I just wanted to make you happy. That's all I ever wanted.

Chapter 3

Sophia's chest heaved, her nostrils flared, and she balled her diminutive hands into fists of fire. "Grace…"

Jerome grins, and cocks his head at her, "I don't think I like this one very much," he snarls with such a force that he almost resembles a wolf. I attempt to tug my hand away from his grip, but he takes notice and his eyes snap towards me. "Now, gorgeous, stay next to me." His total tone has changed. He's speaking with such an amiable nature. Jerome sinks down to my height and gives me a toothy grin. "I have a surprise for you." His voice drips with hysteria.

I gulp down the lump that has formed in my throat. I turn my head to Sophia who still has her eyes locked on me. I open my mouth to mouth the words, "Get help," but he has already figured out my plan before it has even crossed my mind. "I wouldn't do that." His voice almost sounds annoyed. "I don't want to hurt you, gorgeous, but if you give me no choice…" He pauses as if he heard something in the distance. "Time to go!" He guffaws while pulling me into his chest and sprinting off. I can hear Sophia crying my name while police sirens ring in the distance that begins to grow between us.

We run for what seems like centuries, and I can't tell where we're going. Jerome keeps us in between allies and away from the main streets. Well, at least he isn't a doltish, crazy person. Finally, he slows our perambulation and I take a look around. My apartment complex? "Why are we here?" My voice is small and practically inaudible. Jerome glances down from his superior height of 5'11 to my 5 foot nothing. He intertwines his lanky, fingers with my mine, and it's like his hands completely engulf mine. Like when you hold hands with a toddler, but your hand is too large to properly hold theirs, so you end up holding their hand instead of each other's. I try to snatch my hand away from him but he gently squeezes my extremity as if begging me to let him enjoy this, and I oblige.

Growing tired of the silence between us, I stop from walking next to him. "Jerome," I begin.

"Say my name again, Grace." He isn't smiling but he doesn't look upset. "I want you to say my name again." He sounds like he's begging but by his tone he's demanding me to.

"Jerome…" I pause as he beams at me. "Why are we here?" I ask slowly as to make sure not to ire him.

"You'll see!" He responds while regaining grip on my hand and skipping onwards. We ascend the stairs and finally reach my old apartment door which is already cracked ajar. Furrowing my brows I glance towards Jerome who is already staring at me with the smile of a five year old. "Go in!" He gives me a soft shove forward. Hesitantly, and reluctantly I push the door wide open and I retch.

There's red stains covering my old apartment walls. The smell that was wafting from the couch was almost unbearable. It smelled as if someone left a pile of dirty clothes with rotten food mixed in to just sit in the room. Slowly stepping towards the direction of the smell I see my fathers face? I don't even know if can call it his face at this point. His eyes have been gouged, his mouth being cut ear to ear in a "perfect" smile, while his nose has been broken and shoved far back into his face. And the top skin of his dome has been completely scalped off. All that's there is what hangs limply from the very edge. The blood that covers his sliced up skin is dried, cracked, and brown. I gasp.

"Aren't you thrilled?!" Jerome jumps in the place where he's standing while clapping his hands. "I gave that bastard exactly what he deserves!" He continues to babble on before he finally gets a good look on my face. "Oh. Are you mad? I only did it to make you happy. I mean after what he did to you-"

"Wait, you SAW what he did to me?" I interrupt and I watch Jerome's face fall into disappointment. "You saw me get molested? You saw me beg and cry and scream for help? And you WATCHED that?!" My voice is climbing up in octaves as I become more outraged by the minute. "You're fucking sick." I roar as I throw Jerome against the wall. "What? Did you get to jack off to it? Did you like seeing me fucking fight for my safety? Is that really what you really enjoy, Jerome? Hmm? Is that it? Is that what you're into? Seeing little girls get molested-"

Jerome narrows his eyes at me and in one motion has his hand covering my mouth while pinning me against the wall. "Listen, gorgeous. I wasn't watching because I got some kick out of it. I killed him for you. I wanted to make you happy, and this is the reaction I get? Oh, no, no,no, no. This simply just won't do, darling." Jerome breaks into a strangely beautiful smile. His smile had an alien, exotic, charm to it, and I realized that while staring up at him fearing for my life. "So aren't you glad I got rid of this scum of the earth?" He whispered to me while pressing his complete body against mine. I nod silently. He returns to his ecstatic nature. "Much, much better!" We stay pressed against each other while his smile seems to be painted onto his beautiful face. Oh, how that smile will be the death of him. Being so close in proximity you think I would be panicking but I felt a sort of calm overcome me. It was like in those few minutes of silence we had become one. Even if it hadn't been forever it had seemed liked it. "Grace, look at your father?" I shake my head. I can't. I couldn't. I just wouldn't. I couldn't look at the decaying corpse of my own flesh and blood and let that image become part of my long term memory. My father did a lot of fucked up shit to me, but death would have never been something I wished upon him. "Don't look so sad, gorgeous. You'll make me sad." His voice felt a breeze tickling my ear. It was cool, smooth, and stimulating, I felt a shiver run a course throughout my body.

"Hey, Jerome." I murmur. Biting my lip I gaze up at him. "I'm sorry." I knee him in the groin and I feel an ache in heart as I take off in a sprint. As I approach Sophia's home I see police lights scattered all around. He beat me here. He fucking beat me here and killed my best friend. Fuck. I slam myself through the cops and rip open the front door expecting to see a grotesque display of body parts and human bodily fluids, but instead I'm treated by the infamous Officer Jim Gordon trying to console my best friend. "Sophia.." I sigh in relief.

"Grace! I thought you were dead! What happened? Why did he take you? Actually, where did he take you? Oh my goodness. Are you okay? He didn't hurt you did he? I'll fucking kill the god damn maniac."

"Sophia. God dammit, Sophia. Oh my god. Please, wait. Calm down." Growing irate with her I grab her shoulders. "Sophia I am completely okay. He didn't harm me. Not once."

"Grace can I have a word with you about your situation?" Officer Gordon questions with raised eyebrow. Sighing, I stand and let Officer Gordon take me to questioning. I tell him exactly what has happened even becoming annoyed with the repeated questions that he had to ask me due to protocol. After all was said and done I returned to my Sophia and curled up next to her on the couch.

"Why did you go with him, Grace?"

"I didn't really have a choice now did I?"

"Sleep with me tonight. Please. I'm scared you won't be there in the morning." Sophia grabs my hand and I imagine Jerome being in her place. I gasp and retract my hand from her. "Grace?"

"Sorry..I had..I had a flashback from earlier." Sophia smiles understandingly at me before leading me to her room. I sleep, but not without Jerome invading my dreams. I can't escape him even when I do. I awake in the morning to the smell of eggs. "Mmm." Stretching I look over to empty space that has Sophia's slender outline imprinted on it, but as I admire how I was able to sleep with Sophia I see a note laying in her place. Grinning, I snatch the note up and open it. You made a mistake.

I freeze as I read, reread, and reread the note that is resting in my hands. This bastard. Throwing the note down I rush to kitchen where a wave of relief engulfs me. "Sophia." I smile as I go to touch her shoulder, but her hands are nailed to stove. Her body is limp and using the side of fridge as a prop up. Her face is almost completely distorted, she's missing her eyelids, and her eyebrows have carved out. Blood trickles out from her eyes, and I can't seem to wrap my mind around this. Then stapled to her damn forehead is another note. Turn around. I begin to cry as I slowly turn. I keep muttering, "Sophia…no, no, no. Not Sophia. Anyone but Sophia."

"Did ya miss me, gorgeous?" Jerome stands there with his signature smile, I feel my heart almost go out to him. "Sorry for the mess, but I saw y'all sleeping together, cuddling," He spits, "and I think I just got a little jealous. I hope you aren't too upset with me."