Weightless

No one heard from Chloe for three weeks. She came to school, but remained quiet and avoided the boys at all costs, arriving to class late and leaving early without so much as a single word. There weren’t any bruises on her neck or face, but they all knew how good she was at covering them up. Alex caught her gently rubbing her arms or cradling her stomach on several occasions. He wanted, no needed, to talk to her about it, but somehow she evaded him every time he came close to it. His desperation grew more and more every day. Lisa had finally caught on and dumped him, refusing to come second to anyone.

Chloe had caught him looking her way more than once, the look of hopelessness in his eyes haunting her when she lay in bed at night. It pained her more than any of Marcus’ hits ever did. She desperately wanted to be able to talk to him, to talk to all of them really, but she couldn’t risk it. She couldn’t risk losing Marcus. She hadn’t even talked to Zack because of him. Marcus hated her cousin with such a burning passion, Chloe knew if she tried to contact him Marcus would fly off the handle and do God knows what to her.

Zack was a complete mess. He didn’t eat or sleep or even shower, his thoughts constantly revolving around his cousin and whether or not she was eating or being beaten half to death. Her phone rejected his calls every time, her voicemail echoing in his head all day long.

“Chloe can’t come to the phone right now…” (giggles ‘Marcus, give it back!’) “She’s too busy with her amazing boyfriend…” (more giggles ‘You’re such a dork!’) “She’ll call you back later, unless I hold her hostage…” (‘Oh Jesus, you’re making it sound so dirty!’) [quieter]“You love me, babe!” (louder ‘Only because you love me.’)

It was from the days before Marcus lost it. The days when he still seemed so perfect, so good for Chloe. Even Zack had thought he was right for her. Oh how wrong he had been. It tore him up inside, knowing she was spending her time with the person who had broken her. His mother was barely functioning, and his father spent his days fighting with the police or with Jon and Eme.

Even Jack and Rian were feeling lost. They didn’t know what to do. Jack kept picturing the tiny girl at the hands of such a monster. Rian just wanted everything to be okay again.

Something had to be done. Things couldn’t continue to carry on like this.