The Bad Boys Saw Me Naked. Again

(17)

"Is everyone ready for school?" I ask, pouring the coffee down my throat. I hear a chorus of of responses, ranging from yes, to hell no. 

"Anyone who isn't in that mini van in two minutes gets to walk." I shout, walking through the house. "And it's raining, so hurry up."

"Where is my basketball?" Seth stresses, running through the living room.

"Backyard." Mum and I say together.

"Backpack?" Will asks, racing through. 

"Kitchen." I tell him.

"Math homework?" Asher groans, slinking down the stairs.

"In the den." We both say.

"Jokes on you, I didn't do it." He yawns, walking out the house to join his brothers.

"That boy is going nowhere fast." I say dryly. Mum chuckles. She's basically been helping me with the load of looking after this house. 

"Be careful please honey." Mum says, from her position on the couch folding laundry. "We still don't know what's going to happen, I don't like it."

"I'm not letting them dictate our lives anymore." I say seriously, grabbing my keys from the coffee table. 

"I know." She agrees. "Derek and I decided we will stay for a few more days, until things are settled. Any signs of trouble, we aren't leaving."

I nod, before leaving the house. I want to stay on track, which means looking after these kids. 

"It's cold." Vincent complains from the front seat of the van next to me. "School kind of sucks right now."

"Focus on college." I reassure him.

"And college girls." Asher snickers.

"Asher, If I get another phone call today about your behaviour, you'll be doing the dishes for a month." I say sternly. "I'm really disappointed I have to put this pressure on you." 

"He's trying to impress his girlfriend." Will says innocently. 

"Shut up dumbass." Asher growls.

"What, you are!" He protests, getting wacked on the head.

"Asher, if that's true, pull your head out of your ass." I sigh. "No girl is worth that. The principal is ready to suspend you. If you want any chance at all at a decent college scholarship, you need to start thinking about your future."

"I know." He groans. "Stop pushing, no wonder Alex left you." 

We ironically pull up to the front of the school, sitting in an awkward silence.

"You fucking asshat." Hayden growls, shooting daggers towards Asher.

"Everyone have a good day." I say softly. They slowly climb out of the van, sensing the vibe I didn't want to talk. I pull away from the curb, seeing the older boys surround Asher in anger in the rear view mirror.

"Are you ok Harper?" 

I jump, forgetting about the small boy in the back seat I still need to drop off at elementary. 

"I'm fine, Will." I say tightly. 

"You look sad." He frowns. "I don't like Asher anymore, he's mean. Like Alex." I inwardly sigh, the loyalty this family shows me is overwhelming.

"Will, you don't hate any of your brothers or cousins." I say, pulling up to his school. 

"Yes I do." He says stubbornly, climbing out and joining me at the drivers window. "They're mean to you, so I don't like them."

"I don't hate them." I gently explain. "Just because they do bad things, doesn't mean they're bad people, ok? Give them time, because family is so important. Do you understand?"

"Kind of." He says, thinking seriously. "Maybe I'll just be annoyed with them, until they're nice again. Then they can be my brothers again." 

"Sounds good." I laugh. "Have a good day at school." He kisses me on the cheek, before running off towards his group of friends. 

If nothing else, I will always have Will.

<><><><>

"Where the fuck is she?" Quentin growls, slamming my door open, closely followed by my Dad. I'm hidden by darkness and leaves, sitting on the big branch outside my open window, so I can hear and see everything.

"Who knows." My Dad growls. "That girl is turning out just like her mother, she's probably off being a slut." 

I try not to let this affect me. I'm only twelve. It's just words. Words can't hurt me, I'm stronger than that.

"I can't believe she had the nerve to file for divorce." Dad chuckles darkly, kicking my nightstand to pieces. "Disrespecting me. I come back to find her with some guy called Derek, who the fuck does she think he is?"

"He's gone now." Quentin says, spitting on my floor. "He knows he's not welcome here, and we'll stick around to make sure Wendy knows it." 

"She better work her ass off for the next few weeks, I need the money." Dad says seriously. "Trent is grilling me for payment."

"She will." Quentin says, lighting up a cigarette, leaving the lighter on my bed. "We have her daughter, she doesn't have a choice."

"If we can find her." Dad says, leaving the room. 

My room is soon emptied, so I cautiously climb back through the window, trembling. I want Derek to come back and make everything ok again. 

"Hang on, I forgot my lighter." I hear Quentin call out. I panic, left with no time to climb back up my tree.

"Well, well, well." Quentin frowns, appearing in the doorway with his cigarette dangling between his lips. "Where the fuck have you been?" 

Before I can do anything, he grabs me by my arm, and throws me on the bed, practically straddling me. Dad quickly joins us, and sighs.

"There you are." He says. "I've been looking for you. Where have you been, out being a slut like your mother?"

"No." I sob, letting the tears break free.

"What have we told you about crying?" He yells. "Quentin, teach her a lesson."

I scream so loud my throat hurts, as Quentin mercilessly rubs the end of his cigarette butt into collarbone.

"You like that?" He teases, getting off me to watch as I squirm in pain on the bed. "What a sight you are. You know what Drew? I know how we can get some quick cash."

I should have stayed in my tree.

<><><><>

I jolt myself out of that day dream, not daring myself to go any further into that particular memory. I haven't thought about that since I was fifteen. It's blocked from my mind.

"Hi, Harper." I look up, familiarising myself with the busy diner I'm sitting in. I smile gently at Alex, as he slides into the booth across from me. 

"We should probably talk." I say, staring deep into my mug of coffee.

"I think we should too." He agrees.

Let's talk.