Swell (Complete)

Chapter Seventeen (Part One)

"It's like we just can't win
And every time we get a little closer
It all caves in."

....

Will had half liked the old cartoons that Adora had shown him the night before; he'd learned about her family while watching it with her, and he had enjoyed laughing about the oldness of the animation with her.
Her mother had insisted he stay for dinner when it had been ready halfway through the movie.

The Secret of the Sword.
Some 80s cartoon about a muscled prince finding the owner of a matching magical sword in another world.
Adam and Adora, the names that the Dodgers' had chosen for their children. Adora's older brother had lived only through his first year, Will remembered the dates on his headstone. Anne was every bit like the strong minded woman he imagined Adora would grow into. It had been an enlightening and fun night.
Until he got home to Tom.
Will knew his brother, he was sure that even though Tom was dating Debbie he still had a flare for Adora, but then again, did he really know Tom? The pursuit of Adora had been out of the ordinary for Tom; maybe being in a small town was changing him.
They were already on the search for Tom's next car, Tom had entertained some ridiculous ideas, and some real ones in the list of desired replacements too, overall things in the Taylor family hadn't changed too much.
They had no reason to disbelieve Tom, especially when Debbie had come forward and provided an alibi for Brett's attack.
Will had woken up early that morning and decided to go to school ahead of his siblings, he dawdled with his guitar along the main street, the windy ocean air blowing his hair around his head.
He saw Principal Dodgers' car in the car park already and decided he would drop his guitar off and wait outside for his brother and sister, and maybe Adora.
The friendship between the local and Marti was growing strong fast and it made him feel at ease that his sister was feeling at home enough in their new town to trust like that again.
Will sat on the front steps watching the car park, the main street and occasionally glancing at the bike rack.
Adora's bike was hard to miss, and he couldn't help but smile as he saw it gliding up the pathway towards the school.
Marti and Tom weren't far behind and Will stood up from the cold concrete step and frowned as he watched Adora get off her bike and lock the wheel into the rack.
Tom was making a beeline straight for her, moving faster than Marti and the sight made Will's stomach knot. He started to move towards the rack when he saw Tom grabbing Adora's wrist.

The grab was a shock and Adora recoiled as she looked up to the hand's owner.
Tom's eyes met hers and her breath caught. His grip wasn't strong or scary, but those intense eyes were more than unsettling.
"Tom..." She started.
"I didn't do it, I didn't send you the card." He interrupted and let his fingers release her wrist. "You believe me right?" The intensity seemed different, more desperate than a dating passion.
Adora couldn't move, she couldn't even find air in her throat to utter a sound.
"Tom..." Marti appeared beside her and Adora looked between the siblings.
"I just need her to know." Tom looked to his sister and then stepped back as Will joined them. "I wouldn't make you feel bad for what happened." He looked back to Adora and she watched as he stepped close again.
"Tom, I..."
"Get the fuck away!" Iain's shout broke through the small gathering and before anyone could move Tom was snatched away in a furious tackle.
Will pulled Marti back and Adora gasped and jumped out of the way as Iain pinned Tom to the ground.
"Iain! Stop!" Adora cried as her cousin punched Tom's face. She moved to the two boys and started to hold Iain's swinging arm back. "What are you doing?" She tried to pull Iain off Tom, who was wriggling and trying to shield his face from another blow from Iain's other arm.
"Stay away from her!"
"Alright! Alright! I just needed to make sure she knew!" Tom managed to wriggle out from underneath Iain as Adora was trying to pull him off.
Marti helped Tom moved away and when Iain was standing in Adora's grip, Tom was sitting up leaning against his arms behind him.
"If you ever come near my cousin..." Iain wiped his fist against his shirt and then put his arms around Adora.
"Iain, what is going on?" Adora pushed his arms off her and frowned at her cousin.
"I saw him grab you... After what you said in the car yesterday..." Iain frowned and looked at Adora.
"You attacked him? Because I... Iain, don't. That was stupid and disgusting! I don't know what the hell you were thinking." Adora couldn't even fathom a way to describe her anger. She looked over to Tom as Will helped him stand up.
Tom's nose was bloodied and a cut was on his temple from the impact against the ground.
"I thought..." Iain's confidence seemed to disappear as he looked from his cousin to his victim.
"Just go away, Iain." Adora shook her head and pointed towards the school building.
His shoulders slumped and Iain moved away from the bike rack. "Sorry."
"Are you OK?" Adora turned to Tom and grimaced at his face. "That looks pretty bad."
"I'll be fine." Tom sniffed and tried to wipe under his nose. His entire body cringed and Adora shook her head.
"I'll take him to the hospital." Marti pursed her lips and started to pull Tom away. "I'll see you later." She eyed Adora meaningfully.
Adora nodded and watched Marti walk near Tom silently back the way they had come. The school bell had rung a few minutes ago, but still students were watching. Adora didn't move, nothing felt right.
"Are you OK?" Will's quiet voice broke her from her stupor and she forced a small smile.
"I can't answer that right now." She shook her head and watched him look from her face to her hands, automatically they had begun clenching and pulling, but now there were small dents from her nails digging into her skin. She let go of a deep breath and her entire body shuddered and broke into trembles.
"We should go to class, tell the teachers where Tom and Marti are..." She looked towards the school building. "Do you think Tom is ok?"
"Yea, he'll be fine, well, his ego won't be once the punch swells, but he'll be alright." Will insisted with a half laugh.
Adora bit her bottom lip and carried her backpack in front of her legs by its straps towards the building. She could see Will walking nearby in her periphery, but all she could think about was the sudden violence that had erupted in Wheeler Falls over the last few days because of her.
No, it wasn't because of her, at least not Brett's attack.
Iain had never hurt anyone before, but he had misheard her, or misunderstood, she was sure she hadn't said anything that should have lead to someone attacking Tom, least of all Iain.