The One She Needed

Chapter 5

ALEX

I had been rather surprised when Raquel came to actually see me. At some point I grew convinced that she had been a figment of my imagination from a sleep deprived mind. And given the horrible week I had, seeing she somehow gave me a reason to smile especially as I sit here thinking back on the events that took place after my brother, Sam called.

Flashback

"You really aren't going to tell me what happened?" my voice, I'm surprised sounded controlled which is ironic considering I wanted to lose control and bash my knuckles into the wall.

"Like I told you for the millionth time, I fell down the stairs," Rebecca rasped out as she lay in the hospital bed. Her once flawless alabaster skin was decorated in patches of black, purple and blue. She looked terrible with her swollen emerald eyes and bruised up pink lips. Internally the damage made my blood boil considering she had broken ribs and a broken arm.

"Must be some stairs you got there sis," came Sam's snarky response as he sat casually in the chair beside the bed staring off into space. Being the baby of the family, Sam was always in the middle of any arguments that took place between my older sister and I. Rebecca may be the first to have popped out but I always had to bail her out of some shit she found herself in and now I'm quite fed up.

"Oh shut up Sam! Considering you're the one who called him after I told you not to. You have no right to say anything right now."

"If you just fell down the stairs, why wouldn't you want him to call me?" I snapped.

She refused to meet my eyes, keeping her gaze fixed on her lap and I grew exasperated with each passing second." Honestly Becca, why can't you just leave him?"

"He loves m–"

"Getting treated like a punching bag isn't love. Don't know where you got that nonsense from."

"Well mom and dad served as a perfect example in the aspect of punching bags."

I swore I blacked out at the mention of that low life. Yes, my mother and father's relationship was dysfunctional but it hurt having to see Rebecca choose the same route for herself.

"So, you aren't even going to consider how this is affecting your own daughter?" Sam challeneged who took the very question out of my mouth.

Her shoulders sagged at the mention of Jamie, the only light in all our lives. If there's anyone who could possibly give Becca the push she needed to leave that drunk, it will certainly be her.

Shaking my head, feeling a weight being placed on my shoulders I laughed even though I felt like crumbling in tears just thinking...

How did we get here?

***

The sound of Raquel's voice snapped me back to reality, the spotlight was on her and the brightness made her appear ethereal to me. I managed to notice the stares she was receiving from some of the men in the audience and I can't blame them.

I watched her, already feeling drawn towards her.

Calm down, she isn't yours.

"Hi everyone," she paused calming herself as she took a breath," I don't usually do this. But this poem is really close to my heart and it's called It takes more."

My breaths grew shallow as she began; wrapping herself to my mind's eye to convince that maybe I might just have to give up my arm. After all I have just stumbled upon the perfect, flawless genetic make-up of Raquel.