“Josh will you sing for me?” Louisa asked, a few
miserable days later while they were in bed.
She
asked yes, but they both knew it wasn’t a request. He was in no mood to argue
or struggle so he just started. He was never in a mood to argue or struggle
lately, he wondered if he might have given up completely. She nuzzled against
his chest to smell his sweet scent and to feel his chest rumbling as he sang
for her. When the song was over he sighed.
“Ever
thought of singing professionally?” she asked.
“No”
he sighed again.
“Why
not?”
“I
don’t like the stage besides I’m perfectly happy with what I do… now” There was
a slight hesitation in his sentence but she ignored it.
“Please
continue”
And
so he did. Till a few songs later she was fast asleep on top of him, he shifted
and she didn’t even stir.
He
slowly moved from underneath her and left the room. Walking down the stairs, he
wandered through the house, it probably wouldn’t be appreciated if he left and
he had nothing else to do so he just walked through the endless hallways,
looking at the paintings on the wall, opening some doors every now and then. He
couldn’t suppress his curiosity and he tried, really, but just a quick peek
couldn’t hurt right? He wandered into another corridor and he really didn’t
know how many. He’d lost count after the tenth or so, he wasn’t really counting
anyway just passing time.
He
turned the corner and saw Dan charging up to him.
“Where
the hell were you?” he barked, quickly moving towards him while Josh stayed put.
“I
was just walking around” he replied.
“We’ve
been looking all over for you” he said angrily while he grasped his arm,
roughly pulling Josh along.
“Let
go off me!” he said indignantly.
“You
don’t have to treat me like a prisoner. I know the rules”
“I’m
glad you do” Dan said with a smirk.
“Finally
got it through you thick head huh?” he asked; Josh gritted his teeth, keeping
his mouth shut.
“Good”
Dan nodded.
“Your
presence is requested in the swimming pool. Louisa is waiting for you there so
get a move on” he informed Josh.
“Yes
sir” he said reluctantly before he turned to leave. Louisa liked to swim, it
was one of the reasons he’d started to dislike it.
“Um
Josh, the swimming pool is that way” he called after him, pointing in the
opposite direction.
A
hmph escaped Josh’s lips while he turned. I hate this house, why would you
want such a big house? It will take you months to know where everything it! Not
to mention if you lost something you’d be looking for it for days.
“Come
one I’ll walk you” Dan offered.
“How
very friendly of you” Josh mocked.
“Well
that’s just the kind of guy I am”
Another
hmph escaped, only when people do as you say.
***
“You
two go have fun” Dan said as he walked with Josh to the edge of the swimming
pool where Louisa was already lazily floating around.
“I’ll
be in my office if you need me” he said to his sister while Josh changed.
They
talked for a little longer but Josh ignored the conversation; he didn’t care
what they had to say, they were probably mocking him anyway. Josh shivered, he
really didn’t want to swim but she did. He didn’t understand why you would go
swimming right after waking up. She’d once told him she felt freshened up when
she swam after sleeping but he still didn’t understand how it could make you
feel good. A shower was nicer but it was Louisa’s call.
Dan
left the room as Josh slowly came down the steps, entering the pool. She swam
towards him, the water reaching his upper chest, Louisa could barely stand and
she was much more comfortable hanging on to him. She wrapped her arms around
his neck playing with his hair. He squirmed slightly not wanting her to touch
him, he really wasn’t in the mood. She started kissing him anyway. There had
been a time when he wanted nothing more than for her to touch him but now he
felt nauseous. He resisted the urge to push her away and leave, run like hell.
The thought still crossed his mind now and then but he knew it was useless. It
wasn’t realistic since sure he probably would make it to the door but the bodyguard
and her brother would stop him before he even reached the hallway that led to
the front door. That and he was in his swim suit. He surrendered, it wasn’t the
smartest move to upset her now.
“Louisa…”
he said softly hoping she would stop for a second.
“What’s
the matter baby?” she asked sweetly, pulling back but just a little. He rolled
his eyes at her. Pretending to be so sweet while she was holding him here
against his will.
“Please…”
he pleaded looking into her eyes.
“What’s
wrong?” she asked innocently.
“You
know what’s wrong” he stated.
“Please
let me go” he pleaded desperately.
Every
now and then he tried his luck again, whenever she was in a good mood he tried
to beg her to let him go. It hadn’t worked thus far and it seemed it wouldn’t
work this time either. Louisa pulled back, looking at him wide-eyed.
“Do
I need to get my brother?” she threatened.
He
slumped while whispering, “No”
More
or less allowing her to kiss him which she soon did. Josh didn’t struggle, it
was pointless.
***
Josh
stopped struggling altogether. He felt defeated and did nothing more than
sulking. Everything he came across, everything they demanded of him he took it.
He said nothing, he silently obeyed and he slowly slipped further and further
away into oblivion.
At
first he’d fought hard, he’d struggled against Louisa and Dan but so many
things had happened, bad things and they had mostly happened to his little
brother. Josh hardly talked to him, he’d last seen him when he picked him up at
the police station and he’d only once spoken to him on the phone.
He
simply didn’t have the strength to fight anymore. Every time Louisa had wanted
something from him, he’d instinctively refused. He’d felt powerful then,
thinking he had his own fate in his hands but Dan made him realize that that
was not true at all. Dan always did something, something to Justin to force him
to listen, something pulled the rug out from underneath him time and time
again. He got back on his feet after Dan had beaten the rules into him, had
crawled back up after every threat and even when Dan had had Justin beaten Josh
somehow managed to overcome it but this time, this time they’d had Justin
arrested. Even threatened to make the charges worse next time and Josh just
could not gather the strength in order to get up. He could not make himself
fight back, he could not make himself to take fate into his own hands or even
let himself feel it for a short while.
He
really felt like they’d won, they’d broken him, defeated him and he found
himself slowly drowning in his sulking.
***
“If
he won’t come to me, I’ll go to him” Justin muttered under his breath as he
walked up to the front door of the house his brother now lived in.
It
had been weeks since Justin had last talked to his brother. Justin just didn’t understand
what was wrong with him. After weeks of trying to reach his brother without
success Justin decided to drop by the house to talk to him face to face.
Josh
didn’t have a job anymore so what the hell could he be doing all day?
What
could possibly be so demanding he couldn’t even call him back for five minutes?
He
reached the house and knocked loudly on the big wooden door. It opened not long
after, showing a big man Justin had gotten to know as Matt.
“Hello”
Matt greeted simply.
“Hi,
is Josh around?” Justin asked immediately, he was here for one reason and one
reason only; speak to his brother.
“Yes”
Matt asked shortly.
“Can
I speak with him?” Justin asked impatiently, he was here so get him dammit!
“I’m
sorry but Mr. Chasez is too busy right now” Matt answered with a straight face.
“I’m
his brother!” Justin exclaimed, not expecting that answer.
“He’s
busy” Matt repeated simply.
“How
can he be busy, he ain’t got no job!”
“I’ll
tell him you dropped by”
“Just
tell him I’m here now! He’ll make time for me” Justin countered stubbornly.
“Bye
sir” Matt replied calmly.
“Dude!”
Justin exclaimed angrily, why wouldn’t he let me pass? Justin debated to
try to push past him and run into that house, searching every room till he
found his brother but Matt seemed ready if he’d try and he wouldn’t be able to
set one foot inside.
“Bye”
Matt said again before closing the door in his face.
“Fucking…
assholes” Justin mumbled angrily as he turned and left.
