Rose Tinted (boyxboy)

Chapter 17: You're not alone

"I'm sorry I didn't see."

☆

I'm outside.

A text comes through once again on Jojo's phone. Tayce looks out of the window and sees Jerry looking up at the apartment block. Max presses the button to let Jerry up. 

Moments later Jerry is sat on the couch in Max and Donny's apartment. "I'll give you some space." Max says, as he goes to get up and usher Donny and Jojo out of the room. 

"No, stay, you can all stay. I only want to say this once. So you may as well all be here." Everyone stops in their tracks and turns to look at Tayce. Max now sits next to him, again taking his hand, giving it a squeeze. 

"Tell me Tayce. What's going on?" Jerry now feels like he is on the cusp of tears. He doesn't know what to think. 

Tayce closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He then opens them and looks at Jerry. "Jerry, Frank...he...he." Tayce can feel himself faltering. Then he feels that comforting squeeze of Max's hand and he finds the strength to carry on. "Frank is abusive. He has been hitting me, manipulating me and last night, he tried to strangle me." 

Jerry gets up straight away from his seat and flings his arms around his best friend. "Tayce, why the hell didn't you tell me?" 

Tayce now begins to cry. "I'm ashamed that's why. You all saw us as such a perfect couple, I didn't want anyone to think otherwise. We were perfect sometimes...."

"You should have said something. I'm your friend. I should have seen something was wrong." Jerry pulls away from the hug, cupping Tayce's face. "I'm sorry I kept saying how perfect you were. I'm sorry I didn't see." 

"Hey no one in this room needs to apologise." Max points out. 

"But he seemed so nice, so charming." Jojo adds. "I wouldn't have guessed anything." 

"That's how they work Jojo." Donny adds. "They don't advertise the fact they are an abuser. 

All of a sudden Jerry's phone begins to buzz. He pulls it from his jacket pocket. "It's Frank...should I answer it?" 

"Put it on loud speaker." Max says. Jerry nods and accepts the call...

"Frank"

"Jerry. Have you heard from him. I'm worried."

"No."Jerry lies. Staring at Tayce directly in the face, before looking away."

"If he does contact you, please tell me. He's not in his right mind." 

Jerry again looks up at Tayce. Max just balls a fist at his words. 

"Frank?" Tayce speaks out.

"Jesus! Tayce, where the fuck are you. I'm going crazy." 

"I'm safe, I'm ok." 

"Is he with you?"

"Is who with me?"

"That bastard who broke my nose."

Max lets a smile spread across his lips. 

"I'm with friends."

"Look, just come home, I'm sorry, you know you wind me up, push my buttons with your behaviour. I know I overreacted a little."

"Frank, you tried to strangle me."

"Now you're over reacting! You'd better not be feeding your friends lies about us."

Max is finding it hard to stay quiet. He grabs the phone from Jerry's grasp. "Stay away from him, you piece of shit!"

The line goes quiet. Max waits for Frank to respond. He eventually speaks.

"So... do you think you can be a hero, come along and take him away from me? We were fine before you came along."

"Bullshit! He now sees you for what you really are."

Max glances up to see the group staring at him. 

"You think you know him so well, but I know him better. He is weak. He loves me and it is only a matter of time before he will come back to me."

Max has heard enough. He ends the call and tosses the phone back to Jerry. 

"He's right." Tayce suddenly says under his breath. 

"What do you mean, he's right? Max questions. 

Tayce looks up at Max. His face streaked with tears. "I'm weak and I can't beat him." 

"Then we will help you." Jerry says, kneeling in front of Tayce, taking both of his hands in his. Everyone else looks at Tayce and nods. "You can come and stay with me and my mum." He adds.

"No." Max interrupts. "That's not a good idea.

"Why not?" Jerry asks with a frown.

"Frank will be looking for him Jerry. He knows where you live, where he works, He should lay low for a day or so." Max now looks at Tayce. "Stay here. He doesn't know this place."

"But what about work? I need to work." Tayce can already feel Frank impacting on his freedom and it's only been a few hours. 

"Take a couple of days." Jojo says smiling. "Faith owes me a favour, she can cover your shifts. 

"It seems like you've got it all figured out." Tayce says half smiling. 

"Yes we have." Jerry says. "You aren't on your own with this." 

Tayce smiles, pulling Jerry close once again for a hug.