A/N:

Hey there!

So I've had a bit of a hiatus - sorry 'bout that, but I've been swamped with end of year assignments that are still ongoing, but here's a lil' chapter for y'all.

Thanks for being patient with me ^^

Two days had passed without incident. I'd been watching carefully.

I knew what it was like to be in that kind of environment and how it could affect someone. I knew how it could make you feel worthless and small, as if you could do nothing right. Left alone too long in a space like that and you'd wind up changing into a completely different person.

I couldn't let that happen to Tate. Not after all that he'd done for me, and so I had vowed to myself that I would do whatever I could to improve his situation.

I'd dragged him along to gatherings with Kaleb and Janet, made our study sessions at cafes instead of our houses, been just late enough getting out of school that he would still be waiting, but almost about to go and generally just trying to get him out of the house. I also hadn't mentioned what I'd seen.

From previous experience talking about his family, I figured that, at the moment, Tate probably wouldn't be very receptive to hearing what I wanted to tell him.

I just hoped that my actions spoke loud enough that my absence of words didn't matter.

It was dark outside, and I was getting ready to go to a party. Kaleb and Janet had insisted I come, claiming that we hadn't hung out enough recently, partially true, and said that I had been too stressed lately and needed to have some fun. They weren't wrong.

I was standing at the full length mirror that leant against the wall beside my easel, checking over my outfit. A black skirt with a green crop top and black, heeled boots. I'd even put on some mascara.

Satisfied with how I looked, and knowing that I was technically running late, I turned away from the mirror, reaching for my bag that sat on my bed.

Before I could pick it up however, the sound of a slamming door had me flinching. The unexpected sound sent chills through me and I hurried to the window, worry beginning to pool in my chest. Tate's blinds were closed, but I could see two shapes moving about the room. I assumed it was Tate and his father.

I could hear raised voices, and some more banging, but couldn't quite make out what was going on. I hesitated by the window, debating what to do. Was it really my place to get involved? But did Tate need someone to step in for him? I didn't know.

And then my decision was made for me, because there was Nora, somehow visible to me despite the closed blinds, her sad eyes calling to me and pale hands gesturing like crazy.

Frozen for only a second, I turned and snatched my bag from the bed, and hurried out of my room, practically sprinting down the stairs and past Pete who barely glanced up at me as I exited through the front door.

Walking quickly over to Tate's house, I forced myself to knock loudly on the front door before I could stop and rethink my decision.

As I let my hand drop back to my side, I suddenly realised that I had no idea what I was going to say. I hadn't really been thinking about what I was doing and could very likely just be making things worse by doing this. Beginning to mentally berate myself for knocking on the door, I debated whether or not to just turn around and walk away as the door still didn't open.

But then that decision was made for me as well.

The man that I had assumed was Tate's father opened the door.

I plastered a smile onto my face. "Hi there." I greeted sunnily, eyes flicking past him as a figure emerged, walking down the stairs. It was Tate.

"What do you want?" The man was blunt, making me frown slightly.

"I was hoping to talk to Tate." I said, "We're supposed to be heading to a friend's place for a group assignment." I added on, hoping that I sounded at least slightly convincing.

"You wear that to study?" I got a once over from Tate's father and that was when I officially decided that he had no redeeming qualities.

"I had a family dinner just before, didn't have time to change. Look, I'm already late, I just need to know if Tate's coming." I lost my sunny disposition and returned the bluntness.

"I'm coming. Be right down." Tate called from the stairs. I glanced at him and nodded, stepping back away from the door and turned my back on his father, no longer wanting to have to deal with him.

And I thought that my family was bad.

A couple seconds later I could hear the sound of Tate's footsteps running down the stairs and then he was beside me on the front steps, and we were walking away down the footpath and away from the house.

"Thanks." Tate said quietly after a few moments of walking in silence. I just nodded. "Are we really going to study?" He asked after another few moments.

"Hell no. We're going to a party and you're getting super drunk. You deserve it." I said, allowing a small smile to rise on my face as I linked my arm with his, squeezing his arm lightly. I hoped that I could convey everything that I wanted to say to him in that one movement, but I doubted it.

I wanted to tell him that I was sorry that he was going through what he was going through. I wanted to tell him that I knew what that was like and that it would get better. I wanted to tell him that I was here for him, no matter what. I wanted to tell him that he was good enough, that he mattered. I wanted to say thank you for all the times that he had helped me. I wanted him to know that now it was my turn to help him.

I tried to put all of that into that one small squeeze on his arm, but when he lightly squeezed my hand back, I got the feeling he was just grateful someone had gotten him out of the house.