// PAPER HOUSES // TBP Modern AU //

6.

"The line between naivety and hopefulness is almost invisible."

DISCLAIMER!!: mentions of r4pe, SA!!
It is an important detail to my Vance AU but you may skip!!

The next day, they, once again, sat in the living room of Bruce's house, sprawled all over everything, but the couch.

Griffin was playing a game with Bruce.
Vance and Billy were one their phones scrolling through the internet. Robin and Finney were talking about the possibilities when they go back to school.

"Harpy hare, where have you buried all your children," Griffin sings, clapping his hands and rocking his arms along with Bruce.

"Tell me so I say," says Bruce, a happy smile on his face, "Tell me so I say," he repeats, mimicking Griffin's actions.

They repeated for over five times before Billy interrupted, "Damn, we need to get new school supplies for this school year," he says, sighing.

"I'm a senior now, fuck," Bruce says, laughing as he turned to Billy. "First year of senior year, yay," he adds sarcastically.

"You're not the only one," says Vance, smiling slightly. "I was supposed to drop out but my mom said I should continue."

"Mama's boy," whispers Robin to Finney, who laughs.

"You can definitely not talk, Robin," counters Finney, rolling his eyes. Robin scoffs and crossed his arms.

"Lovers," Bruce silently mouths so Griffin, who refrained from smiling.

"Shh.." Griffin shushed Bruce.

Vance interrupted, "What the fuck, that fucker's out of jail," he says, gritting his teeth and furrowing his brows.

Bruce swiftly spun his head around, "Who, your dad?" Bruce questioned, Vance slightly winced at the word 'dad'. "— mean, your ex-dad?"

"I thought he got 20 years in prison?" Billy interferes, tilting his head as he lifted his eyes from his phone. "That piece of shit's out?"

"Yeah, he got out early.." Vance trails off, shutting his phone, thinking back to the time when he lived with him. "Because he was giving off good behavior?"

"Well, he's not gonna bother you, right?" Robin says, trying to lift the spirits of the room. "You got that restraining order so he won't go near you."

"Robin," Finney says, frowning. "The restraining order was lifted after he went to jail, because they thought he wouldn't get out for at least 20 years, by then Vance would've gotten another restraining order."

"Why the fuck would they let him out for showing 'good behavior? That's bullshit,"
Griffin complains, scoffing as his arms flopped to his crossed legs.

"Vance, do you want to go to the gym to blow off some steam?" Bruce asked calmly, giving him a worried stare. "Or would you like to eat food or just stay inside?"

"I don't-want to be...out, right now," Vance swallows, blinking and sucking in his cheeks, trying his hardest not to cry. He knew that even if he didn't cry, his friends would still comfort him.

"Alright," Bruce says, nodding his head.
Just as he did, a knock on the door. They waited for a second before Bruce stood up. "I'll get it."

He swung the door, "Hello?" Bruce asks happily, not yet realizing who's at the door.
"Oh." His smile disappeared so fast and he slammed the door shut and locked it as the man kept knocking.

"Hey! Open the fucking door."

He marched to the living room, "I'd like for everybody to be upstairs now," he says on a serious note, dialing 911 on his phone.
Everybody stared at him, "now, go."

Everybody stood up went upstairs, leaving only Vance and Bruce in the living room,
"Babe, what's happening, what's this about?" He asks, placing a hand on Bruce's arm. "Who knocked on the door?"

"He knows you're here."

Vance blinked and furrowed his brows,
"What," he says in shock. "He's here? In front of your house?" Bruce nods, frowning.

"911, what's your emergency?"

Vance
Mom
Mom

Mom
Yes?
Do you need me to pick you up?

Vance
Idk
But he's here

Mom
Who?
You're at your friend's house, right?
Who's there?

Vance
Albert.

Mom
I thought Bruce's parents were there?

Vance
They went out for Amy's practice

Mom
Did you call 911?
Baby, I'm on my way.

Vance
Mom, don't come
It's not safe for you
Bruce is calling 911 rn

Mom
Alright, I'll head to the police station.
Ok good.
Stay safe honey

"Dad, please!" 10 year old Vivienne cried out in horror, her palms in front of her as tears streamed down her face. "Stop! Please.."

She covered her bare body as she curled in the corner of the room, trying to stop her dad from touching her.

"Repeat after me," her father shouts, half-naked in front of her. "You are not a boy! I will show you that you are not..."

Vance sat on Bruce's bed with the others except Bruce himself, who was talking with the operator outside the room, the door being slightly open so that they could hear small parts of the conversation.

"Yeah, no shit," Bruce says, getting frustrated. "Yeah, the restraining order was lifted because he was in jail, he's not supposed to be out—no, you're not listening to me."

"What do you think he'll do?" Asks Griffin, extremely worried for Vance. "What do you think the police would do?"

"If it was Robin's experience, they would hesitate," Vance tells them, shutting his eyes. "Them hesitating now, I don't know, but it's fucked up."

"If you don't do shit, I will, I have a gun," Bruce says out of pocket, which made the others perk up.

"Bruce has a gun?" Questions Finney.

"His dad's a police, what do you expect?"

"I will shoot that man dead even if it means my life," Bruce says through his teeth, Billy clapped his hand to his mouth in shock.
"You don't know how far I'll fucking go for my friends."

Vance stands up from the bed and opened the door, "Bruce, get inside the room, I can't really trust your front door not the break." He nods and enters the room. "And put the phone on speaker."

"Sir, I understand your worries but we do not have enough proof."

"I have five minors under this roof, I am a legal adult and my sister will be home from practice in an hour," Bruce tells them, laying the phone on the bed as they circled around it.

"Sir, you said tha-"

Vance intervenes, dropping all information of his ex-dad's assault. "His name is Albert Fox, 49 years old, he's had a restraining order from Delilah Hopper's entire family for a month before he was sent to jail and the order was lifted since he was supposed to be in jail for 20 years but he got released early."

"Who is this speaking?"

"Vance Hopper."

"I don't have a record of a Vance Hopper in birth certificates."

The five boys stared at his in worry and concern for their friend. Vance gulped, hesitating before answering. "Vivienne Fox."

_________

Hold up, I'm trying to complain to wattpad about them logging me out of my accounts like bro what.