This Is Not the End

Jacky’s POV

I sat in the living room while Elise slept. It was half past noon, and it was just me, Ronnie, and Elise in the house. Ronnie had asked me to follow Elise to see what she was up to and where she was going. He had read from her twitter that she was going to be at a tattoo shop in downtown with Ava. I started there. I waited until they left before I started following them full on. They went to a shitty apartment and stayed there for hours. I had just started dozing off when I saw Elise walking out of the building clad only in her bra and mini skirt.

After carrying her into the house, I called Max and told him where she was and how I had found her. He told me to keep her there until she told me what had happened to her. He told me that I had a better chance of getting it out of her than I did.

“What the fuck was she doing on that side of town?” Ronnie asked me.

“I have no idea.” I shook my head. “According to her twitter, she and Ava were partying with some guy named Riley.” I added.

Elise came shuffling into the room, wearing one of my shirts. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. “Morning…” she said.

“Hey there!” Ronnie said. Elise looked up and her eyes widened. She started screaming and tears ran down her cheeks as she ran back down the hall.

“What the fuck did I do?” Ronnie asked.

“I don’t know… but I’m going to find out.” I said, getting up and running back to my room. Elise was sitting on the bed curled up in a ball.

“Ellie, what’s wrong? Why did you scream like that?” I asked, sitting down beside her. “What did Ronnie do?”

Elise sat up. “That was Ronnie?” she asked. I nodded. “Oh… he looks so much like Riley.”

“What did Riley do to you?” I asked her.

“He… he… my… I said… no. I told him no. I didn’t want to.” Elise began rocking back and forth. I wrapped my arms around her. Ronnie knocked at the door.

“I think I know what her problem was.” Ronnie said.

“So do I. That guy Riley fucking raped her.” I said through gritted teeth.

“Riley is my brother. I think that’s why she screamed.” Ronnie came into the room and sat on the bed. Elise looked up at him and continued to shake.

“I said no… I was messed up… I think I said no…” Elise was saying.

“I’m going to kill him.” Ronnie said, stroking Elise’s hair.

“I wondered why he looked so familiar… his eyes… his face… I didn’t know… I didn’t… I was so scared… where was Ava? Why did she leave me?” she wasn’t really aware of mine and Ronnie’s presence.

I looked at Ronnie. We seemed to be thinking the same thing. We both stood up. Ronnie started calling Max to let him know what had happened, and I called Derek. I asked him to come by and look after Elise. Max was at the house within ten minutes with clothes for Elise and a look on his face that meant that he was going to kill someone.

“She’s been going around Riley?!” He shouted as soon as we let him in the door. “How did you guys figure it out?”

“When she came out of the room, she thought that I was him.” Ronnie said.

“I told you how I found her last night. She has bruises on her arms and shoulders.” I added.

“He’s a fucking dead man. He’s dead.” Max growled. After Derek got to the house, we loaded up in Max’s car and I instructed him where to go.

Within ten minutes, we were standing at Riley’s door. Ronnie pounded on the door. A man answered. He looked almost exactly like Ronnie, except he was older and looked like hell. He yawned and rubbed his eyes.

“What’s the big idea? I was fucking sleeping…”he looked up. “Ronnie! Max! What a pleasant surprise!” He said when he opened his eyes.

Ronnie pushed Riley back and walked in. Max shoved Riley again, even harder.

“YOU’RE A GODDAMN DEAD MAN, RADKE!” Max screamed.

“What the fuck did I do?” Riley asked. I walked into the apartment and closed the door behind me. Ronnie pushed his older brother into the wall and clenched his grubby white tank top in his fists.

“You got my cousin fucked up, then you raped her, you fucking bastard!” Max said through clenched teeth, he moved forward to attack Riley, but I grabbed his shoulders, hold in him back.

“No I didn’t! I don’t even know what you’re talking about!” He shouted. “Ronnie, let go…”

“Of all the things…” Ronnie growled.

“My cousin! I know you know her! She’s short, skinny, has black hair like mine! She was here last night with her friend Ava!” Max shouted, fighting against my grip.

“OOH! Her! Yeah, I remember her.” Riley said. “I didn’t rape her!”

“Bullshit!” I growled. “I picked her up last night. She had bruises all over her, and just a while ago, she completely broke down at the sight of Ronnie, because she thought it was you!”

“She consented! I swear!” Riley shouted frantically throwing his hands up.

“She was in no right state to do or say anything! She said that she told you no!” I screamed.

“She’s LYING! She wanted it! She fucking came on to me all last night!” Riley said. Ronnie slammed him into the wall again.

“You lying fuck. She’s not like that! I don’t know her that well, but I know her well enough to know that she wouldn’t sleep with random people. Especially scum like you!” Ronnie shouted.

Max finally broke out of my grip and lunged at Riley, completely shoving Ronnie out of the way. He aimed a punch straight to Riley’s jaw. Riley sank to the ground and started spitting out blood.

“I was high! She was high! She said that it was okay!” Riley sobbed.

“Bullshit! You took advantage of her.” Max said, aiming a kick to Riley’s side. Riley cried out.

“Stop… I’m sorry. Please… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…” he gasped.

Max reared back to aim another blow, but Ronnie stopped him. “He’s not fucking worth it.” He said.

“Tell Ava that if she comes near Elise again, she’ll be looking for trouble.” Max growled as he kicked Riley in the shin. With that being said, we left.

Max followed us inside. Derek was sitting on the couch with Elise curled up in his lap. She was clinging on to him and crying hysterically. She was wearing a red long sleeve shirt and a pair of shorts.

“What happened?” Max and I asked at the same time.

“She… had an incident. Look at her arm.” Derek said. I went over and took Elise’s arm in my hand. I pushed up her sleeve. Her arms were covered in fresh cuts. I sat down.

“Ellie, why did you do this?” I asked.

“I’m dirty… I’m stupid… I’m worthless…”She said, keeping her face buried in Derek’s shoulder. “I deserved what happened…”

“No. You didn’t.” Max said, crossing the room.

“Then why did it happen?” she asked, looking up.

None of us had an answer for her. It broke my heart seeing her like this. I stood up and lifted her out of Derek’s arm and carried her to my room. I laid her down on the bed and pulled the blanket over her. I leaned over and grabbed my acoustic guitar. I started strumming the tune for “Mockingbird”. Elise curled up and started humming along. I played a few more lullabies for her until she was asleep. I put my guitar back, and turned to leave the room. Max was standing at my door.

“You really do care about her, don’t you?” he asked.

“Ever since the beginning. I’m the one who got her the dog, because she wanted one.” I said.

“I’m going to let her stay here while I go out of town. Is that alright with you?” he asked.

“Yeah, it’s totally fine.” I said.

“I just don’t want her staying by herself. Not while she’s like this.” Max said.

“I’ll look after her.” I told him.

“I’m counting on you, Vincent.” Max said as he walked back down the hall. I stood there in shock. Max actually wanted me around Elise. I turned and went back to the bed. I brushed some hair out of her face.

“Don’t worry Elise. You will be happy again.”