Help Me {A Jonas Sister Story}

Chapter 8 {Church}

“There done, now can I please have my toast back, pwetty pwease.” I asked him in a baby voice.

My baby voice made everyone at the table laugh. Nick handed back my toast, smiling.

                                                                         ~*~

“Now, before we end this beautiful morning.” My Dad addressed the crowd.

“I would like to bring my daughter Nicole, to share a very personal story with you all.”

“We thought this would be a way for her to feel better about what has happened to her.”

I was nudged by my youth leader, Michael, onto the stage. I walked over to my Dad, and he handed me the microphone. I looked at my brothers, Kevin, Joe, Nick, and Frankie, who were sitting next to my best friend Adam.

Adam knew everything but, now everyone was about to know about it all. I took a deep breath.

“Hi everyone.” I said waving to crowd.

“As you probably all know, I am Nicole Jonas.”

“Today I want to share what exactly I have gone though the past two months.”

I took another steadying breath.

“A week before my birthday, I have been getting hit by my boyfriend, Jack Richardson.”

“One night, he dragged me around to the alley behind the bowling alley, and he began to kiss me roughly, making me uncomfortable.”

“When I wouldn’t kiss back, he would get really angry.

“He slapped me.”

“I had never been slapped before in my life so, I was shocked. It hurt but, that wasn’t anything compared to the punch I received a few minutes later.”

“And when I tried to tell him that I would tell my parents and my brothers, he threatened me.”

“Well not exactly me but Nick and Frankie.”

Tears filled up my eyes.

“He knew how close I was to my brothers and, he knew that no amount of physical pain could hurt me more than if something happened to my brothers because of me.

“Every date since then he's hit me, kicked me, slapped me and then last night he scratched me with something.”

“No matter how much pain I was in, I just couldn’t tell my family.”

“That caused me to lie time and time again. I couldn’t wear shorts or t-shirts because they would show my bruises.”

“And my attitude, went way downhill.”

“I don’t disrespect my family but, because of Jack the last few weeks I have had to.”

“I know what it feels like to be alone.”

“I know what it feels like to think there is no way out and, that you can’t find help.”

“I felt like I was drowning in a sea of pain, confusion, and loneliness.”

“I needed help, to be rescued.”

“And I got that.”

“You all know them.”

“My brothers were my life preserver.”

“I am actually happy now, for the first time in two months.”

“I owe my brothers and my parents more than I can ever repay them for in my entire lifetime but, that doesn’t mean I am not going to try.”

“I love you guys so much.”

When I was finished, I had tears streaming down my face. My family came up to me on stage, and hugged me as our church community stood up and started clapping loudly. Nick had his arms around me.

“Now stand with us and sing ‘Shout to the Lord!’” My Dad said.

I scanned the crowd of people. Girls from my youth group, mothers, and older women were all crying along with me. I felt loved, happy, and not alone.

“You did great Sissy.” Nick whispered in my ear, as the people around us began to sing.

“Thanks Bubba, I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t for you, Joe and Kevin.”

“That’s what brothers are for.” Joe said, popping into our conversation along with Kevin.

“I thought you were made to annoy me.” I joked.

They all fake pouted. I giggled and began to sing.

They followed my lead but, not before kissing the top of my head.

                                                        ~*~

February 2007. Kevin’s Birthday, Christmas, and New Years have all passed. It has been three months since I have seen Jack. I still have nightmares of him trying to rape me so, almost every night, I have a brother with me. And I found out what those pains in my side was from. It was a female thing. Nick knows. After my Mom helped me adjust, Nick pulled me aside to ask what was wrong. At first I was hesitant but, I ended up just telling him. He was cool about it, he told me that if I ever needed help to ask him. I have the best brother in the world.

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~Sorry for the late upload. I have been busy alot lately.