Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews/subscriptions/alerts! Please enjoy the fifth chapter of "The Woman In Chains"...
Twitter: TheCliffyG
No Beta Reader, so ignore mistakes if any :)
The Woman In Chains
ELI
To say my boyfriend was driving insanely fast, over the speed limit and could get us brutally killed, would be an understatement.
"Jake, Jake listen to me, alright? I know you're upset, and I know that you're angry! I know what it feels like to want to kill someone for a person you love, but Jake, it's not the right thing to do," I placed my hand on his shoulder, "Please, just stop the car and we'll talk about it."
"I'm done talking! Talking doesn't solve anything, unlike a punch in the face," he swerved around cars on the parkway, jerking the truck left and right carelessly.
"You know what Jake, fine, don't listen to me. But the least you can do is drop me off! I don't want to be killed," I ordered, pointing to the rest stop exit.
"Eli, no-," I shook my head, "I can't deal with you when you're like this Jake. You want to go and walk up to that guys door, beat the shit out of him then go to jail, be my guest. But when you get your quarter to call someone to get you, don't call me because I won't answer this time."
"Eli please, don't do-."
"Let me out Jake, pull over."
Jake slowed down, pulling into the exit, "H-How are you going to get home?"
"I'll figure it out. Do what you have to do Jake, but just try thinking first. And while you're at it, take this, I'm done," I ripped my guitar-pick necklace that Jake had given me for our sixth month anniversary off my neck, flinging it back at him through the window.
"Seriously Eli? You're doing this right now? You're being more irrational than me!"
I laughed, looking down at the floor, before glaring at him, "You're the one with a broken sister crying in Adams bed right now, not me. Instead of thinking like a boy, be a man for once. Your sister needs you, and you're running away from her. You made a promise to her, to yourself, and you're breaking it again..."
"I'm disappointed in you Jake, I thought you were better than this. I should've known," when I began walking away, tears in my eyes, I heard Jake cut the engine, and a door shut.
"Eli wait! Please, just-I don't know what I'm doing, alright?" I kept my glare forward, not wanting to give into him.
"I-I'm lost right now...and without you, I'm really lost. Please Eli, just-I'm sorry," I could hear the crack in his voice, and knew he was also beginning to cry. I took a deep breath, before turning back to him, "I don't want you to go back to your old ways because of this, okay? It hurts a lot when I see the old you coming out...I get scared, I don't know what to do."
Jake inched towards me, "I'm sorry I scared you in the car, I-I'm sorry. I love you Eli, you know that. When it comes to my sister, I don't want to let her down, I want her to be happy, and be okay. She's not okay right now, and it scares me that she might not ever be okay again."
"It isn't your fault that she stayed with someone who abused her Jake. It was her fault, she was the one who stayed. She could've left, and ran back to you...but she decided not to, you can't help fix another persons mistake. All that you can do is be there for her, to protect her now," he wrapped his arms around me, his strong muscles contracting against the palm of my hand.
I stroked my hands over his back soothingly, humming the tune he played when we met on his guitar. I felt his warm tears touch my neck, absorbing into my skin. I smiled, holding him tightly, "I-I just want to be the best big brother ever...I never want to see her so broken ever again. It's hard Eli-I don't know if I can do it."
My hands gripped onto him, and I smirked, looking up into his sad, green eyes, "You can Jake, I believe in you. You're the best brother a sister can ever ask for, but you have to go back to Adam's apartment instead of going to Owens. Clare needs you now, she doesn't need you to beat up Owen."
He stroked his fingers through my hair, forcing me to look into his eyes, "What would I be without you?"
"Oh you'd be sad and lonely," he pecked my lips, and I smirked, "Where have I heard that before?"
"Nowhere, now kiss me."
CLARE
"Why are we playing this game again?" I asked Adam, resting my elbows on the table, "Because, we've gotten you out of the bedroom, and I feel we should celebrate with a game of twenty questions. Now, I'll go first."
"What's your favorite color?" he asked softly, and I sipped my hot chocolate, "Um...I don't know, lavender. What's your favorite thing to do?"
"I've went to the museum of Modern Art before, and it's my favorite place to go to since then. It's really amazing, have you been there?" Adam handed me another cookie, and I shook my head, "I've always wanted to go there, but I've never been. Is it really amazing? I've seen pictures of pictures..."
"One day, you and I are going to go there, okay? We'll get up early, and take a train ride there, okay?" he smiled at me, the hopeful look in his eyes becoming all too wishful. He had so many expectations of 'when this is all over', and 'after you drop Owen' theories.
"I-I think I'm going to go to bed, night Adam."
I stood up from the table, and Adam whispered, "Is it something I said? I mean-I'm known for being a screw up...I just-I'm sorry, alright? I'm bad at this talking thing. Please, just sit down again? I don't want you to go back into that room...it's too dark, it'll just bring you down."
My eyes scanned Adam's room, smiling slightly, "I like your bed, it's comfortable. I'm tired Adam, I need sleep."
"Y-You slept for nearly fifteen hours, how can you be tired? You just don't want to talk to me...I get it, it's cool," he began cleaning up our plate of cookies, dumping the hot chocolate into the sink.
"Adam, it's not that-," he laughed, "It's okay, I'm used to being rejected by girls and women in general. There's no pain anymore, it's just a mutual acception."
I bit back my bottom lip, fiddling with my hands, remembering how Owen always cut me off when I tried to speak...and whenever he cut me off, what came next was crucial.
A trip to the closet.
"Do you think you have the power to speak freely? Your voice is not wanted! Now you get over here, and bend over this chair. Now Clare!"
He had the whip gripped tightly in his hands, ready to strike.
"Raising your voice in my household, the price to pay...one hundred strikes."
And so she held in her tears, taking each strike in.
"Hey, don't cry? Why are you crying?" My hands were shaking at the remembrance of my hands being tied tightly to a chair, my wrists purple from the rope bruising my skin. I whimper, tracing my fingers over my wrists, "It hurt so bad..."
"Why don't you sit down Clare?" Adam urged me towards the couch in the living room. I hesitantly sat down, and when Adam was out of sight, fumbling through cabinets-looking for God knows what-, I slipped my hand up the back of my shirt. The rawness of the scars on my back were evident from the whip.
"Here, take these Clare, they'll calm you down. It works for Eli, it should work for you," at this point in my breakdown, I needed anything to calm down these shakes.
"T-Thank you," my teeth were chattering, although I wasn't cold.
"Sip this," Adam inched a water bottle near my lips, and I swigged the room temperature liquid down. I waited for the pills to kick in, impatiently staring at my hands, wishing they would stop moving.
"You're going to get yourself sick Clare, stop it," his tone made me believe that was an order, and even if it was, Adam still managed to produce a caring look.
"I-I can't stop it, I-I c-c-can't-," he placed his hand on my shoulder, "What did your brother do to calm you down?"
"H-He held me."
And so Adam did.
ELI
Jake and I walked up the steps of the apartment, our hands held together like sausage links. I flashed him a smirk, before asking, "Are you ready to go in there?"
"A-As long as you're by my side, yes," I stood up on my tippy toes, kissing him on the cheek, "I'll always be here, I'm sorry for threatening you before. I would never break up with you, I love you."
When I fished out my keys, ready to go inside, Jake gasped, "Oh wait! We almost forgot!"
Jake dug through his pockets, before pulling out the necklace I threw at him earlier, "Turn around." I obeyed Jake's flirty order, and felt the cold metal of the guitar pick against my skin. I smiled, nervously playing with it once it clicked on tight.
"Sorry about throwing this at you earlier," my boyfriend kissed my head, mumbling against my hair, "I deserved it."
We walked into the apartment quietly, expecting to hear loud shrills or cries coming from Clare. But what we heard, was silence, dead silence.
The television was on mute in the living room, and when Jake came out of Adams room, he whispered, "Where are they? Clare's not in Adams room where we left her."
Jake's face had 'panic' written all over it, until I pointed to the couch, "Look."
A contagious smile spread across his face, as well as mine, upon looking at the living room. Adam was lying on the couch, back against the pillows, with a sleeping Clare, resting between his legs, her head on his chest.
Her facial expression wasn't contorted from a nightmare like it had been when she was "sleeping" beside Jake. No, she looked more at peace in Adam's arms. Her hand was resting on his waist, and I couldn't help but smirk, "She looks like she's...not worried, or scared."
Jake nodded, "I'm glad someone can bring her to a happy place."
"So can you Jake, Adam just has...the magic touch," Adam wasn't even looking up at the sound of our conversation going on in the kitchen. He was entranced by Clare, stroking his fingers over her forehead, easing her tension.
"Since she's asleep...and okay for now, do you want to go to bed? Get some rest? My bed is free," I elbowed him playfully, and he nodded, "A nap sounds good. You think Adam will call us if she's not okay, right?"
"Jake, we'll be right upstairs. Come on, I just washed your clothes and put them in your drawer," he smiled, kissing my lips briefly, "You're the best boyfriend, you know that right?"
"I've heard it before," I said smugly, before chasing Jake up the steps...
The thought of Adam waking up without Clare in his arms had taunted my mind, knowing he would be heart broken. Clare was giving him life again, and she had no idea.
I just hope that she doesn't disappoint him...
ADAM
I stroked her curls with my fingers, my heart dropping with every rise of her chest. She was so beautiful, so intoxicating; why would anyone hurt this human being?
No one deserves to be hit, to be tortured to a point where the simplest words bring you back to life threatening memories. She's broken, she's broken and I want to fix her.
I want to fix her because I know she's worth it.
I'm not going to sit by the sidelines in life anymore and wait for faith to take its course. Eli might have found Jake by faith, but Clare, she's my destiny and I'm not letting this chance pass me by.
Clare Edwards, prepared to be treated right, to live a new life that you deserve.
END OF CHAPTER 5
Reviews? :)
I know it might seem like Adam/Clare are moving pretty fast...but they've been spending a lot of time together believe it or not, and they have things in common that are bringing them closer together.
But don't you worry, the Clowen war isn't over yet!
Love you guys,
Cliffhanger Girl
3