After the words escaped my chapped lips I lost all ability to breathe. A sob was caught in my throat as I waited for Two-Bit to move, to say something.
He stood there like a rock wall for what seemed like years, but was merely only a few seconds.
His normally pale face was so red it started to look a slight purple color and his eyes screamed in pain. I wished I could tell what was running through his mind. I could see his teeth grinding together from where his lips were opened slightly.
I wasn't scared of Jack anymore, not at the moment. It wasn't like I was scared of Two-Bit, but more like I was scared of what he would do.
Two-Bit stood up from where he'd been kneeling by my side. I felt the warm tears escape my eyes and taunt me. Taunt me just how they always had from the time I was nine until now.
"That…That fucking sonofabitch," Two-Bit rammed his fist into the wall, causing me to cringe.
I tried to speak, tried to make something form into some kind of a word.
Calm, stop, please. Nothing came, even though I begged my throat to gather up all the strength it could muster and say something.
I couldn't even blink, afraid I'd miss a move of Two-Bit's that could lead to something bad.
Two-Bit brought his hands up and slowly rubbed them down his face, his knuckles on his right hand bloodied from his punch. How did that not make him cry? Why didn't greasers, men in particular, cry? I was a greaser, sure, but I didn't get it. How could you just not cry?
"That bastard.." Two-Bit mumbled obscenities under his breath as his eyes darted back and forth, "How could even think of- The monster- 15 years old-Just a kid."
The last words hit me the most. Just a kid. That's all I was, wasn't I? I was just some scared little kid. It didn't matter that I was fifteen, I was still just a kid. I was raped. I was a kid who was raped.
I was a fifteen year old kid who was raped by her step father.
How? Why? When? Where? These were nothing but little questions that meant absolutely zero to me. The only thing that hit me was truth. My age, my youth and my pride were the only things my mind would allow to roam.
"Liz, why didn't you tell me?" The question was obviously a rhetorical one by how he asked it. Two-Bit leaned his forehead and his right forearm against the wall, "If I ever see that slimy bastard again I swear-"
Two-Bit never finished that sentence. He banged his fist hard against the worn out walls. I was actually very surprised a hole, or even a decent sized crack, hadn't formed.
Two-Bit turned on his heels and made his way down the stairs and out the house. I found somewhat of a voice.
"Wait," It was barely a whisper and didn't even have an effect on the thundering Two-Bit. I heard the front door slam and was afraid the impact had broken the hinges. The sob I'd been holding in my throat found an exit and I heaved myself foreword as my body racked.
What was he planning on doing? He surely wasn't going after Jack. That could be one of the stupidest things to do. Two-Bit may have been tough, but he definitely held nothing to the 260 pound man we were forced to live with.
If Two-Bit hurt himself or got into some kind of trouble, I was almost positive I'd have no where to go. Even the thought of something like that happening caused my stomach to flip over. I held onto myself, hoping I wouldn't have to throw up anything again.
I slowly stood, my legs shaking like no other. I had to hold onto the wall just to keep myself upright.
"Oh God…." I whispered quietly to myself, saying a slight prayer. I wasn't much of a religious person, but if there was ever a time to start it'd probably be then.
I felt like my head was spinning. I didn't understand why this was such a big deal.
Why couldn't I just take a deep breath and let everything go? I didn't know why.
I slowly walked down the steps, holding the rail with my free hand. My ribs hurt from my racking sobs so I tried my hardest to calm down.
When I got down I slowly made my way to the couch. I sat down carefully and held my head in my hands. I slowly shook my head, trying to make myself forget the past few moments.
"Two-Bit's not stupid," I told myself quietly, "He may be slow, but he's definitely not stupid."
I dug my palms into my eyes as I took a deep, shaky breath. I felt my tears slowly subside as I calmed myself down with the breaths. The even breaths that could cause me to be at peace or hallucinate insanely.
I lay out along the couch, trying to recollect myself. No matter how I'd told Two-Bit I was pretty sure my reaction would've been similar to one I'd just had.
I closed my eyes slowly, trying to ignore the pounding in my head. I found my tears calming down completely, but my body slowly shook anyways. I took deep breaths.
As my body evened it's breathing and stopped shaking as roughly, I found myself slowly drifting off as I shivered. A shaky yawn escaped my lips as I slowly fell into an unrestful slumber.
"Two-Bit, where are you going?" I ask quietly, my eyes lowering. Two-Bit looks ahead of himself and smirks slightly.
"Don't worry about it Liz, I'm just taking care of business," He replies, lighting a cigarette. He slicks his hair back slightly, once retrieving his lighter to his pocket.
"Two-Bit don't- I mean- please just be careful," I warn carefully. Two-Bit throws a wacky grin my way and playfully pushes my shoulder.
"Ah c'mon kid. I ain't stupid," Two-Bit replies, his cocky attitude returning. I find myself grinning slightly at Two-Bit's childish ways of acting.
"I know," I reply slowly, "Just-be smart."
Two-Bit bows, "Of course."
I try to nod, give an honest smile. Every time I try, though, I just can't seem to bring myself to fulfill the task.
Two-Bit cocks an eyebrow and gives me a knowing look.
"You ok?"
I nod my heads slowly, "Sure."
Two-Bit shrugs and suddenly we were no longer just with each other.
I stand about 10 feet away from Two-Bit and across from him is a dark figure. I can't make out who it is, but an unsettling feeling settles in my stomach.
"Two-Bit wha-?"
He heolds his hand up to silence me. I'm slightly taken aback, but obey nonetheless.
My eyes widen as the shadowed person comes into my view. I feel myself start to hyperventilate and I shake uncontrollably.
"J-jack?"
He smirks evilly, "That's right sweet heart."
Two-Bit's teeth ground together as his eyes flash the anger I can tell is swelling up inside of him.
"I'd watch what you say to her if I were you," He spits, glaring daggers. Jack just lets out a cold, hard laugh and shakes his head.
I don't even realized I am crying until I feel the drips on my hands. When I look down, though, I realize they aren't just tears.
It is blood.
My mouth opens as if I want to say something, but nothing comes out. My breath is raspy, causing me to have sharp intakes of breath.
I gasp as my eyes fly back and forth between Two-Bit and Jack. They circle each other, as if they are within a wrestling ring.
"Two-Bit don't-" I try to warn him even though I already have several times. It doesn't seem like it is getting through his head.
"Don't worry Lizzy, I got this," he replies easily. For some reason, though, I'm not sure he did have it.
"Sure ya' do," Jack taunts, "Keith you've got it all under control."
The laugh Jack produces causes me to shrink back, trying to hide. Sadly, there is no where to crawl under where I can be safe. I feel numb, as if ice has crept along my entire body.
I watch as Jack keeps the ugly smirk across his face. It causes my spine to tingle and I just want away from everyone and everything.
I want so badly to distract myself, to kiss Soda or some sleazy guy at Buck's, it doesn't matter. I just want something to make me not watch Jack like this.
Images pour into my head of Jack's body, laying on top of mine. Forcing me to do unimaginable things.
I shake my head vigorously, trying my absolute hardest to erase the pictures.
I look back up and gasp.
There is Jack, holding a gun up to Two-Bit's head. Two-Bit just stands there, motionless, his eyes are closed.
I am slightly confused at first to what is going on. I feel like laughing, as if insanity is taking it's toll on me. I need to be put in a straight jacket as soon as possible.
'I warned him,' I think to myself, 'I told him to be careful.'
"Jack don't," I say with more force than I think I am able to project. All Jack does is shake his head and laugh.
"Please no," I say louder, wanting to scream, but not being able to find the heart to do it.
Jack's finger lead towards the trigger. He starts to pull back slowly.
Then I hear a click.
"No!"
Blood splatters everywhere and I try to run forward to Two-Bit, but I can't go anywhere. No matter how hard I run it gets me no where.
Jack starts to fade with an evil laugh following slowly behind him. I try to get towards Two-Bit, but his lifeless body sits motionless on the ground and I know there is nothing I can do.
I shot up off the rough couch, sweat pouring all over me. My breathing was heavy and I could tell I'd been crying.
"Oh God…." I said slowly, holding my head, "I gotta get out of here."
I knew I needed a distraction and I didn't want to bother Soda at work. He still didn't know Two-Bit was okay with everything. I got up slowly and steadied myself.
"Buck's it is," I said to myself, slowly walking upstairs to get ready.
XXXThe music wasn't as loud as normal, but there were still a lot of people.
The other day when I'd done the pole it hurt like hell with my ribs and wrist, so I decided against it. All that was left to do was make out with several guys.
I didn't figure it cheating on Soda, considering I thought of it as a job and no one here really recognized me. It wasn't like I had a big name in the town or anything.
"Well ain't you a good lookin' broad?"
I turned on my heals to look into the face of Jonathon Crimson. He wasn't that bad of a guy, and I doubted he knew who I was. I saw him hanging around Curly Sheperd once or twice, but I was pretty sure he mostly bummed around with the Brumly Boys.
"Uh, hi," I said, quickly catching how uncomfortable I was starting to feel. This had happened the other night too. No matter what guy I was talking to or kissing it always seemed like I was almost scared.
It had seemed that I felt like that around guys in general, but I'd rather be scared of these guys than Jack.
"How 'bout I get you something to drink?" He asked me. I tried my hardest to man up, act like I normally would around these guys. I wanted to try and lead them on, but flashes of jack reappeared in my head.
"Sure," I told him slowly. It was never this hard.
He came back a few minutes later.
"Here sweetheart," he handed me a beer, already opened. I gratefully took a sip and found myself loosen up slightly.
Before you knew it we were making out in the middle of the room, like so many others were doing. I knew everything I was doing was show, but with the beer and kissing all my problems seemed to fade away for the moment.
Being half drunk helped me to get the scared feeling around men out of me and caused me to act how I normally would a little more.
From my kiss I looked up across the room and saw someone smirking at me. I smirked back for a second, thinking it was my next "client", until I realized who it was.
I pulled away from the kiss, my eyes wide.
"Aw, shit."