"What?! What do you mean you're outside?" Joy asked in frustration to her phone, "No! I have a limousine waiting for me- you kicked him out? Martin! I specifically told you not to show up here!"
"Hey, hey, chill out. Everyone is looking at you," I whispered at Joy. Everyone around us was looking at Joy. Jessie asked me what's happened, but I told her everything was alright.
Joy ended the call and cursed, "Damn it! He's here," Joy sighed and put her hand on her forehead.
"Who's here?"
"Martin! Gosh, he never listens," Joy groaned as she walked to the door. I grabbed her hand to stop her.
"Wait! We're not done, Joy," I said.
"Not now, Harris. I need to go now," Joy walked to the door, and when she saw an Audi parked one block from Jake's house, she cursed under her breath, "he's here. Fuck. How dare he come here."
I turned Joy around to face me and squeezed her shoulder, "Joy, tell me. Everything."
"There's nothing to talk about, Claude! I'm drunk, and that's it!" Joy spoke with a hint of panic.
"Drunk people tend to tell the truth," I spoke as she froze for a while.
"It doesn't matter, and I need to leave before-" Joy stopped her sentence as she saw the driver of the Audi step out of the vehicle, "and he's walking over here. Do you have any idea who Martin is? Just drop it. I need to go-"
"Yes I do!" I exclaimed as I got a confused look at Joy, and I immediately added some sentence to avoid suspicion, "I mean, I can tell the first time I saw him that he's a sociopath," Joy went silent because my statement was correct, and I continued, "and no, I won't drop it when I'm not allowing you to eat your feelings, Joy. I know you're the infamous Jocelyn Wright, whose life is a mystery, and it needs to end now or never."
Joy raised an eyebrow, "why do you care, Harris? I don't understand why you, of all people, care about my life."
I stood closer to her as I took her hands, "because I know it's eating you alive. If you have something to say, say it," I grasp her hands gently, "something must have happened at your house. You've been acting weird towards me because you've never been that close to me back at the gym."
"What do you want from me?" Joy folded her arm in front of her chest.
"Tell me, why do your brother's remarks keep you up all night? Why does it bother you?" I asked her.
"Because it's fucking weird for him to think that you can save me from my fiancee. I mean, save me from what?" Joy talking animated.
"You didn't think I noticed the red marks on your neck or arm?" Subconsciously I finally said that sentence.
Joy froze as she exhaled an air, "so, you did notice?"
I smiled sadly at Joy as I thought it was hard to see the red marks on her body because of Martin, and I saw in my dream how she got it.
"I'm sorry, I should have helped instead of keeping it to myself. I want so badly to help you, but-" Joy stopped my ranting with her putting her finger on my lips. Joy hushed me and shook her head.
"There's nothing you can do about it. Thank you for not telling anyone," Joy said to me. We stared at each other for a while as I sensed her sad emotion.
"Jocelyn," Martin showed up behind Joy, breaking our staring contest.
Joy closed her eyes before turning around, "call me Jocelyn, and I'll rip his head off."
"You're in big trouble, Jocelyn. Let's go home before your father is getting more frantic," Martin said, and he took Joy's hand by force. I hate to see her like this, so I stepped in the middle of them and took Martin's hand.
"I'm sorry, can you be more gentle?" I narrowed my eyes at Martin and didn't let go of Joy, but he loosened the grip.
"Claude, isn't it?" Martin walks closer to me. I notice to tall he is when I need to look up to see his eyes, "You don't know who you're talking to."
"Oh, I know who you are, Martin. I know people like you are trash," I said as we initiated a staring contest at each other.
"Harris, stop," Joy said as she went in the middle of us. Joy pulled Martin as he walked backward and kept her glare at me until he usually walked side-by-side with Joy. I saw them enter the car and leave the perimeter until they were gone.
I kicked the nearest can of beer and cursed, "Fuck! Making her fall in love with me is more complicated than I thought," I closed my eyes and brushed my face with my hand. Now that I have a competitor, I have to try something to make her open up to me again. I can't give up now. I need to be careful around Martin that now I know he will start threatening me if I ever interrupt them.
***
JOY'S P.O.V
We've arrived in my house and Martin closed the door behind him, "How often do I have to tell you to let go of me!" I said as I pried my arm from my crazy fiancee, "you know? You could be in prison for just touching a fucking minor."
"Because this is the only thing you would listen to me," Martin said as he approached me, "you've been acting rebellious lately, Jocelyn, and it needs to be stopped."
I shook my head in disbelief and rubbed my forehead, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"You think I didn't see a change in your attitude? I used to know you as an obedient girl who's always listened to her father."
"well, get used to it," I narrowed my eyes at Martin, "and why are you still here? This isn't your house, and you haven't married me."
Martin raises an eyebrow, and the corner of his lips raises a little, "you should say that to your father, and I suggest to act a little since you're under the influence at the moment."
"Father, stop!" I heard Dion speak as he stepped closer towards us with another person, "you don't understand-"
"I know precisely my daughter is Dion! Don't you dare speak to me about parenting," my body tensed when I heard a familiar voice approaching. I saw Martin grinning at me which he knew what was coming for me.
I walked towards the voice as I saw my father coming down from the stairs, "Where were you, young lady!"
"I was at Rebecca's house, father," I told my dad. He's wearing a white shirt and black shorts with messy hair. He must be stressed because I come home late.
"Is she telling the truth, Martin?" My dad turned his attention to Martin as he shook his head.
"Don't!" I saw Dion pointing his finger at Martin while Emilia held him.
"No, father. She went to a party," Martin spoke, and my father turned his attention back to me.
"I guess I'll be marrying a rat," I muttered.
"You dare to lie to me, Jocelyn?!" My dad clenched his jaw and asked in furious, "I don't like the fact that I have to pass through your rebellious phase."
"Father-" Dion called.
"Stop, Dion," my dad puts his hands up, "Emilia, please take Dion to his room."
"Yes, father-in-law," Emilia said as she took Dion back to his room. Great, I have no one but myself.
"You know? I came back from a long business trip, and the first thing my daughter gave me was a headache?" My dad narrowed his eyes at me, "and why is it that every time I'm here, you two keep arguing when you step into this house."
"Father, she wouldn't listen to me-"
"No, father. He never listens to me and-" Martin and I spoke in unison animatedly to prove a point.
"Stop. I can't listen to your sentences if you barked simultaneously," my dad let out an exasperated sigh, "why can't you two get along?"
I wanted to open my mouth, but nothing came. Martin was looking at me, telling me to back him up, which I won't do. I wanted to tell him that I wouldn't say I liked Martin, and I wanted him gone. But, he said that I gave him a headache after an extended business trip? This is because of his own decisions. He should know that I would grow up hating Martin more the first time he set me up with Martin.
"Martin? Jocelyn?" My father glanced at the two of us, and he scratched his head, "I'm going back to my room, and the last thing I want is to hear the both of you arguing."
"Wait, father. Are you going to let him stay here?" I asked as I pointed at Martin.
"Let him. He's going to be part of this family," My father said as he went upstairs to his room.
I let out an exasperated sigh and went to the living room. I lay my body on the couch as I heard Martin's footsteps getting closer, "you know why I need to tell him the truth."
"You can do better than that," I said as I sighed. I sat up and narrowed my eyes at Martin, "why do you have to make everything hard?"
"I thought my life already made your life harder," Martin said sarcastically.
"You're right. No wonder you're a Harvard student, Martin," I stood up and walked closer to my fiancee, "I hate you."
"I already know that," Martin said and shrugs.
"I told you not to pick me up."
"And I didn't listen."
"When my father's mouth mentioned your name. I can tell that you're going to bring pain to my life-Emotionally and physically," I laughed bitterly, "throughout my life, the days I have to adapt to my stubborn father because of the death of my mother, and you add to the burden of my life. Can't you listen to me just once in your life and give me a break that I deserve?"
Martin shook his head, and he smirked, "I know your father went crazy because of your mother. I'm doing all of this because of your father."
"Bullshit," I stopped in front of him. When I was going to speak again, Martin's phone ringed, and I was fast enough to grab his phone. I looked at the caller ID, and it was a girl's name, "oh, look. When you said you've done everything for my father, are you sure about that?" I showed Martin his phone, and I saw him clenching his jaw, "who's Hannah?"
Martin stole his phone back and turned it off, "it's none of your business."
"Oh please, Martin. I don't give a fuck who you're fucking with," I laughed at him, "but what does my father have to say about that? I'm assuming he would call off our engagement."
Martin's face flushed as I saw his fist already clenched. He grabbed me by my neck and pinned me against the wall. I tried to let go, but he kept tightening his grasp, making my lungs thin of air. He puts his hand on my mouth to prevent me from screaming, "You bitch. Even if you wanted so badly to call off the engagement, I know you don't have the guts to do it, and I know exactly why."
I tried to scream Dion's name, but it was muffled by his hand. Why does Martin have to be strong? I tried to punch him but moved away quickly. I bring my leg to kick the middle of Martin's legs as he grimaces in pain. He let go of me and kneeled with his hands in the middle. I kneeled and faced Martin, "you know nothing about me."
"You know why you don't have the guts to do it?" Martin asked as he chuckled and whispered, "because you love your father so much, you don't want to hurt him more."
I clenched my fist as I felt my blood boils. He's lying. That can't be why I don't have the guts to do it. I stomped my feet towards my room as I lay my back on the door. Why can't I tell my father that Martin is getting more violent at me? Why can't I tell my father that I am not happy since my mother died?
If I can't escape from Martin, I need somebody's help. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Dion might have a point. She could help me to save myself from Martin.
***