A is for Argument
Argument (n): (1) a reason given in proof or rebuttal; discourse intended to persuade, (2) the act or process of arguing.
The yelling is only getting louder with each passing second as the shut door does nothing to muffle the cruel and harsh words being thrown out so freely. He can't help but stare dumbfounded at the door, his mouth hanging open and even though his heard cursing before it's never been anything like this before. Or maybe it's the fact that he's never heard a married couple argue like this. Looking over Jacob sees Leah sitting down across from him, her back against the bed frame, her head hung low, nose buried in a book trying to hide the embarrassment of her parents arguing. He can see her chest reddening as an item downstairs is thrown followed by a loud crash.
He now understands why she wanted to go over to his house and study – why she always prefers his home over her own.
Biting his bottom lip Jacob finds himself at a loss of what to do in this situation, how to make everything better because this is new to him – foreign. His parents have their arguments, disputes but nothing like this. Apart of him wants to pack up his books and leave, leave the spiteful words and return to the safety, security and sanity of his own home but he now hates the idea of leaving Leah behind; the idea that if he makes a hasty retreat that she'll feel embarrassed and alone. Then the thought of having to walk down the stairs past the arguing couple seems even worse at this point.
Scooting over he moves to sit beside her and smiles weakly as he feels her body immediately tense as their close proximity. In a matter of seconds, Jacob begins to put the pieces together. Suddenly Leah's odd behavior begins to make sense, the way she flinches at his touch, why sometimes she's loud, argumentative and then quiet and docile the next, why she sometimes doesn't trust that they should be dating and worst of all why she sometimes wear long sweats and sweatshirts in gym. His chest tightens and his hands open and close multiple times before settling on a tight fist.
There's a cry downstairs and before Jacob can ask the question that is weighing on his shoulders Leah is up and out the room. For a moment, everything around him seems to be moving at super speed while he is frozen in time, moving like molasses. He can hear Leah screaming, crying, begging and demanding that they stop. She asks that they 'not do this now', 'calm down' and 'don't say such things'. The other voices are muffled and the only clear sound is her voice, Leah's voice.
His heart rate increases the closer to her voice he gets and no matter how much he feels the urgency to get to her – time and his body seem to be against him. As he comes down the stairs does she finally come back into his sight and does the world seem right again because she's there – she's where he's at.
She's trying to pry her parents apart, both fighting to get at the other and still throwing out curses and promises to kill the other. In a rage does Leah's father knock her back and with such a force that she falls back, toppling over into the curio.
The crashing and clattering of glass doesn't seem to faze either parent as they only continue to yell and scream at the other; blaming them for the fight, for Leah's interference and worst for having her in the first place.
At that point has Jacob finally had enough; enough of their arguing, fighting, abuse: physical, verbal, psychological and even emotional abuse they've inflicted on Leah – possibly for years without him every knowing. His voice booms throughout the house stunning both parents into silence as they seem to suddenly become aware of his presence. Jacob growls fighting the urge to pound Leah's father into the wood-paneled floor but Leah's whimpers and held back sobs draws him to her. Quickly kneeling does he see the blood that is pouring from the nasty gash on her arm and hands – all from the attempt of breaking her fall.
"Don't touch her, she'll be alright." Leah's father grumbles out callously as he sneers down at the two teens on the floor.
Jacob looks up stunned at the tone and his eyes widen a bit more to see her mother not showing much interest in her daughter's current state either.
No one cares.
The sentence plays in his head and he recalls Leah mumbling the words out one day, the first day of school when some girl had knocked her down to the ground – supposedly, by accident. Looking away from them Jacob lightly takes Leah's hands into his and feels his eyes burn seeing the shards of glass sticking out of her palm.
"I need to get you to the hospital." Jacob states aloud but more so himself then for the benefit of anyone else around besides Leah.
"She's not going to the hospital." Her father bellows loudly and begins walking towards Jacob.
"She'll be alright." The mother adds immediately supporting her husband. "Leah, quit showing off for your guest."
"Get up!" Leah winces at her father's voice and Jacob glares darkly at the man above him as Leah struggles to get back to her feet. She's obviously used to being knocked down and getting back up if only just to please her parents.
"Now clean yourself up." He orders harshly as his wife returns into the room with a dishtowel that he tosses at her. Jacob feels his hatred for the man and woman growing; Leah's father never breaking eye contact with him.
Jacob only looks away from the man upon hearing Leah hiss and notices that she's pulling out a huge shard of glass from her forearm. Immediately he takes the dishtowel and applies pressure to the wound as the red liquid pours out.
"Shit," Jacob hisses. For the first time since she walked him up to her room does Leah make eye contact with him. The look of defeat, shame and sorrow in her eyes pierces him. Carefully he cups her cheek and there is a bittersweet victory in knowing that for once she hasn't tried to get away from him; that in this moment, moment of strife, that she trusts him completely.
"I told you not to touch her." The voice hisses out and Jacob growls as he whirls around, pinning the man to the wall.
The man's eyes widen as Jacob's hand grips onto his throat, his airway constricting as coal black eyes glare into him and through him. Realization dawns him that he has grossly underestimated this 'boy' that his daughter had brought home. He is only vaguely aware of his wife's attempts to pry the boy off of him, to save him, until his daughter steps up and touches him lightly. The rushing of blood in his head drowns out the sound of his daughter's voice, her lips moving issuing some sort of request.
"I'm taking her with me." Jacob growls out finally releasing the man and stepping back. His shoulders are tense and it's hard for him to breathe. Jacob doesn't know what came over him in that moment but when he came to hearing Leah's voice was he aware that he was choking her father.
Slowly turning around Jacob lets out a heavy breath and motions for Leah to walk out. Gently resting his hand on the small of her back he escorts her out into the night air. He talks to her gently promising to get her to the hospital and that this will never happen again. She apologizes profusely for the trouble, for him having to witness it and getting blood on his interior.
At the hospital he kisses her forehead letting her know that she's done nothing wrong, that he can either shampoo the interior or get new seats, 'been needing to break down and buy some anyway' he tells her with a smile. The most important thing that he wants her to understand is that he loves her – that is the most important thing for her to know now.
There's no doubt in Jacob's mind that this has been only the beginning of many arguments between him and the Clearwaters. He knows that when the police get involved that they'll say that he's the one that hurt their daughter, he's the abuser and the violent one. He'll argue back, his parents will get involved and others will too. In the end, all that matters to him is that Leah is safe, protected and knows that someone does care about her.
A/N: I'm so out of the swing of things that I completely for got about this snippet and my disclaimer. But this idea came from cucumber07 and since sentinel10 went ahead and posted her I gave into peer pressure. I'M SO WEAK! But these are a series of one-shots following the alphabet.