CHAPTER 8:FIREWORKS
I finally convinced myself to stop crying after about an hour after the party started. I had no idea what I was going to do. Whether I was going to break up with Joey and tell the police. Or give him another chance after all; maybe it was just a one-time thing. What the hell was I saying the bastard hit me. God, what was wrong with me, I had such awful judgment in men. First Darrel, then Joey I felt like screaming I’d had a cheating boyfriend, and an abusive boyfriend. It took all I had in me to convince myself that it wasn’t me, that it was them. I had to find myself a nice stable man, not a loser. I finally dragged myself out of my room after washing my face and making my eyes look less puffy. I greeted my aunts and uncles, and cousins in a blur. When I finally reached a very pregnant Kelly, I wrapped my arms around her and tried very hard not to cry and confide in her like I used to. “Hey to you too cuz. You okay?” she said after we broke apart. I smiled weakly and said “I just-I missed you a lot.” “Missed you too hun, you sure your okay?” she said smiling warmly. “I’m fine really,” I said not sure who I was trying to convince her or me… A pair of strong and all too familiar arms wrapped around my waist and I winced. I tried to relax when I introduced Kelly to Joey. Afterwards I found David, Kelly’s husband and gave him a big hug. I introduced him to Joey as well and went to my mother so her nice comforting arms could hug me. I glanced over her shoulder as I hugged her and saw the empty wine bottles. When we pulled away I showed her the bottles and she sent me down to the wine cellar to get two more, I took Jonathan since Joey was manning the grill and truth be told I really didn’t want to see him. After I got the wine bottles I began sobbing when, I saw my blood on the wall where Joey had shoved me. I sank to the floor and felt Jonathan’s hand on my knee. “What’s wrong Jill?” he said with deep concern in his voice. “He… hit… me…” I said barely getting the words out as I sobbed uncontrollably. “Who hit you Jill, who hit you?” he said angrily. “Joey” I said looking at him warily. He nodded and helped me stand up “I’m going to kill that son-of-a-b****.” He started for the door. I grabbed his arm and said “No don’t please Jonathan don’t not in front of my family.” He kissed me and held me in his arms tightly. It felt so good to feel safe and wanted. “If he ever hurts you again tell me Jill I will not let this happen again.” he said smoothing my hair and kissing my forehead. “I-“ I began as the door opened. Joey stood their arms crossed with an annoyed and angry expression on his face. “Well well well I’ve heard that history often repeats itself but this is starting to get ridiculous, Jonathan get the hell away from my girlfriend, Jilly I’ll take care of you later.’ Joey yelled. “Sorry Joey not going to happen not again” Joey said stepping in front of me. “Please not here not now and Joey if you really love me you’ll stop this and leave.” I said stepping between them. “Fine another time then but this isn’t finished Jill far from it” Joey said leaving the room. I looked at Jonathan “Why are you helping me Jonathan”. He stepped closer to me and said “Two reasons. One he’s done this twice before and I will be damned if I let it happen again. Two I think there’s a very good chance I’m falling in love with you.” I stood there speechless, he smiled warmly and kissed me, “You don’t have to answer right now baby we’ve got all the time in the world.” I smiled and nodded then walked with Jonathan upstairs. After the party eventually died down and everyone said their goodbyes I went to my room and got ready for the sleepover Jackie, Sam, and I were going to have. I got into my pajamas and I turned my room into the ultimate slumber party hangout. About ten minutes before Jackie and Sam were supposed to come back, there was a knock at my balcony door. I turned around from the large DVD selection in my room expecting to see Jonathan but instead I saw… “Joey what the hell are you doing here?” I said unlocking and opening my balcony door. “I told you this was far from finished Jill, I am not going to let him have you, I love you,” he said holding me too tightly. I managed to push him off of me. “You do not love me if you did you wouldn’t hit me, you wouldn’t threaten me, now I’m going to give you two seconds to get the hell out of my house before I call my father.” I said opening the balcony door. “I told you I’d take care of you later Jilly and well it’s about that time.” Joey said grabbing my arm and twisting it behind my back. He pinned me down onto the floor and I tried to get away but he was too quick. He mashed his mouth against mine before holding my head down onto the floor he said, “I told you we’d be together forever no matter what happens Jill we will be together.” He punched me hard in the corner of my jaw and I kneed him with everything I had. He crumpled to the floor and I pushed him out the balcony door. I closed the door before he had the chance to get up. I locked it and stepped away from the door. He smiled an evil smile and breathed onto the glass He wrote onto the glass “SOON MY LOVE” before climbing down the balcony and disappearing. I tried to contain myself before Jackie and Sam came but it was hopeless. I needed help and I knew just the person who could give it to me.