I Am Not My Skin [ UNDER EDITING ]

Chapter 8:

I held my breath as I was making my way to the entrance. I can never escape Eddy and his questions, which I hate. He had a cheeky grin on his face and I felt so embarrassed, but why was I feeling this way? I'm not hiding anything for that matter. "So my dear Drew, you and Mr. Police officer, why haven't you told me this before?" I shrug, no way will I tell him anything. He was my best friend but I'd rather avoid the whole Johnny topic. I had more things to worry about then to talk about him all day.

Although, I wouldn't mind gazing into those eyes of his, so calm and so captivating. All I could think about is how lucky his girlfriend must be, because unlike my ex, he doesn't rave about himself every chance he gets to.

"I have no idea what you're referring to, and no we aren't seeing each other. He's a good friend who gave me a lift back to work. In case you were wondering we aren't dating." I saw Dr. Nicholson looking around the casualty ward and I heard him call out to me. I knew Jamal was in one of the rooms and wait…did something happen to him? I ran as quickly as I can. My heart was racing faster than a horse's on the track, was he okay or did I have to prepare for more bad news? My heart could only bear so much.

When I entered Jamal's room in a hurry I saw him laying on his bed and Dr. Nicholson left the room as he nod. He looked so happy. I knew Jamal would eventually wake but not this soon, oh how my heart jumped with joy. He tried sitting up and I could see him struggling. He squeaked with each movement he made. "Wait, let me help you. You shouldn't move around so much." I fluffed his pillow because lord knows the hospital pillows always had a way of hurting your neck, I held his arms as carefully as I could. I must be gentle with him and I wanted him to feel as comfortable as he possibly could get. Just looking at him I don't know how to give him the news. How do I do it with a straight face, and tell him that his grandmother is gone?

And as soon as he felt comfortable enough. I felt it was best if we talked, but this was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I was dreading this and I had no idea how I'd tell him the news. "How are you feeling?" I asked, he still had bruises on his face, his bandages was fresh from this morning. There were nurses who cleaned his wounds. He forced his eyes to stay open to look at me. It would've been for the best if he was resting and not listen to what I have to tell him.

"A bit sore but I couldn't be any better. You see how they messed up my swag?" I chuckled, oh Jamal how do you still find the time to make fun even in the worse situations? It's good to see him like this, sadness never got to him. He had to learn to be strong at a fragile age in his life. "Hey Drew, where's my grandma, have you guys checked in on her yet?" I froze, I almost walked out of his room. How does one break such news and tell a person that their parent had died? This was the hardest thing I had to do yet, I sighed as my eyes fell onto the floor. "What's wrong Drew? Why the long face?" He asked, I knew he could sense that there was something wrong, especially when I have been weird since I came through his door. How I wished Dr. Nicholson would be the one doing this instead of me.

"I have no idea how to tell you this Jamal. Your grandmother she uhm, I'm sorry Jamal. Your grandmother has passed away." I couldn't say it with a straight face, I was too weak to look him in the eyes. There was so much hurt, he broke down and held so tight onto me. I felt all of his pain.

"It was them Drew, they were hurting my her. The officer kicked her in front of me, I wanted to help but they kicked me in the face and tased me. I blacked out, and when I came to I was being dragged out of the house. It's all my fault." No, I whispered to myself. He shouldn't be blaming himself for this, it wasn't his fault.

I knew something else happened in that house, Mrs. Brown couldn't have died just from laying on the cold. I felt the coldest breeze washing over my being. I turned numb, this all made sense, they looked so nervous when they saw me running towards them. No, no, I will not stand for this. "Did they──did they hurt Mrs. Brown, Jamal?" I couldn't believe it, who in their right mind would hurt an old sweet lady? Who would be capable of doing such a thing without any feeling for the next person. Mrs. Brown never hurt or even said anything bad about another person, she was much too kind for all of that.

"Yes, Drew. They kicked her in the ribs and I just laid there, the one you insulted was the one who did it. He showed us no mercy. He's full of hate."

"Wait right here Jamal. I have to go and check out something," I ran out of his room and into Dr. Nicholson's office. I found him busy with some papers he had laying on his desk. "Is it true? Did they really hurt her?" He looked down and I could see the shame in his eyes. I guess I can't blame him, how was he suppose to look us straight in the eyes and tell us how Mrs. Brown endured her final hours, how she suffered and how she managed to hid it from us.

"Yes Drew, Mrs. Brown didn't suffer from the fall or fractured ribs, that's why I called you I wanted to tell you that she suffered from severe wounds. Her ribs were broken and they punctured her organs, I don't know what caused the wounds but it must have been a very powerful force. I suspect it was due to kicking or even a metal object, a case has already been opened today, Jamal─" I couldn't bear it any longer. I got frustrated and I was filled with rage, with tears in my eyes I ran out of that hospital. I needed to get away, Jamal was in safe hands and I needed to do something important. Something weighing heavily on my heart.

I ran for miles, something I would never do on any day. Out of breath I stopped in front of the police station, and there they were drinking coffee and eating donuts with the smug looks on their faces. They were sitting so peaceful and acted so calm about all of this.

"Where the fuck is Sergeant Robert Connor?" I remembered the name because Johnny told me of him earlier outside the hospital. "I won't ask again, where the fuck is Sergeant Robert Connor?" I yelled, and felt a tap on my shoulders, and there he was, the same face I saw that faithful morning. The same grin that could turn ones bones to stone, he licked his sticky fingers and I felt like punching him in the face badly.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? You need to leave right now or I'll have your black ass thrown in jail right fucking now!"

Remember Drew, go into that same rage you did when you found out what he did to Mrs. Brown. Take out all your anger, let it all out.

"I tried to do it in the most peaceful of ways I could possibly think of. But no, no you had to go and kill yet another innocent soul. This is far from over, I will fight with all of my─" My hand twiched and the next thing I heard was a loud sound. I couldn't hold it, I slapped him hard across the face and it felt so good. "Your day will come you murderer!"

"You stupid bitch!" His hand he struck out, I flinched and saw another hand stopping him, and when I turned over. It was Johnny, he was fuming.

"Don't ever talk to her like that again!" He snapped, and for the few hours or so I have known him, this was the first time I had seen him so angry.