I like you, for you.

Chapter 7: Overwhelming Feelings

   Author's note: There is no smut in this chapter. I'm also not planning any smut for future chapters. However, there is a make out scene. Let me remind you that Vance and Bruce are still teenagers. Of course, they're going to make out... But I'm not going to write a scene in which they are explicitly sexualized. If you don't like it, it's not my style. I'm sorry to see you go. Anyways, thank you guys for 10k reads. It means a lot!

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      "Vance Hopper." Mom remarked sternly. My stomach twisted in confusion as I obeyed her instruction to sit in the lonely and isolated chair across from them.

    There was a brief pause, but I could see the rage building up in her face. My nails dug into the arm rest of the chair, biting my lip in anticipation of what was to come.

Just take it.

                   Bruce... It's easier if you take it.

     "WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?" I flinch slightly as she screams. "You've been lying, stealing, and hanging out with some boy."

  
   I turn my head away from her comment. Vance wasn't some boy to me.

   "I...should have known better than to leave you out there, especially with all of these kidnappings going on. No... actually YOU, should have known better. It's as if you've changed." Her voice becomes more harsh as she continues on.

   I mumbled, "I didn't change mom." I was paying close attention to Vance's mix. My only thoughts were filled with hope, the hope that everything would be all right in the end. To be honest, I was terrified.

    She keeps talking as if she doesn't hear me. "I'm so glad your brother found it in your room and gave it to me. His mind would have been poisoned from this."

    I freeze as I watch her sharp black heel crunch against Vance's mixtape.

   Her mouth opens to say, "You don't understand-"

Something inside me trigged.

   "STOP IT. YOU DON'T GET IT!" I yell as I sit up and frantically bend down on my knees to grab it.   "No..no..no." I murmur to myself as I look down at the large crack on it.

  My brother is now looking at me, perplexed. "Are you all right, Bruce?"

  I don't say anything. I clutch it to my chest as I finally let the tears from my eyes fall. My family hasn't seen me cry in a long time. I heard footsteps shying away from me. They were well aware that they had done something wrong. Completely wrong.

    "Bruce. You can get help and support." My mother stated. I quickly cover my ears, but it doesn't help as I hear my mother ramble on.

   "Please stop! You're overwhelming him." Jamey (my brother) yells angrily at her. I hadn't even noticed when he came forward and wrapped his arms tightly around me.

   As I grow weary of my mom's yelling, I gently push him away. My worried brother retreats from me. I proceed to move upstairs, nearly numb from ignoring what she was saying, until I hear, "Do you know what they're going to do to you, Bruce? ....If they realize who you are?"

   Hearing my own mother speak to me in this manner broke my heart. I thought she was supposed to be my best friend. The one person who was supposed to love me no matter what. The one person who held my hand through it all. I should've been able to even count on her to cry on my own mothers shoulder. Whatever the case may be. But she was degrading me for something I had no control over. What could I possibly do?