Upside Down (COMPLETE) Inside Out, Book 2 [BoyxBoy]

Keith

Anthony made Keith and Nathan sit fronting each other on an island counter in the extravagant kitchen of the house. Apparently, it was four in the morning, and the fight was loud enough to wake the whole household. Keith knew this was going to be an interrogation session, and he was relieved his mother wasn't there to witness this. He didn't care if Anthony was going to shout at him later, because he knew nothing could be scarier than Mom's anger, not even his abusive late father.

Anthony sat right next to him, while his other two daughters, Clarissa and Zooey, sat right to Nathan. Embarrassment hit Keith like a storm when he realized Nathan was only dancing around with his elder sister back at the party. The girls were definitely pretty, and of course Nathan had the genes, too.

Nathan didn't look at him in the eye. The bruises on Nathan's skin oddly made him look more appealing to Keith—Nathan looked sharp and deadly, but there was a subtle hint of vulnerability in his eyes as well. Nathan's beauty was oil and water that strangely mixed well together, and Keith didn't know if he could resist him being his stepbrother later.

"Tell me what happen." The sternness in Anthony's voice was sharp, but it didn't budge Keith. He didn't plan on explaining things to Anthony, though—how could he say it, anyway? That he blew out in anger just because Nathan refused to tell him where his clothes were? That would humiliate him more.

He also couldn't exactly lay down the cards on how he felt Nathan was fooling around with his feelings at school, which mainly became the main reason he exploded just now. Keith looked down, ignoring the eyes around him.

"Now the two of you suddenly lost your voice? I think you two were loud enough before," Anthony said, his voice rising to a reprimanding roar. "Speak!"

Nobody said a word. Anthony was mainly barking to his son; he felt guilt growing inside his guts. In a way Nathan looked way too weak under the light, and Keith almost couldn't stand looking at him. He glanced away.

"Goddamn it! Just now, Jace and Theo clawed onto each other, Jordan's head was screwed, and now you two want to add more trouble," Anthony barked again. "Do you want to explain things to me, or you want me to drag Dan into this? Huh ... Nate, what about that?" Anthony inhaled a big breath before he shouted his throat out, stomping the counter hard everyone jumped out in shock. "SPEAK!"

"I started it." Keith's heart started to pick up its pace as he said it, his hands wet from sweat. Now he had to find some bullshit to explain things out ... he knew he was good at manipulating Mom with words when he got in trouble. But Anthony was still a stranger, so it might not work as well now as it was then.

"And why is that?" Anthony's tone lowered as Keith felt him turning to his side. "What made you hit your brother?"

Keith froze, his palms felt cold. What should I say? He found himself fidgeting, clawing into his fingers to brush the nerves away. He didn't like the extreme pulse inside his chest and the heat rising in his face. Tessa, please pick me up now. Unfortunately, werewolves didn't really have telepathic abilities.

"I provoked him, Dad."

Keith looked up to Nathan and found him still looking at his own hands. He sounded so apologetic, like it was really his fault all along. What was he about to say now, then? Keith took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"What kind of provocation?" asked Anthony.

There was a short pause before Nathan's voice cracked out of his throat. "I called him a faggot."

Keith had a sudden sharp intake of breath. That wasn't true ... in fact, Nathan had never been homophobic or vile towards him all this time. Keith's jaw dropped, suddenly feeling the guilt crashing down his shoulders hard.

"Oh, that's nasty, Nate ... do you know how much I promise Keith a safe environment here? How could you?"

Keith couldn't look at Nathan's sisters; it was as if they knew what Nathan said was untrue. One glance he stole the sisters looked confused and defensive.

He really should defend Nathan by telling Anthony he was lying. He really should.

"Apologize, Nathan," Anthony said. "Just because I made you share your bed you suddenly think he's all into you and everything."

That was harsh, and it sounded so uncanny to come off a man like Anthony.

"Apologize. Now."

Nathan held out his hand and gripped Keith's in a gentle handshake.

"I'm sorry, Keith," he said. "It's my fault, and I won't call you names again. I deserve it just now."

With that being said, Nathan sped out of the kitchen, leaving all of them in the kitchen with a sound of angry stomping of footsteps running up the stairs and a door being slammed.