Enforced (Book 1)

Chapter 29

As I ran out of the house it dawned on me, the moaning child on Jenny's street so many weeks ago wasn't a child at all. It was Benjamin. The one we heard being abused during Jenny's bridal shower. I knew I had recognized Acer's house from somewhere.

I still couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. Could Benjamin's bullies actually be his own family? They couldn't be. Benjamin never told me he had a brother. He told me he had a mother and a father who were impoverished. So poor in fact, that they frequently left him home alone to visit soup kitchens for food.

He never said that he had a mother, a father, and an older brother. He never said that that he lived in huge house packed with food and expensive décor. Benjamin's family was the opposite of poor.

I hoped that they weren't his bullies, but deep down, I knew that they were. Benjamin would never have made up such an intricate lie if his family didn't beat him. I had heard his mother beat him, and there was no other reason for him to lie to me unless they were the ones who abused him.

After I left his house I began sprinting. I couldn't see through the tears. I got all the way to the dock without falling, but the second I reached the end of the dock I fell to my knees. My body heaved and I emptied the contents of stomach into the water below me. When I finished, I was shaking.

Everything was going wrong. I was hurt, sad, pissed, confused. I wanted to feel any other kind of pain than the emotional pain I was feeling. Any other pain besides the pain of heartbreak. I took my broken hand and began taking the cast off of it.

"Stop it! Really, Bethany?" Benjamin shouted, grabbing my hand. "Don't harm yourself like that!"

I pulled away from him and looked up into his bruising face. He had a new cut down his face as well that wasn't there when I left his house. I knew he was punished because of me. Because I asked him to sit with us when his family wanted him as far away as possible.

"You lied to me Benjamin!" How could you?" I screamed at him. My chest hurt, my lungs felt like they were going to collapse. "You lied! You lied to me!"

"I'm sorry." he whispered back.

"Your family are the bullies aren't they? Those guys you told me about, they're made up, your family tortures you! That's why you said your family wouldn't stop the bullies, because they are the bullies! Acer, your mom, and your dad, they all abuse you. And that's why you looked so upset when I told you Acer's name!"

Benjamin looked down without answering my question, "Technically Acer's father isn't my father."

I grabbed his shirt, "Tell me the truth Benjamin, please! You owe me that!"

"You're right Bethany, ok? You're right! You're right about everything.

Upon hearing this confession, I released his shirt in anger and turned running. Benjamin caught up to me quickly and grabbed arm. "Stop! Stop it right now!" he shouted at me, "Don't do anything stupid! You are not going to break off this engagement!"

I pulled away, "Yes I am, Benjamin!"

Benjamin got down on his knees and took my hands in his. He pleaded, "Please! Bethany, go through with this wedding. If you don't your dad will have you punished Bethany, and that punishment is death! I know you saw the young girl get shot by her own father a few weeks ago, she denied her wedding, now she is dead! Executed on live television!"

I took a deep breath, "Benjamin, your family tortures you. I will not marry into that."

"If you die, Bethany, I die. I won't be able to fight any more if you aren't here!"

"You will be able to fight! You will fight for me, for my memory! If you continue to fight, I will not have died in vain!" I was terrified but completely ready to die for Benjamin.

"No, Bethany. Please." He begged, his voice cracking. "You can't do this to me."

My decision was already made. So I didn't respond.

"Promise me, you will sleep on it, promise me you will talk to me before you make your decision, and promise me that you will listen to my reasoning. Bethany please promise me, I can't lose you."

I held my hand behind my back and crossed my fingers, "I promise." I got down on my knees and kissed Benjamin passionately. Little did Benjamin know that this would be our last kiss. I already had made up my mind, I would not marry Acer, I would rather die than marry into a family that abuses my Benjamin.

"I have a lot to think about. I'll see you tomorrow, Benjamin." I lied again. I lied for him. Knowing he'd never let me leave if he knew the truth. I squeezed Benjamin's fingers light, then I stood up and dropped Benjamin's hand and ran to shuttle stop to go home for the last time.