Together We Will Set The World On Fire [Black Veil Brides]

Chapter Seventeen

Together We Will Set The World On Fire

Sorry for any spelling/grammar issues!

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Ashley's POV

"So this is my childhood home." she said, stating the obvious. No bitterness, no hatred- but then again, no emotion. 

"Jen..." Andy started.

"Jen, honey, why didn't you tell us?" I asked her before Andy could ask anything.

"What was there to tell? It's not like our childhoods are a main topic of conversation. I grew up here, and got the hell out of here as soon as I could."

But I could see the emotion in her eyes now. I could see that she hurt every single day living here. I could see that she was afraid of her parents and uncomfortable talking to us about it. I knew the other guys could see it too, when a single tear ran down her cheek. I pulled my hand out of hers and wrapped my arms around her. She shook once, trying to hold back tears as her head rested on my shoulder. 

Right away everyone else joined in. It was just a big group hug with Jenna in the middle, until we heard muffled shouting coming from the foyer area. I felt Jenna flinch, even in the protection of all of our arms. My heart died a little momentarily, wanting to make her pain go away. She pushed us all off of her and stood up.

"That's our cue to go." she said, opening the door.

I took her hand again and walked out into what I noticed was the kitchen. The guys were silent once again. This is the quietest all of us must have ever been together- ever.

She led us straight through the kitchen to a deck, where her parents sat. She motioned to the chairs that were on the deck, and we all sat. She let go of my hand and put hers in her lap, scratching at her fingers. I've noticed that she does it to stop herself from having anxiety attacks.

"So we play in downtown Vancouver tonight" she said, making an attempt at small talk.

It went on like this for about half an hour, Jenna trying to be friendly, her dad smashing her down with his rude comments and nasty looks, her mom occasionally joining in as well. And I thought her mom was a saint compared to her dad- apparently not. 

"Why did you leave?" her dad barked after a moment of silence.

The look on her face was shocking. She turned a bright red all over, and started shaking again. I moved to comfort her, but she stopped me with a shake of her hand. She stood up, sending her chair flying into the glass door, making a chip. 

"WHY DID I LEAVE?! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAVE THE FUCKING NERVE TO ASK ME THAT!" she screamed. I realized she wasn't upset, she was angry. Angry was an understatement- she was fuming, livid, a volcanoe waiting to erupt. The look on her face said that she had taken their shit for far too long, and had waited a lot of years to scream at them like this.

"I-" she started to shout, but her dad cut her off.

"Now you watch your tone and language with me, I'm your father!"

If she could get any angrier, she just did. She picked up the chair that she had sent flying and wipped it into the yard. It bounced and then stopped, one leg bent- and it was a metal chair.

"MY FATHER?! ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY?! I HAVEN'T HAD A FATHER SINCE I WAS FUCKING FOUR YEARS OLD, THAT'S THE LAST TIME I REMEMBER YOU NOT GETTING FUCKING SMASHED EVERY FUCKING DAY! AND MY LANGUAGE? FUCK YOU! YOU HAVE LOST ALL RIGHT TO HAVE ANY OPINION WHATSOEVER IN ANYTHING THAT I SAY OR DO! THAT GOES FOR YOU TOO!" she screamed, turning towards her mother for the last part. 

I glanced at Jake, hoping he would know how to react, but he was just watching the scene unfold with wide eyes. 

Jenna turned back to her father.

"I STOPPED HAVING ANY DESIRE TO BE AROUND THE TWO OF YOU WHEN I WAS FUCKING 9 YEARS OLD! 9! NO KID THAT AGE DESERVES TO FEEL SHITTY ALL THE TIME AT THAT AGE! THAT'S WHEN THE FUCKING DEPRESSION STARTED. I CUT DEEP FOR THE FIRST TIME WHEN I WAS FUCKING 10 YEARS OLD! BECAUSE I HATED THE MONSTER YOU TWO WERE TRYING TO TURN ME INTO!"

My face paled. This was news to me as well. I knew that she'd battled depression, but I didn't realize just how serious it had gotten for her. She hiked up the legs of her jeans and revealed a shitload of scars. There must have been 25 running in rows down one leg alone.

"I DID THIS TO MYSELF BECAUSE OF YOU CUNTS! YOU SEE ALL THESE SCARS?!" she screamed, gesturing to the rows. "I WAS FUCKING THIRTEEN! I STARTED AND JUST COULDN'T STOP! I GOT ADDICTED TO IT! I STARTED BINGING AND GAINED A SHITLOAD OF WEIGHT, THEN STARTED STARVING MYSELF AND LOST A SHITLOAD MORE! I TRIED KILLING MYSELF THREE TIMES AND ALMOST SUCCEEDED! I ALMOST GOT CAUGHT BY A SOCIAL WORKER AND LIED MY WAY OUT! WHEN I WAS 14, I WENT TO CUT, THEN I THOUGHT TO MYSELF "MY 'PARENTS' AREN'T WORTH MY BLOOD. NEVER EVER HAVE THEY BEEN AND NEVER EVER WILL THEY BE.' SO FUCK YOU, IT WAS THE BEST FUCKING DECISION I EVER MADE TO LEAVE, BECAUSE NOW I FINALLY HAVE ONE THING THAT YOU TOOK FROM ME LONG AGO- HAPPINESS. I'M FUCKING HAPPY. I'M LOVED, I HAVE REAL FRIENDS, I'M NOT BULLIED ANYMORE, AND I'M IN LOVE!"

She grabbed my arms and pulled me up, kissing me hard on the lips.

"SAY WHAT YOU WANT, THINK WHAT YOU WANT, BELIEVE WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT, BUT I LOVE HIM. AND HIM AND HIM AND HIM AND HIM. I LOVE ALL OF THEM DIFFERENTLY. THEY SAVED ME FROM MYSELF. SCREW YOU, I DON'T EVER WANT YOU IN MY LIFE AGAIN. WE'RE FUCKING DONE HERE!" she finished, screaming so loudly that everyone in the whole neighborhood probably heard. She made us all walk in front of her, angry tears streaming down her face, as she slammed every door as hard as possible on the way back to the bus.

She flopped down on the couch, the tears still flowing, and looked up at me.

"I fucking love you, Ashley Purdy." she told me. I know that she loves me, but something about the way she said it this time was so incredibly sincere, I fell for her all over again.

"You make my world go round. I love you more than anything in the universe."

With that, I scooped her up and wrapped her legs around me, kissing her passionately.

Jenna's POV

Eventually Ash put me down. In that moment I knew that with every fiber of my existence, I love him. I knew that he loved me just the same- and that was the best feeling in the world.

"That needed to be said.. er.. screamed." I said, turning towards the four puzzled guys that were just watching Ashley and I.

"So now you guys know everything. I was really, really fucked up for a long time, but I'm getting better with each passing day. It's a lifelong recovery, but I'm going to be okay again. And thanks to you guys, I know that it's entirely possible."

The grins that filled their faces were priceless, and they each hugged me in turn. I pointed at the driver's seat and Andy sat down.

"Let's go visit Ellie." I said.

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I decided that the best way to write this chapter would be to make it as real as possible- as close to reality. xoxoxoxo