In Between The Lies

Chapter Four: Bitter boys

COLE's POV

I took in a deep breath. "Dad, I'm dropping out of NYU."

He looked at me with cold, anger filled eyes. I could see the panic in my mothers face as soon as I said it.

"Excuse me?" My dad growled.

"I don't want to be a business major. I want to pursue music." I told him firmly.

Right when I thought he was about to start screaming, he started to laugh.

I gulped air hard as I became more nervous.

"Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do when you fail?" He chuckled.

I stood up off the couch and said, "I won't be coming back here."

My moms eyes began to water as I turned. As I walked towards the door I could hear my fathers footsteps behind me. I twisted the knob opening the door and little and my father slammed it shut.

"Cole, stop and think for a minute. You're nothing without us." He told me standing close in front of me.

"You see dad, that's the what you want me to think when really nothing is here." I said to him almost smirking.

He pushed my chest back causing my back to hit the door. He pointed his finger in my face as he yelled.

"Don't be a damn idiot!" He yelled.

"Go ahead, hit me. I know you're dying to," I yelled back at him. "Show me what a big "man" you are!"

His face turned dark red as he shook with aggression. He wrapped his hands around my neck without hesitation. As is struggled to breath I threw my fist at his face to get him off of me.

I could distantly hear my mom crying as I fought him off. He let go of my throat but threw a punch at the right side of my face. I pushed him back and punched him again, this time causing him to fall to the floor. I jammed my right foot into his stomach twice.

"I hate you! I hate both of you!" I looked over at my mother.

"You are worthless!" My father coughed from the ground. "If you leave- don't you ever come back here!"

I turned for the door and opened it.

"You don't have to worry about me coming back here."

AERO's POV

"So how long have- um- you two been...ya know?" Ben awkwardly asked surprising me.

Someone get me out of here right now.

"Uh," I cleared my throat and then said, "It's been around four- maybe months."

I couldn't make eye contact with him. I shoved another piece of toast into my mouth.

"And you love him?" He asked.

"I don't know, Ben." I answered.

He looked down at his plate.

What if he's not really better?

He could attack me at any moment.
You do love him, though.

"How mad at me are you?" I asked before taking a sip of me tea.

"I'm- I'm not mad at you Aero. I mean- you thought I was dead." He answered.

I nodded my head.

"I just don't know where to go from here." He added.

A big part of me loved him, but this little part of me also was afraid of him.

"I-" I began but was interrupted.

"Did you guys see the massive pool in the backyard? Like, holy moly it's huge!" Parker cheered entering the dining room.

"Where is the new rich boy?" He asked sitting down next to me.

"He is at a class right now." I answered.

"And where is his family?" Ben asked.

"Quebec- for a business thing." I said standing up. I grabbed my plate and took it to the kitchen sink.

"Ah." Ben sighed.

I feel like shit. This is so bad.

"Thomas said he left some clothes for you guys on the bench in the foyer." I reminded them while I rinsed off my plate.

"Something tells me I'm not gonna like wearing his clothes." Parker complained.

"I think they were his brothers clothes." I corrected him.

"Still, they're rich kid clothes." He spat.

"I just need you guys to change into clean- somewhat normal- clothes, ok?" I spat back.

Parker nodded his head and rolled his eyes. He stood up, walked in the direct of the front hallway and motioned Ben to follow him in which he did.

PARKER's POV

"Do you know what a foyer is?" I whispered to Ben as we left the dining room.

"Just keep going straight." He told me while walking next to me.

As we reached the front hallway we spotted the bench she was talking about. Two pairs of black pants laid on it with one blue button up shirt and a blue sweater.

"I call dibs on the button up." I said cutting in front of him and grabbing the shirt and pants.

"Whatever." He said picking up the other set of clothes.

I locked the door behind me as I went into (probably) one out of ten bathrooms in the house.

I tossed my current clothes on the floor and put my arms through the sleeves of the shirt. I slipped on the pants which were-of course- too long. I buttoned up the shirt and then bent over to roll up the pants legs so they wouldn't drag.

I grabbed my phone from my old jeans pocket and saw a message from Cole.

I dialed his number as waited for him to answer,

"Hello? Parker?" He said.

"Hey," I said back.

"Bloody hell mate why haven't you texted me back?" He asked.

"I'm sorry things have been- kind of crazy here." I answered.

"Did you find Aero? Is she okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah she's fine. Perfectly fine. Maybe even happy." I said sarcastically.

"What does that mean?" He asked I'm assuming after hearing the tension in my voice.

"Well we get here- and she has a whole new life! New friends- a new boyfriend- she says she doesn't want to come back." I filled him in.

He was silent for a second and then said, "You said she's happy, though?"

"I mean- I think so." I sighed into the phone,

"Isn't that all that matters?" He asked.

"Whatever." I said bitterly. "How's Lila?" I said changing the subject.

"She's better, not dead at least."

That's when an idea popped into my head.

"Wait- I just came up with a brilliant idea." I whispered into the phone.