I Don't Think That They'll Understand - Fransykes

Chapter Five

The next day, driving (yet again) to places Oli didn't recognize, his thoughts wandered back home. His family must be missing him by now, right? They must be looking for him, right?

They probably don't miss you at all. You were only a burden to them. You arrogant boy, they're better off without you. You're fat and lazy and of no help to this world.

Josh saying his name pulled Oli out of his thoughts. "What?" He asked, a bit out of it.

"We're here. Out." Josh almost barked, uncuffing the boy while he was still in the minivan one of Josh's mystery friends had loaned the pair.

Once they were settled inside, Oli's mind started to wander again while he sat in one of the back corners of the room. He decided to ask the question on his mind, hoping Josh wouldn't punish him for speaking out of turn.

"H-hey Josh?" The older grunted a bit to acknowledge his question, most of Josh's attenton focused on his laptop and the pad of paper resting on the bed. "Why me?"

Josh's eyes turned from his computer to the teenager huddled in the corner. "What?"

"W-why'd you pick me of all people to... take with you?"

Josh didn't want to tell the boy the real reason why, though he'd probably figure it out sooner or later. He was hopelessly, head over heels, infatuated with this... this child, of all people. His friends that weren't involved had left him, saying he had become "distant" as of lately. He'd lost his job because of this constant distraction, almost losing his home as well, virtually put his life on hold to make Oli his. He would go to any lengths to make this work, no matter what the cost. He'd already committed three felonies, what else did he have to lose?

"Reasons," was all he said. "Now, please be quiet again, I"m trying to work here."

*

Later on that evening, when Josh had fallen asleep, Oli snuck out of bed to "go to the bathroom," when in reality he'd managed to nab a phone charger from his bag earlier and was charging it out of sight in the washroom. He hadn't checked his phone in almost two weeks, and like most teenagers, he couldn't live without his mobile. So, he resorted to breaking one of the biggest and probably most punishable rules Josh had given him: no checking your phone.

Just as it was about to power up, Oli heard a stern "What do you think you're doing?" The tone of the question made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

"N-nothing," the boy stuttered as Josh yanked the iPhone out of his hands.

"What did I say about the phone?!" He asked, pulling Oli up roughly by his wrist, hard enough to bruise.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what I was thinking!" The boy's heart was pounding, whether from the thrill of breaking the rules or the scare of getting caught, he wasn't sure. Josh still had his grip on Oli's wrist, and it was really beginning to hurt Oli, and he couldn't help but show it. Josh immediately released his grip, a flicker of guilt shining in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced with emptiness. Josh grabbed the phone from Oli's hands, the charging cord coming unplugged. He held up the phone in front of Oli, a glare on his face.

"This is gone, right now." Josh commented, thinking he should have done that immediately after getting the boy. The iPhone would fetch a decent amount of cash anyway, well, for a phone, and he knew money could be an issue. At the current point it wasn't, but he had to be careful. Friends and his bank account could only support them for so long. "And as for you, I'm going to have to be more careful about you..." Josh set the phone down on the counter, and Oli was too scared to move, scared of the wrath he'd likely bring out of Josh.

Josh grabbed Oli by the wrist, Oli flinching at the pain it inflicted, but Josh not caring too much this time. "Come on," Josh demanded, yanking at Oli's arm. The taint of anger that was clear in Josh's voice was scaring Oli, because he had never truly angered Josh, and he had no clue what this man would be like angered. He followed Josh, not like there was anything else he could do, out to the bedroom area. "Lay down," Josh demanded, keeping a close eye on the boy as he was now paranoid with what he would do if he didn't. "Stay or I swear to god, you won't want to face the concequences." Once again, it was an empty threat from Josh's part, he'd have no clue what to do if Oli didn't listen, because quite honestly he wasn't a violent person and didn't want to hurt Oli, but he had nothing to worry about, because Oli didn't plan on disobeying him.

Josh dug around in his bag to pull out two pairs of handcuffs, walking over to Oli wordlessly. He took one of Oli's wrists, Oli staring up at him with fear in his eyes. "How do you sleep?" Josh questioned, seemingly out of nowhere. Oli wasn't sure what he was asking, his head tilting to the side revealing so. "Back, side, or stomach, how do you sleep?" Oli stared at him some more, wondering what the heck Josh was talking about, but decided it'd be better to answer Josh without questioning.

"My... side?" He replied curiously. Josh directed him to turn to his side, which he did, before Josh attached the handcuffs to each of Oli's wrists, then to the bedposts. Oli felt uncomfortable, but not horribly so, and he was sure he could fall asleep this way. But, he still had to worry about what Josh's punishment for breaking his rules would be, and now that he was restrained, it seemed even more threatening. "Josh?" Oli asked quietly, his eyes clearly filled with fear. "What're you gonna do to me?" Oli hesitantly asked, worried his words may just make the situation worse.

Josh looked at Oli, biting his lip as he thought, his face showing it. He shrugged, before climbing in the bed beside Oli. "Nothing, for now," Josh whispered, pulling the blanket up on the both of them. He turned on his side, facing the same way Oli was so his back was to the other boy, before he shut his eyes. "Get to sleep."