Eaton

6. Loosen up

Tobias p.o.v

I'm fifteen years old, this shouldn't be my life. I shouldn't have to live in constant fear of doing something wrong, in constant fear of crossing my father. I have lived this way since I was just a child, and, although I always tell myself it will get better, it doesn't. On the contrary, the older I get the worse the punishments are, and I need a break. I guess making a friend is the only one I'm getting. Zeke, to my knowledge, is the only person who is not one of the 'stiffs' from my quarter, has not beaten up one of the stiffs, and is actually willing to become friends with one.

Lately I've been sitting with Zeke during lunch, a comical sight given that it consists of two very well built jocks who, eerily enough, dress mostly in black and one stiff who is always dressed in grey. Zeke, as it so happens, is in most of my classes, math, history, and even gym. I'm constantly torn between believing that this is a positive thing, or a negative thing. The latter being a result of Zeke's neverending jokes and the oh so common: 'you'll never guess what happened to me last night...'.

We've finished our history project after about four days but that's not what I told my father. This is my first taste of freedom and I intend on elongating it as much as possible. Granted, I have to lie to my father but it's a risk I'm willing to take with Will around. Zeke invites me out almost everyday, whether its to the park or to the movies. And everytime I accept the invitation and tell my father that we're on the finishing touches of World War II. To which he replies with a suspicious look and a curt 'fine'.

And everything was working out perfectly, until Will found out. I found him in my bedroom as soon as I returned from the park. Never, in all the time I'd known Will, had I seen him look so much like my father. His eyebrows were furrowed together, his lips pressed tight together and a mixture of disappointment and pity in his eyes.

'Tobias, we need to talk' I can't believe he called me Tobias.

'What's up?'

He sighs deeply and begins...

'Listen kid, I know that it's fun to go out with your friends and stuff but believe me, you're walking on thin ice. Your father, he has a limit. He wasn't born yesterday Tobias, and sooner or later he'll find out. The more you lie to him and go out, the worse your punishment will be. So, just listen to me, maybe you should dial it down a bit, maybe just tell, Zeke was it?, ya Zeke that you can't go every once in a while.'

I was not expecting something so serious to come from Will. Will, who just last week was stacking nacho chips stuck together with cheese, was lecturing me. I didn't really want to argue with him, especailly not with Marcus in the next room so I just nodded and made my way over to my bed.

'I think I'm going to get some sleep Will, I'll uh, I'll see you tomorrow'.

He just nods and leaves the room. I lie in bed thinking. I know that Will is right about my father not being lenient when it comes to disciplining me. I know he will find out sooner or later, but I still have the childish want of being able to make friends and well go out with them in peace. Is that really too much to ask for?

William p.o.v *the next day*

Every time I set foot in this lecture hall, I tell myself that I won't look at the clock. Until I look at the clock and realise that only a few minutes have passed since I last looked at it. So when the lecturer finally wraps it up I use every ounce of self control  in myself to keep from literally darting out of the building.

I'm worried about my nephew. I lived with Marcus for a solid fifteen years and I know what he is capable of. My brother, I've found, can be as bad as my father when he is enraged. As much as it may be exciting for Tobias to makie new friends, as much as I am happy for him, I need for him to know his limits. I'd rather have him alone in the house whilst all his limbs are in tact than him going out with Zeke just so he can come back to face Marcus.

I pull up on his driveway and for some reason my stomach squeezes, as if telling me that something is wrong. Most of the time, my instincts are correct so I speed up my pace and fumble for the keys in my pocket. Oh God, why do I have so many?! Nope, Nope, finally. I open the door and run inside, frantically searching for signs of Marcus' anger. Nothing. Not a sound. 

'Close the door' Marcus' voice comes from the kitchen, making me jump.

'Um oh yeah sorry' I guess my guts were wrong. Everything was fine. Maybe I was just hungry, all was well, Tobias was fine, in bed and Marcus was his slightly irritated self. Weird. I've been having a bad week, I'll just eat something and go to bed.

Marcus p.o.v

I finally lie down in bed and rest my eyes. I can't believe he would do that. Lie to me, like a petty five year old. Have I not told him, time and time again, don't lie to your father. And yet. It's not my fault, he chose to lie to me, I'd warned him. What did that get him? A beating and a tighter leash, I hope it was worth it. 

I knew something was up. Will never calls him Tobias. He never speaks in such a serious tone, Liar, that's what he is. A filthy repulsive liar. And suddenly I can hear my own father saying those words...

'Nobody will ever love you Marcus, who could possibly love a liar. A filthy repulsive liar. You deserve this, you deserve pain. That's what liars get, Marcus. That's what  you get!' 

Wonderful, two decades later, and six feet under, my father still haunts me.