Six
Vanessa felt sad. No, she felt more than just sad. She felt like she had royally fucked everything up for everyone. She felt angry. She was angry at herself for allowing it to happen, she was angry at Brooke for not locking the door. She was angry at Brooke’s parents for being so closed minded. She was just angry. More importantly, she felt like she let her brother down.
It’s been a week since the incident. Neither Vanessa or Jose had heard from Brooke or Brock since it happened, and it was spring break so there was no seeing them in school either. Jose’s heart was broken. He was worried for Brock. He hoped that Brock hadn’t been pulled from the closet.
He knew his sister felt awful, and he couldn’t be mad at her because she was in just as much pain as he was. So instead, he comforted her. He let her cry it out on his shoulder, he even slept on her floor a few nights so that she wasn’t alone but she could still sleep in her own room. Vanessa felt lucky. By all means she would understand if Jose was angry at her, but he was being her rock.
Brooke missed Vanessa. She had been grounded since that night, no phone, no computer, no contact to the outside world. The only one who understood her right now was Brock, who wasn’t allowed to talk to Vanessa, which means no talking to Jose either. Their parents had even taken his phone away too, thinking it'll help him "heal". They were both a mess and there had to be some way to fix the things.
Brooke didn't leave her room at all, it seemed like the energy had left her.
One afternoon her mother came in with an empty canvas bag.
"Come on Brooke, pack your things" she said as she put the bag on Brooke's bed and opened one of her drawers, selecting some clothes.
"Pack? What are you talking about, mom?" Brooke raised her head a little, snapping out of her reverie.
"I spoke with the pastor this morning and he recommended a camp for you, it is a very good place, where you can get closer to God and they will help you. They have the best conversion program in the entire state. With God's help and faith they will help you. They are going to repair you." she said without looking at Brooke
"I'm not broken," tears began to flow from her eyes
"I'm not going to argue with you, pack your things, we'll leave early tomorrow morning" her mother left the room without looking back.
Brooke felt like she couldn't breathe, panic flooding her body, threatening to take her breath away. She knew very well what happened in those "camps" some of her friends had been sent to them and they were never the same.
A hand grasped her shoulder trying to calm the strong shaking of her body.
"Shhh, Brooke, look at me, look at me, what's happening? What's wrong? Talk to me please," Brock looked into her scared eyes, trying to figure out what's wrong.
Brooke Lynn took him by the forearms and stared her green eyes into his brother's in utter terror.
"You have to help me, Brock, please."
Brock didn’t know what to do. He knew that Brooke going to one of those places was going to ruin her. He knows that she will never be the same.
This is all my fault, he thinks, I had to be selfish and agree to that situation, and now Brooke was going to suffer because of it.
He wanted his phone. So he decided he was going to ask.
Brock sat at the table after dinner. Brooke refused to leave her room, which he understood, but his parents were complaining. Brock decided it was a good time to just ask, to change the subject.
“I mean, technically, I didn’t even do anything.” he shrugs, “I shouldn’t be punished.”
His parents looked at each other.
“Brock, we took it for your own benefit.” his step mom explains, “we know that girl probably caused you a lot of pain.”
Brock fought the urge to wince, the fact that they thought Vanessa was so horrible made his heart hurt.
“Exactly, if anything, I’m a victim here!” he dramatizes, it had to be believable.
His step mom and his father looked at each other almost having a silent conversation.
“O...kay. If that will help you heal, you can have it back.” his father concedes, “but you’re not allowed to contact that family!”
“Of course not.” Brock says quickly, the fact that he lied not even making him feel bad.
What his parents were doing to Brooke, it was wrong, and he had a plan. He got his phone back and he told his parents he was going to bed early. Ironically, he crawled into his closet and dialed Jose’s number.
“Brock?!” Jose answered after the first ring, his voice thick with emotions, “Brock, oh my God, are you okay? Are you in trouble? Brock, I miss you so much.”
In the midst of this, Brock can hear Vanessa in the background.
“Did you say Brock?” he hears, her voice was flat, “that’s Brock? Ask about Brooke! Jose, ask him if Brooke is okay!?”
“Is Brooke okay?” Brock barely had time to answer before Jose said, “Brock, are you there?”
“Yes, yes I’m here!”
Jose let out a long sigh, hearing Brock’s voice, knowing he was okay, it was relief.
"I'm fine, but Brooke isn't, I- she- they're trying to send her away!"
Vanessa felt her blood run cold.
"Brock, what you mean by 'send her away'?"
"I mean, conversion camp."
'No!" Vanessa said, probably too loud, "they can't!"
"That's why I need your help."
"Anything, we'll do anything." Jose jumps in.
"Ok, let's make a plan. They're taking her tomorrow."