Hiding in the shadows

Chapter 3

Just as the Shagara's ice presence comes upon me in waves I feel the cold metal of the torch. I hoist my arm up and turn on the flashlight and throw the light onto its face. It makes a high pitch screaming noise and shrivels up then runs off into the dark. I get up, but almost instantly fall back down because of the excruciating pain in my ankle. I must have twisted it in the fall. I slowly limp home and through the front door and my mother sees me straight away.

"What happened to you?" She immediately askes.

"Nothing, I just tripped when I was walking." I reply, brushing off her question.

She sets down dinner on the table as I head to my room to put my bag away. I chuck it on my bed from the doorway, wash my hands then set myself at the table.

"Where did you walk to?" my mother asks.

"I just went to the fair to hang out with Fletcher and Kiro." I replied casually.

Mom walked around the table placing our meals down. Quiche and salad. Yuck, not like I had much of a choice though.

While Mom, Dad and I were sitting around the table my older brother Deegan came home from the fair with his mates trailing behind him.

"Ma, this is Caleb and Kaine."

They both greeted my parents but not me, typical, none of his mates did. As soon as all the formal things were done they went out the back to have a drink. Now that Deegan was 18 he felt like he could do anything he wanted, whenever he wanted. That wasn't the only problem with my older brother though, he NEVER acknowledged me and he also bashed me up whenever he felt like it. It was pretty horrible but it's not like I had much of a happy childhood with him. We always fought so I'm pretty used to it by now, except now he's stronger so it hurts a little more.

We were all sitting silently, eating when all of a sudden dad asks,

"So you didn't see her then."

I couldn't hold back my annoyance, spitefully I retaliated,

"Oh for fucks sake dad, she has a name! And when are you going to actually refer to her as a human and treat her with respect! All of this just because she's homosexual?"

"She made you like this Ari, it's not JUST because she is a bloody gay, and she hurt you!"

"Oh my god dad, Jas, her name is Jas. And she is one of the only real friends I have! She's one of the only people who has actually stuck by my side through everything, she has never done one thing to hurt me, and I'm not going to let you keep treating her like dirt! You wouldn't like it if someone treated me like that! Also, 'this' is called depression and anxiety, and just because you ignore the fact that I have it doesn't make I go away." And with that I stormed out of the room, leaving my dinner to go cold and slammed my bedroom door shut.

"Why can't he just fucking understand, for fucks sake, she is my best friend." I whispered to no one angrily. I grabbed my thought journal and my flashlight and shoved them in my back pack along with a jacket and my headphones. While I was angrily stuffing things in my bag there was a knock at my door and before I could tell whoever it was to go away they opened the door.

"Look, Ari, I'm sorry, but I just don't understand what she has done to help you."

"Oh my god dad, just stop with it okay?! She has helped me more than anyone else ever has, I don't really think I need to tell you."

"Have you two kissed?"

"Jesus dad no, just because she's into girls too, doesn't mean I am, I thought you would know that, especially due to the fact that she is one of my only female friends and because she has a girlfriend."

"And so what if we have." I added just to prove a point.

"Just because she has a girlfriend doesn't mean she won't try anything."

"Oh. My. God. Dad. Why don't you get it! She is just like you and me, she just likes girls as well as boys!"

"Well-"

"Don't even bother. I'm done with this conversation." I said, pushing past him, grabbing my phone and charger off my bed and heading out of my bedroom then my house.

"And I won't be coming back until you accept her." I yelled through the door then made my way back to the forest. About 5 minutes later I got a text from Jas.