forum The Grand Library

Started June 13, 2018 by @Bri_Soto

tune

Drew smiled a little and raised his water bottle in a gesture of "cheers", "Drew Lancaster. Pleasure to meet you."

Stay here? But… I can't stay! They'll find me and then Bridgett will be in danger too! Jay thought anxiously, rubbing his shoulder. He could tell that the glass was gone, but the pain remained. The bottle seemed to have done something to the tendons in his shoulder considering intense pain shot down his arm every time he tried to move it.

Bridgett looked Drew over curiously. "Bridgett Smith. Pleasure's a bit… incompatible for the circumstances, isn't it?"
She looked at Jay who'd begun to rub his shoulder. "You alright?"

"Kid," Drew started, "I'd recommend staying at least for one night. If your parents did that to you, I would give it time to cool off before you go back. Let the pain subside a little in your shoulder and in their heads before you even think about returning."

She looked him over curiously. "Bridgett Smith. Pleasure's a bit… incompatible for the circumstances, isn't it?"

Drew shrugged and took a sip of his water.

Jay nodded as a response to Bridgett's question. "B-But… they'll… they'll come looking for me…" He said quietly. "T-They won't be happy to find me with you, Bridgett… they.. they'll hurt you too.."

Drew stood and faced the Jay. "Kid, listen," He summoned an automatic gun and made it appear next to him. He put his hand on it. "If your parents come, I won't let them get to you or your friends. You seem like a good kid. No one deserves abuse. No one." He recalled the abuse that he's received throughout his life then shoved the memories away and focused on the task at hand.

Bridgett lowered herself to Jay's eye level. "Well, you just stay with me for now. If they do come, I can protect myself and apparently, Drew here's got a few tricks up his sleeves." She smiled a little, trying to give him some peace of mind.

Tears stung Jay's eyes, but he quickly tried to brush them away. How many times have I told you to stop crying?! He wasn't sure how to respond. Part of him wanted to say that he did deserve to be abused, but the other told him that was just what had been drilled into his brain for seven years. He wasn't wanted, he wasn't needed, and he certainly wasn't ideal for his parents. The problem was, Jay was unfamiliar with laws. He was clueless to the fact that abuse was indeed illegal and could land his parents in prison for many, many years.

"BUT another thing, no automatic's in the library." Bridgett shot Drew a look.
She looked back at Jay. "It'll be okay"

Tears stung Jay's eyes, but he quickly tried to brush them away. How many times have I told you to stop crying?! He wasn't sure how to respond. Part of him wanted to say that he did deserve to be abused, but the other told him that was just what had been drilled into his brain for seven years. He wasn't wanted, he wasn't needed, and he certainly wasn't ideal for his parents. The problem was, Jay was unfamiliar with laws. He was clueless to the fact that abuse was indeed illegal and could land his parents in prison for many, many years.

"You can cry, you know." Drew said, speaking gently for the first time. "It's not bad to cry. Crying is a normal, human function. It's okay to cry."

Jay wanted so badly to be able to stay with Bridgett, but the fear in his mind told me he'd just be a burden as well. She'll get sick of you and kick you out… you're just putting her in danger of your parents. You've dealt with them for years, and you know you can't put someone else through that…

"BUT another thing, no automatic's in the library." Bridgett shot Drew a look.
She looked back at Jay. "It'll be okay"

Drew winked at Jay over Bridget's shoulder and made the gun disappear.

"He's right. Crying's actually really good sometimes. You can cry." Bridgett added to Drew's statement.

The tears welled up in Jay's eyes again, but he didn't brush them away immediately this time. They rolled down his cheeks and he turned away, still feeling guilty despite Drew and Bridgett's assurances. He drew in a wavering breath, bringing his knees up to his chest and hiding his face in his arms.

Bridgett was very tempted to wrap her arms around Jay and hug him, but she knew it would probably hurt and scare him. So she softly said, "It's okay, you're okay…"

Drew squatted down next to Jay and started rubbing Jay's back, gently, slowly, softly, and soothingly. "Know that this is okay. That we're here to help. And if that means being here while you cry, that's fine. I know I just met you, but I would want you to trust me, okay?"

Jay sobbed quietly, shaking. He just seemed to crumble into pieces where he was, realizing the weight of the situation and the amount of pain he had endured his entire life. He dug his fingernails into his shoulders, hardly noticing how much it hurt to do so.

It felt like there was a weight on Bridgett's chest. She was grateful for Drew seeming to know what to do and say. She remained quiet, worried she might make the situation worse like she seemed to do more so than not.

Drew looked up at Bridget, sadly. He jerked his head a little towards Jay as if saying "Hug this kid because I don't know him as well and if I did it, it would probably scare him."

Bridgett nodded a little before moving to sit on the other side of Jay and wrapped her arms around the little bundle of a boy he'd made himself into. She rubbed his shoulder and the hand on it gently.

Bridgett nodded a little before moving to sit on the other side of Jay and wrapped her arms around the little bundle of a boy he'd made himself into. She rubbed his shoulder and the hand on it gently.

(The way you said "bundle of a boy" made my heart happy. God, that's an adorable, sad image. :') )