Peeling Back The Layers
Chapter 5
Author's Note: I want to say Thank You For all The Story Alerts. I was also wondering if you could also review Giuliette and I would love your feedback.
As Rachel grasped Jesse's torso tightly, he rubbed circles on her back at an attempt to pacify her.
He bit his lip as not to yell and scare the already terrified teenager in his arms. She clung to him, her new falling tears wetting his gray v-neck.
"You bastard." He called out to Karofsky, unable to hold it in any longer. Letting Rachel go, he walked up to the beefy football player, and punched him on the cheek; flesh hitting flesh with a satisfying crack.
"Jesse, please. Take me out of here." Rachel's small voice was shaky, terrified, and filled with tears.
Before the stunned jock could react, Jesse led Rachel out of the school building.
Upon reaching the parking lot, she thrust herself once more into his arms, whispering his name non-stop.
"Jesse—Jesse—Jesse…"
"I'm here."
"What'll I do?"
"What do you mean, Rachel? What do you mean?"
"I'm pregnant."
The two words set him off. Pregnant? All this time…he'd just assumed that she had been beaten up. He never considered…that…
He brought her closer to him so that his chin rested on the top of her head.
"But…who?" Was it somebody that she knew? Perhaps Karofsky, which made her more uncomfortable to be near him.
She shook her head.
"I don't know." She managed to croak out before her tears cut her off. "Jesse."
"Do your fathers know?"
Once again, she shook her head. She buried her face deeper into his warm chest, where she could hear his heart beating rapidly.
"I can't tell them, Jesse. I can't face them."
"We'll do it together."
"No. I can't."
"Do you want me to?"
With her face still hidden by his chest, she nodded slowly.
"Okay."
When he drove her home, he let her sneak up into her bedroom while he went to go and talk to her fathers.
"Excuse me, sir."
"Jesse!" Said Hiram Berry, as he adjusted his black-framed glasses. "I haven't seen you in a long time, son. What brings you back to Ohio?"
"Your daughter." He said, not caring enough to lie. Hiram was being uncharacteristically nice to someone who had crushed an egg on their daughter's head a year before.
"She said the reason that you broke up was because you moved away. With you back, does that mean that you're back together?"
Jesse pondered her father's statement. Rachel had lied to her fathers about the way that they broke up to spare his reputation with them.
"Um, no, not yet. I actually have something really important to discuss with you. Is your partner here?"
"No," said Hiram skeptically. "He's away on business. Would you mind telling me?"
"Of course, sir. Can you sit down?"
The two men sat down at the kitchen table, and Jesse looked down at his hands.
"This does involve Rachel, not me. She asked me to do this."
"Jesse, tell me." Hiram's voice was loud, but not threatening.
"Rachel was raped. I don't know when and I don't know by whom."
Hiram was in a state of shock. No words escaped his mouth, but tears threatened to overflow.
"That's not all, sir. She's pregnant."
Hiram bolted out of the room, leaving Jesse behind. Jesse followed Mr. Berry up the stairs and into his daughter's room.
Hiram scooped up his trembling daughter in his arms, humming to her and quieting her tears.
When he got up, Jesse took his place. Rachel practically melted in his warm arms.
"Your safe now, Rachel. You're safe." He whispered into her ear.