My best friend's brother

Hell house

I walked up the driveway, slowly and cautious.  I never noticed how peaceful it looked outside this horrible hell house.  The flowers were even more beautiful than I remember.  The gold and purple colors popped against the green grass.  I walked up to the door and raised my hand.  My stomach turned and twisted itself into a million knots.  I slowly moved it closer to the door before finally knocking twice.  I waited and no one answered.  I swallowed and knocked three more times.  I heard yelling from inside the house and heavy foot steps come closer to the door.  My dad answered the door. 

"You finally come to pick up your shit," he asked.  "You're lucky you came when you did.  I was just about to throw it away but your stupid mother stopped me."

"Don't you ever talk about her that way," I said as I pushed passed him.

"This is not your home anymore," he yelled.  "You can not just wals in here and talk to me however you want to."  He yelled at me as I walked upstairs to my old room.  I found two old boxes in my closet and pulled them out, getting ready to pack some of my things.  I didn't have much, but there were some memories I had in that small room.  I looked around and the first thing I grabbed was the picture I had of Cat and I, the weekend we went to the beach last year.  Ever though it was only one year ago, things seemed so much more simpler back then.  The world didn't seem to be so cruel and unforgiving. 

I packed a few more items before satin himself walked into my room.  "What do you want Deric," I asked, sighing.  I looked up to see him looking around my almost empty room.

"I want to know why you're still in my house.  I thought they got rid of your faggotty ass."

"Faggotty isn't even a word you dipshit." As soon as I said that, I realized it was a mistake.

"What did you just say to me Faggot?"  Faggot seemed to be the only word he knew.  He took a step closer and squeezed his hands into big fists.

"If you leave me alone I can pack faster and be out of your life for good."  I didn't look up as I spoke.  I hoped avoiding eye contact would help me stay out of another fight.

"Why would I leave you alone?  It's too much fun bashing your face in."  He took another step closer to me.  I stood up and walked to the other side of my room to grab one last picture of Jase and I.  I held it in my hand and brushed the dust that had settled on top of it.  The picture was of Jase and I the day after we went to the movies.  Cat had taken it a few days after I had met Jase.

"Can you leave me the fuck alone so I can finish packing and leave?" I put the picture in the box and stood up tall.

"Don't talk to me like that you little bitch!"  He swung his hand towards my face and with a loud smack split my lip open.

"Oh shit, I never texted Cat.  God I hope she's on her way over now."  I straightened myself back up and took a step forward.

"Oh, is little faggot going to fight back," Deric said, laughing.  He pushed me back and I fell to the ground.  I jumped back up and rushed forward rushing my head into his gut.  Deric moaned in pain as he crashed into the wall.  He tried to pull my head out of his stomach.  I pulled away and punched his face.  "I'm gonna kill you, you little bitch."  I stepped back and grabbed a snow globe off my desk.  I turned back around to Deric, then proceeded to smash it on his head.  He fell to the ground.

"Yeah, we'll see about that, you prick," I said, grabbing my boxes.  I walked passed Deric slowly, looking down a him.  I walked down the stairs, and out the door.  Jase's car was pulling up as I walked down the brick path to the driveway.  I walked to the car and Jase got out.

"Why the hell didn't you text us, you were supposed to text us."  Jase raised his voice, but you could tell it wasn't in anger; it was in concern.

"I honestly forgot to text you guys.  I got caught up in packing, then I got into a fight with Deric."

"Holy shit!  Are you ok?"  I'm guessing my eye was swollen because he reached out and gently stroked it.  "What happened?"

"Oh, I'm fine," I said laughing.  "You should see Deric right now.  He go the worst of it by far.  Can we go please?"  I started to pack the trunk with the three boxing I laid on the ground.

"This is all you had in there," Jase asked.

"Yeah, most of what I have I had already brought to your house."  I closed the trunk and stepped around to the passenger side.  I hopped in the car and buckled up.

"I'm gonna kill you Faggot," Deric yelled, running out the door.  Jase threw the car in reverse and sped out of the driveway.  Deric ran down after us, but Jase had gotten away. 

We pulled into Cat's driveway and Jase put the car into park.  "Why didn't you text us Connor?"

"I forgot and got kind of held up.  I'm sorry that I can't do everything at once."  I raised my voice more than I should've.  I instantly regretted what I had said.

Jase turned the car off and stepped out, slamming the door.  He quickly walked inside, not looking back.  "Jase!  I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"I know, I know.  You've been through a lot, but that's why I was so worried about you."  He stepped closer, putting his arms on my shoulders.  He leaned in and kissed my lips softly.

"I know you guys care.  But I need to be able to be me and live my life.  I don't want to have you guys checking in on me every single day, just cause I've had some trouble in my past."

"I know, I know.  I didn't mean to be so over protective."

"I know you didn't mean to be, but you are.  I just want to be able to live my life the way I want to."

"I want you to live the way you want to also.  I just want you to be safe."

"And I will be, I promise."  I leaned in and kissed his smooth lips.  His warmth flooded over my entire body.

"You better be," he said, smiling at me.  We walked inside and I was met by a hug from Cat.

"What the hell dude," she yelled at me.  "You didn't call or text me.  I was so fucking worried about you!"  She hugged me once again, squeezing me tightly.

"I got busy beating Deric's ass up.  I'll tell you what happened later, but right now I just want to eat some popcorn and watch a horror movie."

By now, it was dinner time, but Tracy was still at work, so dinner wasn't fixed.  I picked out a horror movie and we all gathered on the couch and watched.  The rest of the night was pretty quiet except for our screams from time to time.