Free The Ones Who Got Away by Amira MZ Page A

ripped off JJ’s hand
     
    “NO!!” Jeremy’s moan filled the air. Tears were spilling down faster now as he looked at his now one handed teddy.
     
    “Awhhh…Look at what you made me do.” Matthew said, his voice full of mockery.
     
    Jeremy continued weeping, sobs breaking from his chest.
     
    “Whatever.” Matthew said and gave a big fat punch that knocked Jeremy off his feet. When Jeremy was down, Matthew kicked him over and over. Jeremy coughed, parting his lips not to shout out for help but to gasp for air. “
     
    Stupid. Sissy. Retard” Matthew yelled with every kick to Jeremy‘s chest. Then, he bent over and whispered in Jeremy‘s ear harshly “You stay away from her, you hear me or you‘ll end up worse than JJ.”
     
    ***
     
    “That boys laughing by the side. That pictures us. Our revenge on Matthew if we had been stronger.” Joshua said, his tone bitter.
     
    “So you don’t act on these artistic visions. You just draw them out?” I raised eyebrows, trying to comprehend this guy’s way of thinking. But looking at his scrawny build, I guess it was hard to stand up to rugby players like Matthew.
     
    “Right.”
     
    “What did Matthew want Jeremy to stay away from?”
     
    “His girlfriend, Elena. In the music room, he jumped her.”
     
    “Like sexually?” I asked incredulously. This was not the Jeremy I knew.
     
    “Jeremy was the nicest guy on Earth.” Joshua admitted.  “But in the end, I guess he was still a guy.”
     
    ***
     
    Elena. Ten years ago she was a high school cheerleader, cheering on her boyfriend. Ten years later, she owns a dry cleaners that is almost running out of business downtown, divorced with three kids while her husband ran off with their nanny. I walked in the dry cleaners, my satin blouse in hand. My excuse to talk to her. I succeeded. At the mention of Jeremy, she resisted to talk about him but after some persuasion and a handful of bank notes, she complied.
     
    “I heard there was an incident. In the music room?” I asked.
     
    “Right.”
     
    “How did it happened?”
     
    “It was after school. Jeremy came in, started kissing me and wouldn’t stop. Then my boyfriend Matt walked in. Luckily.” Elena told her story it a little too smoothly.
     
    “You must have told the story a lot.”
     
    “Yeah.” Elena replied flatly.
     
    “And Matt gave Jeremy a beating for that. Your idea?”
     
    “It was the only thing Matt did that my parents approved of.” Elena said, with a sad smile
     
    “Your parents didn’t like him?”
     
    “My mother’s hobby was to collect books about manners. Matt’s hobby was saying how far he could spit.”
     
    “He was your rebellion.” I smiled. This time, an understanding one. I had been through that phase before. I guess all girls have.
     
    “Beauty and the beast. Every girl tries it once.”
     
    “When Matt confronted Jeremy at the tracks, did he have a fallout?”
     
    “When Matt went after Jeremy, my parents went after his mum.” Elena said grimly.
     
    ***
     
    Jeremy and his mother came over to Elena’s house for a little ‘negotiation’. They wanted to settle the matter privately. Without involving the cops and lawyers and trips to the court as it would waste time, money and tears. Especially for Jeremy’s mother who was struggling to make ends meet.
     
    “Jeremy’s father wasn’t able to make it?” Mr. Michaelson asked, looking at the duo sitting across his coffee table.
     
    “He’s not part of Jeremy’s life.” Jeremy’s mother replied.
     
    “I can change that with law suits against both of you for what your son did to Elena.”
     
    “Jeremy is terribly sorry for what happened. So am I.”
     
    “Not to mention, the criminal investigations.”
     
    “Dad,” Elena warned. She could not understand why her dad was being so mean. Most of all she could not stand it.
     
    “Jeremy isn’t dangerous. If he misunderstood…” Megan continued
     
    “We can’t risk his