A/N: Look, it's an update! I wanted to thank you guys so much for reviewing, I know six isn't much but I'm super grateful, I wasn't even expecting one review! You guys are amazing.
WARNING: This is a very dark story that will be filled with violence and angst.
Los Angeles greeted Jade with bright sunshine and a light breeze to even out the already hot day. It was currently nine A.M, and from where Jade lied, underneath the shelter of the bus stop, she could see the large clock ticking away with every second. Across the street was a mini mall center, and one of the bigger department stores was kind enough to have a clock on their tall tower. Jade would have laughed at the stupidity if she wasn't currently waiting for it to fall off the building, leaving her without any time to count.
The night had treated her as well as it could. There were no homeless men whom she had to share the bench with, but there were people who were too scared to come near her. Jade had managed to stop the bleeding for the most part after ripping off a few pieces of her tank top and tying it around her bleeding leg as a bandage.
People were too afraid to approach her. Every once in a while someone would look her way, but ultimately the continued on. These people with their money, they had no clue on how to approach a beaten girl. Jade just continued to hope that someone would have the ability to pull out their phone and dial 911.
Groaning and wincing whenever a gust of wind blew through she was starting to doubt ever getting rescued. Pulling herself out of her dark thoughts she felt a tug on the bottom of her show, without any warning it triggered a reaction for her. She began kicking at the person, and flailing her arms around as continued to pull on her foot until she was out from underneath the bench.
"I was just trying to get you out, no need to freak." The voice snapped. Instantly Jade recognized it, Beckett Oliver; the boy who just yesterday had been under her control. There was no way she would let him see her like this. Her pride go in the way, she would rather die than get help from him. But he still didn't recognize her as she hid her face in the sleeves of her baggy jacket, facing onto the concrete.
"Don't touch me, go." Jade demanded, setting herself upright and pulling her knees to her chest. Beck still stood there, kneeling down to her level and placing his finger underneath her chin, pulling her face up to look at him. "I'm fine, I said go." Her voice was raspy and rugged, the dryness in her throat caused by days without hydration except for the few sips she got at a nearby water fountain.
Meeting his eyes she was startled, her blue orbs widening in fear. "Let's get you some help okay?" Beck requested, pulling her small body into his arms he set her onto his knee before completely standing up. She sniffed his shirt, the unfamiliar smell of soap and clean clothes rushed over her. The girl couldn't help but feel comforted, something about him just felt right to her.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, she tightened her grip not wanting to let go. Part of her screamed, wanting her to leave and never turn back; she was strong, she was brave. Jade would be just fine on her own. This boy was nothing to her, merely a victim. A stinging sensation surged through her entire body, the aftershock of bruises, cuts, and broken bones -too much pain to be tolerable, but not enough for her body to shut itself into unconsciousness. Jade wished that it would.
"I'm going to take you to the hospital. Is that okay?" Beck asked, the tall building coming into view. A small parking lot was crowded as people rushed in and out of the emergence room, most with only minor injuries. Jade spotted some second degree burns, a kid with a sprained ankle (the soccer uniform gave that away), and a few women in labor. None of them were truly in any danger, except for her.
Injuries like her own stood to people in neighborhoods like this. They normally never witnessed such a traumatic beating. The raven haired girl stifled a laugh, in the hospital by her own living quarters people in situations similar to her own weren't that bad. People came in with knives through their head and the receptionist wouldn't even flinch, everyday life I guess.
The pair made it to the emergency desk. The woman seated behind took in Jade's condition before handing Beck a clipboard after he set her down in a chair not too far away. "You need to fill this out. She'll be taken back immediately, don't worry." The woman assured him before he came and sat himself down next to her, finally getting a good look at her face.
"Jade-" Beck paused, pushing a strand of hair from in front of her eyes. "You?" He mumbled, as if saying it out loud would make it less true. A woman whom he feared only days ago now needing his help. Luckily for her he was a selfless person, or had been taught to be as he began filling out the paperwork, basically only on the emergency contact information. None of the other stuff meant anything to him.
She nodded, "yes. What does it matter? I honestly don't give a shit if you leave me, I can handle the rest." Beck only ignored her, not being brought down by her obvious lack of gratefulness.
"Fill it out as Ruby East." Knowing that he was very unlikely to leave her now she agreed to continue on with the pattern, giving him the name that she used in medical emergencies as well as for a driver's license. Her parents had created the alias upon first beating. They wanted her to stay under the radar when it came to medicine, the address led to an old apartment that was furnished and stocked full of things to make it look like a normal college girl lived there.
If the police caught on to her regular hospital visits there's not a doubt that they wouldn't get suspicious. But with nothing to search there isn't much to do, so it almost became a real identity to her, being that it was used to often.
Beck nodded, and jotted it down on the name line as well as the birthday that Jade had instructed. Medical conditions and the like were ignored, getting to the line about allergies. This is where she'd like to take the clip board and fill it out for herself, but she just didn't have the strength.
"Any allergies?" Jade nodded, slouching deeper into the waiting room chair and feeling like a little girl again. This was the most embarrassing part of any doctor's visit. Strong, tough, goth girl allergic to cats and strawberries. Who knew?
Looking around in case anyone was watching them closely Jade answered, "cats and strawberries." Beck laughed, why would anyone want that information? He realized soon after his chuckle that it was probably a pride thing. He hadn't dealt with many girls who carried themselves as tough and scary as Jade, but Jade wasn't any girl. The way she treated him that room showed her true colors. She was a fearless and ruthless leader. Which only lead to more questions as to why she was currently in such bad shape.
About four minutes later a nurse came out in cat scrubs, making her groan and hide her face in what was left of her fairly torn up leather jacket. "Ruby East please come back with me." Jade stood up, looking at Beck telling him to come with her. She had some things that she needed to say.
The pair stood awkwardly by the nurse, whose name tag read 'Amanda' waiting for the door to the hallway to be opened. "Who are you?" She asked Beck, pointing a finger.
Before he even got a chance to speak Jade cut in. "He's my husband," she said in a giddy voice, his arm holding her up after her outright refusal to sit in a wheel chair. That had been accompanied by a lot of bickering before she agreed to let him hold her up. Now he was wishing he'd gotten one. Why would she make up a story like that?
"Well in that case come on back." Amanda replied, opening the door and letting the two go in front of her. Beck heard her grumble something about today's teenagers before leading them to a small emergency room. "The doctor will be with you soon, take off your coat, sweetheart." She said to Jade before walking out and closing the door behind her.
As Jade started stripping herself of the bloody clothes Beck stood awkwardly in the corner, not knowing what to do. First her jacket came off with a toss, the sliced leather falling to the ground with virtually no sound. Her short sleeve shirt gave away the cuts and bruises on her arm and around her collar bone, her broken arm barely noticeable to her anymore.
Lifting up her t-shirt she exposed her stomach and black bra, the biggest bruise came up to the bottom of the band, tainting her beautiful pale skin an ugly greenish color. She looked at her reflection in the mirror on the door for a few moments before throwing the hospital gown over and slipping off her jeans from underneath.
The girl that she saw in the mirror had none of the features that she could remember. Bruises, cuts, scrapes, they were all placed on her body as if they didn't belong; like stickers. She looked at herself and saw a mangled mess of stickers pretending to portray weakness, when all they did was last for a few days before healing and disappearing as if they never existed before. Jade sighed, lying down on the table as she waited for the doctor.
Besides her Beck sat down in a plastic chair, mentally cursing the person who did so much damage to her. The place where her razor dug in had healed for the most part, thankfully she hadn't cut too deep. But the damage was visible, though Beck doubted Jade had even looked his way for two seconds.
Even though she was a ruthless person he felt sympathy towards her. Obviously someone used her as a punching bag, and it pained him to think that they could be so cruel as to beat a teenage girl into unconscioness. There must be some explanation, but it wasn't his business to pry.
A few minutes of silence passed before Beck whispered, "What did you want to talk about?" It sounded like such a typical teenage question. But they weren't typical teenagers, he'd been her captive and now she was in need of his help. Her blue eyes had gone a dull gray color as she tugged on the gown before speaking.
"You know who I am, Beck." He nodded, not understanding.
"Yes, you're that Jade, the one who wanted to kill me."
"I didn't want to kill you. There are more important things than your life." Jade replied quickly, rolling her eyes at his selfish comment. Of course he'd see himself as the victim.
"Really? Because you seemed pretty murderous holding that knife to my neck!" Beck retorted, running his hand through his soft brown hair.
"It wasn't a knife." She mumbled, playing with the rings on her hands. "It was a razor blade." It was stated in such a way, as if she was speaking to an idiot; which in her mind she was.
"Can you not tell anyone about this?" Jade asked, her eyes pleading with him to agree. If anyone found out she was helped by the main reason she'd been punished they'd have her head on a stick. This time literally.
"What's in it for me?" He asked, tilting his head a little to the right, making eye contact with Jade who quickly looked away to a medical poster that hung on the wall.
"Breathing," Jade replied as If it wasn't a big deal. Even in a hospital bed she still looked capable of killing. Especially after Beck had experienced a certain episode that would haunt him forever. A knife being held to your neck (or throat) was not something people often forget.
The door opened revealing a doctor in the normal white lab coat. He went through all the stages of a standard emergency visit, writing down notes here and there as he monitored the damage. Jade sat quietly, waiting for it to be over. Doctors made her nervous, although shed never admit that out loud.
The doctor seemed to be contemplating a few things, and explain information whenever Jade would cry out in pain from a movement. "How come you weren't immediately brought back, you could have been in serious condition." His gray hair outlined the wrinkles on his forehead as he wondered what crazy person would ever go that long in such pain.
"She refuses to acknowledge pain." Beck replied with a smug grin. She'd been casted up and attached to machines while she waited on the results of her x-ray. Jade would never have admitted that she was so weak, she lived just fine. A few broken ribs and one broken arm and leg would be healed quickly, her arm only had a hairline fracture. Only a few of the cuts would scar, and the bruise on her ribcage would heal within a few months. Things were looking up.
A/N: Review and I'll give you Avan Jogia.
