The Beast Next Door

Night 41

-Jasper's P.O.V-

Feet begin shuffling into the house and the door closes abruptly.

"Either I punch the fuck out of you, or I can call the cops right now to save your life. Ultimately, the decision is yours," I manage to hear a voice coming from the front.

Might as well get my ass kicked. I've got nothing else to lose.

I stay motionless in my chair. My arms are weighing down my shoulders and pressing my cheek down harder on the counter. You'd think that my neck would've started hurting by now, but I can't feel much of anything anymore.

"You too?" my shoulder is shoved and my body just follows the movement.

I think about nodding and hope it's enough to encourage my head to move. Unsurprisingly, it's not.

A muffled conversation carries out behind me, which I'm happy I don't have to be a part of. I close my eyes and let my thoughts take the wheel.

"Bethany thinks that you guys are a distraction," Mr. Green says to Luke and me. "She thinks this is just some phase, and if she takes her son's back for a while they will forget all about you."

"No way in hell," Kyle steps up. "I would've left earlier if I didn't-" he stops becoming somewhat embarrassed. "...feel the way that I do," he finishes reaching for Luke's hand and holding onto it.

Kaleb latches onto my arm and says, "As repetitive as his idiotic mannerisms are, I'm not bored yet. The day I can predict what he's gunna do..." he trails off.

"Is the day I'll be proposing to you?" I finish for him with a smile.

"Definitely not the time!" Kaleb shouts hitting me.

"You're right," I continue, "you need to be around for a couple of years before that happens."

"Since I've known you for a while, does that mean I propose now?" Luke asks Kyle.

Kyle's mouth opens and closes frequently as his cheeks heat up.

A solitary clap reverberates in our bubble bringing our collective attention back to Mr. Green.

It looks as if he holding back a laugh and there is a smile plastered on his face. "As cute as your 'friends' are, this is exactly what Bethany is talking about. Distractions," he motions to Luke and me before focusing back on his sons. "Do you guys even remember your lines?"

Kyle and Kaydan look up to the ceiling as if they had glued their scripts up there earlier.

When they don't have an answer to their father's question he asks, "Okay, do you remember the scenes where you guys left off?"

"It's been a while, okay?" Kaleb whines stepping forward.

"It doesn't matter how long it's been. You guys never have problems with this sort of thing," Mr. Green sighs. "I can understand where your mother is coming from, but the difference is, I trust your judgments. Your mother needs a little more evidence."

"So what does she want?" Kyle asks slightly annoyed.

"For you to finish the movies you are shooting. If you guys finish and choose to come back here to pursue a different career, she will know that's what you want."

"Which means-" Kyle starts.

"-she wants us to go back," Kaleb completes.

Mr. Green nods.