A Bad Idea (Spideychelle)

Ch. 11: Admit That It Hurts You

MJ POV

Uncle Antonio was in town for three days. During that time, my dad grounded me and took my phone away.

My uncle's visits weren't a punishment, or at least that's what my dad told me. My uncle owned a company that my dad's company worked with, and I was part of a deal. Dad got discounts on product shipments, and Uncle Antonio got to have...me. For a few days at a time.

So being grounded and not having my phone wasn't a punishment. It was part of the deal. I was a toy for the time being. I wasn't allowed to have distractions.

I spent three days with my uncle. Sometimes my dad was around, sometimes he wasn't. When he wasn't around, it was worse. Uncle Antonio would get rougher, meaner.

But I didn't fight back. I let it all happen, telling myself that when it was over, I'd find a way to treat myself. Buy myself some new brushes or paint my nails or something. It was easier to think about that while Uncle Antonio was...having his way with me...than focus on what was going on.

When he left, however, so did my dad.

I had several missed texts.

Ned: hey you didn't come to the decath Christmas party is everything okay?

Betty: where were you last night? we wanted to celebrate the win with you!

Peter: I missed you at the party

Take a guess at who I responded to first.

Me: yeah, I missed you too

Peter: what happened?

Me: my uncle was visiting. I was grounded and didn't have my phone

Peter: oh

Peter: how are you doing?

Me: I'm okay

Me: could use some non-sexual human contact tho

Peter: I'll be up in a few :)

I sighed, slowly answering the other texts and then putting my phone down.

When I'd proposed this whole...arrangement, I didn't expect Peter and I to become so close. I didn't expect to trust him as much as I did.

I didn't expect him to become my best friend.

But here we were. And, I had to say, it was a welcome side effect.

Peter POV

Somehow, I was surprised she picked me over someone like Betty to keep her company right now. I knew she considered me a friend, but I didn't think she considered me to be that close of a friend.

Although, I was probably the only person she could talk to about any of this. I only knew about it because I'd been around so much.

When she opened the door, the first thing I noticed was the bruises. There were a few dark purple ones around her neck and around her wrists, barely peeking out from the sleeves of her hoodie.

"Hey," she said, noticing my gaze and tugging her sleeves down over the heels of her hands.

"Hi."

"Okay," she said, letting me into the apartment, "tell me about the party, but leave out all the good parts so I don't feel like I missed out."

I chuckled. "Well, Ned showed up late, Betty forgot to bring games, Cindy took a short, alcohol-induced nap-"

"Are you trying to make Cindy getting drunk to the point of passing out sound boring?" she asked, amused.