below my eye level.

"Of course you know what I mean," I was quietly shouting now. "You made her be your girlfriend and when she said no you started pushing and pulling her around like your own little rag doll." I was in his face, my constants were clipped.

"Ah I remember, the little bitch deserved it. Trying to say no to me, who does she think she is?"

My voice was deep and slow, I wanted him to hear every syllable.

"Don't you fucking dare call her that."

Jack's eyes widened as he was now realising the extent of my anger. His previously confident persona had vanished.

I grabbed at the cotton neck of his hoodie, scrunching it up in my fists. I walked him backwards and pinned him up on the wall.

"Are you scared?" I said mockingly, "just like you made her feel."

"She's lying, I didn't touch her."

"The bruises you left say otherwise."

Jack gulped.

"Don't go near her again, you hear me?"

There was no response.

"Do you hear me?" My voice was raised again.

"Yes." He said meekly, so quietly that I knew I didn't need to do anything else.

"Good." I let go of him. I was ready to leave now, so I did without saying another word.

On the car ride home, my mind began to wonder. The first thing it went to was Eleanor. The thought of her being hurt made me go so crazy. Am I being overprotective? Surely not. I just couldn't handle the thought of her being so vulnerable with no one there to stand up to him.

One thing is for certain though, Jack is definitely failing English this year.