Chapter Twenty-One: It Happens To Other People
Andrew
"Well, this is it," I said, dropping our bags by the door as I led Marco into the apartment.
"This is an apartment?" he asked, eyes wide. "It's bigger than my house!"
"It's really not that big. Compared to our house, at least…"
"Oh stop bragging," he said before silencing me with a kiss. "So, tell me about it."
"Well, there are just three bathrooms, six bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a living room," he said, shrugging.
"Wow. I can't even begin to imagine what your house looks like. So…where's our room?" he asked.
Right when I was about to answer him, the door opened behind us and Rory walked in. We pulled apart. I always felt bad being together when Rory could see.
"Christ Rory, you look like shit," I said, walking over to him and hugging him.
"Thanks," he said softly.
He looked like he hadn't slept in weeks. His hair was all messed up, his eyes were sunken with dark lines under them, his nose was red, and he was really pale.
"You okay?" Marco asked him, staying where he was.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just going up to my room." He walked upstairs without another word, leaving Marco and I in awe of the way he was acting.
"This is really hard on him," I said, concerned.
"I know. Maybe we should try and cheer him up," Marco suggested.
"I think we better leave him alone for the time being. I'll show you to our room okay?"
I grasped his hand and pulled him along up the stairs.
Remy
I had a huge fight with Kelly before I left to go home. I told him that it was over between us, and that I was sick of his bullshit. I still can't believe he told Theresa about me and him! Now I don't even have a girlfriend.
I guess I'm not that upset about it. I mean, both relationships were only about sex, and I think I need more than that. At least, I need more to decide if I'm gay or not. I can't go on the rest of my life being bi.
"You okay?" Nate asked, pulling me out of my thoughts. I had invited him and Craig to come spend Christmas at our apartment, but Craig had to go home. So now Nate and I were having an awkward ride there.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I said, sighing.
"Both your girlfriends break up with you?" he asked.
"Something like that. But, how did you know…?"
"News travels fast at school," he answered, shrugging his shoulders.
"Trust me, I'm not the most interesting person there," I told him, rolling my eyes.
"I know." He grinned at me and I rolled my eyes again, laughing.
"So…what's up with you?" I asked. "How are things with Craig?"
"Great," he said, leaning his head against the window. Yeah, he was definitely lying.
"Things will get better," I assured him. "And if they don't, you'll find someone better than him. There are some great guys out there."
"Thanks," he said, smiling in my direction.
And just like that, we were friends.
Craig
"I'm home!" I yelled to the house.
"Craig!" Angie yelled, running in from the kitchen. "You're back!"
"Just for two weeks Ang. But I'll be here for Christmas."
"Hey Craig," Joey greeted me, walking in behind her. We hugged and I followed them into the living room.
"Where's your girlfriend Joey?" I asked, sitting down on the couch.
"We broke up," he said, sitting in his chair.
"I'm sorry to hear that. It really sucks."
"Not really. Craig, we've got a surprise for you," he said, smiling.
"Really, what is it?"
"Come on in!" he yelled to someone. When I saw her, I nearly jumped for joy.
"Caitlin!" I ran over to her like a little kid, and gave her a huge hug. "When did you get back?" I asked.
"About three weeks ago," she said. "Craig, we're getting married."
"That's great! I can't wait," I yelled excitedly.
"We want you to be the best man," Joey said, clapping me on the back.
"Of course," I told them. A knock on the door brought us out of our celebration. "I'll get it."
I opened the door and was surprised.
"Craig, I missed you so much!" Manny said as she hugged me and I was pushedmeback into the house.
"I missed you too Manny," I said, kissing her hard. "Let's go upstairs," I whispered in her ear.
Marco
"I'll get it!" I yelled as the doorbell rang. I threw the door open and stepped back. "What are you doing here?" I asked coldly.
"Nate invited us," Rex said, walking inside and dragging Jesse behind him.
"Great. Uh…I guess Andrew will see you to your room then," I said, closing the door and walking up the stairs. I had nothing else to do, so I knocked on Rory's door.
There was no answer. I knocked again, and still, nothing. So I pushed the door open and found him lying on his bed, asleep. He looked so horrible, and it's probably my fault.
I shouldn't have taken his advice and gone with Andrew. Because I can tell that it's killing him.
But I know that it's too late now. I miss Rory, but I'm so happy with Andrew.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, touching his cheek, before turning and walking out of the room.
Jesse
"I can't believe this was the surprise," I said, throwing my bag on the bed and plopping down next to it.
"I thought you'd be happy that we didn't have to stay at some dumb hotel. You know my parents won't let me go home, and well, you don't have anywhere to go either. And I sure as hell wasn't going to stay at school."
"I just didn't want to see Marco. Don't worry about it; I'm glad you planned something nice for me. Thanks," I said, smiling and kissing him on the cheek.
He closed the door and locked it before walking over to me and jumping on the bed.
"I'll make it up to you," he said, kissing me and shoving his tongue into my mouth. "I promise."
Lindsey
"Can I even get a phone call or something?" I asked. I was sitting in a fricken jail cell, still without a shirt. There were three other guys in there with me.
"Yeah, sure kid. It won't help you much though," one of the officers said. "You're not getting out on bail."
"What? Are you kidding?" I yelled. "Why not?"
"Don't ask me. I'm not the one who decided it." He unlocked the door and let me out. Then he led me over to the phone on the wall and stood there, watching me.
I dialed Sarah's cell phone. I didn't know who else to call.
"Hello?" she asked, answering on the first ring.
"What the hell is going on?" I asked her. "This is crazy!"
"Lindsey, I'm so sorry. I didn't know this was going to happen. My dad found out who you were. But don't worry, I didn't tell them anything. Don't you say anything either. I'll try to get you out of it. I'll talk to my dad," she said. "But I gotta go, he's coming."
Before I could say anything else, she hung up the phone.
"One more call?" I asked.
"Who?" he asked back, taking the receiver from me.
"My lawyer."
"Fine, here." He handed it back to me and I dialed once again, sighing as he answered the phone.
"Hey Dad. Look…I need your help…"
Rex
"Hey, I'm glad you're gonna do this for me," I told Alyssa over the phone.
"Yeah, well, I'm not," she grumbled. "I don't know how you expect me to get Bella down there for Christmas. Her father's not gonna want us to go anywhere," she said, sighing.
"I'm her father, remember? And her name is Gracie, so don't call her that," I hissed.
"I named her Isabella Grace. So I will call her what I want to," she said, sighing.
"Whatever. Look, just find a way to get her here," I said before hanging up.
I turned around to go back to my room, but there he was, standing right behind me.
"Hey Jesse." He glared at me. I wonder how much he heard.
Thomas
Here I am, at Andrew Billingsley's apartment in New York. I can't believe this. I don't really even have anyone to talk to, since Lindsey's in prison.
I lay in my bed in the empty room, curled up under the blankets. I'd never felt this bad before. My dad has been hitting me since I was ten, and I usually just forgot about it.
But now, it's been a month since it happened and I can't forget about it. There was no way I'd go back home for Christmas. I feel bad for leaving my mom like this, but I know he won't lay a hand on her. He's probably satisfied with what he did to me.
A tear rolled down my cheek, then another, and another. Within a minute or two, I was balling,unable to stop it. Thankfully there isn't anyone in here.
Fuck. How could he do this to me? I've never been this way before. I've never cried about my father. But it was the first time that he ever…
I can't even think about it. I can't sleep now either. Because, even though I know he's nowhere near me, I'm afraid that he'll be here, that he'll come and do it again.
My father has turned me into a coward. And I'm crying over him.
"You're not gonna fight me then are you?" he growled, pulling me up off the ground.
"No, I'm not," I whispered, wincing. He had just finished beating the shit out of me and I could barely stand.
I saw him undo his belt and he turned me around, pulling my pants down. It wasn't the first time he whipped me with it, so I was prepared. It stung so badly, but I wouldn't let him see me cry.
"If you won't fight like a man, then I know you'll like this," he growled.
I didn't know that he was gonna do it. I had no idea.
I screamed and cried out in pain as I felt something slam into my rear end.
He was…he…
I bawled like a little baby and screamed for him to stop. But he didn't.
He didn't stop until he wanted to. And by then, I was numb all over, and I fell forward onto the bed before everything went black.
A/N: Before you even think it, no, Remy and Nate are not going to get together lol. I just had to make a connection between some people so that they all ended up at Andrew's for Christmas break. Not much with Marco this chapter because I had a bunch of other stuff I had to cover. I originally wasn't going to have that happen to Thomas, but two of my reviewers gave me the idea. Tell me what you think.
Qtpye: That's okay about the reviews...don't worry about it. I'm glad you like the story though and that it's somehow inspirational. It makes me happy that I'm writing it.
