Sticks and Stones - Magcon Fanfiction

Chapter 3 - I Don't Know The Answer

*Song~Lucius~Until We Get There

Lia's POV

I waited after school for Matt and Carter, but still, they were no where to be seen.

People were pushing past me, eager to get home. Buses and cars were driving past me with roaring teens in them. I stood alone, wishing that my brothers would show up.

I was about to give up and get the bus on my own until Carter pulled up in his old banger of a car.

"Get in" he said plainly, his face emotionless.

I slowly got into the passenger seat of the car, throwing my book bag into the back seat.

I studied Carter's face carefully as he drove. Bags under his eyes, his skin pale, his lips chapped. The usual, but a little worse.

"How's, um, how's Matt?" I asked awkwardly, not wanting to get Carter angry or upset. He looked on edge and I didn't want to get him mad.

"He's messed up, Lia" he replied simply, his eyes staring straight ahead.

I sighed and leaned back into the seat, turning my head to face the window.

The last thing I wanted to do was to go back home, but I needed to see Matt.

We soon pulled into the driveway of our house, the curtains drawn like always.

I got out of the car and practically ran inside.

"Matt?!" I yelled, wanting to see him as soon as possible.

I heard a creak from upstairs so I rushed up, two steps at a time.

"Lia! Don't!" Carter screamed after me, but I ignored him.

I burst open my bedroom door and saw Matt lying down on his bed, his eyes half-open, half-shut.

I paced very slowly over to Matt and sat down at the end of his bed.

His lip was still red and bloody and the bruise on his jaw looked horribly bad.

He looked pale and in pain, his hair a disheveled mess and huge and noticeable bags under his eyes.

His eyes were heavy and he was very groggy. I felt so bad for him.

Suddenly, I heard Carter's voice behind me say "I couldn't let him go to school like this. People would start asking questions and we don't need that again".

I nodded, completely understanding now. Nobody can know what happens at our house.

"We have to tell Cameron" Carter said quietly, his voice almost as quiet as a whisper.

"No! We can't" I protested, making Carter look puzzled.

"He could help us! Tell somebody! I can't keep living like this and see everyone get hurt!" Carter replied.

"If we tell Cameron, he'll tell someone. And that means getting fostered somewhere else" I told him.

"And what's so bad about being somewhere else? It's not like you're happy living here!"

"If we get fostered somewhere else, we'll all get split up and separated. I'm not leaving you guys" I said sadly, looking from him to Matt.

"I didn't think about that" Carter's voice trailed off, running his fingers through his already messy hair.

Just then, we heard the back door bang open and shut. We all froze and looked to each other, hoping that it wasn't him.

"Guys, I'm home! And I brought home food!" Cameron yelled up to us.

I breathed a long sigh of relief and looked to Matt.

"We'll come up again later" I whispered, kissing his forehead lightly and following Carter downstairs.

"Where's Matt?" Cameron asked, setting the food out on the tiny breakfast table.

"He feels sick" Carter lied, convincing Cameron.

I swallowed the huge lump in my throat, begging for myself to bite my tongue. I hated lying to Cameron.

"Aw, shit, poor kid" Cam said in a pitiful tone.

"Anyway, who's ready to eat?" Cameron said enthusiastically, sitting down at the table.

Carter and I sat down across from him and tucked in. I couldn't stop thinking about Matthew upstairs.

After food, I offered to help Cam clean up the kitchen.

While stacking up the plates, I saw Carter leave through the back door, letting a gust of air inside.

"Fine, don't help then, Carter" Cameron murmured sarcastically.

I silently washed all the dishes with Cameron while he asked my questions about school today.

"Anything interesting happen?" Cam asked me.

"I met some new guy that moved to our school. His names Nash" I said, confiding in Cameron. I trusted him with a lot of things and he understood me. But I never told him everything.

"What's he like?" Cameron said with a smirk.

"Goodlooking" I replied with a cheeky grin, causing Cameron to wink at me.

I was obviously not going to tell Cameron that Nash smoked or how intimidating he was. That was my secret.

"Good for you. Now, I can handle everything else by myself" Cameron said.

"Thanks Cam" I said, running upstairs and onto the landing.

I strolled to Carter's room quietly, making sure not to disturb Matt because he was most likely asleep.

Opening the door, I instantly smelt the Axe as I entered the dimly lit room.

I walked over to the window and stared out on to the back garden.

I instantly saw Carter in the corner of the garden, puffing on a cigarette, staring out into the distance.

I immediately remembered lunch with Nash and how great that one cigarette felt.

I sighed and opened Carter's bedside table drawer, almost instantly finding his packed of cigarettes that I've seen him chuck into the drawer once before.

I stared at the box and thought to myself It will help. I hope it does.

I crept down the stairs as quietly as humanly possible, sneaking over to my backpack.

I slowly unzipped the front pocket and stuffed the box of cigarettes inside, zipping the bag back up again.

Just then, Carter entered the house again, startling me.

"Hey" he said like nothing was wrong. But I knew everything was wrong.