[ youngest son ; maple & shades & losers ]

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

{ time skip }

Today was one of those rare moments of normalcy for James Skyes. He had his hands in his pockets and was a man on a mission to buy their dog, Duke, some soft food. Living way over his average lifespan (which was a miracle in itself), the dog had trouble eating and moving and rarely left his bed. His dad had been dropping hints about a new puppy to ‘occupy’ James life and time; hoping someone would catch on.

However, his step faltered when he noticed Belle Dupree on a date with her new boyfriend, TJ. Of course, common sense in the young man’s brain would tell him to turn around and just find a different route to get to the pet store past the food court. But that was not the case.

It had been two weeks since the library scene and though James could live his whole life without Belle. A set path of life, without the girl who made the tapping stop.

He really couldn’t.

Her back was turned to him, leaving James to gulp down his fear and move towards the table she and TJ were sitting at. The other boy noticed before James could tap her shoulder, a glare in his green eyes as the brute, rich, young man eyes James evilly.

But his focus was on Belle, and he wanted to hug her. Tell her not to leave him alone anymore. There were no such words, however, merely his finger tapping lightly on her shoulder and his lips forming into a small, hesitant, frightful smile.

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:

    Belle about jumped eight feet in the air when someone tapped her shoulder, making her skin itch and her mind whirl. Usually this was the reaction she had when Tj touched her, but he was sitting across from her talking about how she'd been good this week and he was sorry he hurt her and blah blah blah. It was the same reprimanding talk she got from him after he hurt her, the spot she know cradled with her palm, just above her elbow. He had bought her a small necklace, one she was wearing and seemed to burn into her chest with every alarmed heartbeat she had. Tj was crazy she knew, one minute beating her up and the next minute promising her it wouldn't happen again and giving her gifts. The gifts meant nothing to her whatsoever, and she was numb most times he gave them to her, but had to act like she liked them or he might hit her again. 

    Her sore body turned to look at the person behind her, paling instantly when she saw James there. No no no no. He couldn't be around Tj and her. No, she'd made it clear enough that they couldn't be together, right? She'd never said why, though. Oh God.

    Belle's gaze flicked to Tj who glared, her heart pounding. "H-Hi James," she got up quickly, making her chair retch back over the nice wood floor of the mall and make everyone blink their way. She tried swallowing past the look Tj gave her as she grabbed James' elbow to lead him away from the table. "I'm sorry Tj, I'll make sure he gets back to his mom safe-"

    Her toe smacked into the chair again, making more noise and her face turned bright red. Blue eyes wide, she looked from Tj and back to James, blood running cold and so scared. She was so freaking scared her whole body shook and she tried ushering James away, looking a bit panicky. "James you have to go-" she murmured quietly, glancing down at the floor as she urged him to move forward by his elbow still. 

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

TJ decided to protest before James could make a move, or even Belle. “Dear.” He forced out through gritted teeth, brown hair falling near his brown with a swish of his head. “What did I tell you about our dates? They’re Belle and TJ, not Belle and whoever she wishes to hang out with.” He growled, ignoring the glares as the larger boy stood up and moved towards where Belle had James in a grip.

His own hand shot out to James, TJ wasn’t uninformed. He may go to a different school, but of course he had to be friends with Casey Thompson and knew of the time James Skyes peeked. “You don’t want to hang out with peeping toms anyways. All they do is…spy on you.” TJ tugged James from Belle’s grip, the other young man protesting with a squirm. Obviously hurt by both firm grips on his small frame and pale skin.

James didn’t know what to think. This was the famous boy who stole his Belle and here he was being possessive of her? The young man wanted his Belle back and he couldn’t so much as raise a finger to fight for her. And a part of him knew she didn’t want to be fought for.

So he let TJ hold his arm away from Belle, looking at the girl mournfully. Mouthing one sentence, “don’t leave me.”

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:

    Belle had reached for Tj, urging him to release his grip off of James and away from him. Her eyes only flashed to James for a second, but it was long enough to see him mouth those words her way. If her heart wasn't so numb and cold, it would've broken. For him, for the boy she was hurting so badly and couldn't protect with Tj so close and getting so angry. And all she wanted to really do was hold him, kiss him, love on him; whatever she could do to show him how sorry she was. How sick she felt for having to do this to him. How disgusting she felt, like she'd betrayed him too many times to count and didn't deserve his kindness. God, she loved him. She loved him so much and it was ripping her apart. 

    She'd paused for a second, fingers frozen like her body, watching James. Then she remembered Tj still gripped him and she pried his fingers away softly. "T-There's no need for that, Tj," she looked up at him, trying to bring her focus from Tj onto herself. She'd rather go through a thousand hits of his fist than to see him lay one finger on her James' arm. Belle couldn't stop him if he decided to, but she could throw herself in front of the attack if it came down to it. It was too pubic though, she doubted Tj would do anything with so many people watching. "He's just here for the Chem project we have to work on. I totally forgot I asked him like two weeks ago to meet me here," she flailed her hands a bit, hoping Tj believed her. By the looks of it, she wasn't winning. "But I can reschedule for you, babe," she told him, trying to direct attention to him because Tj loved himself more than anything in the world. "

    "James, we can reschedule some other time, yeah?" she asked, her eyes hoping he'd understand she wanted to see him again, most likely secretly. After he was safe, that is. 

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

Brows furrowed, James had no idea what the girl meant by reschedule. She wasn't seeing him at all, and he could see her if they rescheduled? Chemistry? James wasn't allowed near chemicals, something with his mind being unstable. He felt the tug of TJ shoving him away, leaving James to stumble near the ground. His fingers wrapped around to grip a chair, not wanting to fall on the ground.

"I know he's a little fucker, Belle. I don't want you seeing people like him." TJ scolded. His green gaze falling over his girlfriend in a false loving gaze.

He looked over the hunched James, blue eyes staring frightfully at his. "If you ever, ever come near my Belle I will make you regret it." His face was pressed close to James. Threatening. James looked terrified, glassy eyes wavering with unshed tears and his breath quickening. Where was his mother when he was having an anxiety and panic attack?

James was frightfully alone. He no longer had Belle.

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:

    Belle stepped forward, grabbing Tj's arm frightfully. "Tj stop," she said it quietly, though she wanted to yell. But she'd known for a while now that yelling was one of Tj's triggering features that got him angry. She really didn't want him to get angry, especially at James. She was stepping between them, hands pressing shakily to Tj's chest to hold him in place, though really she never liked touching him at all. "He's not....worth it," the words stung in her throat, making tears want to reach past her walls but it was so hard - so damn hard. All of this. All this hiding and pretending not to care. If Belle didn't stay focused she wouldn't be able to keep Tj calm and away from James. She didn't notice James beginning to panic. 

    "He's special, Tj," she told him, the words burning her even more. She didn't even believe them when she said them, though they just cut through her like a dagger. Of course James was special, but not in the way she was implying. She gave Tj a lot and cleared her throat because damn it was burning. "It's okay that he follows me around sometimes. He doesn't understand," every word was like acid from her lips, she hated herself now. She hated herself so much for saying them, so much that she felt dead. Dead inside. Oh God she felt like she was dying, her breath getting a bit heavier as she had to close her eyes tight and block out the urge to throw up or black out. Both sounded better than having to face the boy she loved after she'd said those things about him to someone else. 

    She turned back to James to tell him to leave again, because she knew if he didn't go soon she'd break down and that wouldn't keep him safe. Her eyes flicked over his demeanor, instant motherly mode coming over her when she realized he was getting upset. The uncontrollable kind of upset that Belle had only heard of from his mother and seen once herself. But she couldn't move, couldn't help. She'd give her cover away, the cover of thinking she didn't know him or like him to Tj, but if she didn't help than who would. "James, stay calm," she urged, but her voice cracked and she clenched her fists to stop her tears. 

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

"He's not...worth it."

James didn't hear anything after that, his slow mind numbing and the music of the world coming to a screeching halt. Blue eyes stared wide at the girl he thought he trusted and loved and like the rest of the world thought his time was up and he was no longer of use. It hurt so much. He rolled merely to his knees, not caring the rough bump to his hips that made James unshed tears fall and him to whimper in pain. He merely fumbled away from the girl just about killed James Skyes with kindness and now was killing him with words.

He didn't care about the music anymore, he didn't care about whether or not his heart made a beat to everything. His own melody dying, because James Skyes was worthless to the one person who mattered.

So did life matter?

Was he meant to make music?

Did everyone else find him like Belle did? Mom? Dad? Drew? David?

The autistic boy forgot about the dog food, merely slamming the door to the house open and close, stomping up to his room. Within half an hour there was the low screech of a violin out of tune, unpracticed, and dead sounding. Echoing the sorrow of the boy playing it. He wouldn't eat, barely sleep, refuse to leave his room and his house in silent protests. His hygiene would go into a disarray and supplements would eventually be keeping James Skyes alive and starving himself.

And after today, he wouldn't make anymore sound. No more beat. No more rhythm.

Because that was the day the music died.

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:

    Watching him run off scared Belle, afraid he might get hurt or who knows what when in his state of mind. But if she went after him, she knew Tj would be suspicious. So she stayed, her heart breaking and her mind numb, turning back to Tj and adding a dull, "Sorry about that babe."

    Later that night, Belle cried herself to sleep, rolling in her own self hatred at the fact that she'd lost the only person she'd ever really cared about. 

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:
{ ~le time skip~ }

    The large Dupree Fourth of July Bash was the most talked about event in all of town, and of the year. All families, including new and old comers, were invited and expected to show up. It was the grandest party that began the summer with a blast; literally, there were amazing fireworks every year shot off from the lake the house was perched near. Mr. Dupree, owning half the city and being the large host of the night, was usually busy walking around, talking to guest dressed in nice, summer time themed clothing, just like himself. There was laughter and soft jazz in the background and the clanging of dining wear and children's laughter echoing around the entire house, and usually Belle loved the party and the feel it gave her. 

    But Belle hadn't enjoyed anything lately. Not since she'd lost her love. 

    She was in her room as the guests were still arriving, just a half hour before sun set and one whole one until the fireworks went off. As a Dupree, she was to look her best and represent her father. So in doing so, she wore a pretty floral dress that was half sleeved and covered the bruises on her collar bones and below that. The dress was long and flowy, covering up her bruised and pale legs and made her look curvier than she really was - all good fast disappearing and replaced by skin and jutted bones. Eating was practically unheard of for her anymore, banned because Tj said so. Called her fat. Called her ugly. A whore. Disgusting. So she opted for not eating at all, too scared of him to do anything else. 

    Just as she was sliding her dress over her already finished hair and make-up, she watched a figure emerge from her door blankly. Tj's arms snaked around her small body, causing her to go rigid. it always happened no matter how numb she felt. Fear always shown through. 

    Then his own grip around her went tighter until he was squeezing her torso uncomfortably and gritting his teeth near ehr ear. "You better not be dressing up for any other guy tonight, Belle," he threatened and she tried pushing his hands off of her but he held on tight. 

    "I was just trying to look good, for you, Tj," she lied to him, squirming slowly within his arms. Suddenly she was ripped around, the door slamming closed behind her, shutting out the drawl of the party, and slammed into the wall next to her vanity by her shoulder roughly. Tj's hands snaked up her neck to just below her ears and pressed tightly, making her eyes widen in fright. 

    "Well you look fucking disgusting," he hissed at her. "And even so, I expect your eyes to be only on me tonight," he jerked her head, hitting it into the wall briefly and making her gasp. "Do I make myself clear?"

    "Y-yes Tj," she breathed and he let go, making her head throb and her breath quicken as she tried regaining her breath. After a second Tj cleared his throat and turned her around to face her mirror once again. His fingers pushed aside her neck line and ran over her bruises, narrowing his eyes at her as she winced and bit her lips together. 

    "Do you see these? There could be more of them if you don't listen to what I tell you," he threatened again and Belle nodded, jerking as his hands left her shoulders roughly and pushed her forward. She stumbled into her vanity, making some of her expensive perfume bottles crash to the hard wooden ground and shatter. She was about to bend over and pick up the pieces when Tj spat out, "Don't fucking touch that. Leave it. You're coming with me downstairs. Don't talk, don't stare, just look pretty and do what you're supposed to do," he glared at her pale expression in the mirror, pointing to her door expectantly. Slowly, mechanically, Belle did as she was told, being ushered by rough hands digging into her back towards the large staircase leading to the foyer where lots of people were arriving and talking. When they saw Belle and Tj they all greeted with a wave and warm welcome and Belle just plastered a fake, dead smile on her face. 

    Because she was just a walking corps with no life in her anyways. 

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

In all honesty, they didn’t have to go. It was all image, and James just wanted to stay home. But no, his mother had forcefully told him to bath and present himself nicely; because they had to impress Mr. Dupree for ‘your fathers work’. Even though Bastian Skyes protested about how he wouldn’t even know what to do with the promotion he could, might, and if he even gets; because he didn’t want to be principal of a whole school for one, and didn’t really know what a Board Member did but…administrate things.

James didn’t know either but merely kept quiet in protest to the world around him. He hasn’t talked since Belle called him worthless, and if a person squinted they would notice the empty seat in their class and know James had dropped out of school before summer had started; his mother taking the extra initiative to at least teach him things or call her daughter up and ask about it.

He stuck close to his mother, maybe it was irritably close or a silent agreement she would protect him from Belle (whom the Skyes have come to realize had abandoned their son for good) tonight. Or merely keep James away from her view, it wasn’t touched upon verbally. Merely through eye contact between parents as his mother would lead him for drinks and then his father was dragging him to meet a co-worker, which James would bashfully stare at the ground in silence.

It was contenting to know James Skyes wouldn’t have to go near a Dupree if he could help it.

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:

    With Tj's firm hand guiding the small of her back around the party, Belle kept a plastered fake smile on her face and tried not to tremor too much. It was in big crowds like these that Belle felt the most exposed, like someone would see what Tj had been doing to her and think it was for attention. Or maybe not believe it. Or Tj hurting her permanently because of it. Any which way, Belle didn't see a happy ending. But she didn't care much, now did she? She cared about her siblings, her dad, James. But that was about it and from the looks of it, meaning Belle's eyes glancing over every one of them as she walked within the crowd, none of them really needed her anyways. So why was she so scared of Tj still? Maybe she should just let him have his way. Let him do what he wanted. Let that minuscule flame of hope in her chest that flickered from the pit of death beyond finally ebb away and become nothing. Like Belle felt. Like nothing. 

    She was Tj's dead weight pet and she wasn't alive enough inside to care.

    Except that tiny flame burned a bit brighter when she saw James, then crashed like a bomb once more, exploding but soon being swallowed up by the darkness consuming her already. She'd tried every day to forget about what she'd done to him, what she'd said and did to hurt him in the deepest way. Even though she knew it was to keep him safe, she still felt like the most awful person for it. Like she was disgusting and ugly not only on the outside liek Tj claimed, but on the inside too. 

    And yet she still loved the blue eyed boy with all of her broken and battered heart. 

    Belle did realize he was avoiding her, and rightfully so, but she still kept glancing his direction as Tj introduced her to people she hadn't met and smiled and was the good boyfriend everyone loved. People grinned at their 'cute coupleness' and ooed and awed over the necklace Tj had given her. But the metal of it seared into the skin on her neck and made her bruises throb at every glance others gave her. If they were to look past the thin sheen of clothing covering her shoulders and half of her arm, they would see the marks of an evil boy hitting a small girl who couldn't fight back no matter what; who couldn't escape because she feared what might happen to the people she loved and because she was just so weak. Weak physically and weak without her James. Lacking both meant she was an easy target for the enemy to destroy. Which he did, frequently. 

    There was only one thing in the whole entire blink and putrid world that gave Belle relief; and that was the fact that Tj hadn't pursued anything sexual with her yet, surprisingly. 

    But she thought this too soon as Tj's tugs became more touchy, more dangerous. At one point in the party he led her down a quiet hallway jerkily and hissed in her face, pressing her into the wall roughly. "Let's get out here..." he growled, dangerous eyes flicking over her face. As usual, she winced and watched the floor, not wanting to look at him. This made him angry, yanking her chin with stubby claws to face him and look into his wolf like eyes. "Look at me," he spoke through gritted teeth. Belle's green-blue gaze was wide, staring up at him like a scared child. Why was she still fighting him? Was there still enough life in her to act scared. There wasn't, so soon her vision blurred slightly as he went out of focus and Belle Dupree's shining self seemed to destruct. No more light or beauty. She was completely dead inside now, no more flickering light or life. 

    No more Belle Dupree, just a dead plaything for a dog. Just dead. 

    Though she was lifeless from within, her body moved to do Tj's wishes and she didn't fight back or show any emotion. He saw this, satisfied with her complying, and yanked her by the wrist back towards the foyer, still smiling like a gentlemen, and out of the front door. Belle followed mechanically, staring up at the sky dully. The now night time sky was beautiful, but she was not. She was worthless. Nothing. And she honestly just wanted to die.

    "We'll go have some fun at my house, I'm sure your parents wouldn't mind," Tj growled and unlocked the door to his shining black SUV, one Belle had been thrown into many times in the past few months. Now it just seemed dull to her as Tj opened the passenger door for her and smirked evilly. "Milady...." his arm swooped down and towards the car, ushering for her to get in without a struggle because some people were still arriving to the party. 

    But that sway of his arm was like a switch, flipping open a new force of Belle that rarely came out. Fight. Anger. Revenge. All three began to pool and swim within her, lighting that flame with a black fire and making her eyes flash open with more clarity. She looked at Tj, and for the first time ever, said the frightening words of, "No."

    Tj's once pretty satisfied smile dropped to one of dangerous emotion, a hunter wanting to kill for blood. "What?" he asked her, a bit shocked. Belle's feet pulled her back, away from the trapping cage of his car and away from him trying to hurt her. No more, not her. The anger and the bitterness was creeping in, and she felt it taking over every other sense. This had happened only once before, when her mother had died. When Belle had let her feelings and emotions consumer her so much that after, she became empty. But getting to that empty point, that last point that Belle knew she wouldn't return to, was the wave she was in now where she could fight back, freak out, and explode. 

    "I said, no," Belle's voice was low and shaky, her body rigid and her mind whirling. Tj leaned off of his car, mouth slightly ajar, and looked at her with confused anger. 

    "No....?" he asked her, stepping closer. His eyes were like fire, but hers were like lava. She should've been scared, but there was no fear in her anymore. No more room for that emotion in her tiny compressed body that was almost being pushed over the edge by emotions of rage. 

    "No!" Belle shouted into his face which was close to her. Some people walking up the driveway turned to look, and Tj raised his gaze to them, turning a bit pale but also very angry, shaking roughly. His hand tightly squeezed around her arm, but from afar might not have seemed so threatening and growled down at her,

    "Get in the fucking car, Belle."

    Belle's words were like venom. "Fuck. You."

    Tj's mouth dropped a bit more, absolutely taken aback. Belle yanked her arm from him and pushed him away, the people from earlier disapearing behind the large house towards the backyard. The fireworks were going to begin soon, naturally. 

    And it was only a few seconds after Belle was breathing heavily through her nose, blackness edging her vision, and glared at the sky before she felt the first crack of Tj's fingers fly across her skin. One. 

    Belle stumbled a bit, her heels stepping on the ends of her dress which made her trip on the curb of the road they'd been standing between and Tj's car, ripping an area around her collar, exposing her bruises, but Tj didn't care. As she was recovering from the last blow across her face, his fist connected with her stomach, sending all breath from her diaphragm and making her gasp, holding onto the area and drop to her knees. Natural tears welled in her eyes, but she'd hit her mark. Belle was gone. 

    Two.

    Now on her knees, she moved to get up, but being weak, she was slow. So Tj caught up to her on the grass pretty quickly, sending a kick and flurry of curse words towards her. She was hit in the ribs with a nasty, painful crack. Three.

    The fireworks began. 

    As the beautiful explosions happened in the sky, Tj's blows seemed to be in sync with them. A grab to the hair, wrenching her backwards by it and smacking her across the jaw, popping it uncomfortably. Four. A punch to the collarbone on top of her already exposed skin, the flimsy dress slipping down over her bra and bruised shoulders worthlessly. Five. 

    "You whiny little bitch, how fucking dare you tell me no. You love me!" Squeeze of the arm tightly, shaking her around. Belle's eyes lolling, the black sky lit up by fire swirling in her vision. "YOU LOVE ME!" he bellowed in her ears, echoing there as his fingers curled in her hair sent her flying down towards the hard ground grown with cool grass, cheek bone smacking into it and a rock cutting into it there, just missing her eye. Blood pooled now, face pressed into the dirt as Tj pounded a fist into her back. Six. Pulled her hair, smacking her head into the ground once more. Seven. (Maple is sobbing) The fire dancing in the sky above him, his words drowned out by the blasts, wrenching her useless body around to look up at him. Instead of seeing the next slap to the face and travel to the ground, Belle saw the stars and the sky and it swirled in her vision. Eight. She was empty. Dirty. Worthless. 

    But couldn't die without seeing his face one more time. 

    Just after his nails scraped over her cheek and Tj rose into the sky to deliver the last punch, Belle let out a cry. It was a pitiful, sad, dead, pleading cry that seemed to make the whole world stop as she called out rather eerily,

    "James..."

    Digging her nails into the gritted dirt of the ground and waiting for Tj's final punch to her skull, which she knew was coming as he stood over her, eyes wild, hair askew, body rigid and fists ready. Belle's large blue-green eyes searched for her love before she would leave for good, leave this dreadful world behind and become nothing. She was nothing.

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

James had been getting some fresh air before the fireworks, the noise startling him far worst but his reaction was normal. He looked up at them, the multi-colors shining on his face with every blast. Ignorant to what was going on until he heard a squeak of pain and was forced to look over with interest. Then it hit him, literally, watching his poor Belle on the ground with Andrew-what-his-face name is looming over his Belle.

He backed away towards the door he had snuck away from his father from, running inside with a slam as the firework boomed. He moved quickly now, finding his mother and father in the crowd; both not noticing he had disappeared or caring. Pulling on them, he dragged them towards the door and out where Belle was getting beat up. “Hurry.” He spoke for the first time in many months, leaving them to understand it really was important.

His father was the first to react to the beating, calling out a simple “hey!” in his ‘adult’ tone of voice and approaching TJ from the side. His arms crossed, green eyes glaring; knowing his wife had gone to get Mr. Dupree or whatever.

The young man, James, had approached Belle quietly while his father was quite forcefully taking care of TJ; whether it was dragging him away or what. James didn’t care, he just wanted to make sure Belle was okay.

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree

    The fireworks still went off in the sky, reflecting on Belle's battered face pressing into the grass weakly. Though she didn't want it, and was pretty out of it anyways, her heart was beating and she hated it. Hated that it was beating and she was still living and that James had to see her like she was. Tears streaked down her face softly but she was still and quiet, one of her hands motionlessly laying next to her bleeding cheek. She looked up at James only briefly, her concussed head making her nauseas and dead feeling. She felt dead. Wanted to be dead. Didn't want anyone to find out about her. 

    Tj was flailing, trying to fight back as someone from inside called the police and Mr. Dupree pushed through the crowd all the way from the back of the house towards his daughter, something wrong, but not knowing what yet. 

    "Get away, James. He'll hurt you," Belle's talk was slurred, out of it hurt all over, and hysterical. She let out a quiet squeak from the throbbing pain and knew that James was there next to her, pitying her. She had to save him. Had to make sure he was okay. Couldn't let Tj get him, though of course she didn't know Tj was being tackled by some large men, and the police chief himself who had been at the party in his lounge clothes. He was fighting them back, yelling out,

    "She loves me!" with a bloody mouth since he too had been punched to be subdued, thrashing under about four men's strengths until he was forced to the ground completely and handcuffed behind his back. 

    Belle's voice was pretty pathetic. "Let me die, please. Please make it stop, James," she cried, her mind set all over the place. She hated herself so much, hated that she couldn't be with James and couldn't keep him safe and couldn't protect herself from Tj. Dying seemed like the better option though she didn't want to, didn't want to hurt anymore and wanted to be with James. But she couldn't move, surely things were broken or bruised too badly, that's why. Or maybe it was because she was still waiting for that final blow from Tj that would rid her from the earth for good. 

    Her brain was out of sorts, not in the right mind at the moment, thrashing as much as she could and crying harder.

[shades]

James Skyes ; ;

Staring like a child, he coaxed the girl to roll over so he could slip his arms under the crook of her knees and around her shoulders. Cradling the girl close with her name, trying to get the girl to respond. “Belle?” His voice didn’t raise over a whisper, looking over to Mr. Dupree and Matty horrified. They knew he didn’t do it, but he was still the one holding the girl weakly. His own knees about to buckle from her weight. Both of them having thinned out over the months and James being the worst.

“Belle?” He asked again, tears falling lightly from his eyes and down his cheeks. The sound of sirens in the distance alerting him to the people and small crowd around him.

Looking up, James glumly handed his Belle to her father gently, one hand lingering with hers before leaving it hesitantly.

[Maple ♥]

Belle Dupree:

    Belle slumped in the arms over one and was slid into the other, her dads eyes wide with shock and Matty's filled to the brim with angry tears. He suddenly jerked towards where Tj was being obtained, threatening to kill him for laying a finger on his sister but being held back by a few men. Belle's sisters, Madelyn and Autumn, sat inside the house with some of the women, people coming together to help in whatever way they can. 

    But it was a bit too late for that now wasn't it.

    Mr. Dupree slumped to his knees, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks as he slipped some hair out of Belle's swollen and bloodied face. "My baby," he sniffed, pulling her into him tightly and sobbing, horror registering on his face. Belle screamed as loud as she could, wiggled against him as much as possible, hysterical now.

    "No, don't touch me. He'll hit me! Don't hurt me, my God don't hurt me!" She yelled, her face riden with tears and blue-green eyes landing on James. "James! Get away from him, he'll hurt you too," she slurred through bloody and spit filled lips. "I have to keep you safe, I have to..." She was buried deeper into her father who didn't understand why she was saying these things but it was breaking his heart. How could someone so seemingly perfect hurt his daughter?

    She fought him though, slipping out of his crouched position and onto the ground as the ambulance screeched to a halt at the end of the long drive way. People were watching, covering their mouths, not baring what was happening. Belle reached up for James, her eyes teary. So scared, she didn't want to be here. They had found out. She couldn't let him get hurt. She loved him. She did, so much. So she mouthed the next words looking like a mess and feeling like it too, "Don't leave me. I love you." To him because he was the only thing she wanted to live for.