Status: Going strong. :)
Signed, Forever Yours
Let Me Hear You Scream
Jarrod scoffs at Amberlee and throws her aside. She tumbles to the ground as everyone else in the diner watches in silence.
“You think you can take my girl and tell me what the fuck to do?” Jarrod roars.
Caleb clenches his fists by his side as he slowly walks around Jarrod. His eyes flash momentarily to Amberlee with a hint of sadness and then focus right back on Jarrod. He cracks his knuckles loudly then smirks.
“You may be big, but I am not afraid of you. Anybody who dares lay a hand on a woman like you do deserves a lot worse than you may get from me today, buddy.”
Amberlee slides herself against the wall, shaking with terror. She glances around the room, wishing for anybody to help her. She makes eye contact with Caleb, silently pleading to just help her. When he looks away, she sighs heavily and tries to stand. Limping, she stands between the two men just as they are ready to pounce. She clears her throat, and drops her head.
“This can’t happen. I won’t let either one of you hurt each other, regardless of who deserves it.”
She looks directly at Jarrod, taking a small step towards him.
“I..I can’t do this anymore. You made a promise, and you broke it. I do… I don’t want to be with you anymore. I… I don’t love you..”
She watches as the rage builds in his eyes. She takes a step back, never seeing him look this wild. Just as Caleb begins to take a step in front of her to protect her, Jarrod launches at them both, knocking them off of their feet.
The room erupts into shouts. Amberlee pushes herself away as somebody grabs onto Jarrod. She watches as it feels like everything crashes down around her. She cannot believe what she said to Jarrod. She cannot believe that she picked a man she hardly knows, instead of one she has spent so much time with. Then, she feels the pain in her ankle, and she screams. She screams for all the pain she’s feeling now, she screams for all the times he hurt her, she screams for all the times she could have left. She screams for all the people who could have helped her and didn't. She screams until she can’t scream any longer.
--*--
He places her gently on his bed, her hair stuck to her face with tears. He gently pulls off her shoes, and gasps to see her ankle so swollen and bruised, and prays that he wasn't the one who caused it. He gently places an ice pack on it, and covers her with a blanket. He takes a warm paper towel and gently wipes off her face, streaked with make-up and tears. He places a glass of water on the bedside table, and places a gentle kiss on her cheek.
--*--
It’s been hours since the fight, and she’s still asleep. He’s been pacing in the living room. He wants to see her, to talk to her, but he does not want to wake her. She needs her rest, her body looks so broken. He checks on the soup he has boiling, hopefully she’ll eat something. He hears a thud and then a soft gasp, she must be awake! He hurries up the stairs, taking two at a time, and sees her leaning against the door, pain written all over her face. He approaches her slowly.
“Let me help you..”
He reaches out a hand, and she doesn't decline. He grabs her softly and lifts her into his arms and
carefully carries her downstairs. He gently places her on the couch, with a pillow under her foot. She winces.
“I don’t think it’s broken. Just twisted. I made you some soup, and some tea. Is that okay?”
She looks at him, almost emotionless, and nods. It takes everything in him to not appear sad. He hurries back to her side with a small bowl of soup and a large cup of tea. He watches her carefully as she eats and drinks, moving her hair out of her face, rubbing her arm, reapplying the ice pack.
“Amberlee please. Please talk to me. I know this isn't what you wanted. I didn't want anything to happen to you. I just want to protect you. And if I caused your ankle to be like that, I’m so awfully sorry. I didn't mean to..”
She cuts him off with a gentle kiss on the cheek. He pulls her into a gentle hug, and her tears gently splash on his shoulder.
“Oh Caleb..”
“You think you can take my girl and tell me what the fuck to do?” Jarrod roars.
Caleb clenches his fists by his side as he slowly walks around Jarrod. His eyes flash momentarily to Amberlee with a hint of sadness and then focus right back on Jarrod. He cracks his knuckles loudly then smirks.
“You may be big, but I am not afraid of you. Anybody who dares lay a hand on a woman like you do deserves a lot worse than you may get from me today, buddy.”
Amberlee slides herself against the wall, shaking with terror. She glances around the room, wishing for anybody to help her. She makes eye contact with Caleb, silently pleading to just help her. When he looks away, she sighs heavily and tries to stand. Limping, she stands between the two men just as they are ready to pounce. She clears her throat, and drops her head.
“This can’t happen. I won’t let either one of you hurt each other, regardless of who deserves it.”
She looks directly at Jarrod, taking a small step towards him.
“I..I can’t do this anymore. You made a promise, and you broke it. I do… I don’t want to be with you anymore. I… I don’t love you..”
She watches as the rage builds in his eyes. She takes a step back, never seeing him look this wild. Just as Caleb begins to take a step in front of her to protect her, Jarrod launches at them both, knocking them off of their feet.
The room erupts into shouts. Amberlee pushes herself away as somebody grabs onto Jarrod. She watches as it feels like everything crashes down around her. She cannot believe what she said to Jarrod. She cannot believe that she picked a man she hardly knows, instead of one she has spent so much time with. Then, she feels the pain in her ankle, and she screams. She screams for all the pain she’s feeling now, she screams for all the times he hurt her, she screams for all the times she could have left. She screams for all the people who could have helped her and didn't. She screams until she can’t scream any longer.
--*--
He places her gently on his bed, her hair stuck to her face with tears. He gently pulls off her shoes, and gasps to see her ankle so swollen and bruised, and prays that he wasn't the one who caused it. He gently places an ice pack on it, and covers her with a blanket. He takes a warm paper towel and gently wipes off her face, streaked with make-up and tears. He places a glass of water on the bedside table, and places a gentle kiss on her cheek.
--*--
It’s been hours since the fight, and she’s still asleep. He’s been pacing in the living room. He wants to see her, to talk to her, but he does not want to wake her. She needs her rest, her body looks so broken. He checks on the soup he has boiling, hopefully she’ll eat something. He hears a thud and then a soft gasp, she must be awake! He hurries up the stairs, taking two at a time, and sees her leaning against the door, pain written all over her face. He approaches her slowly.
“Let me help you..”
He reaches out a hand, and she doesn't decline. He grabs her softly and lifts her into his arms and
carefully carries her downstairs. He gently places her on the couch, with a pillow under her foot. She winces.
“I don’t think it’s broken. Just twisted. I made you some soup, and some tea. Is that okay?”
She looks at him, almost emotionless, and nods. It takes everything in him to not appear sad. He hurries back to her side with a small bowl of soup and a large cup of tea. He watches her carefully as she eats and drinks, moving her hair out of her face, rubbing her arm, reapplying the ice pack.
“Amberlee please. Please talk to me. I know this isn't what you wanted. I didn't want anything to happen to you. I just want to protect you. And if I caused your ankle to be like that, I’m so awfully sorry. I didn't mean to..”
She cuts him off with a gentle kiss on the cheek. He pulls her into a gentle hug, and her tears gently splash on his shoulder.
“Oh Caleb..”