Even with the closing of telepathy's connection Chris could not help but feel a weak, disturbing twinge against his right shoulder after placing her bones back into their correct position.
A/N: Hey guys! I'm in one of my insomniac moods right now so here comes another chapter! xD Don't mind what I said before about Sarah probably not being in this, because I'm starting to have second thoughts. Just to build the tension a little. Mwuahaha. ox I have an awesome idea for her, but don't know if I'll go through with it. There are so many characters I have yet to bring into the story yet...Callie, Jay, Erika, and even a few characters that I made up myself...Which is all the reason for you guys to keep reading and tell your friends. xP
A cool, refreshing liquid dripping against the thick bruise on his eye socket was the sensation which greeted him from unconciousness. Senses once numb to all surroundings now began to adapt to wherever the hell he was; a ceiling fan hummed softly in his ears, the mixed fumes of ripe strawberries and cheap cigarette smoke flooding into his nostrils. But that was not all. He had absolutely no idea if he was at home or half way across the country, and that frightened him. Bradin's first instinct was to shoot up from the lying position he managed to be relaxed in but a pair of scarred hands held him back. Just the fingernails belonging to them alone intrested him; each was colored in a deep coat of scarlet, followed by some sort of clear shine. They were rather long and pointed and nearly dug into his revealed upper half.
"I'm so, so sorry. This was my fault. You can stay here as long as you need to." The voice speaking swiftly from behind him cracked just slightly. Bradin found it amusing, but did not comment. Instead he lay against the understuffed sofa and found his head was in the young woman's lap, more specifically on her knee.
"It's just...It's just..." Obviously disgruntled, the young girl cut herself off and began a new topic of speaking.
"My name's Jazmine." She waited a minute or so to see if he would respond with his own identity. Nothing. But she wasn't about to hold that against him; for all she knew he could be in hair-raising pain.
"Come on. Want me to get you home, whever that is, Mystery Boy?"
Bradin heard her chuckle and felt a lazy smile appear across lips. From then on both of them sat ever so content in silence. After what seemed like eternity Jazmine swore she heard a hoarse word or two come from him.
"What was that?" she spoke softly.
His lips did not want to move from lack of use, but somehow he felt like he needed them to. A murmur soon escaped them, unheard to anyone but himself. Lean eyebrows quirked in question. "Hmm?"
"Jazz." Bradin lifted his head and found the pain in his nose had subsided, though his head was still pounding, something which he could withstand.
Jazmine's brow nearly dissapeared into her forehead and she could not help but snicker. "What?"
"Yo-your name...I-it sounds like Ja-jazz."
She smiled warmly and prodded at a loose strand of pure ebony hair passing in her vision. "Never got that kinda nickname before. So, do you have a name?"
Struggling was scarce in order to reach to his feet and meet the thin, wooden floor. One glance around the area and he was already in a state of surprise; laundry scattering around the dining room and leading into the kitchen covered a lopsided table and peeling vanilla wallpaper. The towering cabinet cluttered in empty bottles of various alcohol seemed like it would tip at any second due to the weight placed upon its shelves. Bradin wasn't sure, but he even thought a cockaroach skitted across the grimy tiled floor of the kitchen nearby.
Jazmine shot to her feet and gently tugged on his arm, pressing open the door with the toe of her sneaker. Both of them almost collapsed on the grass in the front yard in severe need of cutting. A light blush formed at her mocha cheeks.
"Sorry about that." she apologized quickly. He did not even test his mind to try and figure out what she was so sorry about.
"Brad-din."
"Nice to meet'cha Bradin." Eyes trailed down to the lightly littered ground somewhat shyly. "Well...You can uh, head home if you want. You have no business staying here in a house like this, do you? I hope you feel better, and like I said, I am really sorry about what happened. From the bottom of my heart, I am."
What happened? What was this girl going on about? Confusion struck the sixteen year old's mind for a split second and his intense gaze fixed upon her face. Two dark bruises were on either side of her jaw bone and a thin yet noticable scar down her left cheek. That was it. It was all coming back to him. The sights of abuse, the tackling, punches, everything. Before having a chance to ask a question about the situation Jazmine departed silently back into her home, her sheet of board-straight tresses flowing behind her in the morning atmosphere.
Bradin felt immobilized in his spot near the front steps. Did she care at all about her condition, her apperance? More over, the fact that she was thrown around by a man like a rag doll?
--Back At The House--
"Mmmm...You're a naughty little boy today, aren't you?" Erika crooned in her fellow partner's ear. Jay could feel the fifty watt smile permenantly attached to her face as his lips carressed the area of her collar bone, tongue massaging at the tender flesh. The pair were leaned against the doorway of the house known so well. What they didn't know of was the audience examining their foreplay from the glass sliding door. Erika raised the hand leaning against the material of her pocket and let her fingertips push back a clump of sandy locks from Jay's hairline. Giggles and gentle squeals were all that entered his ear.
"Sorry, you missed the bedroom by a few." Johnny piped in order to get their attention. Immediatly the couple shot upright, Erika placing a slate of dark hair over the moist reddening spot against her neck. Both of their faces shot a deep scarlet and Jay tried his hardest to change the subject.
"We were just stopping by."
"We can see that." Nikki quipped with a raised brow.
Ava rolled her eyes with a grin and motioned the two in. All of them crowded into the area of the living room, Nikki and Derrick plopping on the floor. Each of the ajoined family members had changed into their normal day clothing attire.
"Do you think Bradin will be up for surfing today?" Erika striked up a conversation while leaning gently against her beloved's shoulder. Ava's eyes dropped to the floor for a moment in thought whilst everyone did not even bother to answer. No one besides his surfing teacher attempted to motivate him back in the water, but ever since the shark accident, he'd barely gone so far as the shore of the beach.
"I doubt it." Johnny's eyes diverted toward the stares in growing curiousity. "Where is that kid, anyways? He's been up there for a few hours."
"Probably fell asleep." Sussannah suggested. However, Ava was not going to take that as an answer. After retracting from her position in the heart of the couch she jogged upstairs and dissapeared down the thin hall. Moments later she stomped back down and landed in a stiffening position against the kitchen's island. Her eyes were widened to the size of quarters, everyone staring over in growing concern.
"He's not in his room."
Sussanah and Johnny both craned their necks with disbelief. Derrick and Nikki's eyes met and scanned around the first floor for any sign of their oldest sibling. The entire pack was about to stand but a clatter of iron against glass interupted their actions. They all took once glance at Bradin's appearance before noticing his condition. A chorus of low gasps sunk into the room.
"Did you lose a battle between a set of stairs, mate?" Erika bit gently into Jay's shoulder for his comment which caused him to silence. Jay stood almost cautiously and stood in front of the teeanger, Ava joining right at his side. Her finger traced the black and blue mark along his eye, watching him twitch in mild pain.
"What in the hell..." Johnny stay transfixed on the several scrapes at Bradin's chest in awe. "Who did this to you?"
"I...Don't know." Silence grew agonizing along the house. From a flabbergasted Ericka all the way down to a nearly frightened Derick, the entire household stared, as if in denial that those three words came from someone else. No one decided to say anything about it though, afraid it would trigger the sixteen year old's already low temper.
"Well...Go get yourself cleaned up, Bradin. It's almost noon. We're all heading down to the boardwalk, and we'd love for you to come."
He paid no mind to his aunt's words but instead led himself upstairs and into his bedroom. Once the door closed a bit harshly Johnny was the first to break the silence. "Well, that was...intresting."
A/N: Hey guys! I'm in one of my insomniac moods right now so here comes another chapter! xD Don't mind what I said before about Sarah probably not being in this, because I'm starting to have second thoughts. Just to build the tension a little. Mwuahaha. ox I have an awesome idea for her, but don't know if I'll go through with it. There are so many characters I have yet to bring into the story yet...Callie, Jay, Erika, and even a few characters that I made up myself...Which is all the reason for you guys to keep reading and tell your friends. xP
A cool, refreshing liquid dripping against the thick bruise on his eye socket was the sensation which greeted him from unconciousness. Senses once numb to all surroundings now began to adapt to wherever the hell he was; a ceiling fan hummed softly in his ears, the mixed fumes of ripe strawberries and cheap cigarette smoke flooding into his nostrils. But that was not all. He had absolutely no idea if he was at home or half way across the country, and that frightened him. Bradin's first instinct was to shoot up from the lying position he managed to be relaxed in but a pair of scarred hands held him back. Just the fingernails belonging to them alone intrested him; each was colored in a deep coat of scarlet, followed by some sort of clear shine. They were rather long and pointed and nearly dug into his revealed upper half.
"I'm so, so sorry. This was my fault. You can stay here as long as you need to." The voice speaking swiftly from behind him cracked just slightly. Bradin found it amusing, but did not comment. Instead he lay against the understuffed sofa and found his head was in the young woman's lap, more specifically on her knee.
"It's just...It's just..." Obviously disgruntled, the young girl cut herself off and began a new topic of speaking.
"My name's Jazmine." She waited a minute or so to see if he would respond with his own identity. Nothing. But she wasn't about to hold that against him; for all she knew he could be in hair-raising pain.
"Come on. Want me to get you home, whever that is, Mystery Boy?"
Bradin heard her chuckle and felt a lazy smile appear across lips. From then on both of them sat ever so content in silence. After what seemed like eternity Jazmine swore she heard a hoarse word or two come from him.
"What was that?" she spoke softly.
His lips did not want to move from lack of use, but somehow he felt like he needed them to. A murmur soon escaped them, unheard to anyone but himself. Lean eyebrows quirked in question. "Hmm?"
"Jazz." Bradin lifted his head and found the pain in his nose had subsided, though his head was still pounding, something which he could withstand.
Jazmine's brow nearly dissapeared into her forehead and she could not help but snicker. "What?"
"Yo-your name...I-it sounds like Ja-jazz."
She smiled warmly and prodded at a loose strand of pure ebony hair passing in her vision. "Never got that kinda nickname before. So, do you have a name?"
Struggling was scarce in order to reach to his feet and meet the thin, wooden floor. One glance around the area and he was already in a state of surprise; laundry scattering around the dining room and leading into the kitchen covered a lopsided table and peeling vanilla wallpaper. The towering cabinet cluttered in empty bottles of various alcohol seemed like it would tip at any second due to the weight placed upon its shelves. Bradin wasn't sure, but he even thought a cockaroach skitted across the grimy tiled floor of the kitchen nearby.
Jazmine shot to her feet and gently tugged on his arm, pressing open the door with the toe of her sneaker. Both of them almost collapsed on the grass in the front yard in severe need of cutting. A light blush formed at her mocha cheeks.
"Sorry about that." she apologized quickly. He did not even test his mind to try and figure out what she was so sorry about.
"Brad-din."
"Nice to meet'cha Bradin." Eyes trailed down to the lightly littered ground somewhat shyly. "Well...You can uh, head home if you want. You have no business staying here in a house like this, do you? I hope you feel better, and like I said, I am really sorry about what happened. From the bottom of my heart, I am."
What happened? What was this girl going on about? Confusion struck the sixteen year old's mind for a split second and his intense gaze fixed upon her face. Two dark bruises were on either side of her jaw bone and a thin yet noticable scar down her left cheek. That was it. It was all coming back to him. The sights of abuse, the tackling, punches, everything. Before having a chance to ask a question about the situation Jazmine departed silently back into her home, her sheet of board-straight tresses flowing behind her in the morning atmosphere.
Bradin felt immobilized in his spot near the front steps. Did she care at all about her condition, her apperance? More over, the fact that she was thrown around by a man like a rag doll?
--Back At The House--
"Mmmm...You're a naughty little boy today, aren't you?" Erika crooned in her fellow partner's ear. Jay could feel the fifty watt smile permenantly attached to her face as his lips carressed the area of her collar bone, tongue massaging at the tender flesh. The pair were leaned against the doorway of the house known so well. What they didn't know of was the audience examining their foreplay from the glass sliding door. Erika raised the hand leaning against the material of her pocket and let her fingertips push back a clump of sandy locks from Jay's hairline. Giggles and gentle squeals were all that entered his ear.
"Sorry, you missed the bedroom by a few." Johnny piped in order to get their attention. Immediatly the couple shot upright, Erika placing a slate of dark hair over the moist reddening spot against her neck. Both of their faces shot a deep scarlet and Jay tried his hardest to change the subject.
"We were just stopping by."
"We can see that." Nikki quipped with a raised brow.
Ava rolled her eyes with a grin and motioned the two in. All of them crowded into the area of the living room, Nikki and Derrick plopping on the floor. Each of the ajoined family members had changed into their normal day clothing attire.
"Do you think Bradin will be up for surfing today?" Erika striked up a conversation while leaning gently against her beloved's shoulder. Ava's eyes dropped to the floor for a moment in thought whilst everyone did not even bother to answer. No one besides his surfing teacher attempted to motivate him back in the water, but ever since the shark accident, he'd barely gone so far as the shore of the beach.
"I doubt it." Johnny's eyes diverted toward the stares in growing curiousity. "Where is that kid, anyways? He's been up there for a few hours."
"Probably fell asleep." Sussannah suggested. However, Ava was not going to take that as an answer. After retracting from her position in the heart of the couch she jogged upstairs and dissapeared down the thin hall. Moments later she stomped back down and landed in a stiffening position against the kitchen's island. Her eyes were widened to the size of quarters, everyone staring over in growing concern.
"He's not in his room."
Sussanah and Johnny both craned their necks with disbelief. Derrick and Nikki's eyes met and scanned around the first floor for any sign of their oldest sibling. The entire pack was about to stand but a clatter of iron against glass interupted their actions. They all took once glance at Bradin's appearance before noticing his condition. A chorus of low gasps sunk into the room.
"Did you lose a battle between a set of stairs, mate?" Erika bit gently into Jay's shoulder for his comment which caused him to silence. Jay stood almost cautiously and stood in front of the teeanger, Ava joining right at his side. Her finger traced the black and blue mark along his eye, watching him twitch in mild pain.
"What in the hell..." Johnny stay transfixed on the several scrapes at Bradin's chest in awe. "Who did this to you?"
"I...Don't know." Silence grew agonizing along the house. From a flabbergasted Ericka all the way down to a nearly frightened Derick, the entire household stared, as if in denial that those three words came from someone else. No one decided to say anything about it though, afraid it would trigger the sixteen year old's already low temper.
"Well...Go get yourself cleaned up, Bradin. It's almost noon. We're all heading down to the boardwalk, and we'd love for you to come."
He paid no mind to his aunt's words but instead led himself upstairs and into his bedroom. Once the door closed a bit harshly Johnny was the first to break the silence. "Well, that was...intresting."