Crossing Lines

38. Better than trash tv

Jake's pov-

I thought when a bomb dropped I'd have some type of warning. I'd feel the sense of dread or hear something before I walked right into the crosshairs.

I thought I'd be prepared but walking into my house after class I hadn't been ready for what was about to happen. I walked through the front door just like I did every other day and nothing seemed different, well that was until I heard all the screaming.

"Are you fucking serious right now!?" Dom yelled.

I didn't hear the boy yell like that very often. He was a pretty docile guy, he'd get super annoyed and stressed about like everything but he wasn't one to really raise his voice. Well unless you were Connor and messed with his clothes.

"I just don't get why you're so upset." Connors voice travelled through the house, his was much calmer than my other roommates.

I followed the noise into the living room where both of my roommates were squaring off. Dom was obviously pissed off, I could tell by the way his body was tensed up and his hand fisted at his sides. Connor was the complete opposite, he stood there completely laid back as if Dom wasn't screaming at him.

"You don't- You don't get why I'm upset!? Look at what your wearing!" Dom swung his arms around gesturing to Connor who was wearing Dom's prince shirt, the shirt that Dom had spent the past month looking for.

I decided it was best not to throw myself between them so I threw myself down on the couch next to Callum who was sitting there watching the two go at it.

"How long have they been-," I looked over at the red head and paused staring at the bowl resting in his lap. "Is that popcorn?" I questioned.

"Yeah you want some?" He extended the bowl towards me.

I didn't even bother asking anymore questions about how he somehow made popcorn and got himself situated with a front row seat. How did he even have time to do all that? Had Dom and Connor been arguing for that long? I shook the questions out of my head, they weren't important. Instead I grabbed a handful of popcorn and turned my attention back to my roommates.

"Obviously I know it's a good shirt, it's my shirt!" Dom argued, I had obviously missed some of the argument but really that didn't matter.

"You know what they say finders keepers and all that." Connor just shrugged.

"Oh no he didn't." Callum muttered his eyes flicking back and forth.

"That doesn't apply when you steal my shit."

"Does it count as stealing if I was going to give it back?" Connor asked.

"Yes! Now take it off." Dom stepped forward his patience obviously dwindling.

"If you wanted me to take my clothes off all you had to do was ask." Connor chuckled but made no move to give the shirt back.

"I'm going to fucking kill you I swear." Dom groaned in frustration running his hand over his face.

"If you want the shirt so bad come get it." Connors eyes glinted daring Dom to do something.

"This is better than trash reality television." Callum said before stuffing another handful of popcorn in his mouth.

This whole situation was so ridiculous I almost wanted to just get up and leave the three of them to handle this all on their own but it took longer than I'd like to wrestle myself up off the couch so it was better to just stay seated. I was slightly worried how this might escalate. Connor wasn't known for backing down and understanding when to give in. He'd poke a bear if he saw one. I'd seen him lash out and start fights with almost everyone. He might be laid back and calm right now but the last thing I needed was for that to change and for him to sharpen his words into weapons and shoot them all right at Dom.

Dom wouldn't escalate anything. I knew he wouldn't walk away without getting his shit back but he'd sooner yank the shirt right off Connor's back and walk away then try to turn this into a full on fight. And I was getting a little bit worried about Callum but only because I couldn't remember the last time he blinked. Was that good for a person's eyes?

"Give the shirt back you animal." Dom stormed over to Connor grabbing a handful of fabric and trying to wrestle it up Connor's torso.

Well this would be interesting.

The two fought against each other. Dom was trying to force the shirt off Connor's body and Connor was wiggling around in his grasp making it difficult for Dom.

"Will you just stop moving for one second and give me my fucking shirt back." Dom gripped the fabric tighter and grabbed Connor's waist to try to stop his movements.

It all happened so fast. That switch I'd seen so many times in Connor and still I was never able to predict it.

"Get off! Get off of me!" Connor yelled using his hands to push at Dom.

Dom stepped back his eyes wide in alarm. Connor who had been laid back and teasing now was stiff his face filled with panic. The house was quiet for the first time since I walked in.

Connor grabbed the hem of his shirt yanking it off and threw it right at Dom. He said nothing as he turned and ran right into his bedroom letting the door slam behind him.

Dom blinked at the fabric in his hand and then his eyes flicked back to the closed door where Connor had disappeared.

"Fuck." Dom muttered under his breath.

"Let him be, I'll check on him later if he doesn't come back out by the time we have practice." I told Dom.

It wasn't the first time Connor had freaked out on one of us. I'd seen him storm off plenty of times and I'd had to dodge screaming words that he shot at anyone in firing distance. But those were the bad days, the days he drank like he was hoping he'd drown in it. Not that it was an excuse but the alcohol certainly never helped.

A/n:

I thought I'd announce some more about the sequel for you guys. The love interest of the book is going to be.....Connor! So you'll get to see a lot more of him in book two, The Path to You. It's going to be dual POV so you'll get chapters from both Connor and the other love interest. I'll be announcing that in a few weeks but there's a chapter that has to happen first. Since I've been listening to midnights constantly I'll just say that the album fits book two very well but the song that fits The Path to You the best is The Great War.

Anyway, a little life update I'm sick... again. Everything has been going super well (cue the sarcasm). My personal life is in shambles and bad shit just keeps happening so if I miss an update or something please be patient with me.

Thank you for reading,

-Cora Leigh