Beneath The Surface

Chapter 26

Jamie

"Actually," Adrien starts but is cut off by Richie.

"Jeffrey?" Richie shakes his hand. "I'm Richard. I'm Jamie's uncle. I'll be signing for him."

"What about his parents?"

"Gwendalyn, my sister, passed several years ago."

"I'm so sorry, and his father?"

Richie sighs.

"Jim is an alcoholic. I seriously doubt you'll get him to do anything."

"I'm sorry but I need some sort of parental agreement, be it written or otherwise," Jeffrey says sadly.

"I'll call him over here," Richie says, taking out his phone.

Oh god. I haven't spoken to my dad since the incident.

"Hey, Jim?" Richie says into the phone. "It's Richard. I need you to come down to 1549 Ocean Park, just for a few minutes."

I tune out the rest of the conversation and walk back to the kitchen, grabbing a can of Coke from Adrien's fridge.
Two long arms wrap around my waist.

"God, I'm freaking out, Ian. He'll be here any second. I'm more terrified than I was this morning," I whisper.

"Yeah," he whispers back, "you're shaking like crazy, god, I'm so sorry, Jamie."

He hugs me tightly and kisses my temple.

"But baby, you were so good. You have never seemed more comfortable. This can be the start of a new life for us. I can't wait to see you like that again," he says happily.

I smile and kiss him gently. He kisses me back and hugs me tight.

Though our moment of happiness ends as someone knocks on the front door. Fear claws it's way down my throat and into the pit of my stomach.

"Oh, fuck no!" I yell, running desperately into Adrien's bedroom. I lock the door behind me.

I climb in his bed and bury myself in his covers.

The door's handle rattles.
I feel my stomach tighten and my hands shake as I grip the covers tightly in my fists.

"Jamie, it's just me," Adrien calls. "Let me in."

I let out a sigh of relief at the soothing voice.

I crawl out of the bed, wrapping the blanket comfortingly around my shoulders. I unlock the door and jump back in bed before Adrien has the chance to walk in.

I turn to face the opposite wall, horrifically embarrassed. The door clunks shut.

"I'm such a coward," I whisper.

"No," he sits on the bed and pulls me into his lap, stroking my mussed hair. "You're the bravest kid in the world."

"Really? Then why the hell am I scared of my own father!?"

"Because he's hurt you, Jay. He's beaten you, physically and emotionally. Don't blame yourself for what he did."

I sigh, guilt pooling in the pit of my stomach.

"You know, he did stop," I whisper.

"What?"

"He stopped drinking. He got better. He was fine for several years. A good, happy man. Then he saw you... saw the way I looked at you... he hated it. He hated me for it. Still does,"

"What're you saying?"

"He beats me because I'm gay. You must've heard him screaming 'Fag' at me the other night."