When Can I Hear Your Voice?

My Punishment -Matt

Jace came running to the door, his hair sopping wet, his clothes thrown on. He actually looked kinda cute. The moment he laid eyes on me he turned around and walked away. Leaving me at his door, alone.

"Jace!"

"Я ОСТАВИЛ ШКОЛУ ЧТОБЫ ПОЛУЧИТЬ ОТ ВАС!" (I LEFT SCHOOL TO GET AWAY FROM YOU!)

"I have no idea what you said but this is important!"

His father comes to the door; he was a short man with graying black hair, brown eyes and very round. He had a mustache and a soft expression. "Please come in, I'll get Jace." His accent was as thick-even thicker then- Jace's. He motioned me to come in; I stagger in and sit on his couch. At night his house looked bigger. Well, being here now I know that it was an apartment building.

His father closed the door and marched towards the back of the apartment. There was compete silence until angry Russian shouting started, with a calm Russian response. It continued for a while. The initial yelled made me jump. I was sitting in worry when everything went quiet again.

"Большое спасибо папа. Мы будем говорить на улице." (Thanks a lot Papa. We are going to talk outside.)

I looked at him, unsure if I should start our conversation or wait for him too, making up my mind I speak, "Jace ab-"

"Outside." He walks out the door, like a puppy, I follow him.

"Jace I am so sorry about earlier, I don't know why I hit you."

"I left school to get away from you, now you are here. WHY?"

I knew he was mad the moment he yelled why. Never before have I heard this sweet boy raise his voice, "I understand that you are mad-"

"Mad? MAD? You think I am mad? I AM LIVID!"

"I like being around you and I-"

"I don't know how you could like to be around me. Seeing as I am a weirdo!"

That hurt, almost as much as the coach saying I was a bad captain, "But I-"

"No. Here is your copy of the book, shut up and take it." With that he turns around heads back inside.

The rest of the day felt like years instead of hours. After I left Jace's I asked Otto to pick me up after school. When I finally got into his car he was just getting off the phone with someone.

"Trix"

"What?" I was confused to as why he was saying our sisters' name.

"She was on the phone, and she is now engaged."

"Whoa, really?"

"Yes and her wedding is in a few months."

"They are getting married that soon?"

"They have been dating for seven years. You know how Trix is."

"Right." We sat listening to music for a while, singing along at certain points in the song.

"Is there a reason you had me pick you up instead of taking the bus home?"

"No, not really." I fiddle with my sleeves.

He knows I am lying and gives the 'tell me look' as he comes to a stoplight, "I won't tell mom or dad."

"That is a comfort. There are thirteen other members in the house you could tell."

"I won't tell them either unless it is important enough, then I'll tell Trix."

"Have you ever picked on someone?"