That Guy.

Chapter 12

I woke in the morning to the site of my best friends eyes looking deeply into mine, obvious to have been watching me long before I woke. I smiled at Joe and then turned to see my clock which was just about ticking past 7:00 am.

'Your brother left a while ago for work, I think.'

I wasn't a morning person so I just nodded closing my eyes.

'I better get off and get changed,' he nudged my head so I didn't drift off into a deep sleep again 'get up and I will walk you to school,' Joe hopped out of bed still fully clothed from the night before just in time for me to here footsteps approaching the front door.

Drunken sounding footsteps swaying from side to side, trying to find the handle of the door to get into the house but failing.

My Dad. There was no sense of tiredness in me any more as I sprung out of the bed and ran down the stairs with Joe trailing behind me. I had no idea what I was doing but I had to get Joe out before my Dad saw him. Maybe I could slip Joe past him just in time to escape any... 'Arguments'.

The front door swung open and my Dad stood there looking from Joe to me and back again. His eyes were bloodshot, red and swollen. His hair was longer than when I last saw him, it was greasy and he still wore the same worn out jeans with a dirty grey T-Shirt.

My Dad just grunted before he frowned at Joe and stepped uncomfortably close to him that I was about to push my Dad back. It all happened so fast.

My Dad's fist went straight into Joe's jaw. I was screaming 'STOP' over and over as I watched my Dad's fist go into Joe again and again. He stopped when Joe was on the floor cringing away, I ran over to him and pushed my Dad away so he went stumbling into the door frame.

'Just fuck off Dad! Stop ruining everything! I HATE YOU!' tears were streaming down my face from the anger inside me.

Joe was still recovering on the floor and my Dad stood in the kitchen doorway which was falling apart.

'Don't you talk to me like that you little SLUT!' He half slurred half shouted back and slapped me hard across the face. I was in total shock but I knew somewhere in the back of my brain that I had to get Joe up and out of my house. Quick.

I fell to my knees and crawled over to Joe who was sitting up now with blood dripping off his face.

'Shit,' I whispered 'I am so sorry. You have to go.' I ordered.

'I'm not leaving you here alone.' He said sternly back. He wiped a tear from my face and I realised I couldn't leave him in this mess on his own. I couldn't stay here on my own. So without any more thought I hauled his limp body up and slipped his arm around my shoulder.

We walked towards the front door slowly to keep eachother from hurting our injuries. My Dad was shouting to me 'Fuck you.' 'Slut.' 'Whore, GET BACK HERE!' But I ignored him determined to get to Joe's house which was about three down from mine in time to avoid being beaten up again.

When we made it into Joe's house nobody was in so we cleaned up each others wounds and sat in silence for a while on a tattered sofa trying to sort out our thoughts. I was first to break the silence.

'I can't..' I stumbled over my words as I tried to tell him how sorry I was. 'I am so so sorry.' I kept myself from crying.

Joe turned to me and I could see the worry in his eyes, even though one of them was swollen and bruised.

'Things happen.' He laughed half-heartedly.

I knew he was trying to make me feel better but I couldn't accept what my Dad had done to him at all. I was devastated. But for now I just wanted to forget about it.

'We can talk about it later, but noooow,' I smiled at the idea that was forming in my head 'Now I get to do your make up to cover up your umm,' I made a gesture to his plump purple face 'Just in time to get to school.'

He raised his eyebrows at me and I just smiled and nodded in return. 'Well one I am not going to school today, me and you are gonna have some fun and two NO WAY!' Joe said with wide eyes.

'Why not I'm OK at make up!' I was laughing now but he just shot me a sarcastic look which in my mind meant...'okayy then.'

I went and got my bag sure to have some form of foundation in it. I pinned Joe down when I found it and covered over all the cuts and bruises on his face making him look... normal again?

Most of his face was now orange but when he asked how it looked and flicked his hair off his face I told him 'perfect' and smiled.

'You ready to go out and do something to take our mind off things?' I asked Joe.

He half smiled at me for a minuet before his facial expression changed to concerned.

'What?' I questioned.

'You can't go back there.' He replied in a monotone.

'I know,' I sighed 'but I have nowhere else to go.'

'Yes you do,' he smirked 'you can come live here with us.'

'I don't think THAT would be a great idea.' said another voice which was nearing the living room door.

Me and Joe looked at each other with confused faces trying to figure out who the voices was.

'Unless you want some competition with Hayley.' The voice said.

It was a low voice, one which was familiar but I didn't recognise who it was until Liam sauntered into the room like he didn't have a care in the world.

Thanks for reading hope you liked it! :) got some more fun chapters to come!