Nathaniel

Chapter 6 [Edited]

Nate

The sun had recently disappeared from the sky and the poor lad still hadn't returned. Rob wasn't worried so I wasn't either. Carol would look after him. Probably give him some sugar and walk him back here with a smile and a gentle arm on his back.

This place could be pretty scary for most people. Lots of loud voices and big personalities all mixing together, making a cacophony of sound. If you were on the wrong end of that, things could get ugly. Fast.

Sometimes I hated being here. If I was ever in a bad mood, my new family made everything worse. They didn't mean to, bless em, but they were just so loud and they didn't know when to stop. I would probably compare it to my mother, but that bitch couldn't compare to anything I've ever experienced before.

After cleaning out the box room with Rob, I'd made excellent progress on my bike and was currently cleaning a set of gears. It was dirty work but nothing I wouldn't do to get myself a bike. The metal was covered in grease and rust that would stop the bike working as efficiently. Using a rag and some rust remover, I scrubbed the metal until it was shiny and new.

"Nate. I've told you before. Don't use that polish at the table." Rob criticised me as he wandered into the kitchen. The young lad was with him.
I grumbled a sorry but packed up the supplies into the box next to me. It was too cold to work in the garage now with with Christmas a few short months away. Working in the kitchen was the only other place I could work with enough countertops for me to spread out my supplies. Rob was just being a neat freak.

"This the new guy?" I asked, placing the rag in the bin by the timid boy's side, where, he stood, shaking slightly. He couldn't be older than 5. He looked petrified- way worse than anyone else I'd seen arrive here.
Rob nodded. "This is Jacob. Jacob, this is Nate. He's one of the oldest here." He went to place a hand on Jacob's back but he flinched and stepped away.
"Well, the oldest besides this old man!" I patted Robert's shoulder, chuckling before heading from the room to put my work away.
"Nate, I need a word please." He turned towards the terrified boy, trying to make him less tense. "Feel free to sit down Jacob. I'll be back in a minute. You're okay now."

Rob led me into the hall and stopped less than a few steps away from the kitchen where we'd been previously.
"You're going to need to befriend Jacob. He's very shy and scared."
I stiffened. I didn't need this. "Well yeah, we all are when we first get here. He'll make friends his own age."
"Nate."
"So you're gonna stick me with the new guy! Really? I'm 15! That kids like 5! Put him with Ash or something!"
"Nathaniel. He needs you. I think you've been through similar things. You know how it felt when you first arrived. Be the person you needed when you were young."
"What are you saying? He's been abused?" I softened my stance, concerned.
"Just take him under your wing, okay?"
I understood what Rob needed from me. I knew how Jacob was feeling- completely lost. If Rob thought something wrong, he was usually right. And if it was abuse, Jacob needed someone to trust. The abuse will have locked Jacob's feelings behind bars and built thick brick walls around his trust. He needed someone.
He needed me. Robs orders.

Abuse messed people up and screwed them over. After being betrayed by the people they trust and loved the most, they feel they can't open their hearts to anyone. It was too risky. Victims feel alone and scared of everyone and everything. They don't want to get hurt.

"Hey kiddo." I crouched down in front of Jacob's chair, resting my forearms on my thighs and laced my fingers together. Jacob looked down at me, fear in his brown doe eyes. "I know you're scared but you don't have to be with me." I glanced down and my hands and stuttered' "I uh. I know what it feels like to be in your shoes. You don't want to trust anyone. That's okay. I get that. But I'm here for you Jacob. You can trust me." I took a breath to let him digest the information. It might be too much for him to handle.  "How did you feel about watching a movie in my room? We can have popcorn and soda."
Jacob nodded tentatively and I smiled. "Great. You like toffee popcorn right? That's my favourite."

We watched the movie in silence- the only sounds were the movie and me crunching on the popcorn. Jacob kept his distance during the movie and he was so quiet I almost forgot he was there. Soon the credits rolled around, and I finished the bowl of popcorn, Jacob not having had a single kernel.
I sensed he had a lot on his mind so I didn't question his tense nature but it seemed strange to me the way he held himself. He hardly moved an inch and had curled up at the foot of the sofa. If any of the others were here they'd have easily eaten the whole bowl whilst taking up the majority of my small sofa.
I followed Jacob's gaze to the photograph I kept on my bedside table. It was a photograph of Lewis on my back as I gave him a piggyback.
"Oh that?  That was taken a few weeks before I was put into care. Me and my brother were really close- still are really. But I can't stay at home anymore. It's not safe for me."
I missed my brother the most out of everyone in my family. We'd spend every waking moment together, baking, reading or just being in each others presence. The photo was taken on a trip to our local petting zoo for Lewis' 4th birthday. He refused to go anywhere without me that day. Little did we know that the day at the petting zoo would be our last good day together before my mother tore us apart.

"How old are you Jacob?"
"I'm eight." He whispered, looking down to the black rug he was sat on.
Shit. He's hardly any older than Lewis. If it was my brother in this position...

I shook the thoughts away. I couldn't think like that.
"You don't have to worry about anything Jacob. Me and Rob'll look after you now. You can trust us. And I'll introduce you to my brother Lewis. He's your age. You'll get on well."
"Thank you."

"It's okay. You're safe now."