the latter | andrew clark ✅

fifteen

"Your brother's an asshole." Jamie looks up from hot fudge sundae, raising a brow at Andrew's sentence.

"We're twins," she states matter of factly. "I learned that after I found out he tried to strangle me with the cord while in my ma's stomach."

"You're twins?"

"Fraternal." Andrew only nods, allowing silence to fall. If only Jamie wasn't so curious. "Why'd you bring me out here?"

"Wanted to make it up-"

"Ah!" she exclaims, stopping him when she points her spoon at him. "You," she says, "are a shitty liar." She waves the spoon around, a quiet hum passing her lips. "So," she relaxes back into the booth seat, "how about you actually tell me." She eats another spoonful of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, watching as Andrew contemplates with himself before admitting, "I wanted to know what Bender said was true." It takes Jamie a moment to get her gears going.

"About our parents?" Andrew gives a slight nod, as if guilty. She ignores it though, shrugging. "What do you want to know?"

"Does... Does he hit you?"

She shakes her head after a moment. Hearing a sigh filled with relief leave Andrew, she adds, "He uses a belt now."

He looks up at Jamie, finding her focused on her ice cream. She takes a moment to give Andrew a glance before falling back down, a loud scoff leaving her.

"Actually," she starts, swallowing thickly, "all that John said was horseshit." She laughs dryly. Andrew can her eyes become glassy as she looks up at the ceiling for a moment.

"I'm sorry. You don't have to-"

"You know Daddy doesn't have a five-o-clock shadow like John acted. He has a beard. It's almost to here," she gives another dry laugh, placing her finger to the middle of her neck. "John doesn't know that though. You know why?" she wonders, finally meeting Andrew's eyes.

"He's never home?"

"Exactly," she grins, taking in a deep breath before releasing it.

"You don't-" He's cut off once more. He decides to keep his mouth shut, thinking she needs this moment.

"The-Then there's the thing about the turkey pot pies. Daddy doesn't eat those anymore. You know why?" It's rhetorical. "He got food poisoning from one th-that was under baked and threw up all over the place, and I had to clean up the disgusting, lum-lumpy, shitty pile of throw up. John doesn't know that. He's never home. The-Then the cigar mar-mark. He doesn't smoke those. I know, because I have to buy his cigarettes with my own money. I also know that burn scars are easier to hide. But John doesn't know. He's never home. And you know what? Daddy doesn't hit me anymore, because he hit me so damn hard he broke his fucking hand and my jaw!" Jamie slams her hand against the table. Luckily the shop was empty except the employee. She takes a moment to pull in a shaky breath, finding it harder to hold in her tears. "But-But you know what? He smacked me with his cast a couple of times before using a belt. But John doesn't know that. Because John-"

"Is never home," Andrew speaks in unison. She stares at him for a few moments before turning her head away. She pulls up the sleeve of her jacket and covers her hand with it before wiping the stray tears away and her eyes for safe measure. She sniffles loudly before turning her head towards Andrew. Her eyes still don't meet his.

"Anyhow," she gives a fake airy laugh, moving her hand towards her sundae. "I better finish this," she grins fakely, going to grab the sweet treat. Andrew is faster though, grabbing the bowl and placing it on the other side of the table. "Can we not talk about this?" Her words come out more like a plea than a question. It makes Andrew's heart stop for a beat.

No words pass his lips. He only grabs her hand in his two, consuming it with warmth. Jamie sniffles silently, swallowing dryly. "I'm sorry," he whispers.

Frantically, Jamie gets up from her side of the booth, walks around and sits beside Andrew. She wraps her arms around him and lays her head onto her shoulder. Andrew tenses for a moment, not really knowing how to respond.

"J-Jamie-"

"Just hold me and let me cry." He doesn't respond for a second before slowly wrapping his arm around her. She hides her face on his chest. He can feel her body shaking, but doesn't say anything, too distracted by the tears beginning to form in his own eyes.