Tammi Lyn [DISCONTINUED]

xii

In the alleyway, in the furthest corner, stood my very own brother trapping the girl between himself and the wall, his big hands tightly gripping Tammi's wrists as one of his legs was pushed between her own smaller ones, a look of distress in Tammi's orbs. Soon they'd turn red if she gets overwhelmed.

For a moment, I saw a look of carnal desire in my older brother's eyes, but when they focused on me, it turned back into something familiar, shock replacing the lust that was in those orbs just a few seconds ago.

I didn't know what to do.

I wanted to cry, maybe scream, maybe punch my brother for what he was doing, but I couldn't move. Not even a single finger or a toe in my body. Stupor and utter disbelief were the only things spinning in my mind, and George took that as an opportunity to let go of Tammi and pretend nothing happened, even clearing his throat.

My eyes slowly moved to Tammi, and I could see moisture clinging to her eyelashes, begging to be released as the seconds wore on.

My hands balled into tight fists, my throat still blocked by something, maybe a lump.

"George, what the hell?" I asked in an almost whisper. I didn't want to shout, but I didn't want to dismiss the issue either. "What were you trying to do to Tammi?"

He shrugged and made a noise, but I wasn't about to let him go that easy.

I stepped closer.

"George, answer me," I said. "Why does Tammi look so hurt?" My eyes narrowed. "Have you been doing something to her behind our back? Something that shouldn't happen to kids our age?"

My pulse was quickening once more. If what I thought was happening alright, then that must be one of the triggers to Tammi's interesting case.

What I couldn't wrap around my head was the fact that the one person I looked up to, the person I admired for his inner strength, could be doing some unspeakable things to Tammi, who was only nineteen like me.

I had a guess that this was happening way way back, and it was only just now that I suspected anything was going on.

I licked my dry lips.

He wasn't looking at me, and Tammi looked about ready to cry.

"George why won't you answer me?" I said, desperation laced in my tone. "Please tell me what I'm thinking is wrong!"

He clicked his tongue.

"Depends on what you're thinking, idiot," he told me, walking away from Tammi. "If you're not sure, then don't go around accusing people of things they didn't do."

"Then what did you do?" I asked, not letting him leave easily. How could he just walk away like that? "George talk to me," I begged, almost crying myself.

He stopped for a moment, but walked away just as quick, leaving me with a spiral of thoughts and a whimpering Tammi a few feet behind me.

With my brother gone, I turned to the other option.

My eyes were pleading, but even Tammi refused to meet my stare.

"Tammi please, what's happening?" I asked her. "I wanna help, but how can I if I don't even know what's happening?" She wasn't talking, just pressing her lips together. "Tammi Lyn. Look at me."

She did for a fleeting second, but looked down again.

I inhaled through my nose to make sure my temper won't burst.

That was the last thing we needed, given that Tammi's emotionally and physically scarred. I just wish I'd noticed sooner.

"He just - " she began, and I stayed quiet. She shrugged and met my eyes. "He just wanted something."

My eyebrows knitted.

That wasn't a good enough answer and both of us knew it.

Why is she prolonging her own pain and agony?

"Tell me the truth, Tammi," I demanded, struggling a little to maintain the control on my voice. Honestly, I was about ready to burst.

But my concern for Tammi was the only thing stopping me from lashing out at either her, my brother, or both of them.

"I need to understand," I told her. "But why won't you let me?"

"Because you've no business to do so!" she screamed at me suddenly, and that took my aback for the sole reason she herself was doing it. Not Gerry or any other weird person, it was Tammi herself.

And that scared me a little.