All You Had To Do Was Stay

37. Broken

Announcement in the end (about this story)
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There's really nothing that's actually good or bad. They're aspects that are identified by humans by nature. Like an instinct.
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The air overly humid, and rain still spilled on us. Just when we thought it had lessened to a stop, it started pouring cats and dogs again. The smell of the soil didn't help, nor the natural smell of the rain. I would usually enjoy the droplets of water, but not at this moment. Not like this.

"Let's get started, shall we?"

My gaze was fixed on the dog over dad's shoulder, despite the circumstances. It's still holding that snarl despite its owner having a hand on him. How did I not realise that the detective out of all people is the one to be behind this?

"Let's go to a trip back in time, back to 1999, January fifth. "

I wasn't even born.

"A little twenty year old boy walked into a building, and spoke with some people who were in a much more better financial position than him. They were more than happy to sign him with them in their company. But you see, he wasn't alone. He had his friend with him, only two years younger than him. That friend too was accepted with them. The difference between them, you see, is that one had to work hard to have those people see the potential in him. The other one, however, only said his name. And no one batted an eye."

I don't like the sound of that.

"Mr Styles, after you run off from your home, did you go alone?" Jones asked, already knowing the answer from his dark, quite frightening really, expression.

Dad mumbled something I didn't catch.

"You need to speak louder than that, now don't you?" He raises a brow.

"No." Dad replies sternly.

"Mhm, and who was with you?"

"A guy I met in a pub. Who's he to you?"

Shit, dad this is not the time to snap.

"Son. He's my son. "

I feel dad's hand tightening on my knee, and I can imagine him stiffening on the spot.

"Little by little, both of you were emerging into the outer world. You two both had an equal amount of success, with all these meetings and hard work. Wasn't the sweet?"

I cringe at his disgusting, freaky smile.

"That is up until three years later, when that one meeting happened. You know which one I'm talking about, don't you, Harry?" He mocks. "That was a boost in your careers, both of you should have had It, but for some reason only you got it." He shook his head. "I'm not even mad about that, everybody has ups and downs in their careers. It's just that...hm...do you remember what happened that same night, Styles?"

"It wasn't my fault," Dad said in a chillingly cold voice.

"Uh-ah, that was not my question." Jones waves his gun.

"Dad..." I silently warn.

"Yeah, I remember. " He finally replies.

"Good. Then you remember how you boys walked out of that bar, arm in arm, where one was sober and one was drunk. Can you remind who was what?"

"Ben was sober, I was drunk." Dad murmurs.

"Walk me through it, come on, what happened?"

"You seem to already know, why don't you say what you think happened?" My dad angrily says.