I didn’t realize how much she meant to you. I guess I was a jealous of how close you two were. I took her away from you and that was wrong.
Here’s a little bit of her back. It might give you a reason to want to sing again.” Garrett’s eyes searched Peter’s. Peter saw the heartfelt remorse from his brother, he nodded his forgiveness.
Peter folded his arms across his chest, one hand covering his face. He hoped he could hold the emotions in, but failed.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” his voice cracked. Maybe his brothers weren’t so bad after al.
# # #
Libby tried to cry for help, but didn’t get a chance. Juanita grabbed her by the hair and slammed her face against the wal. Then she grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back, causing a piercing pain to shoot up Libby’s arm and shoulder. Juanita shoved her against the sandy textured paint, scraping her face raw.
“Listen bitch, don’t you ever cross me again. If you say one more word to Scott about me, I’l break your fuckin’ arm.” Libby didn’t doubt it for a moment. Paralyzed with pain she tried not to breathe. She prayed for Juanita to release her. The girl was crazy. She bit back her tears.
“And when I say something’s mine, you just shut your whiny little trap and mind your own business.”
Thankfuly, Libby saw Scott, their twenty-three year old
‘adult in charge,’ walk around the corner, surprised. He rushed over.
“Juanita, what are you doing? Let go of her.”
“Just having a little chat here. Libby had a crick in her back and I’m trying to straighten her out.” Her vise-like grip tightened.
“Let her go. Right now!” His raised voice brought Darnel and BJ from the kitchen.
“Shit girl, whad ya do to piss off the Latina lunatic?” Darnel chewed on a Pop Tart as he spoke.
BJ looked on, a satisfied smirk on his big dumb face.
“Feeling better now?” Juanita asked getting up in Libby’s face.
“Yeah.” She responded through clenched teeth. “Great.”
“Juanita, I said now!” Scott yeled.
Juanita stuck her elbow in Libby’s back before releasing her.
“Anytime you need a little adjustment, let me know.” Libby leaned against the wal for support, unable to bear the pain of straightening her arm. Slowly she relaxed enough for the limb to fal useless at her side. With her other hand she pushed away from the wal, her cheek aching and bruised, the wal marred with streaks of blood.
“Juanita, you’re kiling me here. I thought you weren’t going to alow your temper to get out of control,” Scott said, this situation beyond his limited skil set.
“Yeah, wel, it sneaks out once in a while. I’m sorry, it’l never happen again.”
“You’re right about that.” Scott said, shaking his head at her.
“Damn chica! You goin back to juvie. It’s three strikes and you’re out. Wel you’re out baby.” Darnel taunted, happy as a clam.
“I’m afraid he’s right,” Scott wrung his hands. “I’ve got to cal this in.”
“Yeah, what the fuck?” Juanita spat at Scott. “You’re such a pussy. You need to grow some.”
“Juanita go sit in the kitchen while I handle this. BJ please stay with her while I talk to Libby.”
Scott checked Libby for injuries and congratulated her for trying to get a peaceful resolution. Apparently not fighting back or defending yourself qualified as good behavior. He told her to shower and clean off the sand and paint ground into her face.
Today she could go in to school late. Yippee. She was sick and tired of being pushed around.
After her shower, she gave a report to the police about Juanita stealing her Jamieson CD. Narking seemed like a lame reason to be pummeled against a wal, but the CD was one of the few belongings she had left that tied her to Peter. She refused to put up with Juanita’s constant bulying anymore.
In fact, she was done taking everybody’s crap. She’d spent nearly two years doing what everyone else told her to. She’d been the model orphan child. No more! She’d been lied to, misled, and manipulated. There was no one left who cared about her; they’d al left or been taken away. Feeling sorry for herself wouldn’t help either. It was time to stand up for herself and move forward, not cower in submission as other people made bad decisions for her.
Today this madness stopped. She refused to sit in this crappy house and get bulied and beat up. She’d been afraid for so long.
That ended today. She decided to take back