𝐇𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐑. joe goldberg

their story: two

[ ★ means pov change]
caine died. we didnt know what happened. he just.. died. it was a metal bar and a wood log. well, that was the cover story. his family, pleaded with the police, convinced it was murder. but it was a cold case. written off in the books as an 'accident.'

honestly, i thought i wouldve been sad. but really? i wasnt. he was a friend. nothing more. friends come and go. its just like him cutting me off and leaving. isabella was devastated. dylan and tiffany, too. we all attended the funeral. i was an amazing actress. i should really consider acting. i played the part of "in denial childhood friend." i was great at it. i had a speech; i sobbed too. the whole shebang. everyone was convinced.

joe came with me to the funeral. as my.. boyfriend, he comforted me. the first week was nice. raw. pure. sweet. i slept over at his place a lot. we ate breakfast together. his bed became ours. his place became ours. we became so comfortable with eachother.

now, we had been officially dating for five months. and today, we were meeting my parents. or more like parent. my mother had left my father when i was fourteen. i havent seen her since. she left a hole in our family. fourteen year old me, was devastated.

but that is besides the point. me and joe drove over to my family home this weekend. i was dressed in a blue and white sundress with plain flats. we walked out the car, and trailed up the doorsteps. i ringed the doorbell; to see my father answer. he gave me a sweet smile and beckoned us in.

you and i sat down on the tanned loveseat in the living room. callie and cameron were sitting on the opposing couch. i smiled nervously. cameron and callie were obviously observing you. and from cameron, if looks could kill, you'd be dead. you tightened the grip on my hand nervously. i gave you an assuring smile, as my father sat down beside my siblings, holding a few drinks.

"so. introduce us, will you?"
"this is joe. my boyfriend." i turned to you.
"tell us a little about yourself, joe." you shook my fathers hand.
"well.. i work at a bookstore in new york, where i met charlie, actually.." you conversed with my father.
i was a little more focused on cam. he was staring intently at you, as if he looked threatened. i know my brother loved me a lot but i felt somewhat bad for you, nervously shifting around everytime cam caught your eye.

we spent sometime in the yard, i, catching up with my siblings, you still conversing with my father. it was all quite well, though. you seemed to be getting along well with my family(aside from cam.) it was now late at night. around 6 or 7pm. i was talking with my sister, you and cameron talking about something in the kitchen. we had dinner a little later, my father cooking up his 'world famous' chicken. it was all fun and laughs, you quite close with him now.

later, at night, you and i shared the guest bedroom upstairs. you layed upon your side, eyeing me carefully. as i slid into bed, i turned to you, smiling.

"what are you looking at?"
"you never told me your family was this nice."
"because it isnt!" i chucked.
"well, to me, it is fantastic. and might i say, your father and i are quite close now." i shook my head, smiling.

[★]

surprisingly, after i killed caine, everything just seemed to get better and better. you and i attended the funeral together. you slept over at my place a lot. we were dating— or the other term, going steady. now, we had been dating for five months.

we drove to your family home, so i could meet.. your father. i needed to play the perfect boyfriend, and be accepted by your father. and i did. by late at night, your father and i were extremely close. he trusted me with you. and i fully thanked him for that.

your brother, on the other hand, not so much. he had been staring daggers at me ever since we arrived. before dinner, he pulled me aside to speak to me.

"not a word of any of this to charlie, alright."
"why would i tell her?"
"becaus- thats besides the point."
i chuckled at his words.
"if you think you can get away with this, think otherwise. by the end of this trip, you are dead."

dead? is he going to kill me? uh oh.. i think you've got one hell of a brother, charlie.

i layed in bed, after dinner, watching you. you slid into bed, and your eyes crinkled into a smile.

"what are you looking at?"
"you never told me your family was this nice."
"because it isnt!" i chucked.
"well, to me, it is fantastic. and might i say, your father and i are quite close now." you chuckled.

it was 4am. you were fast asleep. and i, was not. i was laying in bed, still thinking about your brother.
i got up, and headed to the kitchen for a glass of water. it was dark, and i couldnt see a thing. suddenly, i was pushed into the counter, the edge ramming into my side.

"do not say a word."
um- what the hell?
"you need to break up with her. now."
it was cameron. fucking freak.
"what the hell, man!"
he covered my mouth with his hand. i bit him, of course, trying to get him to let go.

he held a knife up to my neck. a fucking knife.

"woah there.."
"be QUIET."
i gulped, watching his trembling hands hold the knife. he was very unsteady, barely holding onto the kitchen utensil.
"you dont want to do this. just imagine, you kill me. what does your sister wake up to? me. dead. and you, who she obviously knows hates me." i finished with a hard breath. he contemplated. he dropped the knife from my neck, and i took a deep breath.

"thank you."
he didnt respond.
"i will be heading back to bed.
and no, i wont tell her."
he scoffed, walking away.

what the fuck just happened?