Online Only...

Chapter 10 :}

I furrow my eye brows confused, and sit back a little so I can see his face, but he's looking away.

"Damien." I get off of his lap and kneel in front of him.

"What's wrong?" 

"Nothing." He's suddenly quiet and I scoff at how obviously he's lying.

"Damien, tell me." I pick up some gravel and flick it at him. He smiles as it hit his cheek.

"It's just family crap...nothing I can't handle." He had a bit of a reputation to uphold in school. Never the 'bad boy' but he fitted in the guys group that seemed inpenetrable. Having sat next to him in numerous lessons, getting to know him, and now being his girlfriend, I can nearly see through it.

"Please? I can see something's not right.." I took his hand but he still seemed a little, distant.

He props himself up on his elbows and pouts at me.

"Alright... If it really bothers you that much."

"It doesn't bother me, it worries me that something's upsetting you and you don't trust me enough to tell me."

He sat up properly again and pulls me towards him.

"Hey! I trust you, I just don't like talking about it that's all." He stroked my face and opened his mouth a little. 

"It's my Dad...and my Mum. But mostly my Dad, I think, it's complex..but basically he uh..he's not great towards my Mum. He hits her. And she well..she's so drunk all of the time she doesn't even seem to know. When they're both screaming the odds it gets violent. I went down to see what all the banging was last night and I...got in the way." He trailed off, looking in the opposite direction. A sudden fear comes over me.

"What did they do? Damien are you hurt?!" I take both of his hands desperately. He turns back to face me and cups my cheek, smiling, but its sad. 

"I'm ok now...it was just the back of my mums hand she didn't even know I was behind her." I can't help but widen my eyes. He pushes his hair back slightly, revealing a purple bruise and a cut, about an inch long. My jaw drops open, I reach out and slowly touch near his bruise. He winces, I pull away, that wasn't from a hand. 

"I'm not gunna tell anyone about what happened...but I know that's not it." His face faltered slightly. He figeted for a minute, I could see him biting the inside of his cheek.

"I accused my Mum of drinking too much. She was pissed at like eight oclock this morning. I think she thought I was my Dad and she lunged at me, she had a glass in her hand and it smashed against the wall and caught my head... it was just before you'd messaged me." His face is plastered in worry. His 'hard' appearence collapses in front of me. I knelt up and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him into a hug. He was still for a moment  before wrapping his arms around me.

"Come home with me." I mumble into his shoulder. 

"Really?"

"I'm worried about you, come on." I stand up and reach out, he took it and we walk, slowly, back to mine. I wanted to take his mind off his problems, and since he's opened up to me about his family, I tell him about my dad, and almost all of what happened to Mum. I miss out how Harry came to be, I can't say it out loud. He didn't respond with much, just squeezing my hand at all the right moments and commenting on how shit Dads were. 

He stayed for dinner, and insists on helping clear the table, and washing the dishes. Mum makes multiple comments at how house trained he is compared to me (a complete lie), but they laugh together, both taking full advantage to wind me up.