Hug Me {OffGun/PickRome}

Chapter 18

    "Did Rome tell you anything about being absent today?" Emma asked curiously as she sat at their lunch table.

    "No, nothing at all" Pick sighed, "I was waiting for him this morning and everything.  He didn't even text me."

    "That's odd..he usually only misses after you two have a fight or something" Porsche said as he sipped at his drink, "you didn't do anything stupid did you?"

    Pick rolled his eyes and smacked the back of Porsche's head resulting in a whine from the latter, "No...not this time."

    "Maybe he's sick or something" Emma shrugged. 

    "He would have said something...and he usually comes when he's sick anyways.  This could only mean something's wrong" Pick decided. 

    "Oh don't jump to conclusions P', I'm sure he's fine."

    "I'm going to try to call him" Pick ignored her words as he pressed on Rome's number but was only greeted by his voicemail, "his phone's turned off.  Something definitely happened."

    "Why are you so worried?  I'm sure he's okay.  His phone probably ran out of battery" Porsche said. 

    "You don't understand" Pick sighed.  Emma and Porsche never found out about how bad Rome's home situation was.  It wasn't Pick's place to tell them and Rome definitely wasn't about to say anything.  Pick couldn't help but think of the worst possible things that could have happened but he couldn't tell them anything.  

***

    Pick ended up at Rome's place.  He tried to resist coming as he knew it made Rome nervous, however, after he didn't show up after two days nor answer any of his calls, he had to.  Pick took a breath in and was about to throw a pebble at Rome's window when the garage door suddenly opened.  Pick froze.  "You must be Pick.  Here to see Rome?"  Pick tried to remain calm as a man walked out that appeared to be Rome's father though he didn't look much like him.  He was average height but must tower over Rome and had this indescribably cold expression even while he was smiling.  Pick wasn't scared of him.  He knew he could knock him out in one punch if he needed to, however, he knew if he did it would only make Rome's situation worse.  What Pick had to worry about was controlling his temper so he didn't do anything stupid. 

    "How do you know my name?" Pick raised an eyebrow at him. 

    "A little birdy told me" he shrugged with that devious smile, "that same little bird happened to send me some interesting photos" he said as he pulled his phone out to show Pick. 

    "Who the fuck..." Pick whispered under his breath but it didn't take long for him to figure out who it was.  He'd deal with that later.  "What did you do to him?"

    "To who?" Rome's father asked innocently.  

    "You know who" Pick gritted his teeth, "what did you do to Rome?" 

    "I didn't do anything.  What could I possibly have done?" 

    "Then I can go see him?" 

    "He's not here right now."  Bullshit.  His light was definitely on. 

    "Oh really?" Pick laughed humorlessly, "you can't keep him locked away for the rest of his life you know?  He has school."

    "For what?" he laughed, "He has no future.  I am his father, I can do what I want."

    Pick fisted his hands and let out a breath, "you may have taken a part in his birth but you will never be his father.  Real parents don't do stuff like this."