•Hold onto Me•

16

"JAMES?!?" I walk in to see this monster of a man knocked out cold on the ground and James shaking furiously over him. I grab him by the arm urging him to leave this very instant.

"GET OFF OF ME PAIGE!" He ripped his arm from mine. I shook backwards almost falling. That's the first time I've heard James use my name in such a negative way. I wanted to run. My instinct is to always run, run away from anything that looks like it could possibly turn bad.

When he turned pulled away from me he through his hand into the wall. Reacting me to jump. I'm not scared of James but I'm scared of whoever is standing in front of me right now, but it's not James. He was so filled with rage and hatred I didn't know what to do. I ran out of the house and did the only thing I did know, Call Gabe.

He was there in 4 minutes. I could hear his tires screeching as he turned onto the street. He barely had the car in park before he was out of it. He grabbed me by both of my arms and bent down to my eye level his voice strict, "Are you okay?" He had fear all over his face, "yes I'm fine I'm fine go worry about James." He let go and sprinted for the door. I look down the street to see James sister catching the ball for a touchdown. Girls got hands.

I needed to do something not just stand here. What happens when that man wakes up, what will James do then. I had my arms folded leaning up against James truck looking at the cooler we had ready for today. The day that started out so great that turned Ill so quick. James came out of the front door shrugging off Gabe, "man hop off! This is all bullshit! You guys acting like this is bullshit. He had it coming and it's about damn time he got a piece of it!" He was shaking furiously he was jacked up with adrenaline. This can't be happening I can't see him this way, "Paige get in the car we're leaving." Gabe is looking right at me. I had zoned out and felt like I was watching from the outside, that I wasn't really there. "You know what James this is when you need your friends the most don't go pushing us away now, that's way overdue." I had no clue what they were talking about.

"Fuck you Gabe. Fuck this whole fucking town. Fuck this house. Fuck him. Fuck my mom. All anyone has ever done is let me down. So you know what fuck you I'm used to it!" I jolt at every word he says. Gabe walks up to him and shoved him, "you mad tough guy, be mad I don't care." He grabbed him by the collar, "You know who your real friends are, and that's me Mel and Paige, grow the fuck up and control yourself." The air was tense. I was scared to breath. James shoulders lowered his face began to shift he finally let his anger go his fists unclenched, "man I just need to get out of this small stupid town. I can't take it anymore.." Gabe pulls him into a bear hug, "only 6 more months brother then you can go and do whatever you want. But not if you're in jail or dropped out of school." They both nod, "Let's go to my place I'll call Mel and we can just hang out there for a little bit until things cool off." Gabe spoke soft but authoritative. Obviously this wasn't the first time this has happened. Then I knew what I had to do.

"Gabe I'm just gonna walk home, make sure you grab Ali she's at the neighbors," I gestured to the neighbors house. He nodded. I started to walk like I was going home James grabbed my arm with his bloody knuckles I jumped. His eyes were bright red. He looked nothing like he did this morning that James was lost in the anger, "I'm sorry.." he sounded pitiful, "it's okay I need to go though, I'm sorry.." I planted a kiss on his cheek and kept walking barely noticing Gabes irritated look after the fact. His face turned hard he turned around and walked back towards Gabes truck. He slammed the door so loud that I jumped from the sidewalk. Gabe pulled up at the neighbors house and got Ali and took off with them both in his truck. Once I could see they were out of sight the plan that was barely a plan went into play.

I turned around and headed for James house. I could barely breathe. As I knocked on the door, the angry man with a cut right on his cheek bone opened the door, "what?!" He was obviously irritated, who could blame him though.