A Little Mad

Chapter 67

"Can I talk to you?"

TaTyana stood in the kitchen watching Mercedes pour a glass of water. Mercedes took a sip and smiled.

"Always. What's up?"

"Can we talk outside? Just us two? I just want this to be between us. "

TaTyana noticed the concerned expression on her best friend, but she was the one concerned. Mercedes took one more gulp of her water and set the glass on the counter. She followed her outside the apartment building. They stood in the alley in the early evening, just before you should be inside locked in and not in the Gotham streets. Mercedes didn't take one look at TaTyana before she was questioned.

"Why did you leave?"

I took Mercedes back by her forwardness and barely had any time to think. TaTyana raised her eyebrows and spoke again.

"You said you needed a break from Jerome and you left. No one has told me anything. I want to know what happened."

Mercedes wanted to stat silent, but she thought up something quick.

"He grabbed my face remember..."

"Bullshit. Something else happened that I you don't want to tell me. You're afraid of what I'll do to him. What happened?!"

Mercedes took a few breaths, studying TaTyana's face. There was no getting out of this. Mercedes sighed. 

"It waseither the next night or two night after I can't remember, but he came home drunk... And he raped me..."

The expression on TaTyana's face changed to something Mercedes had never seen before. Mercedes stood in front of the door, blocking TaTyana.

"Move! I'm going to kill that motherfucker! I can't believe you didn't tell me this!"

Mercedes stood firm in front of the door.

"Because I knew you would act like this.. Please don't... Everyone makes drunken mistakes some times.. He couldn't even remember it the next day when I told him I was leaving.. He was horrified.."

"He should be! There is no excuse for him! Drunk or not!"

Mercedes stayed in her position.

"He's not even home right now... Please I know this is hard, but I really need you to let this go..."

TaTyana grabbed Mercedes by the shoulders and shook her.

"Mercedes! Listen to yourself! You are brushing off abuse! Verbal, mental and physical abuse! And I told that fucker I believed he loves you!"

Mercedes stepped away from the door.

"He does."

TaTyana turned to her best friend, but no longer saw her. There was a stranger that stood in her place.

"Are you serious?! Look at the stuff he has done in his life! Is he really capable of love?!"

Mercedes took a step towards TaTyana, but stopped.

"What about Ed?! You seem to forget that Edward Nygma, was in Arkham too! He's a criminal too! He's the Riddler for fuck's sake! I mean come on! I love Jerome!" 

TaTyana stepped back knowing she was right, but she kept on with her point.

"He left you asleep on the floor! He verbally attacked you on multiple occasions! He shoved you into a wall! He got you shot! He killed your brother! He fucking raped you! He has completely changed you..."