Deep Down {Vance Hopper}

{Part 5.5}

Saturday: October 22, 1988

Me and Vance go outside and start walking. I talk the box of cigarettes and put one in my mouth and gave one to Vance. I stopped to light the cigarette and then gave the lighter to Vance. He does the same thing and then gives it back to me. We walk in silence, every now and again the silence would be filled by the sounds of us sipping our drinks. "How's your dad an asshole?" I hear Vance ask. I forgot I told him about my dad. "Well, he wasn't always and asshole. On September 29th my dad drank way too much. Me and Billy were arguing, which was normal, we weren't always close. Once dad came home, we were too busy arguing that we didn't see how drunk he was. Just then, in the middle of our argument, I get smacked in the back of my head with his belt. I fell over and he just kept on hitting me. 

I was bleeding and instantly bruising. Billy was in shock because dad never hit me. While her was hitting me, Billy grabbed him, and they started fighting. Then my mom came home. He smacked her, I grabbed his bottle of Vodka and hit him in the head. He got up and threw me over our island and I landed on about 3 to 4-inch pieces of glass. Mom hit him really hard in the head with a pan and took me and Billy out of the house and to the hospital. I had to get over 20 stitches. The next day we went back home when he was at work. 

I snuck into the house through my window because our keys weren't working. I let them in, we packed, bought a place ticket that was cheap and then we left. We stayed in a hotel, me and Billy got enrolled in school. Billy had enough money he stole and saved so he bought himself and mom a car, while mom bought our house. We moved in and tried to go back to normal. Next thing I know, Billy picked me up from school, drives really fast. I get him to tell me what's wrong, and that's how I found out dad was here. Now he's staying with us for 2 more days, because he got kicked out of his house, and since I'm not 16 yet, he has the right to know my information, so he found out where we lived. If he would have just waited 1 more week, he wouldn't be here in the first place." I didn't realize I was crying over it. I put my cigarette and grab another one. 

"Damn." Fuck, I told him too much. For a guy I hated I told him everything. "Sorry. I shouldn't have said all of that." I wipe away my tears, taking a hit of my cigarette. "No, it's alright. I mean I wasn't as lucky as you guys. I still live with my dad. Thats why I'm always out so late. My mom passed so now all my dad does is drink and hit me every now and again." I scoff and shake my head. "Some dads we got."   "Yeah." He chuckles a little bit. I look at my watch and see it's already 1 o'clock. I open the box and hand Vance another cigarette and the lighter. "Thanks." He hands me back the lighter after lighting his cigarette. 

"Promise me you won't tell anyone," I say, "No one knows why I moved here, and I rather just keep it that way." I look at Vance. His icy blue eyes are soft looking. They look so beautiful when their soft and not filled with anger. "I promise." I nod but I don't look away. "What are you looking at?" I jump out of my thoughts. "Hm? Nothing. Just zoned out." I grab my 3rd cigarette. "Slow down smokey." I laugh at his comment. "Sorry I tend to smoke a lot when I'm stressed."   "I can see that." He chuckles. 

We walk around for about another hour or two, laughing, talking, smoking the rest of the pack of cigarettes. We were sitting on the swings at one of the parks. "Stop fucking lying. There's no way you of all people fought a senior as a freshman."   "I did though. I'm a lot of things but not a liar." Vance laughs at me. "Your fucking lying again."   "No, I am not." Me and Vance jump when I hear a horn honking. It's Billy. "JJ LETS GO! MOM WANTS US HOME!" I groan and roll my eyes. "See ya."   "Bye JJ." I get in the car and the music that Billy was playing was so loud that the car was vibrating. "What do they need us home for?"   "I don't know. Mom asked me where you were, and I said in your room, but you were gone so I had to go around looking for you. Also, what were you doing with that kid?" I shrugged my shoulders. I didn't really know why I was hanging out with Vance, I just was. Billy just sped away and went home.

Once we made it home and want inside, mom and dad were sitting on the couch. "What did you need us for?" Mom lets out a sigh. "Your dads staying with us for a few more day." My face drops. "WHAT?" Me and Billy shout in unison. "I KNEW THIS WOULD HAPPEN! I KNEW HE WOULD SWEET TALK YOU INTO STAYING! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! I GOT THROWN AND GLASS SHOVED IN MY ARM! AND NOW HE'S STAY? If he's staying, I'm not."   

"JJ I am your father. you should welcome me with open arms." My dad stands up when he says that. "No. My dad is in Florida, who was loving and kind. Not some asshole who beat his kids so bad we left the next fucking day. I'm leaving." I storm out of the house, my eyes watering. I was so hurt. I just walked to Grab N' Go and seen Vance there. 

What a shock. I walk inside and stand next to him. "Hey. Can you walk me to Gens house?" I mumble. "Yeah, in a minute." Right after he said that I see him lose purposely. "I could have waited."   "I know." We walk out of the store and walk for about 15 minutes, in silence. Once we reach her house, I stand there for a minute. "Thanks V." I then walk to the door and knock. "Hello?"   "Hi, is um Gen here?"   "Oh yeah come inside." Her mom offers. "GEN! ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS HERE!" I hear the thudding of someone going down the stairs. "Who is i- OH! HEY JJ!" she hugs me tight, "What are you doing here?"   "I just wanted to get out of the house for a few days so I was wondering if I could stay with you guys?"   

"It's great with me. Can she mom? Pleaseeee." I laugh at her. "Yeah of course. Stay as long as you need."   "Thank you, Mrs-" I pause. I didn't know their last name. "Daniles. You can call me Hailey though. Nice meeting you JJ."   "Nice meeting you. Could I use your phone really quick?"   "Yeah, go ahead." She points to the phone. I call Billy. "Hello?"   "Hey it's JJ. I'm staying at a friends for a few days."   "Ok. I'll tell mom. Be safe." Once he says that I hang up. I follow Gen to her room. "Why do you wanna stay here?" I sigh. "My dads in town and I don't want to be anywhere near him." She nods. "Whelp, we haven't eaten dinner yet. Did you?" I shook my head. "Yay! Also, I can obviously see that you don't have clothes so you can borrow some of mine tonight and tomorrow we can stop at your house and get some."   

"Sounds good."   "Also, you don't have my address so how did you know where I lived?"   "Vance walked me." Her eyes widened. "No. Effing. Way. What, are you guys friends now?"    "I don't really know. We ended up talking a lot today. For about 3 hours or so."   "Damn."   "Yeah." I scoff.    "GIRLS! DINNER!" Her mom shouts. We walk down the stairs and sit down at the table. My eyes widened. Either mom made the same thing, or Billy cooked or ordered food. I've never had a table this full. I seen her mom pulled out and extra chair. "I don't know if you do this JJ, but we say grace so if you want to join you can."     

"I'll join." I grab Gens dad and moms' hand, and I mimic what they do, which they put their heads down and closed their eyes. "Thank you, lord, for another beautiful day. Thank you for blessing us with this delicious meal. Thank you for leading JJ to us tonight," I look up at her mom, but put my head back down, "Thank you again lord for this beautiful day. Amen."   Amen." Me and everyone else say, then we start eating. My mouth melts. I start eating so fast. I look up and see Gen laughing. "What?" I say with my mouth full. "Have you've ever eaten spaghetti?"      "Like once. 5 years ago."     "Dang." She says. I finish my food really fast; I even get seconds. Gens done once I finish so we go upstairs to her room. 

"You hadn't had spaghetti in 5 years? Sad."    "Well, my mom only knows how to the same 5 things, and lately she's been making the same this, and when she doesn't cook, Billy orders out."     "Damn girl." She hands me a pair of sweats and a tank top. I was about to change when I remember my arm. "Do you have a shirt instead? I sleep cold."     "Oh yeah." I toss her back the tank top and take the shirt.  We both turn around and change. Once we're done, we hop in her bed, her bed is a queen so it's big enough for us both. She even had her own TV, so she turns on Grease. I ended up falling asleep really fast.

A/n: GUYS I'M SO SORRY I MADE THIS PART LONGER THAN THE FIRST ONE. I JUST KEPT WRITING. SO SORRY GUYS😭😭