Chapter 12
NPOV
After a day and a half in bed, the pain subsided a bit and I was able to get up and walk around, even go to classes.
Unfortunately, this meant the guys were on my tail 24/7, still asking me about this band idea they had. But, of course, I had to say no. As much as it killed me…but my secret was one I planned to keep, and being any closer to those guys, being band mates, well, it just made the whole thing harder.
So I denied.
James, luckily, didn't bother me. He ignored me at meals, and we didn't have any classes together, so I was clear.
Of course, then Jason told me about what Shane had done.
I was flattered. No one, not even my mom, had cared so much to fight back.
Well…one person did…but he's dead.
I looked closer at James after I heard the news, one early Monday morning at breakfast. I could see the remains of a black eye, a nose that looked even more crooked, and other not-to-pretty things.
Shane had gotten a bloody nose and a nice bruise on his arm, but other than that walked away clean.
"I've wanted to do that for a long time now," he said. "James was here last year and the year before that. He's just a no good son of a-"
"Shane," Jason interrupted.
"B—I mean, gun. Yeah, son of a gun," Shane smiled sheepishly. "That's what…I meant."
It was still that Monday. I was staring down at my food, not hungry in the slightest, which, of course, worried Jason. I swear, the guy has just about fashioned himself as my older brother. Shane? Well, maybe he thinks as himself as a bodyguard.
Either way, it was both pleasing and annoying at the same time.
"Eat, Nate," Jason told me.
"Okay, okay," I muttered, reaching for my glass of milk. My sleeve slid back to reveal the bruise Mike had given me before I'd left, by slamming the door on it hard and leaving it mashed in there until my mom got home.
Shane set his jaw when he saw it. I shoved my sleeve back into place and gulped down my milk.
"I can't believe James did that to you," he grumbled.
I choked, coughed, then put down my glass. "James?" I mumbled. "No it was-" I froze. "I mean, yeah it was James."
The older guys stared at me. I felt the suspicion, so I hopped up, threw my food away and ran down to the pond, where I felt safest.
Someone was already there. I recognized Caitlyn, sitting with her laptop.
At first, I thought she was playing some music off Playlist, or Youtube. But as I approached, I realized she was the one making the music.
"Wow," I said, causing her to jump. "You're really good."
She turned and smiled at me. "Thanks," she answered. Then, she studied my face. "Are you okay?" she asked. "You seem…upset."
"Nah," I shrugged. "I'm good."
Caitlyn watched me for a second, then dropped the subject. "Come, sit, or something," she invited, patting the ground next to her.
"Okay." I sat down and criss-crossed my legs, staring out at the lake. It was a beautiful sight. The sun was barely up, so only the top of trees were bathed in sunlight. A deer on the far side of the lake drank calmly before turning and bounding away. A few geese flew in and landed with a spray of water in the middle of the water.
Caitlyn sighed. "Wow," she said dreamily. "Isn't it so beautiful?"
"Yeah," I agreed.
"I'm going to miss this when I go home," she said, closing her laptop.
A hard rock formed in my stomach. "Me, too."
"But at Parents Weekend, I'm going to love showing it to my brothers."
I was stuck at two words. "P-Parents…W-Weekend?" My voice was quaking, and scared.
"Nate?" Caitlyn turned to me, eyes confused. "What is it?"
"What…do you mean," I whispered. "Parents Weekend?"
"Yeah…our parents are coming in two weeks," Caitlyn said slowly.
NO! No, they couldn't come here. Not in my paradise. This was my place, away from them! Why?!
"Nate? Nate?"
I couldn't hear Caitlyn all that well, what with the growing horror.
"No," I gasped. "Not here. They wouldn't dare…" This was my place. Mine! They couldn't come here.
Never.
I could see all the possibilities…of them hurting me.
Mike could drown me in the lake. Todd could smack me with a music stand…Mike could lock me in the music shed for a week…Todd could break my arm with a guitar…
Ohh nooo.
I leaped to my feet and darted away, with Caitlyn calling after me, and then for Shane and Jason.
I didn't look back.
