Broken by Vic Johnson (accelerated reader books txt) 📕

‘You know that? Ok do you know it was Charlie who found out his dad was having an affair? Do you know his mum passes out drunk every night? Do you know that he blames himself?’

I don’t say anything.

‘I didn’t think so’ she sets off walking back to the house.

‘Beth’ I shout through the rain.

She turns around and glares at me.

‘You know’ I say walking over to her ‘You look really sexy in the rain’ she rolls her eyes and turns around. I grab her arm and turned her to face me.

‘Jackson this is never going to work if you don’t trust me. Charlie is your friend and I like him. I don’t like what he did to Brooke and because of that I don’t think we will ever be real friends. You have to trust me. I trust you’

‘I do trust you. I love you’ I had said this to her now quite a few times and she hadn’t said it back.

She smiled at me ‘let’s go in here and sort them out then go see him. Apologise for what you said and hang out with him for a bit. Don’t forgive him for the Maddie thing yet though. He doesn’t deserve it yet’

‘Ok’ I said. She kissed me and grabbed my hand and led me into the house.

We walked in the house and it was all calm. I had told Jessica I was going to get her so they had called off the search.

‘I’m going to see Paige first. Don’t leave yet’

‘Anything you want’ I said.

She went up the stairs and I walked to the kitchen. I stopped before entering listening to what they were saying. They obviously didn’t hear us come in.

‘Maybe we should get her some counselling?’ Jessica asked.

‘You really think that is necessary’ Max replied. I was with Max there.

‘I just think she would feel better if she could talk to somebody, about her dad and leaving her home and friends’ I didn’t want to listen anymore so I walked in.

‘She can talk to me’ I said.

‘Where is she?’ Max asked.

‘She is seeing Paige first’

He nodded. ‘Is she ok?’

‘Yeah I think so’

‘What the hell happened?’ Max asked.

‘Nothing, she went for a walk to clear her head after what happened at school and her phone died. She said she is fine.’

‘What happened at school?’ Jessica asked.

‘That’s for her to tell you but she doesn’t need counselling’

‘You want me to see a shrink?’ Beth says from behind me. We all turn and look at her.

‘You don’t have to see anyone’ I said walking over to her.

‘Jackson this really has nothing to do with you’ Jessica said.

‘It has everything to do with me’ Beth grabbed my hand and squeezed it. I looked at her and she smiled.

‘Look’ Beth said ‘I saw a shrink back in England and he helped me a lot. I dealt with a lot of my grief but it will never fully go and that’s what I have to deal with. I will always miss him. I don’t need to see anyone about that because I already know. The only person I need to talk to is Jackson. You are going to have to deal with the fact that we are together. There is nothing that can break us up so don’t even try’

‘Your only 16 Beth you don’t know what you’re saying’ Jessica says.

‘I’m nearly 17 and I have been through more in my short lifetime than most people go through ever. What does it matter if this between Jackson and me only lasts till next week or till high school is over or till college is over or if we live happily ever after? All that matters is right now it means everything to me and as my mother you should be happy that I have someone who loves me. More than you love me I might add’

‘You think he loves you? He is just waiting to get in your pants and then he will dump you’

Beth actually laughed out loud. It was a weird feeling being talked about like I wasn’t in the room. I was happy that she had said I meant everything to her. It wasn’t quite I love you but it will do for now.

‘Why are you laughing?’ Jessica almost shouted.

‘He got in my pants back in August and he hasn’t dumped me yet.’

Max glared at me. I thought maybe he was going to punch me.

‘You gave him your virginity?’

‘Don’t say him like that Jessica and no I didn’t. My virginity left a long time ago. Right around the time I was parentless’

‘Jackson I think you should leave’ Max said. I was a little hurt. I always thought we got on well.

‘No Max come on he doesn’t have to leave’ Beth almost begged.

‘It’s ok Beth’ I said. When she looked at me I almost picked her up and took her with me. She looked scared.

‘No its not, it’s not ok’

‘Walk me to the door’ I say grabbing her hand. We walk out onto the porch and I close the door behind us. I pull her into a hug and we stand like that for a while. I don’t know how long.

‘They can’t do this’ she says into my chest. I pull her away to look at her.

‘Max trusted me and now he knows that we made love he sees it as me breaking that trust. Even though I hadn’t met Max before. I’ll try and talk to him about it but not tonight he will be angry with me and I don’t blame him. You shouldn’t either. It’s only because he cares’

‘I don’t want you to go’

‘What if I come back? I could probably climb that tree there into your room’

‘Isn’t that breaking his trust?’ she asked with a smile.

‘Maybe’ I said smiling back.

‘I’ll text you when everyone is asleep’

‘Ok’ I kissed her lightly on the lips. She deepened the kiss, she put one had in my hair and her other on my back under my t-shirt. I feel sparks every time she touches my skin. The kiss got more intense and I pulled her as close to me as I could. Then I pulled away. We were both a bit breathless just stood looking at each other.

‘Wow’ she said smiling.

‘Wow indeed’ I said laughing. ‘I better go’ I kissed her on the forehead and left. I couldn’t stay there any longer. I wanted her too much.

I didn’t go home. I went to Charlie’s like Beth suggested. I used to go straight in but I knocked this time. I didn’t know if he would want to see me. His mum answered. She looked like shit, she was swaying and using the door to help her stand up.

‘Is Charlie in?’ I asked

‘His is hisss room’ she slurred.

‘Thanks’ I said walking past her. I went up the stairs and knocked on Charlie’s door. I heard him shout go away so I went in anyway.

He was playing on his Xbox sat on the end of his bed. I went and sat next to him picking up the other controller and joining in his game.

We played in silence for a half hour before either of us spoke. It didn’t feel uncomfortable though it felt normal. This is what we had done since we were kids and now everything was so complicated.

‘I’m sorry I said what I did, I was worried about Beth and I took it out on you’ I said. Neither of us stopped playing.

‘It’s cool. Beth did say that the people we love the most are the ones to hurt us the most’

‘She is very perceptive’ I say with a smile.

‘She loves you’ he says

‘You think?’ I reply. ‘I have said it to her a few times but she hasn’t said it back’

‘Doesn’t mean anything’ he looked at me for a second and then back at the TV. ‘Who do you think was the last person she said it to?’

I thought about it for a moment and then I realised ‘her dad’

He nodded. ‘I bet it’s really hard for her to say it but I know she feels it. You can tell anytime anybody mentions you or you walk in a room. Its written all over her face’

That made me feel very happy.

‘When she does say it at least you know she will really mean it’

‘Thanks’ I said. ‘Listen I saw your mum downstairs’

‘Don’t Jackson’ he said stopping the game and throwing his controller on the bed. He started to pace the floor

‘You have to do something’

‘Don’t you think I’ve tried? My dad won’t listen to me, she won’t listen to me, and the doctors won’t listen to me. There is no food in this house, no hot water, no aircon. I have no money of my own. The last time I ate was 3 days ago’

‘What? Are you serious?’

‘Yeah. My life is shit Jack completely shit. The only good thing I had was Brooke and I blew it’

‘You can sort out the thing with Brooke it’s not the end of the world but Charlie why isn’t your mum in rehab?’

‘I can’t afford that Jack. We have nothing since my dad left and anything we do get she just drinks it’ I felt really bad for him ‘Dad isn’t even bothered now the new baby is coming. What a joke of a man. Anyway if I put her in rehab what do I do?’

I stood up ‘Come on’ I said

‘Where we going?’ he asked

‘Where you should have gone right from the start. My house. We’re gonna tell my mum ok?’ he just nodded and we left.

‘You had everybody worried’ I said to Beth down the phone

‘I know I’m sorry but it’s really not a big deal. My phone died that’s all’ she said.

‘Well don’t do it again. Jack was frantic’ it was puzzling to me how close I felt to Jack now. I actually hated him for how he treated Maddie but I loved him for how much he loved Beth

‘I know. He said he loved me again. It’s been like 8 times now and I haven’t said it back. I’m worried he is going to get tired of waiting’

‘So say it. You obviously do’

‘Everybody I love leaves or dies’

‘Jack isn’t going to leave you. Even if you told him to I don’t think he would be able to let you go’

‘It scares me how much I feel for him after such a short period of time. I panic every time he says good night that I’m not going to see him again. I feel like I’m losing my mind.’

‘What you need is a girl day to talk to your best friend about it all’

She laughed ‘sounds perfect’

‘I’ll pick you up at 10 be ready’

We said our goodbyes and hung up. I was alone in my room watching Sex In The City box sets. I was starting to like my own company again. It had only been a few days and I missed Charlie so much. I still couldn’t believe he did that to me.

I think maybe it was time to hear him out and find out why while it was all still fresh. If I waited it would just drag it all up again.

There was a knock on my