Forbidden Glass Doll

Chapter 7

Julianna

"And I'm tying you to my side–No! I'm going to handcuff you next to me so that no mother-fucking low-life is able to take advantage of you again!" Titus angrily yells from the adjacent room.

The sound of his pacing footsteps comes to a pause and I hear him take a large breath. For a second I'm optimistic his temper has finally cooled...

"And I'm going to–!"

...but it would seem not.

I roll my eyes as the sound of Titus' angry steps resumes along with his continued tangent.

Dipping my head down, I pull my toothbrush out of my mouth and spit into the small bathroom sink. Twisting the slightly rusted chrome faucet, the water sputters before slowly washing my toothpaste down the drain of the cracked porcelain bowl.

"He didn't even touch me," I comment from the bathroom as I wipe the leftover foam from my mouth, "and I work at a bar, low-lifes are everywhere," I admonish through the closed door. My voice echoes against the tiles in the bathroom making my tone sound harsher than intended.

"He doesn't even get to breathe in your direction when I'm done! I going to..." Titus continues to ramble off, undeterred by my interjection.

I sigh as I dip my washcloth under the running water and begin rinsing my face, letting out a muffled groan into the cloth.

Ever since storming into Room Three, Titus hadn't stopped talking. He was a nervous wreck seeing me trembling on the floor and was even more upset when the security cameras caught a figure of a large man entering the room shortly after I had. For the rest of the night he had been rambling off promises of what he would do if he ever encountered the uncaught man from the bar, and I had patiently listened to him, letting him release his pent-up nerves and anger.

I can still hear Titus' muffled voice as I stare at my reflection in the cracked mirror. I looked exhausted. My normally tan skin had lost most of its luster and the whites of my eyes had begun to turn red from overstimulation. I had my head of curls thrown in a high-messy bun and was dressed in nothing more than one of Titus' old t-shirts that I had confiscated for the purpose of comfy pajamas.

I try to brush some of the stray curls away from my face as I build up the energy to calm my brother down.

It was very late, and I was tired.

With a resigned sigh, I wearily open the door to the bathroom.

"...and string him by his–" Titus pauses his rant as soon as the bathroom door squeak is heard.

My frayed brother was standing in the doorway with his arms crossed and face pinched with worry. I knew him well enough to know that all of the rantings were just a defense mechanism for him to process through his nerves. His previously tucked uniform was now wrinkled and his hair was sticking up in a mess atop his head.

"I'm fine," I tell him with a smile as I put a comforting hand on his arm. He doesn't look to believe me, but his arm relaxes under my touch.

"I'm fine, I'm tired, and I'm going to bed," I say with a pointed look.

Titus sighs, looking just as weary as I feel. He stares at me for a moment longer, before slowly nodding his head and stepping to the side letting me pass by. It was late, and we were both exhausted. Trying to discuss the happenings of tonight wasn't going to solve any problems, and it was best to leave that discussion for after sleep.

I walk to my room mumbling a quick goodnight before shutting my door.

Letting out a groan, I flop onto my mattress, making the old springs creak under my sudden weight. I was so tired. It felt like my brain was on overdrive for the last several hours, and I physically couldn't process anything else.