Enough

I was sitting in Matt's living room drinking coffee and watching the news when he staggered down the stairs. Matt had always had a childlike look when he first woke up, and the older he got the more it showed.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." I called to him as he walked towards the kitchen.

He grumbled something before disappearing. I laughed to myself and took a sip of my coffee. Matt emerged from the kitchen a few minutes later with a cup of coffee in one hand and poptarts in the other.

"I can make something," I told him as he sat down on the couch next to me.

He stifled a yawn and shook his head. "Nah, this is fine."

"Okay," I said. "I'm supposed to be staying with Zack tonight."

Matt raised his brow at me, "Oh?"

I nodded. "Yeah, we're having one of our movie nights."

Matt smiled. "One of your funky old time horror movie nights? You guys haven't had one of those since...I don't know, high school?"

I laughed, "Yeah, I know. I'm excited. Jake didn't like horror movies so..." I stopped myself.

Matt didn't say anything for a moment and then he sat up and put his coffee cup down on the table in front of him. "Bekah, we need to talk about him."

I nodded. "Okay." I took a deep breath set my coffee mug down on the table like Matt did. "Okay," I said more definitively.

Matt looked at me but didn't say anything, and I didn't say anything either for a long time. I didn't know what to say, I didn't even know where to start. I guess the beginning was always a good place.

I licked my lips and took another deep breath. "In the beginning, things were great. Jake was perfect, we were happy. He talked me into moving in with him shortly after we started dating. I was always at his house or the hospital working, so it didn't seem like a big deal. I don't know exactly when it happened, but it was like he woke up one morning and was a completely different person. At first it was just arguments because I worked too many hours, and then he'd get mad if he saw me talking to another guy. He told me I was only allowed to treat female patients at work, and when I told him I couldn't do that he hit me."

Matt stared at me but I couldn't look at him. Suddenly I was very interested in my cuticles. "He apologized after it happened and swore it would never happen again, and it didn't for a couple of weeks. He ended up making me quit my job, which you guys knew about. Shortly after that he took a pair of scissors to my hair because a stranger complimented me. We fought about it and he hit me for the second time. I know, I should have left then but I loved him, and he was very good at making me think everything was my fault."

Matt grabbed my hand and gave it a slight squeeze.

"Then he introduced me to cocaine. It was the day after I took my first really, really bad beating. I had came home from the hospital, I had a fractured rib and a concussion. When I got home, Jake wasn't there so I turned on the news. It was the day Jimmy had died." I began to tear up. "I wanted - I needed to talk to you guys but Jake had already blocked your numbers. When Jake got home I begged him to let me call you and see what happened. He refused. I begged and begged him but he wouldn't. I didn't know what else to do, so I kept begging. Finally, he got fed up with me and dragged me upstairs. I thought he was going to beat me again, but I think the hospital visit had him a little scared. Instead, he pulled out his tray and confessed that he did cocaine every once in a while. He told me there were ways to control how you used it and not everyone got addicted to it. He convinced me that it would take my pain away and then he told me to do it or he was going to leave me because he couldn't handle the crying."

I took a deep break and chewed on my lip. This next part was the part I was dreading. I took a deep breath and as strongly as I could, continued.

"After that, Jake told me I needed to start helping out financially around the house. I told him I'd be more than happy to get a job, and he said he already had one - several lined up for me." A tear fell from my face and I wiped it away. "That night he introduced me to his friend, Caleb. He told me Caleb spent good money to hang out with me that night. I was very confused when Jake left and Caleb...he...I didn't want to."

Matt took his hand from mine and sat up straight. He looked away from me and at the wall. "Jake...that..that bastard got paid to let people to sleep with you." He said. "No," he shook his head, "you said you didn't want to. He let people...they...no, Bekah."

I sobbed into my hands. "They raped me."

Matt was quiet for a moment and then he stood up. "How many?"

I shook my head, "what?"

"How many people paid to rape you? How many people did he let..." Matt couldn't finish his sentence.

"I lost count."

Matt began to pace the living room. His bare chest was heaving and his fists were clenched. I watched him for a moment, unable to find any words and jumped when he banged his fist down on the table.

"I'm going to kill him." He said. He slipped on his shoes and grabbed his keys.

"No, no, Matt. Come on, don't do anything stupid." I said jumping off the couch. I grabbed his arm and tried to stop him but he was much bigger and stronger than me and instead he only dragged me along.

"No, Bekah. I'm not letting this bastard get away with this. You should have told me sooner. I would have killed his ass when we were getting your stuff." He unlocked his truck.

"Matt, please!" I begged as he hopped in. "It's been done, there's nothing you can do about it."

He started the truck and I ran, barefoot to the passenger side of the truck and wrenched open the door and climbed in.

"Get out, Rebekah." Matt told me as he started the truck.

"No!" I exclaimed.

"Rebekah, get out of the fucking truck. You don't need to go there." He yelled.

I buckled my seat belt. "I'm not getting out of this truck until you do."

Matt groaned, shut off the truck and threw open his driver’s side door and got out. He angrily walked back into the house and left me sitting alone in his truck. I sighed in relief and unbuckled my seatbelt and hopped out of the truck.

I walked inside and looked around for Matt. I walked up stairs and into his bedroom. "Matt?" I called.

"What?" He answered on the other side of his bathroom door.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm taking a shower. I'll be fine." Matt answered again.

I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Okay," I answered before turning on my heel and walking away.

I walked in to my bedroom and closed the door behind me. I expected Matt to have a reaction but I never thought he'd get so violent. I began to strip down since I was still in my pajamas. I had just pulled on a clean outfit when I heard the Matt's truck start up.

My heart fell and I ran out of my bedroom, down the hall and out the front door just in time to see Matt speeding off in the direction of Jake's house.

I stood there for a moment completely dumbfounded that I fell for that before I remembered what was going on and had to stop him. I turned and ran back into the house and stuck my hand into the bowl we kept our keys. It was empty.

"Matt! You took my keys?" I said exasperatedly. What to do, what to do? I could call the cops and send them to Jakes house but I didn't want to get Matt in trouble.

I groaned as I grabbed my cell phone from the couch and called Zack.

He answered on the second ring. "Hey, Beks."

"Zack, you have to come get me. It's Matt, he's going to Jake's. It's bad Zack, you have to hurry before he does something stupid."

"Woah, calm down. What's happening?"

I took a sharp breath. "Just come get me! I'll explain on the way."

"On my way," he told me before hanging up.

It seemed like it took Zack hours to drive the few blocks over. My anxiety was through the roof and the only thing I could hope for was that Jake wasn't home when Matt got there. Matt would kill him, I knew it.

I jumped into the car as soon as Zack came to a halt. He put the car in reverse and began driving to Jake's.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on or not?" Zack raised his eyebrows at me shortly before turning his eyes back to the road.

I shook my head, unable to find the right words. "I...Matt is just not very happy with Jake right now."

"Well, no shit. None of us are very happy with him, but we've been trying to control the urge to pummel him. What happened?"

"I don't know," I lied. "Can we talk about it later?"

Zack sighed but nodded. I felt a small amount of relief being lifted from my chest but not enough to make it easier to breathe.

Few minutes later, we arrived at Jakes house. Matt's truck was in the driveway, so was Jake's. I jumped out of Zack's car before he had time to completely stop. I heard a crash come from inside the house and began to run to the front door.

"Beks!" Zack called after me. I ignored him and ran up to the door, swinging it open.

Matt and Jake were on the floor. Fists were flying, but I couldn't tell whose was whose. Matt was on top of Jake, and neither of them realized they had an audience.

"Matt! Stop!" I yelled.

Matt looked over at me, and Jake took the opportunity to swing at Matt. His fist collided with Matt's jaw, and then Jake shoved Matt off him.

Jake scrambled to his feet and Matt stood up to. Matt took a step towards Jake and Jake stumbled backwards.

"What the hell is going on?" I heard from behind me. I turned slightly and seen Zack standing there with a confused look on his face.

"Rebekah, what the fuck?" Jake hollered. "First you run off with these douchebags and then one comes back and attacks me in my own home? For no fucking reason, might I add!"

"For no fucking reason?" Matt repeated. He charged at Jake and shoved him up against the wall. He pressed his forearm against Jake's throat. "You fucking know you deserve this, asshole. You're lucky I haven't killed you."

I turned to Zack, motioning for him to help me pull Matt off of Jake but Zack merely shrugged and leaned against the doorframe.

I rolled my eyes, completely agitated and grabbed Matt's arm. "Matt, please stop."

Matt ignored me and instead pressed his forearm tighter against Jake's throat.

"Matt," I repeated trying to keep my voice calm.

Matt never took his eyes off Jake but replied, "He needs to pay for what he did to you, Bekah."

I shook my head. "You've got too much to lose. Think about Val, she needs you."

Matt's jaw muscles flexed. He let go of Jake and took a few steps back. "You're right."

I nodded. "Let's just go." Matt agreed and we began to walk to the front door where Zack still leaned. "Thanks for the help."

Zack shrugged. "You had it under control."

"I knew you were fucking them," Jake said quietly. I turned back to him and saw him standing, staring at me.

I shook my head. "I'm not."

"Bullshit, Rebekah." Jake shook his head. "If you're not fucking them then why haven't you come home?"

I stared at him. I thought I seen a flicker of hurt in his eyes but wasn't sure. "Jake, I can't live like that anymore."

"I thought you loved me."

"I did. I do."

Jake took a few steps in my direction, and Zack straightened up protectively behind me. I don't know if Jake didn't notice or just didn't care.

"Come home, baby. I miss you so much. I love you and I can't stop thinking about you. Thing will change if you want them to. I'll become a better man for you." Jake begged.

I could only stare at him. I wasn't used to him begging me for something. I wasn't used to him claiming to not be good enough for me.

"Beks, let's go." Zack whispered from behind me. He was so close I felt his breath on the back of my neck.

I didn't move, but I didn't speak either. After a moment I felt a hand wrap around my waist and begin to slightly tug me backwards. I turned and realized Zack was trying to get me to move my feet. Matt was waiting for us on the porch.

I turned towards Zack and nodded. I took a few steps and then turned back to Jake. "I can't Jake. I'm sorry."

I took a few more steps before I heard Jake mumble something. I turned around just in time to see Zack's fist collide with Jake's face.

Blood began to pour from Jake's nose, but he didn't move to attack Zack. Zack stood there for a moment, silently daring Jake before he turned back to me and ushered me out the door.

Notes

Thank you guys for reading! Please leave feedback. Also, the first chapter of the side story to this story is up! You can find it here.

Title credit: Avenged Sevenfold "This Means War"