the car ride to jacks house was silent.

"alright lets go" alex said as we hopped out of the car and ran up the driveway.

"cmon!" alex said, already on the roof of the two story house, and next to the bathroom window.

"but i'm short!" i said in a harsh whisper.

"ugh you're lucky we all love you" alex said, grabbing my arms and pulling me up.

i stood up on the roof.

"wow um-" i said, looking at the nighttime sky.

"no time we gotta go quick!" alex said, opening the window and slipping into the bathroom.

i looked at it with caution.

"you are literally so small zack could whip you around like a rag doll stella" he said, chuckling as i slipped my small body through the open window with ease.

we were standing in a grey bathroom with a white shower curtain when we heard screaming.

"JACK I SWEAR TO MOTHERFUCKING GOD IF YOU DONT COME WITH ME TOMORROW NIGHT I WILL FUCKING BEAT YOUR ASS SO HARD"

my mouth opened, like i was going to scream at the unfamiliar manly voice. i whipped my hand over my mouth and closed my eyes.

"dad please! i don't want to go to california with you! i'm happy in baltimore with mom! i have great friends here!"

"SO? JACK MOTHERFUCKING BARAKAT I AM YOUR FATHER AND YOU ARE PACKING UP YOUR SHIT TOMORROW COMING TO FUCKING CALIFORNIA TOMORROW WITH ME AND YOU ARE GOING TO STAY THERE AND MOTHERFUCKING LIKE IT FOR FIVE WEEKS YA PIECE OF SHIT! ILL BE BACK TOMORROW MORNING"

bottles breaking.

door slamming.

car driving away.

alex looked like he couldn't take it anymore and threw open the door and practically threw himself down the stairs, me following.

we saw jack hunched over the kitchen sink, wearing black sweatpants and a grey sweatshirt stained with blood.

"oh my god man..." alex said, running across the room and to jacks side, me following.

"i'm fine" jack said, wiping his bloody lip with a sigh.

"no you're not..." i managed to squeak out.

"guys...he wants me to go with him" jack said

"but you can't..." alex said

"i have to" jack replied quietly.

we all walked into the bathroom and jack sat on the counter and alex sat on the rim of the bathtub, holding a jar of peanut butter and eating it with a spoon. it calmed his nerves.

"alright let's clean you up" i said, and grabbed the first aid kit i saw in the corner of the bathroom.

i grabbed the disinfectant and put it on a tissue and held it to jacks lip, making him cringe slightly.

"sorry" i said.

i cleaned up the few cuts on his face.

"there" i said.

"thanks" he said.

"no problem. now take the hoodie off" i said.

"why...?" jack asked

"i know you're hiding something under it..." i mumbled.

"fine..." he mumbled.

normally jack taking off his shirt would make my heart do multiple backflips, but when he took it off all my heart did was drop.

scars.

bruises.

blood.

everywhere.