How To Stay Afloat (BxB)

Chapter 19: Sentimental much

I stand in front of Austin's locked bedroom door not knowing what to do. His father is stumbling over to me.

"He locks his door when he's not home." He explains. "Just leave the helmet here. I tell him to bring you your stuff when he's home." He suggests.

I saw his backpack, he was home. What if he's in there? What if he's hurt? I have a really bad feeling about this. He was so upset when he left. I can't just leave.

"Are you sure you didn't see him come home?" I ask his father.

He raises his brows. "I came home half an hour ago. I don't know. I don't remember him coming in." He says and then hiccups. Maybe he came home before his dad.

"Do you have another key for his door?" I wanna know.

He stumbles around, looking around on the floor. He's clearly no help. "Not that I know of." He tells me. "Can't you come back tomorrow to get your stuff?" He asks me, a little annoyed.

"Austin said he'd go home over an hour ago and he either isn't here or he's locked himself in there and can't answer. I don't care about my clothes, I'm worried." I tell him angrily.

What if he was upset about my reaction? What if he got into another fight with his dad? What if he cut his arms again and this time has no phone to call Nora? I can't just leave, knowing there's a possibility he's in there, bleeding out.

His dad looks confused. "You think he's in there?" He asks and I shrug. "And you think he's hurt? Did he take drugs or something?"

What do I say? I'm not gonna tell his father that he regularly cuts his arm open.

"Step aside." He says and I do so. He steps towards the door and kicks it open with ease. Oh, that was a possibility? I always thought it's only easy in movies. The door came loose on the angles and the wood at the lock is cracked open, but apart from that the door seems to have taken no damage. I wonder if he has kicked it in before.

We both look around the room. No one's here. I take a relieved breath.

"I told you he wasn't here." His father says, holding up his arms.

I spot my sports clothes where I put them last weekend and grab them and then take out his phone to connect it to the charger by his bed. After a bit of hesitation I put his phone back in my pocket, I'm not gonna leave it here, maybe I can find a clue where he could be on his phone.

"You really had me fooled. Couldn't wait until tomorrow to get your stuff, huh? You got everything." His dad says. "Now, grab your stuff and leave." He orders loudly.

"But we still don't know where he is." I bring up worriedly.

"Like I give a shit. He's gone most nights, he's an adult. He's probably at his girlfriend's house." He says and grabs my shoulder to guide me out.

"But-" I protest, but he interrupts me.

"Listen, I don't know who you are and why you think it's alright to break into my home, but you gotta leave now." He says angrily and grabs my shoulder. "You don't want me to get angry at you."

I let him push me back to the door and then he shoves me roughly outside, making me crash hard against the wall opposite the door. I hit my shoulder and elbow against the wall and it freaking hurts.

"Fuck you!" I hiss at him before I can think of the consequences.

He folds his arms over his chest, standing in the doorway, looking terrifyingly big and strong.

"Get the hell out of here before I call the police." He threatens and I just run.

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