Amor

~Chapter 9~

Beep... beep... beep...

My mind feels hazy and my eyelids are heavy. I feel sore all over, not one part of my body feels comfortable enough to move. There's a bright light preventing me from opening my eyes to see. I try to sit up but the small movement makes me groan in pain.

I hear someone move from beside me and I'm guessing they stand up cause I feel a slight breeze from the action. They touch my shoulder gently and rub their thumb back and forth, comforting me. Finally the person speaks.

"Shh don't move Soph. You're hurt all over and it's gonna feel bad for a good week or so." It's my brother. It's Jesse. Hearing his familiar voice makes me emotional and I start crying. His hand smooths over my hair and he attempts to calm me down.

"It's okay sweetheart, you're safe now. I'm here, no more tears please" he cooes.

I slowly open my eyes and adjust to all the light in this room. One of the first things I notice is Jesse's tired face and the dark circles under his eyes. The next thing I see is that I'm in the worst possible place on earth. The hospital. My heart monitor begins to beat rapidly as I take in the fact that I'm in a hospital gown and I have an iv needle in my arm. No no no I can't be here!

Jesse grabs my face firmly and makes me look at him. He can see the fear in my eyes, I know he can, so why doesn't he get me out of here?

"Sophie, listen to me. I know how you feel about this place but they're the only people who can help you get better. Please calm down. Getting worked up like this will make things worse."

I know he's right but I just freak out when it comes to hospitals. I always have. But Jesse needs me to be a big girl right now so I have to suck it up. It takes me a minute or two for my heart to relax and the rapid beeping of the monitor slows down. Jay sits back on the chair next to my bed but keeps one hand in mine in comfort.

"What happened?" I ask.

He sighs, shaking his head. "What do you remember?"

I think for a moment about the last 24 hours. Getting sick, coming home, sleeping, papa showing up, things breaking, yelling, and pain.

"I remember s-someone calling for me but I couldn't breathe and then it went d-dark."

"I was the one calling you Soph. I got home from the store to find things broken in the kitchen and dad was standing above you about to kick your stomach. You curled on the floor having a panic attack and I wanted to help but I needed to get him out of there. We fought and luckily he passed out but you had already gone limp. I called the cops, they took him away, and I brought you here."

My eyes widen in shock,"you called the c-cops?! Why?"

The disbelief in his eyes makes me feel guilty for a second. He's already tired and here I am making things worse for him. "Sophie, he hurt you and you're asking why I called the police?"

"He's our papa. What's g-going to happen to him?"

He scoffs,"his ass is staying in jail. You won't have to see him anymore."

My eyes water at the thought of never seeing my dad again. Now both my parents are gone. It's just Jesse and me.

"What's going to happen with u-us?" I sniffle getting rid of the tears. I'm tired of crying all the time. It just drains me of energy more.

"I'm already 21 and since both parents are incapable of caring for you, I'm next in line. I'm your legal guardian thank god. If I was younger, they would've thrown us into the system."

"S-system?"

"Foster care."

I gasp,"like orphans?!" He nods in response. I don't know what I would've done if they separated Jesse and I. I couldn't survive in the foster system without him. But thank goodness that isn't going to happen and Jay jay is with me.