I'm seriously considering dumping a bottle of fruit punch on my own head... because I need a shower but don't have an excuse to take one. R&R, please, because it makes my chapters better!
Alice
Nobody even moved. I got up angrily, stretching my back so the pain stretched out and got worse until it disappeared altogether. My mom had taught me that when I was little. I fought back a wave of grief, and went up to face Mandy, the one who had spoken. She was not alone. She had some of her friends, but I didn't spot William. Some of the people I recognized included Zoe, Chuck, Taylor, Jeff and June. They were all bigger than me. I stood in front of my new group of friends, determined to protect them from these horrible people. Jasper got up then, and he stood in front of me. Guarding me.
"What are you doing?" I hissed.
"Protecting you." He stroked my face, and I pulled back instinctively. It would take me a long time – if ever – to get used to anybody touching me. Mandy and Williams had hit me every time I messed up. Which was often. And Williams had done some... worse things. All in all, I was a victim of child abuse, and I only wanted a saviour, but I couldn't let anyone in! I was jerked back to reality suddenly.
"So this is your new boyfriend?" Mandy asked. I made a face, and Jasper winced.
"Oh, don't look so surprised. And be careful; she's a tease. William says so." I gasped, taken aback by Mandy's bluntness. I had never... "I have never." I repeated out loud. Jasper looked back at me, hurt in his eyes. I shook my head slowly and surely. He believed me. Thank god.
"Don't lie, child. Didn't we teach you better?" Mandy said, stepping forward. Jasper tensed. I walked forward so I was standing right in front of her.
"You never taught me anything except violence and rape." I said. Mandy gasped, acting as if she was shocked.
"You insolent child! We don't speak of those things." She said. I rolled my eyes.
"Why don't you just shut up?" I asked.
"Do not speak like that!" She gasped. June made a face at Sunny behind me.
"Sunny?" She asked.
"June? Is that you?" Sunny replied. She got up and ran over to June, hugging her.
"June!" Mandy barked. June pulled away from Sunny quickly, standing at attention. Sunny looked hurt.
"Sorry, Sunny. This is my life now, and if killing you is part of it, I'm fine with it." Her voice was strained, forced. Sunny blinked, and walked back to Aaron. Mandy looked back at me, a sick smile on her face.
"Now, let's settle this now. You will come back with us, and your little friends will forget this has ever happened... or else." Mandy smiled at my friends and ruffled my hair. I grabbed her hand and she froze. Not in terror, in anger. I slowly moved her hand off my head.
"Don't. Ever. Touch. Me." I let her hand drop back to her side. She pulled it back up, and whip! Across my cheek. My cheek burned with the fresh impact. Jasper dashed forward and grabbed her. She kicked at him with both legs, and the rest of her crew kicked into gear. June jumped on Aaron, ripping at his hair as Sunny begged her with tears in her eyes to stop, all the while trying to knock Jeff off her back. Zoe came at me but I threw her off. She might be taller than me, but – believe it or not – she was skinnier. I went over to where Jasper and Mandy were fighting. "Stop." I said. Nobody listen. "Stop! For god's sake STOP IT!" I screamed. Everyone stopped, but didn't move. "Your all fighting over me. If they want me, let me fight for me." I said. Jasper pushed Mandy off of him and over to me. He put his hand under my chin and lifted my head up so he could look in my eyes.
"I will never stop fighting for you, because if you die, I die." And he kissed me. My whole body filled up and burnt out in that kiss, as if he had taken a lighter and set me on fire. I moved my arms to go behind his neck and I pulled myself closer to him. I didn't care that everyone stared. Why should I? He pulled away slowly, lingering a little. I smiled to myself, and took my time in opening my eyes. I wished, that the fight wouldn't continue, that life could just be perfect for right now. Just for a minute. That June – whatever her relation to Sunny – could be the nice fourteen year-old girl she had been four years ago. That Mandy didn't have to have war. That Jeff could be that tall lanky kid I had known and – for a short period of time – loved. That Zoe didn't always looked so worked, so tired. That Taylor could go home to her family, her kids, Chase and Rosie. That Chuck could love Zoe without being ridiculed and picked on. That I – with everyone I loved – could just be free of all the horror. But, life isn't perfect.
"Ah, a happy ending. Oh, wait a minute; that would be your happy ending. Not mine. That means this has to go on. June, why don't you use that gift I gave you?" She asked. That gift. I thought back to the last time we had celebrated June's birthday.. what had Mandy gotten her? It was on the edge of coming to me... a knife!
"No!" I exclaimed, but it was too late. I jumped at her, clinging to Aaron's back. I knocked her off balance, causing the knife to shift and cut a thin gash on the back of Aaron's neck. He cried out, his hand flying to the fresh wound. His mess of blonde curls was already starting to soak up the blood.
"Aaron!" Sunny cried out, shaking Jeff off her easily this time, and she ran over to him. I caught June and put my hands under her arms, heaving her into a pole that was only visible thanks to Mandy's flashlight. She grunted when her head hit the pole, and she stumbled back and fell to the ground. The knife she had been holding was implanted in her arm. I gagged. She picked her arm up and looked at it. The tip of the long knife stuck through the other side of her skinny arm, just missing the bone. She gagged, as well. The fight continued around me. I approached June slowly.
"What do you want?" She hissed at me.
"Let me see that..." I said. She looked at me, then gingerly handed my her arm. I examined it carefully. If we removed the knife and didn't wrap it up, she might lose a little too much blood. I got an idea, and ripped the bottom of my top off, and held it in my lap. I then – slowly and very, very carefully – removed the knife from June's arm. I quickly grabbed the rag and wrapped it around the wound.
"That will have to do. Make sure to bandage it when you get home." I told her. I barely heard her whisper the words when I got up.
"If I get that far." I stood amidst the fighting. I saw Mandy kick Jasper in the face. I winced, and averted my eyes. Jeff was about to throw a punch at Sunny, put she caught his fist and pushed it back, and his shoulder cracked, probably dislocated. I found Aaron over by the pole that June had been shoved into. I tore off another piece of my shirt and handed it to him.
"Use this to clean it." I instructed. He did as he was told and winced as the pain got to him. Somebody kicked me in the back then, and I was shove into Aaron. I moaned in pain, then straightened up and turned to whoever it was. Of course, it was Taylor. Her eyes were black as coal. They matched her hair. She grabbed my shoulder and pulled me closer to her. Then she used her fist to shove my head back farther then it should probably go. I heard and audible crack and reached to rub my neck. It wasn't broken, but it hurt. Then she grabbed the inside of my knee and pulled it up and let go of my neck so I fell back and hit my head on the hard concrete floor. She slid her hand up my calf and held onto my ankle, swinging me twice before she let go, and I hit Jasper, who landed on top of Mandy. One of us – Mandy or I – cried out in pain, and I heard a crack and someone gasped. I rolled off of Jasper, who rolled off of Mandy. She was lying on the ground, motionless.
"Is she...?" I trailed off. Jasper reached out and put two fingers to her neck, where her pulse would have been.
"She isn't... but she's unconscious." He concluded.
"We better get out of here, now, then." I said.
"Your not going anywhere." Someone said. Taylor. Figures. She was always angry now. My head hurt like hell now. I lifted my hand gingerly to the back, afraid of what I might find. Of course. Blood. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing, my breath was coming out in little gasps, the kind you have before you start to cry or when your really... yeah.
"Alice?" Jasper asked me, he was closer to me now, and he was wiping the sweat from my face, but it kept coming and coming. I squeezed my eyes tighter, trying to will away the nausea. "Alice?" Jasper repeated.
"What's wrong with her?" Taylor asked.
"Alice?" June this time.
"Hey? You alright?" I must of looked worse than i felt – if it was possible – because even the people who didn't like me where starting to come to see if I was alright. That one was Jeff.
"She's been injured, in the back and now the head. She was never really alright. I think..." Sunny.
"I didn't mean to mess her up this bad, I mean..." Taylor.
"Alice?" Jasper.
I clamped my mouth shut tight, hoping I wouldn't puke on the almost dead body in front of me. I gave up on that and plain held my breath, which didn't help the wave of on-coming dizziness. My vision went dark, even when i opened my eyes. "Jasper?" I gagged after I said it, but held my lunch.
"Yes, I'm right here. Right here." He whispered to me, pulling my hair out of my eyes and holding me close to him. It was so hot – too hot.
"Let me go." I asked, weak.
"No, Alice, it'll be okay." He reassured me.
"I'm burning! Let me go!" I demanded. He let his arm linger but then pulled his arm away. I moaned, squeezing my eyelids together again.
"It's okay..." Jasper said.
"It's-" I stopped there and lost my lunch – in the most light way to put it – on Mandy. Everyone cringed. I leaned away from her and turned my head, gingerly got up and walked out. Sunny, Aaron, and Jasper followed me. They let us.
Sunny
It would be a light way to put it if I said I had a weak stomach. I swallowed loudly and followed the others as they left. I wasn't expecting them to let us leave... but they did. I think it was because Mandy was almost dead. They didn't want to be her. But when she got up and was angry...
"We better get out of here, quickly." I said. Alice nodded in front of me, hiding her face from the rest of us. Jasper was jumping around, trying to get a peek at her face, trying to make sure she was alright, but Alice kept moving her head around, and she was walking quicker too. Aaron held on to my wrist protectively, and he swung his arm back and forth easily.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked me.
"No, what makes you think that?" I replied.
"Alice doesn't look that good." He said, changing the subject.
"Yeah..." I agreed. He nodded. Alice sniffed, like she was crying. Which she probably was. Jasper grabbed her hand and held it, and her upper body was twisted to adjust to him holding her hand while she walked. She sped up, and we all had to speed up to keep up with her. We had been walking for about 15 minutes when I spotted the light ahead. I burst out in a sprint, and so did Aaron, but Alice stayed walking, and Jasper just stayed with her. We approached the light and realized it was a window. But it was an open window. I stuck my arm through it eagerly, making sure no random alarm would go off if I shoved my fat butt through it. No alarm went off.
"Guys! Guys! It's a window – it's open – we can go!" I shouted back at Alice and Jasper. Alice had her face down, making sure no one saw it, again, and Jasper was smiling all excited like at me, happy that I had found a way out. He moved in front of Alice – still holding her hand – and she twirled around in a circle so she didn't break her skinny little arm. He ran and she tumbled along after him, tripping over her converse covered feet. Jasper released Alice as soon as they got over to us, and he put his arm through the window too.
"Who's going through it first?" He asked.
"I will." I offered.
"Alright, bend your elbows – right – and Aaron, you put your hand on her elbow and lift her up, I'll get the other one." The window was much higher than my head. To stick my hand through it I had to go on my tippy-toes, as June might have put it. When she was younger. I bent my knees and Aaron and Jasper got me high enough that I could hook my knees out the window.
"Let go." I grunted. They obeyed and I pulled myself up off the wall so I was sitting in the open window. I twisted my body and slid so I fell right out of the window. I fell a few feet – obviously – but survived with only a few bumps and scratches. I laughed.
"You okay?" Aaron called from the inside.
"Yup!" I called back. I heard shuffling.
"Who now?" Jasper asked.
"Send Alice." I replied.
"No.. I'll go last." Alice said, her voice sounding hoarse.
"You won't be able to lift yourself through." I said. I heard her sigh and mutter the word fine, and I heard Jasper give her the same instructions he had given me. She got one foot through the window, but other than that nothing.
"Pull!" I told her.
"I can't!" She shouted back.
"Why not?" I asked, irritated.
"Don't fuss!" Jasper ordered, and we were both silent. "Now, I'll push her through, you try and grab her and pull her down." He told me. Alice made a noise that voiced her distaste but was otherwise silent.
"Er, okay." I agreed. I walked closer to the window and jumped to grab Alice's foot. I pulled while Jasper and Aaron pushed. She let out a squeal as her injured back and head scraped against the window, but she seemed fine. She didn't hide her face now. It was tear-stained and bruised. She fell out of the window and into the bush. I pulled her away from the window. She stood behind me by a tree.
"Okay, watch out." Jasper said. He launched himself halfway through the window, then he pushed out of it and landed on his back in the bushes. He bounced back easily, jumping up and going over to join Alice. He kissed her forehead. She didn't flinch, but she didn't look to happy, either. I sighed, and turned to the window, waiting for Aaron. He flung himself out the window – much in the same fashion as Jasper – and landed on his feet in the bushes. He rushed over to me, checking to see if I was okay.
"What now?" I asked when he was done. Everyone looked at each other.
"I guess, we go home." Jasper concluded.
Alice
"Where am I going to go?" I asked Jasper. We were sitting under a tree by the side of a deserted dirt road in Nashville, Jasper's hometown and, ironically, Sunny's. Sunny and Aaron were making phone calls.
"You're coming with me, we already discussed it." He answered.
"We did not discuss me going to live with you and your mum and your dad and your sister all of which will probably hate me." I said.
"They will not hate you."
"Will to."
"Will not."
"Will to."
"Will not."
"Will to!" I shouted.
"They will not hate you, and that's final." Jasper concluded.
"Fine, but take me to meet them, I want to meet them. Now." I added on the now when Jasper started to look doubtful.
"Alice..."
"See? I told you they'd hate me." I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
"No, it's not that, it's just -" I cut him off.
"What, do they embarrass you? At least you have parents. And a sister. I think I had a sister." I said to him. He frowned.
"Alright, if you insist." He said, rolling his eyes. He got up and I followed him, the aches from a few days ago slowly – if at all - were fading. I could still feel them now and then, but it wasn't as bad as before. I wondered idly if Jasper's family would care about the bruises covering my face. We walked, passing Sunny and Aaron as we did. I stopped to tell them where we were going.
"Going to meet the family, that's good. I told you that you would be perfect for each other." Sunny said while Aaron wasn't paying attention.
"No, Sunny. He can't love me. I'm just going along until he realizes." I said. Sunny made a face.
"Don't be an idiot, Alice." She told me, and turned back to Aaron. I sighed, rolled my eyes and went to catch up with Jasper.
We arrived at his house about a half an hour later. He just walked in, just like that. It was his house, after all.
"Mum, Cherry, Dad!" He yelled. Two people came down the stairs. They seemed older, so I assumed that was his Mother and his Father. A girl came in from the kitchen.
"Ooh! Jasper, is that your girlfriend?" She asked. It must be Cherry, his sister. I assumed. I blushed a bit at her assumption. But it was right – was it not? Jasper smiled down at me and kissed the top of my head. I blushed harder, hiding my face with my hair. Sort of.
"Ooh! It is! It is!" Cherry clapped, her face showing how excited she was. She ran over to us and looked me in the eye. She was shorter than me by a half an inch. "I don't know, Jasper. Who made the first move, I mean – who kissed who first?" She asked. At first I thought she was kidding. But she wasn't, not one bit. Her parents didn't even stop her. Jasper was smiling a bit, looking at me as I looked at him.
"Is she... serious?" I asked him. He nodded.
"Completely." The both said.
"So?" Cherry asked again.
"He did." I answered. Cherry gasped.
"You never do!" She exclaimed. "You must be one very, very special girl." Cherry said to me, her voice low so that Jasper couldn't hear. "But if you even break his heart once... ooh, you'll get it." Then her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear. "So, Jasper, what's her name?" She asked, looking at Jasper.
"Alice." He answered.
"Alice." Cherry repeated.
"Don't wear it out." I said. Cherry and Jasper laughed, and their Mother and Father joined in.
"Why don't you all come and sit on the couch?" His mother suggested. Cherry nodded and bounced over to the couch. Jasper followed, with me in tow. We all sat on the couch, me in the middle of Cherry and Jasper. Jasper was still holding my hand. I felt like I was sitting in front of my boyfriend's parents, about to tell them that Jasper had gotten me pregnant. I laughed to myself, and Cherry eyed me curiously. I smiled at her and she raised her eyebrows and looked away.
"So, Jasper. You have a new friend, I see." Jasper's father started.
"Yes," Jasper said. "This is Alice." He finished. Suddenly, Cherry grunted.
"My hair is annoying me so much! My hairdresser sucks friggin' crap!" She shouted. Everyone turned to her. "What?" she asked. Everyone laughed, and we made small talk, for Cherry's twisted sense of humour kept the conversation light and bubbly.
We talked for a long time, probably until ten. Cherry yawned and announced that she was tired.
"Why don't you spend the night here, Alice?" She suggested. I glanced over at Jasper's parents, making sure it was okay with them first. They both nodded so I agreed.
"Okay, you can sleep in my room." Cherry and Jasper both said.
"No, she'll sleep in my room!" They both exclaimed. I bit my lip to keep from giggling.
"Give me on good reason she shouldn't sleep in my room." Jasper demanded, staring hard at his sister.
"How do we know you won't sleep with her?" She countered. Jasper gasped, I giggled. I must have been slap-happy. That wasn't funny at all. I wasn't that easy.
"You'll keep her up all night!" Jasper retorted.
"I don't mind staying up all night, it's fun." I said, but I was ignored.
"I won't keep her up all night, you will! You'll keep her up all night, badgering her about sex!" Cherry yelled. Jasper and Cherry's parents left, which gave me the hint that this happened often.
"I will not!" Jasper said. "You'll keep her up all night telling her about how much you love that new band!" He shouted.
"Fine! Why don't we let her decide?" Cherry suggested. They both looked at me, a silent agreement.
"I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings..." I said.
"Fine. Rock, paper, scissors." Cherry concluded. They went up to each other.
"Only one round, Cher. Alice looks tired."
"Fine. Rock, paper, scissors!" She said, and they duelled once, and Cherry won. "Yes! I win! C'mon, Alice!" She shouted, and she grabbed my wrist and towed me upstairs. I glanced back at Jasper, and his sad face. I smiled, trying to make him feel better. He just shrugged, and went to the kitchen.
Cherry fell asleep as soon as she hit the mattress. Literally. She yawned and started snoring lightly, then louder. It was around midnight now, and her snoring had become so loud I couldn't sleep, and I was really, really pissed in the morning if I didn't get my sleep. I sighed one more time and lifted myself from the carpeted floor of Cherry's bedroom. I figured – with the extremely loud snoring and stuff – that Cherry was a heavy sleeper. I was right. I shut the door behind me as I left. I found Jasper's bedroom and hesitated, my hand on the doorknob. I decided against it and sank to the ground in front of his door. I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.
I was awoken when the door open and my leaning figure fell through the door.
"Ow." I murmured, leaning back up and rubbing the back of my head.
"Alice?" Jasper asked, my name rolled off his tongue familiarly, but it still sent chills down my spine.
"Mmm?" I said, not completely awake yet.
"Alice... what are you doing?" He asked.
"Mm... Sleep." I answered, and I curled up by his feet, closing my eyes and smiling. I heard him sigh as he bent down and picked me up. "Mm, Jasper?" I asked.
"Yes, Alice. I'm here." He carried me into his room and set me on his bed. I stretched out, yawned, then returned my position into that of a tiny child. "You are adorable, do you realize that?" Jasper said to me.
"Mmhmm," I murmured. The bed moved slightly as he got back on it and lied down next to me. He put his arm around me and I smiled, cuddling closer to him. The last thing I heard was Jasper – my Jasper – tell me goodnight.
I woke up in the same place I had fallen asleep, but I wasn't greeted with the walls I had fallen asleep looking at, I was greeted by black Garage skinny jeans.
"Did you?" There was obviously already a conversation going on between Jasper and her.
"No, how many times do I have to tell you? I did not sleep with her." Jasper said.
"She looks happy – or she did." Cherry replied.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Jasper asked.
"I've seen plenty of movies." Cherry said.
"And the girl always looks happy after the one-night stand sex scene." Jasper said.
"Yes! Jasper, did you sleep with Alice?" Cherry repeated.
"Ask Alice if you don't believe me." Jasper said.
"She's asleep."
"No she's not." Was I that easy to read?
"Are you sure?" Cherry asked.
"Positive, ask her something." Jasper said, moving his hand a little up and down my stomach, I smiled. "See?" He said.
"Uh-huh." Cherry replied. "Alice, did Jasper get you pregnant last night?" She asked. I opened my mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.
"Cherry, don't be a bitch." I said. She backed up.
"That's a no." She said, and left. I laughed hysterically for a few minutes, I don't know why, though, and since I had fallen asleep in my clothes, I went downstairs for breakfast. Jasper followed after he got dressed. He sleeps in pyjamas. He was embarrassed, but I thought it was cute. Adorable, really. Cherry was in the kitchen, as was her mother. I assumed her father was at work. My assumption was correct.
"Good morning, Alice. Sleep well?" Her mother asked, oblivious, it seemed. Cherry winked at me. Apparently, to the parents, I had slept in Cherry's room all last night.
"Yes. Cherry was very welcoming. She made the floor feel like one big mattress." I lied smoothly.
"That's nice." She replied, and went back to making us all breakfast. I sat down at the pretty glass table, straight across from Cherry.
"You didn't tell her?" I whispered. She smiled slyly.
"I do have an older brother, you know. But, when you guys do, don't expect me to lie when my mother asks me what the hell is all the noise is up there. Because, you know, Jasper has an awfully old bed." I blushed. She smiled, smug.
"But you know, I'm quite the traditional girlfriend." I replied.
"Oh, C'mon. That's no fun at all!" Cherry whined. I laughed, and ate my breakfast as soon as it was served. I was really hungry.
As the day progressed, I began accepted. Cherry and I watched My Sisters Keeper, Jasper and I went for a walk in the park, and I helped Sherry – his mother – cook dinner. I learned that Cherry got her name form her mother and father's names combined. Sherry and Chance. So, Ch plus Erry equals Cherry. Easy. Cherry loved her name, and loved cherries, too.
As night fell again, a knock came on the door. Jasper answered, inviting Sunny and Aaron in. Now that everyone was here, it felt as if nothing could go wrong. That is, until the window broke, and blood was spewed everywhere. Someone grabbed my throat.
"You better keep quiet, or I'll kill you." The voice said, no one I recognized. I just moved my head up and down, willing him to not kill me. He then shouted some instructions at the other people. I knew, some of my friends were bleeding, possibly to death, but all I cared about was not dying so I could save them.
"Haal de anderen en we hier weg buste. We kunnen het ons niet veroorloven om hier te verblijven deze lange - NEE! niet de kleine meisjes, de jongen, de blonde jongen! Zijn naam is Jasper!" I knew they were going after Jasper. I fought the man until he released me. He grabbed me back and stuffed me in a bag. Seriously. He poured liquid into the bag and it trickled into my mouth and down my throat without my consent. Everything was suddenly spinning, I hear Jasper yelling for me. I didn't care. I smiled and possibly threw up before I blacked out.
That was probably one of my longest yet. I see that sometimes you don't answer the questions I ask. You might answer some, but really. I don't just randomly ask these questions, you know. The one about which character would you be was because I wanted to see who you would be and why so I can see if I'm getting the right picture in your tightly inclosed brains. JK. The song questions, like which song is your favourite right now. I look at music for inspiration, which is why I ask this question. Overall, every question is important, so do your best to answer them when I ask them, please. Thank you!!!
Paramore-Fan