Stitches

I knew what it was going to be like, or at least I tried to convince myself of that. I slid the key into the doorknob, twisted it and pushed the door open. Matt and Vegan were on my heels, they were just as scared as I was.

Just as Brooklyn said there were two Dooney and Burke duffel bags shoved underneath the full size bed in the bedroom. I pulled them out and began piling her things into them.

“Hurry it up!” Matt whispered loudly, he bounced up and down on the ball of his feet.

I filled one and threw it at him. He caught it and headed out the door. I began piling things into her other bag.

The apartment was shitty at best. The open condom wrappers on the nightstand almost made me gag. There were pictures of this ‘Eddie’ and Brooklyn, it did make me gag. He was a disgusting looking fellow, he had scars all over his face and his black hair was straightened into a sick mess. It made me think twice about my hairstyle, which I never doubted.

“Oh shit.” I heard Vegan whisper under his breath. I quickly zipped Brooke’s bag and went to leave the apartment but I was met by the sick man who lived here. His eyes were merely slits in his face, they were narrowed so far and his complexion was gray, literally.

“What the hell are you doing here?!” Eddie yelled.

“Brooklyn sent us to get her stuff.” I replied in a cocky tone.

I could take him, he was a skinny man and short too.

“Oh is that right? The bitch wants her shit?” He said, his words slurred.

“Yeah, so we’ll be leaving now.” Vegan said as he pushed his way out of the room and past Eddie. He left me there alone. I followed suit, trying to push my way past Eddie but his hand shot out of nowhere and slammed against the doorframe.

“You’re that one she always talked about. I believe she called you Oliver.” He said, the tone in his voice sickening.

“Yeah, so?” I asked as every muscle in my body tensed.

“What, do you have thing for her?” He asked a hint of laughter in his voice.

“Maybe.”

He snickered, “Just so you know, you’re getting my leftovers.”

“Fuck you.” I spat the words like the daggers I wished they were.

“Listen here you little punk, I don’t give a rat’s ass where the fuck you go. I will find you and Brooke will be mine. You’re disposable but that cunt, she isn’t.”

Bile rose in the back of my throat filling my mouth with the God awful taste of disgust. I shoved him out of my way and stormed out of the apartment. Vegan was waiting for me on the other side of the door.

I never spoke a word on the way home. I just sat in the backseat tensed.

----

I was scared to death. Lola sat next to me, just as scared as I was.

“They’ll be fine.” Lola offered those kind words that would hopefully make me feel like any less of an ass. I felt terrible! They’re going there because of me.

“I didn’t want him to go, I was going to do it myself.” My words shook.

Lola smiled, “He’s Oli, love. He does whatever he wants.”

I laughed, “I know.”

The boys burst through the door in a chorus of curse words. I jumped up from the couch and wrapped my arms around Oliver. He buried his face in the crook of my neck.

“We need to talk.” He whispered.

“Aye Brooke, that guy’s an ass.” Vegan stated the obvious.

I backed away from Oli, “I know, that’s why I left.”

He smiled, “You’re too pretty for him anyways.”

I smiled and patted his shoulder, “You’re sweet Vegan.”

Oliver wrapped his hand around mine and pulled me into his bedroom. I wish this were a year ago, back when we had innocence just dripping from our lips. Back when him pulling me into a bedroom meant obscene sexual acts were about to occur, not that we had some serious problem to talk about. I hated this, I wanted that.