Joe was smoking out of his bathroom window so his mother wouldn't see him, he couldn't stop. He knew it was a dirty habit but he doesn't even blame himself for his habit. It was his step father's fault thinking it would be funny to make him smoke when he was thirteen, watching him choke on the smoke. He had been smoking since he was thirteen because his step father forced him to, now he was just addicted and couldn't stop. He panicked when there was a knock on the door.
"Joe please open the door." He heard his mother's voice quickly putting it out hiding it along with the packet and the lighter, he brushed his teeth quickly stripping from his clothes continuing to hear his mother's pleads for him to open the door. He wrapped a towel around his middle finally opening the door seeing his mother stood there in her work clothes getting ready to go. He knew then that he would be left alone with his step father.
"Sorry I was in the shower." Joe lied not knowing whether his mother would buy it.
"Put some clothes on and come into your room, we need to have a chat before I go to work." She demanded Joe nodding his head as he stepped out closing the door behind her. Joe got changed into the clothes again exiting the room sitting down on the edge of the bed with her.
"What's wrong?" Joe inquired.
"Is there something going on? School or home? I want you to tell me the truth because I care about you Joe and you're not the same boy I had when you were twelve." Joe sighed looking down at the ground beginning to play with his fingers.
"I'm fine mom, I guess I just go into the wrong crowd a bit. My grades are good though so why does it matter?" Joe questioned.
"Because you're getting into fights Joe, I don't like seeing your face beaten up," She begun lifting his shirt up so she could see his body Joe pushing her hands away like he had done Demi. "And bruises on your body, I want you to be safe at school."
"I-I know, I'm sorry mom." He spoke as he hugged his mother. Joe didn't know how much longer he could keep all this up, he loved his mom so much and hated lying to her. He was lying to protect her and his sisters. He couldn't watch them get hurt because he told on his step father.
"Joe get your ass down here now!" He heard as he was doing his homework, he gulped before cautiously making his way downstairs where he knew his Step father was alone. Like most nights. He made his way into the living room where his Steph father was watching TV a beer in between his hands, Denise knew of his drinking but didn't know it was as bad as it is.
"Y-Yeah?"
"Get me another beer, you did good today hiding all this from your mother," He spoke Joe surprised that he was being so nice. Joe didn't say anything but entered the kitchen grabbing a beer from the fridge giving it to Gary. "Where's yours?"
"I don't want one." Joe insisted.
"Don't be stupid, get yourself one and come sit down." Joe sighed grabbing himself a beer taking as seat next to Gary but as far away as he could. He handed him a cigarette which he gladly took allowing him to light it taking a drag from it.
"Why are you being nice?" Joe questioned.
"Don't get used to it." He spat making Joe jump slightly. They continued to sit in silence as Dave watched porn on the TV, Joe wasn't interested so stared at the floor finishing his cigarette off then just pretending to take sips of his beer. He only drank when he was around his friends not wanting them to think he didn't like it. Being confident with his friends was the only thing getting him through this. Only when Gary demanded he goes upstairs he tipped the beer down the sink collapsing on the bed to do his homework again.
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