In a rage that no thought could quiet, Charlie caused an uproar using Jordan's name. Knowing exactly where to go, exactly who to talk to, and what words to say, Charlie had a plan of ruin.
Jordan was a good teacher, for Charlie had experienced such a destruction several times before - and now knew how to combine it all into this catastrophe, fueled by pain.
Jordan came home and slumping onto a kitchen stool, rested on the cold countertops.
Mom walked in, and seeing her child in heap, trembling, in the middle of their kitchen made her heart stop. She put her arms around Jordan, picking up the heap off the counter, Jordan's head falling into the crook of her neck.
"Can I be homeschooled?" Jordan asked, knowing the answer.
"Oh, sweetie . . ." she struggled for words for a moment.
"I should have listened to you when you said that there were kids coming after you, kids trying to hurt you. And I shouldn't have listened a moment when it came to Charlie. What a mess - oh Jordan, if I hadn't been so blind . . ."
"No, mom, mom, it has nothing to do with you. It has everything to do with me. I'm not a victim, mom, mom, I'm not."
"But Charlie -"
Mom pulled Jordan so she could look into those golden eyes, but surpassed them entirely when she caught sight of the bruises.
"Oh my God . . ."
"Charlie only did this because I did it first - or at least, thinks I did. It makes sense, if you -"
"You have to promise me you're done with this mess. Promise me you're done, promise me, promise me; you have to. I'm not blind anymore, Jordan, and now I can't look at this anymore. I mean, just look at you, look at what this is doing to you, you're my baby, you can't - "
"Mom, I decided I was done a while ago. I'm done, I swear. No more coming from this end."
"Then what -"
"Charlie had one last score to settle."
Jordan's mom wasn't exactly pleased with that answer. "You two tortured each other. You tortured each other! When did I raise a child who was okay with tormenting someone else's? This, this is a mess, a screwed up mess at that. I'm sure you both have plenty of scores you think you have to settle. It's time for this to be done!"
"I know. I'm done, I'm done, and I hope Charlie's done now. I can say that I am though, that's a promise."
Jordan's mother looked incredulous, betrayed almost. Then Jordan's head fell into the crook of her neck and mumbled, "Mom, I cross my heart."
It was at that that Jordan's mother was satisfied.
