And here we go...
CHAPTER 10
Tori's POV
I saw Jade standing in the doorway, her face covered with a look of sheer horror. Mr. West had me pinned to the wall, his fist raised in mid-punch. My nose was broken (I heard the crunch moments ago) and blood was gushed out like a waterfall. I shut my mouth feeling the hot liquid dripping down onto my lips and running off my chin, spattering my shirt.
Mr. West threw me roughly to the floor. I scampered forward on my knees, but he leaped on top of me, and suddenly I stared straight down at the floor.
There was something very pointy wedged beneath my stomach and the ground, and it poked me painfully when Mr. West sat down on me with all of his weight. I couldn't breathe, and there was a puddle of sticky blood forming around my head from my nose.
"JABE!" I yelled with the little air I had in my lungs and through the blood pouring out. "Jabe, helb me!" Jade's dad smashed my face into the floor, and then I couldn't see anything.
I felt his weight shift heavily to one side, although I couldn't see what he was trying to get with my face buried into the floor—and then there was a piercing, whistling sound. I didn't hear the smash of the bottle as it broke on my right shoulder, but I did feel it. The glass shards cut through my shirt and embedded themselves in my skin. I let out an involuntary squeak just as he grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me off the ground in one move.
Still keeping a firm hold on me, Jade's dad drew back his fist and punched me in the gut. I doubled over as he let go of my neck, coughing and gagging. The pain stunned me.
I have to fight back…I have to fight back.
For everyone else's sake.
No one else knows what's was happening to me. My phone was broken, and my parents' dinner wouldn't be over for another few hours…not to mention the fact that I never even gave them Jade's address...but Dad was a cop; he would figure it out eventually, I hope. And maybe the neighbor's across the street could hear what was going on...
Mr. West launched his huge fist towards my head, but surprisingly I ducked and avoided it. I cowered back against the wall, and when he advanced on me, I kicked his right kneecap, feeling satisfied when I heard the dull crunch. He reached down for his knee immediately and I danced around him, avoiding being cornered.
I had practically no sense of direction as this point, and I looked around wildly to find Jade. I didn't see her, but maybe that was because I was looking around so fast that I missed her.
Unbeknownst to me, Mr. West had regained his senses and limped towards me, much more heavily than before as I had just disabled his right leg.
He swung a heavy blow to the back of my head, and it made contact. I fell forward, barely missing the puddle of beer on the floor as I put my hands out to brace my fall. I felt his own hands grabbing my shoulders, trying to pull me up, when suddenly there was a sound of shattering glass.
Mr. West dropped me back down, and clutched his left arm, howling angrily.
I looked up and saw Jade finally, her body poised liked she had just thrown something. I looked back up at her dad, and saw the pieces of glass sticking out of his arm, which he was grabbing at madly, ripping them out.
I was speechless for a moment.
Wait...Jade's actually trying to save me? Oh my gosh, if only I could get that on camera.
But her dad was reacting faster than ever. I don't think he could really feel any physical pain, but I'm sure the surprise attack definitely upset him.
Because I was frozen in amazement at Jade's brief actions, he saw this as his chance and snatched me up. Before I could wriggle out of his grip, I found myself flying through the air and landing on the kitchen table.
I slid the length of the wooden surface, knocking over everything and sending it all tumbling to the floor. I finally fell off the other side, dazed, my head swimming and I saw double of everything.
Jade's dad shuffled towards me, his mouth lopsidedly open, his arms swinging back and forth like windmills. He reached me within seconds.
I reached up and smashed a fist into his face, feeling satisfied until I felt a dull pain explode in my hand.
I backed away from him to run towards Jade, but somehow he managed to get in between us, even though I had just stunned him with the blow to his face.
His eyes were so glassy-looking and glazed over that I thought he was blind. A drop of blood slid down from his hairline and rolled down his cheek. He panted, the smell of alcohol was so strong it smelled like a hospital.
My heart was racing so fast I thought it was going to burst. Mr. West tilted his head to one side, his face lighting up and showing no pain or fear. He charged at me like a bull.
As he reached his arms out to grab me, I jumped before they could close around me. Mr. West didn't see that he had missed me, because he kept running. If I hadn't jumped so high he probably would've just knocked me to the floor, but I was up in the air and I literally flew over his head and landed down on his back, slipping to the floor. In that same instant, I struggled to get up and tried to run towards Jade.
But Mr. West had seen, or at least felt, me get around him. He spun in a circle and stomped towards me, his feet slipping on the trash, and every step sending mini shock-waves rumbling through the floor. I stumbled too, and suddenly, he leaped towards me, tackling me to the floor.
I couldn't get up. I was on my stomach and Mr. West was too heavy on my back. I reached out my arm towards Jade, hoping she would see it and come to my aid. But she just stood there, her face glazed in fear and sunken in her thoughts.
Maybe I could understand why she wasn't doing anything anymore. This man sitting on top of me had tormented her for years, causing her great pain and forcing her to lie to all of her friends and the few people she loved.
I could hear Mr. West breathing in my ear, his breath clouding my face and burning my eyes and nose with the strong scent of beer. He leaned to the left and grabbed something, and then scooted down my back a little. My heart was pounding and pounding and I thought he was going to finish me off any moment now.
But just then, I felt something incredibly sharp stab deep into the back of my right knee. I couldn't stop myself from screaming with the terrible pain. I was glad that he didn't seem like he was going to rape me, but it wasn't much better with half a bottle in your leg.
I looked up at Jade, my eyes blurry with tears that were coming out.
I realized in that moment that Jade had been right this entire time.
"You don't know me."
She was absolutely, one hundred percent right.
I didn't know her like I thought I had. She was standing there, watching me get attacked by her own father, and not lending me a hand, let alone try and get someone else to help. I thought she might, but she didn't.
My cockiness and horrible planning had gotten me here today.
Stuck on the floor with a bottle in my leg and a full-grown man on my back, who was probably going to knock me unconscious any moment before killing me.
I thought Jade was better than this. No matter how she acted before, I never expected this reaction from her.
"Jabe," I whispered with my horrible speech impediment, "plead don leab me." Well, I mean to say, 'Please don't leave me here to die,' but that was the only things I could manage with her dad on top of me.
Though my vision was terribly blurred and my head spun in a fiery pain, I could still see a few feet in front of me. Jade's face was contorted in the agony of making a decision that would determine our fate.
I blinked, and she was gone.
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Jade's POV
I was in complete shock when I saw my dad attacking Tori, who was up against the wall, her nose twisted at an awkward angle and blood was pouring out. When did he get home? I thought. Then I realized that the click of a door opening and closing had not been Tori, but probably him coming through the back of the house. And then when Tori was screaming my name…I felt so ashamed. I had been taking my sweet time after all, not knowing the danger that she was in….
I watched as my dad threw Tori onto the floor and jumped on top of her. My heart was pounding faster then a cheetah chasing down its prey. I was more scared than I ever had been in my entire life. Sure, every time my dad managed to get into my room I was terrified out of my wits because I knew he was going to hurt me, but seeing him hurting someone else was a completely different story.
It was like watching him hurt Beck.
I couldn't stand it, even as much as I hated Tori.
"JABE!" Tori screeched. "Jabe, helb me!"
Jabe? Oh, she must've been trying to say, 'Jade, help me!' I knew at that point that things were not going to get better, and I would be faced with the decision to save Tori.
One of my many enemies.
I was stuck to the spot, unsure of what to do. My thoughts were traveling so fast I almost couldn't even keep up with them.
Should I go and rescue Tori from my dad before he kills her? There was a smash of a bottle, and I flinched hearing it, remembering all the times that my dad had been hitting me instead.
No, Jade, I think you need to get out of the house before he turns on you too, the voice of my practical mind spoke to me suddenly.
What would Tori do for you if she saw you getting beat by your father? my heart responded.
I looked up and saw Tori backing up against the wall behind her. She kicked my dad in the knee, and when he leaned over to grab it, she wormed her way out of being trapped.
Tori can take care of herself, my mind replied sharply.
But my dad was fast, even as drunk as a sailor. He knocked Tori onto the floor with a heavy blow.
Without thinking, I lunged towards the counter, my finger curling around the neck of an empty beer bottle. I threw it at my dad's arm as hard as I could, and I felt excited when I heard it crumble under contact. My dad yelped, desperately trying to rip the shards out.
Why would you do that? my mind whined. Now he's going to come after you too! Way to go, smarty pants.
Tori looked up at me—gratefulness shown in her eyes under all the pain. The sight of it actually made me happy for once (even though it included Tori), knowing that I wasn't a loser and a fail like my dad always called me.
Although my mind had predicted that my dad would come after me, I don't even think he noticed that I had thrown the bottle. Instead, he charged towards Tori after he had taken the glass out of his arm and picked her up, throwing her onto the kitchen table. She slid across, knocking everything off before hitting the floor.
He walked towards her, but just then Tori punched him in the face and leaped up.
Jade, you need to get out of here now, the voice of my mind said to me. Tori can take care of herself, can't you see? You've dealt with that monster for twelve years, maybe it's time to let someone else have a go.
No, Jade. Tori's in danger. You need to help her, my heart interrupted. You help her, you get hurt too. Is that what you want? my mind asked. And anyway, what has Tori ever done for you?
Tori has helped you in more ways that you can imagine, you've just never realized it, my heart argued back. Remember with your first break-up with Beck? She was the one to get you two back together. Remember when you had no money to put on your play, Well Wishes? She was the one that found the crazy restaurant lady that helped you out.
And that's it, isn't it? my mind seethed. I can think of a hundred things that Tori's done to negatively effect your life. We can just start with the fact that she existed...
Think about what else Tori would be willing to do for you, my heart said quickly. I mean, if you were in trouble, Tori would try and save you the best she could, right? You didn't want her knowing anything about your abuse, but she figured it out anyway.
Well, that's Tori. So stubborn-headed, thinking that she can take on anything. But I know for a fact that if you try and save her, your dad will probably end up killing you too, the voice of my mind said to me. in a more reasonable manner. He seems more drunk than usual and out of control…I don't think you'd want to die for Tori, would you?
Whoever said anything about dying? I thought, inserting my own say in this argument. Although death would be pretty cool…I don't think I'd want to die just because of Tori.
Suddenly, I saw Tori leap into the air, flying over my dad's head and landing on his back. She fell to the floor and scrambled to get up. My dad staggered to turn around and go after Tori. He slipped on the trash, and I felt the floor rumbling under his weight.
Remember how annoying she was, thinking that she knew everything about you and your life? my mind snarled in my head, trying to start a topic that it knew it would win in. She's just one of those people who think everyone else's business is theirs, Jade. Wouldn't it be great if there was one less of those people in the world?
Have you even tried to look at Tori's intentions? my heart asked.
Intentions are nothing compared to the result of what happens in the end, my mind interrupted harshly. I knew that the voice of my mind was making much more sense now, and was extremely believable. So what would that mean for Tori?
My dad reached Tori, tackling her to the ground. Tori was on her stomach, my dad literally sitting on top of her. She reached her arm out to me in a pleading way. I looked past her and saw my dad raise something that glittered in the light of the kitchen and bring it down into Tori's leg. She screamed, and the sound made me want to cover my ears.
Help her, Jade! my heart shouted, drowning out Tori.
Run! my mind said instead.
Tori looked up at me, tears running down her face. My heart twisted up at the sight, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.
What are you DOING? my mind yelled, shattering all of my thoughts, and probably very upset that I was feeling this way about Tori. RUN, Jade! Stop standing there like a fool! GET OUT OF THERE!
I was in such a conflicted situation. I felt like I had been standing there for an eternity, when in reality, it had probably only been a minute or so ever since I first got to the kitchen.
Tori's eyes were full of pain and begging, and I saw my dad trying to get the thing he had stabbed her with out of her leg.
Jade, if you don't do something now, it'll be too late, my heart told me in a gentle voice. So I suggest you make the choice soon.
Yeah, and make sure you choose the right one, my mind reminded me harshly.
"Jabe," Tori said suddenly, breaking my thoughts, "plead don leab me."
Was Tori really going to be worth it? Beck was a whole different story. And speaking of my boyfriend...he was coming here wasn't he? Maybe I could just wait until he arrived and then he could save Tori. I knew that he had a soft spot for her ever since the day she came to HA. But of course, he still loved me more.
It might be too late by that time, my heart said calmly. Tori cares about you, Jade, and she wants to help you.
I wasn't really able to think very clearly, but I knew that I wasn't going to be standing around any longer. I knew what I had to do, and I knew what I wanted to do.
So, I made my decision without thinking twice.
I would never forget the look on Tori's face as I ran towards the door.
Dun, dun, dun!