Nemesis: A Love Story

CLAIRE

Hugh carries Tessa to his bed. Helps Claire get her out of the coat and boots. He steps out of the room after that.
Tessa is groggy and out of it. And little help as Claire undresses her.
It's then she sees the scar on Tessas throat.
She holds in her gasp.
She gets Tessa to stand while she helps her out of the dress. She gets her to turn around while she gets her out of her wet bra.
She sees the other scars littering Tessas back.
Some large
Some smaller
Lots of them.
They're old scars she can tell but they look painful.
She feels tears again and she knows something awful has happened to her friend. Something beyond her comprehension.
She hides her tears as she helps put a black T-shirt of Hughes over her head.
Next the track pants.
"I'm so tired"
Tessa mumbles and Claire gets her into his bed.
"You need to sleep. You're safe and sound here." She tells her softly.
Hugh comes in then helping get her adjusted in his bed.
His eyes scan her face.
She lays on his pillow. Her face pale and makeup free, her eyes closed.
She looks so young.
So unguarded.
She's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.
He pulls the cover over her. A hand softly pushing back her hair.
He takes a step back. Feels Claire's eyes on him.
The siblings look at each other.
Claire just needs a minute alone. To get her head straight. To process everything she has seen tonight.
"I'm making a tea. Want one?"
He shakes his head, looking at Tessas sleeping form.
"I want to stay here."
Claire nods
"I'll be back."
She waits as the kettle heats up. Her mind filled with thoughts.
She could've lost her one chance at having a real friend tonight.
She's thankful she'd found her when she did and something more sinister hadn't happened.
Her mind thinks of the scars on Tessas body. She needs to know what happened to her and how she can help, if she can.
She feels the tears welling in her eyes again as she thinks of all the traumas her friend has had to face. It's no wonder she is so quiet, so guarded.
Using drugs to forget most likely
She can't blame her.
Not really.
Hell everyone she knows uses something to numb the pain in their lives.
She wipes the tears away and heads back upstairs.
She finds her brother sitting against the wall close to the bed. Tessa is asleep thank god. Hopefully she sleeps through the worst of it.
Claire takes a seat next to him. Sipping on her steaming tea.
"How do you know her?" She hears Hugh ask.
Claire lowers her tea to the ground.
"We ran into each other, literally. After that we had a nice chat."
She sees Hugh turn his head towards her.
"Ok. I talked. She listened."
He nods.
"Anyway we exchanged numbers. We were supposed to meet up tonight. I guess we did. Just not like I was expecting"
"What happened?"
"I was at a party." He gives her a look "dont start. She called me. At first I thought it was just to meet up but her voice was off. " she explains to him. "She was saying everything hurt and how she wanted it to stop hurting" She feels herself starting to get emotional and Hughes hand rests comfortingly on her shoulder.
"I left the party. Managed to get her to describe where she was. I figured it out. I've never run so fast in my life. You know the rest. What about you?"
Hugh draws his hand back. Withdrawing inwardly.
"Group."
He tells her.
She waits for more.
"She joined a few weeks ago. We didn't have the best beginning. She's been through a lot. Too much."
Claire looks at the far away look in his eyes and goes back to the night she held him in her arms.
"The other night. That was about her wasn't it?"
He takes a deep breath. His eyes look over at Tessa.
He just nods.
"You know what happened to her, don't you? The scars"
He looks at his sister. His face serious.
"I saw them. All of them. When I was changing her. What happened to her, Hugh? I need to know so I can help her."
He shakes his head.
"I'm sorry but I won't tell you. It's her story to tell. She's already had that choice taken from her tonight. I won't do it to her as well."
Claire feels a slow rage building in her.
"What?"
"Megan confronted her about her past, in front of the whole group"
Claire's blue eyes grow intense. So that explains it. Why her friend was in this state. Fucking Megan.
"I hate that bitch." She seethes "please tell me you're done fucking her now."
Hugh looks at her in surprise.
"I might be younger than you but I'm not stupid. I saw how she looks at you. Like he wants to devour you. I also know you. How you operate. Tell me that's over."
He nods. He looks back to Tessa.
Tessa moans and Hugh is up in an instant. Checking on her.
Claire observes the way her brother is looking at her friend.
She's never seen her brother look at anyone like that.
Like he's in complete awe.
Like he's looking into the sun.
She watches as he pushes a loose strand of Tessas hair behind her ear.
Pulls the cover higher up her body.
Tucking her in.
He's so tender.
"Does she know?"
He looks back at her then.
Confusion in his eyes.
"That you love her" Claire says bluntly.
He looks away from her then.
He doesn't deny it.
Caught.
"I won't hurt her."
He blurts out.
Reassuring her. 
How could he ever think he had to?
"I know that."
She tells him honestly.
He looks at her with unspoken gratitude.
Claire stands up.
"We're going to stay in here with her tonight. I'll grab some extra blanket and pillows"
She returns a moment later and Hugh suggests she get in the bed with Tessa, he makes a makeshift bed on the other side on the floor.
Claire lays on her back looking at the ceiling. Listening to the slow and steady rise and fall of Tessas breathing.
She knows sleep won't be easy for her or her brother this night.
She knows that this person between them has become an important part of both their lives and once that happens there's no going back. Tessa, whether she wants it or likes it or not, is stuck with them.
"Hugh" she calls out in a whisper to see if he's asleep. She knows he isn't.
"Hmmm"
She takes a deep breath.
"I love you."
There's silence for a second. Then the answer comes.
"I love you more."
She closes her eyes.