Are We Demented Or Am I Disturbed

"Well isn't this cute..." Billie remarked.
"Shut up, Dad," Joey said, laughing. He eased out from under Jaelyn.
"She's been here one day and you already have her in bed? Jesus, Joey!"
"Shut up." They walked out of Joey's room.
"What happened to her?" Billie asked quietly.
"She won't talk to me about it. Her boyfriend abused her...she wouldn't admit it."
"Maybe she was afraid."

They walked into the kitchen.
"I know she was! The son of a bitch abused her in every sense of the word! And what did she do to deserve all this shit?" Joey yelled.
"Abusers rarely have a reason, Joe," Adie said, pouring some coffee.
"But still! How could anyone do that to her?"
"I don't know..." Joey sat at the table with his head in his hands. His cell phone rang.
"Hello?" Joey said.
"Hey, Joe, where's Jaelyn? Tom is freaking out, threatening me, Jim, Kiri, and Linz," Theron said.
"She's here, dude. But you can't-"
"Relax, dude. I won't."
"Come here, you mohawk motherfucker!" Joey heard Kiri yell over the phone.

Theron laughed softly.
"Kiri's beating the shit out of Tom," he said. "Funny as hell."
"Come over here when you're done."
"Okay. We will. And we'll bring the rest of her stuff. She's living there, right?"
"Yeah."
"What's the damage?"
"Pretty bad. She's really bruised. Make sure Kiri gives him hell."
"She will. There's blood everywhere..."
"Hers or his?"
"It was here when we got here. It's all over his bed and the bathroom." Joey sighed.
"I don't understand."
"I think it's on the ceiling..."
"How could he do that?"
"I don't know... Whoa... Which makeup is Jaelyn's?"
"I don't know... Just bring it all." There was a pause, then Theron burst out laughing.
"Dude, there's mascara with Tom's initials on it."
"Fag... Just call me when you're on the way.
"Okay. Bye, Joe."
"Bye..."

Jaelyn dragged herself out of Joey's bed and walked into the kitchen. She made herself a coffee and sat at the table.
Why had she let this happen to her? It wasn't Tom's fault... It was hers. She couldn't just let him leave...
She sighed and listened to the soft murmurs coming from the next room. She could hear Kiri trying to restrain herself, and Jimmy whispering loudly.
She finished her coffee and headed back upstairs, skipping the first step.
She sat on Joey's bed and rested her head on her knees.

Soon she heard voices and footsteps outside the door.
"Kiri, she's still-" That was Joey.
"I don't give a fuck. I want to see what that bastard did-" Kiri said.
"Calm down, babe..." said Jimmy.
"No!" Kiri was crying now. "That motherfucker-"
"She'll be okay." Joey again.
Jaelyn hid her face, and the door opened. She listened to her five best friends file in. Someone sat on the bed next to her.
"Jaelyn?" Theron whispered. She looked at him, revealing dark blue and purple bruises and a split lip.
"Oh, Jaci..." He held her close, rocking back and forth.
"What did he do to you?" Jimmy asked.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"What did he do?"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"What did he-"
"Jimmy. Stop. She doesn't want to talk about it!" Theron yelled.

Kiri turned to leave.
"Kiri, what-" Jimmy started.
"I didn't hurt him enough..." she whispered.
"Kiriele." Jimmy hugged her. She struggled at first, but then relaxed in his grasp. Jaelyn flinched as Theron's hand brushed against the cut on her back. He looked at her curiously, then lifted the back of her shirt. Kiri left, and Jimmy followed.
Theron peeled off Jaelyn's shirt, lightly running his fingers across her back.
"Is this all from Wednesday or-"
"No. Some is older."
"What's this burn?" Linz motioned to a mark on Jaelyn's lower back.
"He was... raping me... and he got a curling iron."
"Fucking hell, Jaci..." Theron murmured.
"Does he know I'm here?"
"No. We took the rest of your stuff... It's all in your room."
"My room?"
"Down the hall," Joey said.
"Joey, how long can I-"
"We'll talk about that later."

Should I go in?
No, that might be... weird...
But I really want to...
Should I go in?
No, you fucktard.
Why am I talking to myself?
Because I'm the only one in my head.
Oh. Right.

Jaelyn stood outside of Joey's room, debating with herself. The door opened, and she jumped.
"Hey Jaci."
"Hey."
"What are you doing?"
"Oh, um... I was wondering... Could I sleep with you tonight?"
"Yeah." Joey smiled. They both lay on the bed, and Jaelyn curled up, resting her head on Joey's chest.
"Will you tell me now?" Joey asked and ran his fingers through her hair.
"Joey... I can't."
"Please?" Jaelyn paused.
"Okay. When we first started going out, he was really sweet. I could do this," she gestured towards herself laying on Joey, "for hours."
"But, after about a month, he started hitting me..." She said her words slowly.
"He would just get so mad over little things. Like me hanging out with you, Jim, and Theron... Me not covering the bruises.
"He avoided my face so nobody would know. He told me if I told anyone he'd kill me. He told me one night, while he was raping me, exactly how he'd kill me... How he'd get a knife... and a gun... He told me how he'd cover it up... That no one would ever know.

"He tried to leave... Twice... but I wouldn't let him. I told myself I loved him.
"One day I came home, changed my shirt... When he saw me, he said I wasn't covering my arms. So he beat me... raped me... with a gun... That's the night I came here crying."
"Wow, Jaci..." Joey said. Jaelyn paused.
"What I don't understand is how... why I couldn't let him leave... I could have stopped the abuse... I could have left him so much sooner. I wouldn't have gotten kicked out of my house... Why couldn't I let him leave..."
"He was a habit."
"Was..." Jaelyn repeated. Joey could feel her smile against his skin.
"He won't hurt you again, Jaelyn. I promise."
"Nobody can promise that..." Joey felt a tear hit his chest. He gently lifted her chin so she faced him.
"I am. Nothing like that will ever happen again." She smiled weakly.
"Thanks, Joe." He stared into her eyes. They were the color of the ocean right before a storm... She was so beautiful...

He leaned forward and kissed her softly. She shifted slightly and kissed him back.
After a while, she slowly pulled away and lay back down on his chest. She fell asleep just after four words ran through her mind...
I love you, Joe...