Summers End

Chapter Twelve

Alec

I caught up to Thomas and followed him out the back door.  The rain was pouring down but he wouldn’t stop.  He was drenched almost the instant he went outside.

“Thomas, come back!” I shouted after him but he wouldn’t listen. 

I took a deep breath before chasing after him, letting the rain soak into my skin. 

“What’s wrong, what did the letter say?”

But he still wouldn’t stop.

“Thomas, please?” I shouted.  This time he stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face me.  His whole body was shaking with rage.

“You were right!” Thomas shouted.

“About what, I don’t understand.  Why are you so upset?”

“They lied to me!”

“Who, Mrs. Lodge?”

“Mrs. Lodge and Henry and everyone else!”

“Thomas you’re not making any sense. What’s this about?”

“He’s my father! Henry-Fucking-Lodge is my dad!”

“Oh shit,” I exclaimed, my eyes threatened to pop out of my head. 

“I have to get out of here,” Thomas sniffled and then he stormed off again. 

“Wait, let’s go back inside and talk this out,” I pleaded.

“No.  There’s nothing to talk about.  I wanna see my mom,” his voice cracked.

“Sweetie, she’s…”

“She’s dead, I know that, but I’m still going.”

He was furious and everything he said frightened me.  He was in no condition to go anywhere.  I couldn’t stop him but I didn’t want to see things get worse so I did the only thing I could do and followed along.  We were halfway to the boathouse when the last person I wanted to see turned up on the path before us.

“Hey, charity case, still crying over that busted nose?” Roderick Lodge smirked as the rain dripped from his blond hair and down his forehead. 

Thomas pushed past him and kept going but Roderick wouldn’t let things go.  He grabbed Thomas by the shoulder.

“I’m talking to you,” said Roderick as he spun Thomas around. 

Thomas was in no mood to put up with Roderick’s bullshit.  His hand was balled into a fist and as he turned he brought it up and buried it in the middle of Roderick’s face. 

“Ah!” Roderick shouted and fell on his ass. 

“Fuck off you twisted fuck!” Thomas shouted. 

“Y-you can’t talk to me like that.  I-I’m telling.” Roderick whined, his bottom lip quivered as blood trickled from his nose. 

“You want another one?” Thomas shouted, brandishing his fist at the bully.

“N-no, I’m sorry,” Roderick blubbered. 

Thomas turned in disgust and continued towards the boathouse.

“What was that about?” Roderick whined as though he were the victim. 

“You heard him, fuck off.” I rolled my eyes and followed Thomas.  I caught him just after he entered the boathouse. 

“What are you doing, you can’t go sailing now,” I reminded him.  The waves were crashing against the shore so loudly I had to shout to be heard.