Handle With Care

(Jade's POV)

Bright lights altered my vision, sounds of machines and people talking distorted my hearing. Where the fuck was I? I glanced down at my arms. I was strapped to a hospital bed. Hospital. That's where I was. Someone obviously must have found me in my room last night. So again, obviously, my plan of dying didn't work too well either. I squinted slightly, trying to make out my surroundings. I didn't see anyone in sight that I recognized except for him. There beside me was my stepdad, Clay. I tried to wiggle free but it was useless seeing as I was clearly unable to move. "If it was up to me, I'd have your pathetic life ended. You always have to go and do these little stunts to try and win your mother over, don't you?" He stepped closer to me as he spoke harshly, his breath inches from my face. He then took his hand and wrapped it tightly around my neck, starting to squeeze the life out of me.

As I started to choke on my own tongue, I begged him to stop. "Pl-please! St-stop it!" I wheezed but he only did it harder, me starting to feel light headed. I tried to struggle free, to reach for his heavy hand but the restraints kept me stuck in place. "If you would just die, me and your mom could have such a better life already. I wouldn't have to worry about having to deal with shit like this, you stupid bitch. And don't worry about that little boyfriend of yours either, you're never going to see him again. He's been taken care of." The lights started to blur as I felt myself fading in and out of consciousness as I finally felt him let go, me passing out instantly. The only thing I remembered was the sound of his disgusting voice and his ugly face so closely to mine.

Whenever I woke again next and glanced around the room, I had to blink a few times as my mind was playing a game with me. It looked like Chester was sitting beside my bed, holding onto my hand lightly. "Please tell me this is all an illusion and when I open my eyes again I'll be somewhere else." So I shut my eyes tightly, hoping that this was all going to go away. But when I peeked one open again slowly, he was indeed real and still here. "Jay." He said softly, almost above a whisper. Sighing, I felt the tears immediately starting to swell up in my eyes before they spilled down my cheeks. "How did you get here? How did you even know?" He flashed me a halfhearted smile, taking in a deep breath. "I'm your crisis partner, remember? I'm legally obligated to make sure you're in a stable and well taken care of environment." I chuckled weakly at his tone, shaking my head. He really was a great guy. "Plus I wasn't going to let anyone stop me from checking on you." I raised an eyebrow at him slightly, making him laugh. "You should have told me it was going bad." I frowned now, feeling an enormous pang of guilt hit me.

I honestly wasn't planning to be alive, so that kinda was the last thing on my mind. "Chester, you were there. You heard and saw everything. Kinda hard not to believe that I wasn't gonna snap, don't you think?" Before he said anything else, I noticed him keeping his eyes fixed on my neck. Ah fuck, Clay must have left hand prints. Stupid asshole. "Jay, how did you get those marks around you? And don't lie, they look like they were brand new." I chewed on the inside of my cheek a bit, hesitating greatly. I didn't want Chester getting involved into any of this mess more than he already had, but I didn't want to be harassed by the asshole anymore either. Crying hard now, I was at a total loss for words. "Jay, please just tell me. Did your step dad hurt you?" I didn't say anything, only shook my head. He gripped onto my hand tightly, his fingers trembling as the anger built up in him. I glanced up for a quick second, seeing that he had tears in his own eyes. "Chester..." I whispered, hoping he would look at me. "I'm going to do whatever I can to get you out of here, okay?" Again I just nodded, he pressed a kiss to the top of my hand gently before leaving off in a hurry.

I prayed that time would just pass by me like nothing in the world was wrong. I knew I was going to have to be here awhile so I decided to make the best of it. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep the days away. But it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, because every so often a nurse or someone would come and take my vitals and ask me questions I really didn't feel like answering. Surprisingly enough, I was soon able to be removed from the restraints when they realized I wasn't going to do anything stupid to myself. And aside from the occasional visit from my mother, no one came in to visit me anymore which made me happy in the long run because I honestly didn't want any of my friends to see me caged up like some type of animal.

Time seemed to fly right be me though as minutes, hours, days passed without any sort of problem. After being kept for over a week, a doctor finally came in to evaluate me and processed my release papers the day before Thanksgiving, saying that I was going to be under the supervision of a in home medical staff. I was completely fucking confused as to who or what that could mean, but as I gathered my belongings and was lead to the release station, my eyes instantly lit up. It was Melody, KayT, Melody's mom and by the grace of God, Chester. Melody's mom was a nurse and registered psychiatric caregiver, so she was allowed to make her own evaluation and agreed that I was better suited out of the home. I ran up and hugged each of them tightly, the tears rushing down my face.

Chester kept an arm slung over my shoulder as we climbed into Melody's car, keeping me close to his side. "How did you guys do this? What about my parents?" I knew this wasn't going to be easy to manage, but according to Melody's mom, the police were going to get involved. "When I told them that you're attempting suicide solely because of the abuse suffered at home and how your stepdad has been threatening and harming you, Child Services got involved and investigated and wanted to place you in a home. Fortunately, I have my license as a caretaker, so you were released to us. We still need to get your things and such, but as of today my dear, you're a free woman." I felt my heart burst into a thousand pieces as I replayed the words over and over in my mind. I was now free to go and do as I choose, I was able to go out with my friends and see places I've never been. I was allowed to actually have a real life now.

I looked up at Chester who just had this ever growing heartwarming smile that made me melt a bit inside. He looked so relieved, so happy, I just couldn't really describe it into words really. I rested my head against his shoulder as he leaned down to my ear. "I told you I wasn't going to leave you and I meant it. You're going to get to hangout with me as much as you want and you're going to get to come and see me preform. Plus you're going to be staying with your new friends. How sweeter can life get, right?" He whispered softly into my ear, making the goosebumps run over my body. He was right. Things couldn't seem to be getting much better from here on out. "You know, I'm just surprised that those two haven't taken advantage of you yet. You're their favorite singer and yet here you are, like just some normal person." I teased, seeing Melody and KayT's faces both go pale with embarrassment. "Shut up, Jay or so help me I will send you back to the border." KayT seethed as she punched me in the arm making me yelp slightly. "Oh girls, there's no need to fight, there's plenty of me to go around." Chester now joined in, only earning a glare from them and swift nudge in the side from me. "Just wait until they meet the others. I'm sure they're all going to enjoy meeting you three especially Shae."

Suddenly that name went off like a light in my head. Shae? That was the girl that I had met from the record store in Hollywood a couple weeks ago. No way...she couldn't be his girlfriend. Could she?