Page 23 of Stephan

When I saw Stephan waiting outside of myclassroom today, my heart had missed a beat and a lightness cameover me. I knew in that moment he could really hurt me, not like mymother or any of her many boyfriends, but break my heart to pieceskind of hurt. I don’t think I have the strength to survive thatkind of hurt. I don’t have much, but what I do have I’m desperateto keep.

I don’t know how long I cried and felt sorryfor myself when I heard my grandpa yelling for me. I wiped my tearsand went to find him. As usual when he was home, he was on thecouch in the lounge room.

“Get here now, girl.” I hesitated for amoment and Grandpa stood, his face was red, his fist clenched athis side and the anger radiating off him. I tried to think what I’ddone the last few days that might have pissed him off. Nothing. Iwent to school, hung out with my friends or Stephan.

He grabbed my arm dragging me to him.Stumbling, I righted myself. “Yes, Grandpa.”

“You don’t listen do you?” He shook me.

I tried to relax so it wouldn’t hurt too bad.When I didn’t answer he slapped me across the face. The sting ofhis hand brought tears to my eyes and I fought to keep fromcrying.

“I’m sorry, Grandpa. I don’t know what Idid.”

He punched me so hard I fell onto the flatscreen TV. The screen smashed and I cried out as the glass cut intomy legs. Grandpa dragged me off the TV swearing.

“Look what you did, brat.” He turned me tosee the broken TV. “You broke my new TV.” He pushed me to the floorand kicked me over and over. I curled into a fetal position as heyelled, “I told you to stay out of trouble. I warned you I didn’twant any attention on me. You are a stupid, stupid, whore of agirl, running around with a Silverman boy. I have everyone watchingnow.” He yanked me up by the hair and I couldn’t help but screamfrom the pain. “Do you realize how many customers I’ve lost in thelast couple of days thanks to you and your whoring ways?” He spatin my face with each word, then slapped me and punched me in thestomach. I fell to the floor and vomited, which only made himangrier.

I had been beaten many times by my mother’sboyfriends and clients who came for product and she’d run out. I’dfought back every time with them, but this was different. This wasmy grandpa. I had no one else but him, but I couldn’t takeanymore.

He came at me again, and I gathered whatlittle strength I had and I kicked and hit him. Screaming, I foughtwith all I had left in me. Then I hit him in the balls and kickedhim while he was down, then I grabbed my bag by the door and ranout of the house. I needed to get away before he got up and killedme.

*****

Stephan

My phone started beeping, and I frowned as Ipulled it out of my pocket. Jade’s phone tracker was going offtelling me she wasn’t at home. I’d turned on the tracker, scaredshe’d something stupid after our argument—but it had been hoursago. I’d driven around, finally calmed down and was now home withmy parents.

“You okay, son?” my dad asked. We wereplaying pool. He and Mum against me and Derick.

My chest hurt and something didn’t feelright. I hopped she hadn’t been at home stewing and was now runningor going out. “I don’t know. I feel off. Jade promised me shewouldn’t go anywhere, and her tracker is telling me she’s out. Wedid have a fight, but it was hours ago. The tracker is moving butnot fast like she’s in a car.”

“Stephan, if your gut is telling yousomething is wrong check it out. You know Jade. Would she leavetonight?”

Jade did like to defy me, but I had a feelingshe wasn’t doing that now. I looked at the screen and saw she’dstopped. It was weird though, stopped in what I knew to be bushland not far from where she lived. “Something is not right, Dad.Look.” I showed him where the tracker had stopped.

“Maybe she dropped the phone?”

“But why would she be there anyway, even ifshe did drop it.” I rubbed the ache that formed in my chest.

“You’re right, Stephan. Let’s go.”

Dad, Derick, my mother, and I ran to thegarage. “Mum, stay here. I need you here in case she shows up. Imay need you to call your friends too.” Mum nodded and I hugged heras Dad grabbed the keys to the Range Rover.

We all got in and Dad opened the garage doorand started speeding down the driveway toward the location on myphone. “Call Brand and make sure he’s ready. We don’t know whatwe’re going into.”

Driving to Jade’s usually took me twentyminutes, Dad made it there in under fifteen. I jumped out of thecar even and ran toward the beeping only to be held back by Brandand David.

“We go first. Stay close behind.” Five mensurrounded us as we walked into the bush. We were quiet, we’d beentrained well.

As we got close to the location flashing onmy phone, I heard a voice. “You can’t hide, brat. I know you can’thave gotten far. Come to me now and the punishment will endquickly.”

My skin chilled and I prayed we got to Jadebefore the other person did. I clenched my first and swore whoeverit was would pay if he’d laid even a finger on my little bit.

I saw her before the others. She lay sprawledout on the ground. I broke from the circle around me, not caringabout anything besides getting to Jade. I crouched next to her asthe late afternoon sun was almost hidden from the trees. She didn’tmove and my heart was beating a million miles an hour almoststopped. She was covered in black and purple bruises, one eye wasswollen over and the other not in much better shape. Her lips wereswollen and cut.

I didn’t want to touch her worried I’d hurther more. I didn’t even know if there was anywhere not bruised orbattered, from what I could see nowhere looked pain free. “Littlebit, I’m here. You’re safe. Wake up. Show me those chocolatebeauties.” She didn’t answer and I looked up at my dad and theguards. “Dad?”

Dad knelt beside me. “We’ve called theambulance. They’ll be here soon. You need to move, son, so I cancheck her pulse.”

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