Bloodshed: A Valeska twins story

Cooped up

*Two weeks later*

Isabelle's POV~

Things have been pretty calm and boring so to speak. I feel cooped up in this bunker though. Jeremiah has only allowed me to go to school and back. If I have a game to cheer at, he takes me there and watches. God, I hate this! Jeremiah doesn't trust me anymore and it kills me! Ever since I told him that I went to see Jerome.

"Miah, you know I love you right?" I ask from the passengers' seat. We are on our way to GCHS for a football game.

"Yep," he says quickly not really listening to me.

"I also wanted to make sure that you know I am failing all of my classes," I say to prove my theory.

"Yeah, sounds great," he says still not paying attention. This makes me roll my eyes.

"Jeremiah!" I yell making him swerve the car slightly.

"What? Isabelle, you could have gotten us killed," he says raising his voice and making me flinch.

"Well, you haven't been paying attention to what I am actually saying," I say tearing up. "Sorry for wanting to actually talk for the first time in like 2 weeks."

I hear him sigh at this. "Darling-," I cut him off knowing what that word means right now.

"No, you can't just call me darling. You haven't talked to me in 2 weeks Jeremiah!" I yell getting angrier and angrier. "You haven't even really looked in my direction in at least a week." Now I am full on crying. I feel the car come to a stop. I look up and notice we are stopped on the side of the road. I feel a hand on my chin, I look and see Jeremiah turning my head to him. He grabs my hands in his.

"Isabelle, I'm sorry. I just, I found out something about Jerome's case last week and I haven't wanted to leave your side since," Jeremiah said looking down at our hands as he plays with them.

"What happened?" I asked worriedly. Yes, I know I shouldn't, but I still care about Jerome. I just don't care in the same way I once did.

"I will show you after the game," Jeremiah says looking into my eyes before releasing my hands and putting them back on the wheel to drive. As I feel the car start to move again I look out the window and wonder what could make Jeremiah so frightened to not to want to leave my side.

*during the final seconds of the game*

I haven't stopped thinking about what Jeremiah had said in the car. What could have happened to Jerome? The final seconds ticked down and we were winning of course. I, along with all of the other cheerleaders were doing our normal routine and keeping the crowd rowdy. I look up into the crowd and see Jeremiah. He sticks out like a sore thumb and that makes me smile. A calm guy in a suit among a ton of rowdy teenagers. 

I hear a loud buzzer, indicating the end of the game, making everyone from GCHS scream in delight. Everyone in the stands starts to descend the stands onto the court. I turn to Lola and see her kissing one of our star players. Then I feel a hand grab my arm. I look up and see the owner of the hand is Jeremiah.

"Lets go, darling," he says before pulling me through the crowd towards the doors and out into the parking lot. Jeremiah opens my door allowing me to get in before shutting the door once I'm inside. I look out of the window to see Lola waving after me. I wave back before the car pulls away. I watch as Lola grow smaller and smaller the farther we drive.

It felt like I was in that car for a lifetime but we finally reached the garage of the bunker and Jeremiah parked. I hear him take a deep breath, "are you ready?"

"Yes," I respond before getting out of the car and walking towards the bunker. I stop at the door and wait for Jeremiah to lead the way. Jeremiah walks next to me and interlocks our fingers before leading me into the bunker. He leads me into his room and sits me down on the bed. "What is it?" I ask him impatiently.

Jeremiah kisses my hand before walking over to his TV and turning it on. "Almost a week ago I started watching the news and saw this. I immediately started recording." He turns on a report and Jerome's mug shot is plastered on it along with 5 other people.

"48 hours ago 6 criminally insane people were broken out of Arkham Asylum. And yesterday they kidnapped 7 people and threw them off the Gotham Gazette roof. They are now known as the Maniax. The inmates include Jerome Valeska, Arnold Dobkins, Aaron Helzinger, Robert Greenwood, Barbara Kean, and Richard Sionis." Then Jeremiah turns the tv off.

"Oh my god," I say not being able to understand how someone could do such horrible things.

"Darling, I didn't want to frighten you so I just kept it from you. I didn't mean to...scare you," Jeremiah says putting his hands on my shoulders and kneeling to be eye level with me.

I nod in understanding, "I know, I know you care about me and want to protect me from any danger or anything like that. But I feel trapped here. I need to have some form of freedom."

Jeremiah sighs, "You're right, I've been being too protective. I'm sorry. I just don't-," I cut him off mid-sentence.

"Don't want me to get hurt. I know, Miah. I love you for that," I say placing my hand on his cheek. He leans into my touch making me smile. I then remember something, "I have a game tomorrow and the team is riding the bus with the football team, could I ride on the bus, please?" 

He thinks for a second before responding, "Yes. But, if something happens, you call me."

"I will."