Page 7 of Like An Animal
“What was that?” she gasps and in a flash, she’s off the bed.
“Who knows?” Jeremy’s response lacks all life and my heart hurts.
Then, the bitch darts out the door and my tears fall freely. It was only a minute but that minute felt like it lasted for an hour.
I can’t believe this has been happening to him right under my nose and I had no idea.
Oh my god.
No, no, no.
“You can come out now,” he mutters, but I can’t move. I’m frozen from what just happened. After a minute the bed moves until I’m out from under it and Jer leans down to me, pushing the hair out of my face.
Another sob falls from my lips as he pulls me into his arms and holds me like I’m the most precious thing in the world. And I keep crying.
“It’s over,” he whispers in my hair and my heart breaks even further. He was just fucking raped by his mother and he’s hereconsolingme instead of breaking apart himself.
“How long has she been doing that to you?” I ask through my sobs.
There’s a pause that extends through the pulse pounding in my ears and the crackle of air in my throat.
Then, he speaks. “As long as I can remember.”
My heart aches and fractures as I lose and gain multiple things. I lose all respect I had for Kathy and gain an appreciation for Jeremy’s strength. I lose all concepts of safety in this house outside of Jeremy’s presence. I gain a kinship of mutual trauma with the only brother I’ve ever had.
CHAPTER 4
THE GHOST
Two Weeks Later
“Seriously, what the hell are we doing here? We could be at that Halloween party at Duncan Malloy’s house,” Missy whines before pouting.
Today is All Hallows Eve and instead of being at the party Missy desperately wanted to attend and get drunk at, we are at my brother’s last performance of the year.
“You can go if you want. I can catch a ride with Jer,” I offer.
After all, Jeremy is coming to the party afterward because god forbid I attend a party without him close behind. He’s so protective it’s unbelievable. I’ve learned to accept it though. We have both experienced horrors and he wants to prevent something else just as bad from happening to me.
He doesn’t like it when guys touch me or look at me–hell, even talk to me. He gets this look on his face when he’s about to attack that is an easy indicator that he has hit his limit.
“I’m not leaving,” she refuses and a part of me is irritated.
It’s no secret that Missy has a massive crush on Jer. She has made it clear for years that she wants him, but maybe I’m just asprotective of him as he is of me. She knows she is forbidden to go near him or our friendship will be over. I’m that serious about it.
However, she still flirts with him, but a part of me thinks she does it to get on my nerves. When she flirts, Jeremy looks at her like she’s fucking insane.
He’s definitely not interested in taking her up on any of her laced offers.
She’s my best friend, but the whole best friend’s brother trope is only hot in books, not in real life. That’s a dirty, disgusting mess just waiting to happen.
I want him to be happy, but not with her.
I watch the stage as the current band leaves and JMX steps out onto the stage, their face painted like with every show they do. I have to say I like Jeremy’s makeup better than the others. Xavi’s makeup is just navy blue with white speckles and a painting of the moon over one of his eyes. Massimo’s makeup is a gold base with a red, white, and blue purge mask design. Jer’s painting is more unique with the stitching and colors–red and white.
I cheer for them along with the crowd and Xavi waves at me, unbeknownst to my brother.
Xavi and Massimo have been a constant part of my life since Jeremy entered it. They’re like brothers to me now. I’d defend them just like I would Jeremy.
