When I Met Him In The Summer

Twenty one

It is almost ten o'clock when I get home, but the living room and kitchen lights are still on. Jake must not be home yet, and Austin—well, I don't care where he is, but I close the door quietly behind me as I enter anyway.

If they are home, I just want to get to my room unnoticed. I don't want to run into them and have to answer any questions that will spoil my mood. Not tonight.

"You're home late," Jake says, startling me as I walk past the kitchen, and I grab my heart and stiffen. He's drinking a beer at the kitchen island, and he looks anything but happy to see me.

My shoulders sag with relief...thank God I asked Sora to drop me off a few houses down the street instead of right at my front door. Even if I had to walk all the way here, crisis fucking averted.

"I'm sorry, mum," I say, as he gets down from the stool and walks towards me. I arch an eyebrow, and stare with an amused smile at him. Is this supposed to be intimidating?

"Where were you?" he asks, and I let out a laugh.

"I don't answer to you, Jake. You're not responsible enough for yourself...let alone me," I say back, and keep walking towards the stairs.

"I'm not going to ask you again, Danny. Where were you?" he asks again through his teeth, and up close he looks really pissed about something. That, or he's just really drunk. Either way, I know not to act up now.

"I went to work, and then I needed some air, so I went out with a friend, jeez." I lie, and he stops me as I turn around and try to leave.

"Are you lying to me, Danny? You think this is funny?" he asks, and I frown and furrow my brows. He is not slurring, so definitely not drunk...then why is he being so weird?

"Wha—why would I be lying to you, Jake?" I stutter, and go around the couch as he stands in front of me.

"Well when I got home, Austin was saying some shit about you. Is it true?"

A cold sweat breaks out on my back as Austin comes down the stairs at the mention of his name, a smug, evil smirk on his face. He leans against the wall, and says 'i told you you would regret it'.

"I don't know whatever he's talking about, it's probably all bullshit anyways." I say, my voice shaking.

I'm distracted, glaring at Austin, and I don't notice Jake walk up towards me until the last second when he reaches out to grab me.

He misses as I side step him and push the coffee table in his direction, putting some distance between us. But not for long.

He does not even wince as he kicks it out of the way and it slams into the wall and shatters, but neither do I.

If Austin thinks this little skit of theirs is going to force me to come out before I'm ready, and that I'm just going to stand around so they beat me up for who I am, he is so awfully mistaken.

"Stop, Jake. STOP!" I scream as I walk backwards.

He does not listen, and my breathing shallows when he keeps walking forward towards me.  I'm at the foot of the stairs but as I turn around to run, Austin grabs my arm and yanks me backwards.

"Fuck!" I scream painfully, and grab my shoulder.  I turn around long enough to bite down on his arm and he lets me go. I sprint up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

"Don't make me angrier, Danny!" Jake yells, not far behind me. I get to my door, and my entire body slumps when I push it and it opens.
I get in just in time, slam and lock it behind me, and drop to my knees behind it. I cannot believe Austin did this to me.

I trusted him, and the second I did not just bend to his wishes, he stabbed me right in the back. But hey...that is how blackmail works after all. I'm not even pissed. I just feel so hurt, and betrayed.

The door rattles as Jake rams his body into it, and I start to hyperventilate. He bangs his fist against it, and I stand up, grab a chair and fix it under the knob.

"Danny, get the fuck out here. Look, I just want to talk," Jake says from behind the door, and I shake my head, even if he cannot see me.

"You're lying. You're going to hit me, aren't you?" I yell, my voice cracking as the tears start to spill.

My hands are shaking, and my knees are weak, and I want to throw up from all the adrenaline pumping through my veins right now.

"Danny, I want to talk. I'm angry, yes. But I'm not going to hit you. I just want to hear you out," he says calmly.

I stand in the centre of my room, and drag my hands through my hair. The window is open, and I could just leave through there, but I want to trust him.

Besides, if I leave, he'll get angrier, and then his reaction will be much, much worse.

"Jake, please, listen to me," I beg, with my forehead pressed against the door.

"Just open the door, and we can talk, okay?" he says, and I nod and let out a weak mm-hmm.

"I'm opening the door now, Jake. I need you to step away, and promise you're not going to do anything to me when I walk out," I say.

"I promise, Danny. Just open the door," he says, and I hear the shuffle of his shoes as he steps away.

I let out a relieved sigh as I turn the lock and open the door, but as soon as I step out, he grabs my hand, twists it behind my back, and pins me against the wall.