Chapter 170
"PLEASE stop!" I cried, but Jessica accidentally shoved Asmodeus into me. Unable to catch my balance, I fell. It wasn't anything remotely bad, but the look on Asmodeus's face could have made it seem like Jessica had shot me. He looked at me quickly to make sure I was okay, but before I could say anything in protest, he shoved Jessica back until he was pressed against the side of the house. I swore colorfully and rushed over to them.
A different look appeared in Jessica's expression as Asmodeus was holding him against the wall. Before he had just been angry, but now he looked desperate in a sense- panicked almost, like it was triggering to him. I didn't have time to think about it.
"And you expect me to believe you didn't give her that bruise on her arm?" Asmodeus spat at him, their faces inches apart.
"What just happened was a fking accident- you didn't see her either!" Jessica yelled back, but let out a pained grunt as Asmodeus shoved him harder into the house. He had him pinned aggressively.
"I don't have eyes on the back of my goddamn head you dipshit," Asmodeus slammed his fist into Jessica's side, and I tried to get them to stop even more, to no avail.
I watched the two of them in horror, hardly recognizing either of them. Tears fell from my eyes as my anxiety kept piling up. My skin felt like it was crawling inside out, my mind felt flooded, and my lungs felt empty.
"I f-u-c-kin hate you, you know that?" Asmodeus spoke the words so aggressively, so firmly, that it would seem like he meant it. He didn't, though. They'd been saying shit they didn't mean this whole time, and he certainly didn't mean this. But I don't think Jessica understood that.
"I hate you, and I don't need you," Asmodeus growled, "I don't need you in my fking life, or in my house, or in my goddamn little sister. She deserves so much better than you. Everyone does."
"Yeah?" Jessica coughed from the blow to his abdomen Asmodeus had delivered a few minutes before. "What, are you gonna tell me to kill myself, too?"
I didn't know what that meant, but the immediate regret that filled Jessica's eyes was so deep, so heart-wrenchingly guilty that it made my heart crack completely in two.
There was silence for a few moments.
And in that moment I wished that they were still beating each other to a pulp.
Jessica's eyes were wide and apologetic as Asmodeus eased up on his grip, letting go of him and stumbling back a step or two, never breaking eye contact with Jessica. It looked as though Jessica had stabbed him.
No, no... It looked as though whatever Jessica had said, hurt and cut Asmodeus deeper than any other punch or weapon or name calling could even come close to.
All the other emotions in his expression were gone now, his features scrunched in disbelief and hurt. So much hurt. So much that I thought for a minute I'd be sick right then and there. I couldn't do anything but hold my breath, tears still falling down my cheeks.
Asmodeus didn't say anything, though. His eyes became red and glassy as he continued to stare at Jessica in disbelief. Pure sadness, I thought.
"Wait, no, Asmodeus," Jessica tried to start an apology, "I didn't, I swear I didn't mean that, I-" but Asmodeus was already prowling into the house. Jessica and I didn't move. I looked over at him, maybe for an explanation, maybe just to get mad at him for my brother's sake, but Jessica's eyes themselves grew glassy as he stared forward to where Asmodeus just was a minute ago in front of him.
I had never seen such deep and immediate regret in my life.
When Asmodeus came storming back out of the house, he had a large bottle of vodka in one hand, and his car keys in the other. My eyes stayed wide.
"Shit. No, Asmodeus," Jessica tried again when he saw this. "Can we-"
"No," Was all Asmodeus cut him off with. Probably because he didn't want us to hear the rawness of his throat as he was on the verge of tears, or the crack that still worked it's way into the single syllable.
This had gone so much worse that I could have possibly even imagined. I imagined a petty fight between an over protective brother and his friend. Not the verbal abuse and bridge burning that just took place on both sides from brothers. I put my hands on the sides of my head and fell to my knees on the grass as Asmodeus sped off down the road.
I did this. This was me. My eyes stayed wide open as tears fell from them. This was me.
"Call Carla," Jessica spoke loud enough for me to hear, but his broken, sorrowful voice remained quiet- haunted by whatever the hell just happened.
He looked up to meet my gaze, and I knew he was being very serious. Yes, he looked so painfully guilty, but there was also a deep concern present. For Asmodeus.
"He's going to the warehouse I think," he winced as he brought his shirt up to observe his condition, revealing a nasty bruise the size of his ribs already forming. Not to mention the black eye(s) he would certainly be sporting soon.
He sunk down to the ground and leaned back against the side of the house, putting his head in his hands before looking back up to me. I had heard him, but was still in shock.
"He's gonna drink. Call her," he repeated, and I nodded, getting up from the ground and walking to the house. Blood was on the door from where Asmodeus had pushed it open. The world felt like it was spinning around me as I walked.
I had no doubt that Jessica was crying outside, but I was too out of it to do anything about that.
What was he talking about when he said that to Asmodeus?
I kept looking for my phone, not being able to find it anywhere. I must have dropped it somewhere in the house without realizing I had.
I needed to hurry and find it and call Carla.