A/N: I had a hard time figuring out how to write this one and a friend helped me with it. Thanks, T!

FOUR

I am standing in the school parking lot, Zeke waiting with me. He should be at home preparing for the victory party after our away win against Amity High tonight. Instead, he is here with me. I haven't mentioned much about my home life to anyone, not wanting them to associate me with Marcus. But Zeke being Zeke, he must have felt my apprehension, seen how the closer we got to home, the more tense I became.

I told him to go, that I would be fine waiting in the parking lot, but he wouldn't have it. He used the excuse that he didn't want me left alone with Peter and his goons always lurking around. I can't say I'm not happy that he is with me.

"Your father doesn't own a watch, does he?" Zeke asks with a chuckle.

"Just his way of showing who is boss," I respond.

They're the only words we have spoken in the last thirty minutes. Zeke knows I'm not much of a talker, except when I'm around her. Why? I don't know, but even now I can't stop thinking about her. I see headlights coming towards us and I know it is him.

"Are you sure you don't want to blow your dad off and come to the party?" Zeke asks.

"I can't, Zeke. If I don't cooperate with their agreement, he might drag my mom into court about it," is all I say.

The car rolls to a stop in front of us and Marcus rolls his window down. "Get in the car," he sneers at me.

"Later, dude," Zeke says and gives me a fist bump.

"Enjoy your weekend," I reply.

"You know it," Zeke laughs and starts to get into his car.

I had to leave my car at home today. Marcus wanted to make a show of picking me up after the game. Some show, he turned up thirty minutes late. Maybe Zeke is right, I could always get him a watch for his next birthday.

I go to get into the car but notice there is a woman in the front seat. As much as I don't want to know who this person is, it does mean that I have less chance of him turning on me if she is here.

I throw my bag into the back seat and follow it into the car. I am careful not to speak first as I buckle my seatbelt.

"You won, I presume?" he asks.

"Yes sir."

"I hope there weren't any fumbles like last time."

"No sir, I played well."

"You can't just play well, Tobias, you need to be the best. Don't think I'm going to be handing out money for your college education. You need that scholarship."

"Yes, sir."

The ride to his house is filled with Marcus and his lady friend talking; Brenda is her name, I think that's what he said. It seems she will be spending the night. I let out a sigh, hoping this means he will be occupied with her for the rest of the evening.

Just the thought of having to enter his house again makes me feel sick. I hate him and everything he stands for. I wouldn't be here if not for the threat of a custody battle. I will endure one weekend a month with him to avoid the possibility that a judge might order me to spend half my time with my father ― or worse, grant him full custody. Marcus has connections in high places.

I hear the car hit the gravel of the long driveway up to the house. I can feel my shoulders tensing and my hands balling into fists. I let my nails dig into my palm, hoping it will calm me in some way. I try to think of my friends, all probably three parts drunk by now. Then I think of Tris. I hope she is okay. Watching her struggle since the break up has been hard. I can't help noticing that she has been feeling uncomfortable lately, trying to find her place within the group again. I just want to wrap my arms around her and tell her everything is going to be okay.

"Are you getting out of the car?" Marcus asks, taking me from my daydream.

"Sorry, sir," I reply.

I get out of the car and finally get a chance to look at Brenda. I'm not sure, but she looks like she could be a hooker, but one of those high end ones. Not one that you hear some of the guys talking about in the locker room. Brenda isn't the type you would find on the street corner, bending into the car to offer you a blow job for a few bucks. I only know this because Zeke and Uriah dragged me downtown as a joke. They like to occasionally go down there and tease the poor girls.

I walk behind Marcus and his date, wanting to take as long as possible before I have to move inside that house. He opens the door and we walk into the entrance, met by his butler.

"Dinner is ready, sir," Jameson tells Marcus.

"Thank you," Marcus replies. He points out things about the house to Brenda as we walk to the dining room. As Marcus is telling her some story about the age of the stairs all I can think of is the time he kicked me as I was walking up the stairs, making me fall and break my leg. Lucky for me, football season had just ended, as it was six weeks in a cast and then another four of physical therapy to get my fitness back to its peak.

"Here we are, my dear," Marcus says as he pulls her chair out for her. I have to stop myself from rolling my eyes. He said the same words to my mother the night she came back to him. It was only a week later that he was hitting her with the same chair after he had knocked her to the ground. He wasn't happy with the shade of lipstick she had been wearing. Had told her she looked like a whore with it on. The irony is not lost on me.

Dinner is served by his housekeeper, Mary. She gives me a big smile as she puts the food in front of me. Mary doesn't have a clue what has happened in this house. She has worked for my father for years and he has always had her fooled. Mary has always looked up to my father, he helped her family out with some debt they had back before I was born. She came to work for him and is the only employee that has stayed on longer than a year or two.

"Thank you, Mary. We won't be needing you for the rest of the weekend," Marcus tells her.

This can mean one of two things: I will be doing the cooking for him, or Brenda will be. Better make sure I am up early to prepare breakfast. I don't want to see Brenda beaten in front of me, and that has happened before. When Mom took off, Marcus would have different women around the house. One that I can't remember the name of actually burned the toast. I don't really know how you would do that but this woman did. She lost a tooth; he had hit her so hard, it was knocked clear across the kitchen. As much as Marcus likes to inflict pain upon me, he equally likes for me to watch as he inflicts pain on others.

"Thank you, sir," Mary replies. She then turns to me. "It's good to see you, Master Tobias. I hope you have a good weekend."

"Thank you, Mary," I reply.

"That was one of those Pedrad boys," Marcus says as we eat dinner.

"Sir?"

"You were standing with one of the Pedrads. I don't know which one he was, they all look the same to me."

"Yes sir. It was Zeke." How does he even remember their last name? He must have been doing his homework on my teammates.

"You need to be wary of who you are seen with now, Tobias. There will be scouts starting to come to your games. You need to be smart."

"Yes sir."

"You are dismissed. Your room has been made up for you. I will see you at breakfast."

"Yes sir."

I walk up the winding staircase to my room. I hate this house, not as much as the last house Marcus owned, but almost. If these walls could talk, they would tell you of belts hitting bare skin. Of fists smashing into my mother's face. Of the words that would keep both my mom and I downtrodden for so long. I never thought I would step foot in this house again. Maybe it was just a wish. Of course Marcus would find a way to make me come back here.

I only have eleven months until I am eighteen, and there isn't a judge in the world who will be able to make me walk these halls again. This house is huge, lucky for me, I won't be able to hear whatever Marcus has planned for his guest tonight. I don't want to know. I just hope he doesn't hurt her. Usually it isn't until a second or third visit before he hurts them. The way he was talking to her earlier, I don't think she has been here before, so she should be safe...for now.

I hate myself for thinking this way, knowing that I have no hope of being able to stop him from doing whatever he chooses to do with her. I know I could never walk in and try and stop it. I'm not brave enough.

My room is exactly how I left it: cold and impersonal. No posters on the walls, no books on the bookshelf. Nothing that would make you think that I had ever lived here. Marcus wouldn't allow any of it, nothing out of place. I walk into the walk-in closet, still filled with my clothes. I see my favourite shirt hanging and remember how we had to leave the house with nothing. Marcus was away on a business trip when we fled. We had the clothes on our backs and that was it.

I don't think I have ever seen my mom as scared as when we were escaping, frightened some one would stop us. Who? I don't know, but she knew enough of Marcus's dealings to be able to make sure that we didn't have to stay, that he only put up enough of a fight to have me stay once a month. I'm sure it would have been more if he didn't think Evelyn knew things that could get him in serious trouble.

I quickly take a shower; locker room showers, especially at away games, just don't seem to cut it. I never feel like I am completely clean. I wonder if they are built that way because they are for the opposing team. Our showers at school are great, I wonder if the opposing teams think the same thing when they are at our home games.

I get into bed but I can't sleep. I lie here as still as possible, tense. I know Marcus is occupied, but at any time he could lose his temper and throw Brenda out. That would only leave him with me in the house to take his anger out on.

I think back to class today. How Tris looked, her hair out and freshly washed. I sound like a creeper but she must have switched to a new shampoo and it's like it has been the only thing I can smell all day. It's like a sun shower on a hot and humid day, the one that takes the heat away and leaves you feeling alive and wanting more, the cool of the rain giving you goosebumps.

I know I shouldn't think of her, I know I can't be with her. She's my best friend's brother's ex. There is a guy code and I need to remember that. But as I finally start to fall asleep, she is all I can think of.

Marcus drops me off at home Sunday afternoon and for the first time in two days, I feel like I can breathe again. I don't know what is worse, the anticipation that Marcus may beat me or the beating itself. No beatings for me this weekend, but I did see a bruise forming on Brenda's jaw this morning. I hope I don't see her there again, for her own sake.

Marcus was on his best behavior with me all weekend. He was interested in my football games for the rest of the season more than anything else. He took me with him on some errands that he had to make.

Marcus always introducing me as "the star quarterback" was embarrassing at times, but it was better than the usual words I would hear from his mouth. I don't think I will ever be able to hear the words "this is for your own good" again in my life without freezing. Thankfully I didn't hear those words this weekend.

I walk into my mom's apartment and set my bag down. I slump onto the couch as Mom comes out of the kitchen. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Evelyn asks as she sits on the edge of her seat. I can see the stress in the way she wrings her hands in front of me.

"I'm fine. He didn't touch me," I say, exhaustion evident in my voice. I hardly slept all weekend, too afraid that he would come into my room and beat me.

"I'm sorry you have to go there, Tobias. I tried, I—"

I put my hand up to stop her talking. "I know you did. It's okay."

"What did you do all weekend, then?" she asks.

"Not much. He had me run a few errands with him, nothing special," I shrug.

"Be careful with him, Tobias. Always be on alert. He is always up to no good. Some strange deal, here and there. Make sure you take note of who he has you meeting with, just to be safe."

"Yeah, okay," I say, not caring right now. I just want to shower and go to bed. I get up to go to my room. "I'm going to bed."

"Tobias, at least eat something before you try and sleep. You will sleep better if you have something in your stomach. I'm sure you didn't eat or sleep enough all weekend while you were there."

"Fine," I say. I am too tired to argue with her and I really do just want to sleep. This will get her off my back and I will be able to finally get some rest.