All disclaimers and warnings still apply. Oh, and herein lies some completely accidental Tommy/Lori cutesy fluff. ^^;; Sorry, I didn't ~mean~ to.
X X X X X
Merton woke up in darkness, as was usual in the Lair. Sluggishly, he turned to look at his digital alarm clock to see the red glowing numerals proclaim that it was five-forty-three p.m. He flopped on his back, spreading his arms out across the entire width of his bed as he sighed. He hadn't gotten to sleep until seven this morning, it was only fitting that he overslept ~this~ much. However, it only meant that he'd have even ~more~ trouble falling asleep tonight.
He reflected sardonically over the fact that no one in his family had bothered to wake him. They probably didn't even notice he hadn't been up from the basement, even for food. Well, maybe Becky had noticed - and been grateful. He smirked slightly at that, and decided that he really didn't ~want~ to get up. After all, he was nice and comfy warm right where he was. Sleep hadn't been completely chased from his mind yet, and the dark around him was lulling him into a doze...
A knock at the door startled him. He sat bolt upright in a reflexive move, glancing at his clock again. To his surprise, it was already past seven. With a rush, he remembered that Lori and Tommy were supposed to be coming over. He was halfway to his dresser when the knock sounded again. He paused, frowning. Tommy never knocked. Neither did Lori, for that matter, which now that he thought of it was really rude. However, that brought up the question of who would actually knock on his door?
A cold hand gripped his heart. It could only be one person. And he did ~not~ want to see this person.
He tiptoed back to his bed, heart pounding. What if the person outside his door had heard him moving around? Would he burst in? Would he wait until Merton left the house? Merton crouched down on the far side of the bed, hiding behind a mound of pillows and trying to keep his breath from speeding up. God, he was so pathetic. Had he really stayed this much of a weakling, this much of a coward? He would have given a self-deprecating laugh if the situation hadn't been so dire.
"Shit," he murmured under his breath.
After a few minutes, the knocking stopped its intervals. Fifteen minutes after that, Merton finally began to breathe easily again. It was nearly seven-thirty, he had to get ready for his movie night with his friends. It wouldn't do for them to find him all sleep-scruffy in his pyjamas still. They might suspect something out of the ordinary. So he got up, stretching the cramps out of his muscles. He knew his way around his room so well that he didn't even have to turn on the light to make it into his bathroom. He winced when the bright light hit his eyes, but he needed a shower to feel human again.
X X X X X
Tommy chased Lori down the stairs to Merton's door, grabbing at her sides to tickle her. She was so cute when he brushed the exact right spot that made her scrunch up her nose and give a girlish giggle - of course, every time he actually hit that spot, he got a hard swat on his arms, shoulders, head, or gut, whichever was closest to Lori at the time. She ~hated~ sounding girly, even for a moment.
They paused to catch their breaths when they reached the door. Tommy used the moment for a quick kiss - Merton was right when he'd said it was weird trying to be romantic with a third person around; the jock just wanted to get it out of his system before he had to act like he had control over his hormones tonight. When they broke apart, Lori grinned slyly up at him, then her hands, which had wrapped around Tommy's waist, twisted. Tommy gasped before he started laughing helplessly.
"S-s-stahah- stop - it!" he managed to stutter as Lori mercilessly pressed her advantage. "No fair!"
"Turnabout is fair play," she retorted wickedly. "Promise you'll never do this to me again."
"I-I pro- haha - p-promise," Tommy agreed. Lori ceased reluctantly, leaning against him.
"Mmm. Whaddaya say we blow Merton off and go back to my place," she suggested. She often said things like that, and Tommy was never sure if she was serious or joking, and while sometimes - like right now- the offers were tempting, it bothered him to think that she thought so little of ditching their mutual friend.
"I thought you wanted to watch 'The One.'"
"What good is watching Jet Li when I have my own bad-ass right here," she said, hugging him. He returned the gesture, inhaling the scent of her hair. Then he smiled.
"Lori?"
"Yes?"
"I had my fingers crossed."
Lori tried to get away, but Tommy's hands already had found the twin spots on her sides and she fairly shrieked with laughter and surprise. As he backed her towards the door, Tommy noticed a piece of paper taped to Merton's door. He paused, and that hesitation was enough for Lori to wallop him a good one on the noggin.
"Ow!" he said, holding the wolf back as he rubbed what would be a painful lump in a few moments.
"Serves you right," Lori sniffed, unrepentant. "Let's just go inside and watch the movie."
"Hang on," Tommy said, his words forestalling his girlfriend from opening the door. He reached over her shoulder and plucked the paper down.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Merton got one of these yesterday, too. The kids next door apparently are giving him a hard time, but he wouldn't let me do anything about it. He wouldn't even let me read the note they left him," Tommy explained.
"That's strange," Lori said, a small frown playing over her features. "I thought he liked it when you stopped people from harassing him."
"He does. At least, I thought so, too."
"Maybe what they're teasing him about is something really embarrassing that he doesn't want us to know about?" Lori thought out loud.
"Maybe," Tommy said, contemplating the paper in his hand.
"Well? Are we gonna read it or are we going in?"
Tommy answered by unfolding the paper and reading it aloud. "'Merton, I'm serious about this. Meet me at the gazebo in the park tomorrow at eleven p.m. Don't tell anyone. If you don't show, I'll come looking for you.' There's no signature or anything."
"That doesn't sound like he's being teased to me," Lori pronounced. "Sounds more like a secret girlfriend or something."
"I dunno. It sounds suspicious to me," Tommy replied. "I'm going to ask him about it. Let's go in."
The Lair was pitch black when they entered. The only light came from the crack under the bathroom door. Tommy flipped the light switch on as Lori closed the door behind them. Then she crossed to the television set, taking the tape from its case. She plugged it into the VCR and settled back on the couch to wait for Merton to emerge. Tommy joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"You know what's kinda weird?" he began.
"What?"
"Last night, Merton asked me to ask you if it would be okay for the three of us to be a group from Family Values Week," Tommy said.
Lori turned her head to look up at him skeptically. "Yeah, right. He's against everything the Republican party stands for, family values included."
"No, he really did. I think he's depressed about his family. I mean, we're really lucky that ours care about us and are there for us and stuff. But look at what Merton's got. Have you ever even ~seen~ his mom or dad? And Becky is such a little bitch to him all the time, it's like she really actually hates him," Tommy said, airing out thoughts he'd been having since his conversation with Merton last night.
Lori frowned a little. "That's true. But how is him being our partner for a home ec project going to change anything? Besides which, a threesome is hardly what Family Values Week is all about."
Tommy flushed at the word 'threesome.' He hadn't thought about ~that.~ She actually had a point there. A woman with two husbands at the same time probably wouldn't go over well with the highly traditional teacher.
"If he wants family support, maybe he should try talking with his once in a while. You've seen how he is, hiding down here all the time unless he needs food or Yoo-Hoo. Maybe he chose not to be with his family," Lori continued with a shrug.
Before Tommy could respond, the bathroom door swung open and they turned to greet their friend. Merton, standing just outside the still-steamy bathroom and wearing only a towel around his waist, froze in surprise. Then his face turned bright red. Tommy laughed, which only made him turn redder.
"Oh, you guys are here already," he said, edging self-consciously towards his dresser.
"Hey," Lori called. "Hurry up and get dressed; there're kickass fight scenes awaiting me."
"Yeah. I'll do that. You guys can start without me," Merton said, pulling clothes out of his drawers without turning around. He gave his high-pitched nervous laugh, then dashed back into the bathroom without further ado, the door slamming behind him.
Tommy and Lori shared a look before bursting out laughing.
"Something tells me we startled him," the blonde chuckled, then pushed the play button on the remote control.
X X X X X
In the bathroom, Merton was trying not to freak out. Had they noticed? Granted, he'd tried to keep his back out of sight, but they still might have seen. If they had seen, would they know? What would they do if they did? Would they pity him? He didn't want their pity. But what if they saw and thought him weak now? Not that they didn't already know he was weak, but...
Merton sighed heavily, running his hands through his wet hair. Good Lord. They probably hadn't noticed. After all, there was a reason he didn't go out in the sun besides being Goth. He himself could barely make out the scars anymore, not unless he actually touched his back. The myriad of cris-crossing scars he'd gained from the belt-whippings had diminished over the years to thin white lines that wouldn't tan no matter what he did. So, to avoid awkward questions from parents or strangers, he simply didn't go outside without a shirt on. He hadn't been to the beach since he was in first grade.
Of course, the cigarette burns were easier to spot. They would always be pink and kind of bumpy, but they were all on his lower back, and they'd been covered up by the towel. The only way Tommy and Lori would ever see those would be if they caught him naked. He flushed when he remembered the invisibility fiasco. Tommy ~had~ seen him naked - as had most of the student body. Merton just thanked his lucky stars that everyone was probably too distracted by the nakedness itself to actually notice what he looked like.
He decided he'd spent enough time hiding in his bathroom, so he pulled his clothes on and went out into the living room to catch the opening credits of 'The One.' He plunked down in the overstuffed chair next to the couch, then groaned.
"Another martial arts flick? Why does Lori always get to pick the movies?" he whined.
"Because all the movies ~you~ choose are horrible 'B' horror movies," Lori said, sticking her tongue out.
"Yeah, either that or they have subtitles. I can't stand all those artsy shows," Tommy grumbled.
"Uncultured Philistines," Merton replied teasingly.
"Be quiet," Lori commanded. "I don't wanna miss the plot setup."
"Yeah, right. Like there's going to be a plot."
Lori threw a pillow at him, which he fended off with a small laugh. He could pretend things were normal. He wasn't hiding physical and emotional scars, or the fact that a man with a grudge against him was trying to get a hold of him. He was just a regular teenager hanging out with his friends. That was all he let himself focus on until about halfway through the excruciatingly pointless movie, when Tommy spoke up again.
"By the way, I found another of those notes on your door," he said, ending all enjoyment Merton had been having.
"Oh. Really," the goth replied, trying to hide his sudden rush of nerves under an aloof exterior. But he knew it was probably hopeless; already he felt himself paling.
"I read it, too," Tommy said.
"Y-you did?" Merton felt sweat spring up on his skin. "What did ~this~ one say?"
"Whoever wrote it wants you to meet then in the park tomorrow night," Lori said. "How 'bout you tell us who's ~really~ writing these notes, huh? Is it a girl? Cause if it is, I don't understand why you didn't just tell us. I mean, you usually won't shut up when it comes to a girl you like."
"It- It's not a girl," he stammered. Then he saw the raised eyebrows and wide eyes his friends stared at him with and realized what they must be thinking. He flushed. "No! It's not like that at all! I'm not having a secret affair with anyone, okay?"
"Then who wrote the note?" Tommy asked.
"No one you guys know. No one that matters," Merton told them, trying to keep the dark, bitter edge from his voice.
"Are you going to go meet them?" Lori wanted to know.
Merton shook his head. "No way in hell."
Tommy frowned. "What's really going on, Merton?"
"Nothing important," the smaller boy said, a hint of sharpness entering his voice.
"Merton, whoever wrote that note says that if you don't meet them at the gazebo in the park tomorrow at eleven, they're going to come looking for you," Lori said. "If it's not a chick, who the hell is it? Is someone bullying you?"
"No one!" Merton denied, throwing his hands up. He drew back from them, folding his arms over his chest as he tried to restrain his fear and temper. "Look, if was important, wouldn't I tell you guys? If someone was trying to hurt me, wouldn't I come running straight for you guys? We all know that I suck at self-defense. But it's nothing that I can't handle on my own, so you guys don't need to worry about it, all right?"
Now both Tommy and Lori frowned at him. He sighed huffily in exasperation.
"What is it gonna take to convince you that there's nothing to worry about?" he demanded.
"I think you should go meet this person," Lori said. "And we should come with. We'll stay out of sight, of course, because the note said you shouldn't tell anyone. But I think that all will be revealed if we go."
Merton froze in horror at the idea of not only confronting his father, but at the suggestion that Tommy and Lori witness it. He dumbly shook his head.
"No," he said, then winced inwardly at how weak and thready his voice suddenly sounded. He was on the verge of losing control. "No, I won't do that."
"Well, then, we'll go by ourselves. We know the time and place. We'll find out for ourselves without you," Lori said, moving to stand. "Come on, Tommy."
"No! You can't!" Merton objected, a rush of panic of a different sort dulling the fear. "You can't do that!"
"Why not?" Tommy asked, that determined look on his face. He knew Merton was hiding something, and he wouldn't be satisfied until Merton spilled the beans.
"You don't understand," he said desperately.
"Then tell us so we do," Tommy challenged, standing up with Lori. They looked down at him, and he felt their gazes burning into him.
"I - I can't," he said, voice almost a whisper as he fought the breakdown that was imminent. He wouldn't allow himself to be so weak in front of them both. "Don't you see I can't?"
"Then we'll find out on our own," Lori said. "See you on Monday."
They left unceremoniously. Merton gulped air, trying to stay focused long enough to see a way out of the situation. A way that didn't entail Tommy and Lori finding out. He could see none. Shit. That meant he had to choose between meeting his father again and seeing what the bastard wanted in front of Tommy and Lori, or cower in his room while his friends found out for themselves. He had to choose an evil, and neither one was lesser than the other.
TBC...
Review, please. ^_^ Thank you!
X X X X X
Merton woke up in darkness, as was usual in the Lair. Sluggishly, he turned to look at his digital alarm clock to see the red glowing numerals proclaim that it was five-forty-three p.m. He flopped on his back, spreading his arms out across the entire width of his bed as he sighed. He hadn't gotten to sleep until seven this morning, it was only fitting that he overslept ~this~ much. However, it only meant that he'd have even ~more~ trouble falling asleep tonight.
He reflected sardonically over the fact that no one in his family had bothered to wake him. They probably didn't even notice he hadn't been up from the basement, even for food. Well, maybe Becky had noticed - and been grateful. He smirked slightly at that, and decided that he really didn't ~want~ to get up. After all, he was nice and comfy warm right where he was. Sleep hadn't been completely chased from his mind yet, and the dark around him was lulling him into a doze...
A knock at the door startled him. He sat bolt upright in a reflexive move, glancing at his clock again. To his surprise, it was already past seven. With a rush, he remembered that Lori and Tommy were supposed to be coming over. He was halfway to his dresser when the knock sounded again. He paused, frowning. Tommy never knocked. Neither did Lori, for that matter, which now that he thought of it was really rude. However, that brought up the question of who would actually knock on his door?
A cold hand gripped his heart. It could only be one person. And he did ~not~ want to see this person.
He tiptoed back to his bed, heart pounding. What if the person outside his door had heard him moving around? Would he burst in? Would he wait until Merton left the house? Merton crouched down on the far side of the bed, hiding behind a mound of pillows and trying to keep his breath from speeding up. God, he was so pathetic. Had he really stayed this much of a weakling, this much of a coward? He would have given a self-deprecating laugh if the situation hadn't been so dire.
"Shit," he murmured under his breath.
After a few minutes, the knocking stopped its intervals. Fifteen minutes after that, Merton finally began to breathe easily again. It was nearly seven-thirty, he had to get ready for his movie night with his friends. It wouldn't do for them to find him all sleep-scruffy in his pyjamas still. They might suspect something out of the ordinary. So he got up, stretching the cramps out of his muscles. He knew his way around his room so well that he didn't even have to turn on the light to make it into his bathroom. He winced when the bright light hit his eyes, but he needed a shower to feel human again.
X X X X X
Tommy chased Lori down the stairs to Merton's door, grabbing at her sides to tickle her. She was so cute when he brushed the exact right spot that made her scrunch up her nose and give a girlish giggle - of course, every time he actually hit that spot, he got a hard swat on his arms, shoulders, head, or gut, whichever was closest to Lori at the time. She ~hated~ sounding girly, even for a moment.
They paused to catch their breaths when they reached the door. Tommy used the moment for a quick kiss - Merton was right when he'd said it was weird trying to be romantic with a third person around; the jock just wanted to get it out of his system before he had to act like he had control over his hormones tonight. When they broke apart, Lori grinned slyly up at him, then her hands, which had wrapped around Tommy's waist, twisted. Tommy gasped before he started laughing helplessly.
"S-s-stahah- stop - it!" he managed to stutter as Lori mercilessly pressed her advantage. "No fair!"
"Turnabout is fair play," she retorted wickedly. "Promise you'll never do this to me again."
"I-I pro- haha - p-promise," Tommy agreed. Lori ceased reluctantly, leaning against him.
"Mmm. Whaddaya say we blow Merton off and go back to my place," she suggested. She often said things like that, and Tommy was never sure if she was serious or joking, and while sometimes - like right now- the offers were tempting, it bothered him to think that she thought so little of ditching their mutual friend.
"I thought you wanted to watch 'The One.'"
"What good is watching Jet Li when I have my own bad-ass right here," she said, hugging him. He returned the gesture, inhaling the scent of her hair. Then he smiled.
"Lori?"
"Yes?"
"I had my fingers crossed."
Lori tried to get away, but Tommy's hands already had found the twin spots on her sides and she fairly shrieked with laughter and surprise. As he backed her towards the door, Tommy noticed a piece of paper taped to Merton's door. He paused, and that hesitation was enough for Lori to wallop him a good one on the noggin.
"Ow!" he said, holding the wolf back as he rubbed what would be a painful lump in a few moments.
"Serves you right," Lori sniffed, unrepentant. "Let's just go inside and watch the movie."
"Hang on," Tommy said, his words forestalling his girlfriend from opening the door. He reached over her shoulder and plucked the paper down.
"What's that?" she asked.
"Merton got one of these yesterday, too. The kids next door apparently are giving him a hard time, but he wouldn't let me do anything about it. He wouldn't even let me read the note they left him," Tommy explained.
"That's strange," Lori said, a small frown playing over her features. "I thought he liked it when you stopped people from harassing him."
"He does. At least, I thought so, too."
"Maybe what they're teasing him about is something really embarrassing that he doesn't want us to know about?" Lori thought out loud.
"Maybe," Tommy said, contemplating the paper in his hand.
"Well? Are we gonna read it or are we going in?"
Tommy answered by unfolding the paper and reading it aloud. "'Merton, I'm serious about this. Meet me at the gazebo in the park tomorrow at eleven p.m. Don't tell anyone. If you don't show, I'll come looking for you.' There's no signature or anything."
"That doesn't sound like he's being teased to me," Lori pronounced. "Sounds more like a secret girlfriend or something."
"I dunno. It sounds suspicious to me," Tommy replied. "I'm going to ask him about it. Let's go in."
The Lair was pitch black when they entered. The only light came from the crack under the bathroom door. Tommy flipped the light switch on as Lori closed the door behind them. Then she crossed to the television set, taking the tape from its case. She plugged it into the VCR and settled back on the couch to wait for Merton to emerge. Tommy joined her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.
"You know what's kinda weird?" he began.
"What?"
"Last night, Merton asked me to ask you if it would be okay for the three of us to be a group from Family Values Week," Tommy said.
Lori turned her head to look up at him skeptically. "Yeah, right. He's against everything the Republican party stands for, family values included."
"No, he really did. I think he's depressed about his family. I mean, we're really lucky that ours care about us and are there for us and stuff. But look at what Merton's got. Have you ever even ~seen~ his mom or dad? And Becky is such a little bitch to him all the time, it's like she really actually hates him," Tommy said, airing out thoughts he'd been having since his conversation with Merton last night.
Lori frowned a little. "That's true. But how is him being our partner for a home ec project going to change anything? Besides which, a threesome is hardly what Family Values Week is all about."
Tommy flushed at the word 'threesome.' He hadn't thought about ~that.~ She actually had a point there. A woman with two husbands at the same time probably wouldn't go over well with the highly traditional teacher.
"If he wants family support, maybe he should try talking with his once in a while. You've seen how he is, hiding down here all the time unless he needs food or Yoo-Hoo. Maybe he chose not to be with his family," Lori continued with a shrug.
Before Tommy could respond, the bathroom door swung open and they turned to greet their friend. Merton, standing just outside the still-steamy bathroom and wearing only a towel around his waist, froze in surprise. Then his face turned bright red. Tommy laughed, which only made him turn redder.
"Oh, you guys are here already," he said, edging self-consciously towards his dresser.
"Hey," Lori called. "Hurry up and get dressed; there're kickass fight scenes awaiting me."
"Yeah. I'll do that. You guys can start without me," Merton said, pulling clothes out of his drawers without turning around. He gave his high-pitched nervous laugh, then dashed back into the bathroom without further ado, the door slamming behind him.
Tommy and Lori shared a look before bursting out laughing.
"Something tells me we startled him," the blonde chuckled, then pushed the play button on the remote control.
X X X X X
In the bathroom, Merton was trying not to freak out. Had they noticed? Granted, he'd tried to keep his back out of sight, but they still might have seen. If they had seen, would they know? What would they do if they did? Would they pity him? He didn't want their pity. But what if they saw and thought him weak now? Not that they didn't already know he was weak, but...
Merton sighed heavily, running his hands through his wet hair. Good Lord. They probably hadn't noticed. After all, there was a reason he didn't go out in the sun besides being Goth. He himself could barely make out the scars anymore, not unless he actually touched his back. The myriad of cris-crossing scars he'd gained from the belt-whippings had diminished over the years to thin white lines that wouldn't tan no matter what he did. So, to avoid awkward questions from parents or strangers, he simply didn't go outside without a shirt on. He hadn't been to the beach since he was in first grade.
Of course, the cigarette burns were easier to spot. They would always be pink and kind of bumpy, but they were all on his lower back, and they'd been covered up by the towel. The only way Tommy and Lori would ever see those would be if they caught him naked. He flushed when he remembered the invisibility fiasco. Tommy ~had~ seen him naked - as had most of the student body. Merton just thanked his lucky stars that everyone was probably too distracted by the nakedness itself to actually notice what he looked like.
He decided he'd spent enough time hiding in his bathroom, so he pulled his clothes on and went out into the living room to catch the opening credits of 'The One.' He plunked down in the overstuffed chair next to the couch, then groaned.
"Another martial arts flick? Why does Lori always get to pick the movies?" he whined.
"Because all the movies ~you~ choose are horrible 'B' horror movies," Lori said, sticking her tongue out.
"Yeah, either that or they have subtitles. I can't stand all those artsy shows," Tommy grumbled.
"Uncultured Philistines," Merton replied teasingly.
"Be quiet," Lori commanded. "I don't wanna miss the plot setup."
"Yeah, right. Like there's going to be a plot."
Lori threw a pillow at him, which he fended off with a small laugh. He could pretend things were normal. He wasn't hiding physical and emotional scars, or the fact that a man with a grudge against him was trying to get a hold of him. He was just a regular teenager hanging out with his friends. That was all he let himself focus on until about halfway through the excruciatingly pointless movie, when Tommy spoke up again.
"By the way, I found another of those notes on your door," he said, ending all enjoyment Merton had been having.
"Oh. Really," the goth replied, trying to hide his sudden rush of nerves under an aloof exterior. But he knew it was probably hopeless; already he felt himself paling.
"I read it, too," Tommy said.
"Y-you did?" Merton felt sweat spring up on his skin. "What did ~this~ one say?"
"Whoever wrote it wants you to meet then in the park tomorrow night," Lori said. "How 'bout you tell us who's ~really~ writing these notes, huh? Is it a girl? Cause if it is, I don't understand why you didn't just tell us. I mean, you usually won't shut up when it comes to a girl you like."
"It- It's not a girl," he stammered. Then he saw the raised eyebrows and wide eyes his friends stared at him with and realized what they must be thinking. He flushed. "No! It's not like that at all! I'm not having a secret affair with anyone, okay?"
"Then who wrote the note?" Tommy asked.
"No one you guys know. No one that matters," Merton told them, trying to keep the dark, bitter edge from his voice.
"Are you going to go meet them?" Lori wanted to know.
Merton shook his head. "No way in hell."
Tommy frowned. "What's really going on, Merton?"
"Nothing important," the smaller boy said, a hint of sharpness entering his voice.
"Merton, whoever wrote that note says that if you don't meet them at the gazebo in the park tomorrow at eleven, they're going to come looking for you," Lori said. "If it's not a chick, who the hell is it? Is someone bullying you?"
"No one!" Merton denied, throwing his hands up. He drew back from them, folding his arms over his chest as he tried to restrain his fear and temper. "Look, if was important, wouldn't I tell you guys? If someone was trying to hurt me, wouldn't I come running straight for you guys? We all know that I suck at self-defense. But it's nothing that I can't handle on my own, so you guys don't need to worry about it, all right?"
Now both Tommy and Lori frowned at him. He sighed huffily in exasperation.
"What is it gonna take to convince you that there's nothing to worry about?" he demanded.
"I think you should go meet this person," Lori said. "And we should come with. We'll stay out of sight, of course, because the note said you shouldn't tell anyone. But I think that all will be revealed if we go."
Merton froze in horror at the idea of not only confronting his father, but at the suggestion that Tommy and Lori witness it. He dumbly shook his head.
"No," he said, then winced inwardly at how weak and thready his voice suddenly sounded. He was on the verge of losing control. "No, I won't do that."
"Well, then, we'll go by ourselves. We know the time and place. We'll find out for ourselves without you," Lori said, moving to stand. "Come on, Tommy."
"No! You can't!" Merton objected, a rush of panic of a different sort dulling the fear. "You can't do that!"
"Why not?" Tommy asked, that determined look on his face. He knew Merton was hiding something, and he wouldn't be satisfied until Merton spilled the beans.
"You don't understand," he said desperately.
"Then tell us so we do," Tommy challenged, standing up with Lori. They looked down at him, and he felt their gazes burning into him.
"I - I can't," he said, voice almost a whisper as he fought the breakdown that was imminent. He wouldn't allow himself to be so weak in front of them both. "Don't you see I can't?"
"Then we'll find out on our own," Lori said. "See you on Monday."
They left unceremoniously. Merton gulped air, trying to stay focused long enough to see a way out of the situation. A way that didn't entail Tommy and Lori finding out. He could see none. Shit. That meant he had to choose between meeting his father again and seeing what the bastard wanted in front of Tommy and Lori, or cower in his room while his friends found out for themselves. He had to choose an evil, and neither one was lesser than the other.
TBC...
Review, please. ^_^ Thank you!