Beyond Our Lies

t e n

About 15 minutes ago, we decided to sit in the corner again like last time. However now we weren't talking. He was busy texting angrily on his phone and I was zoned out, thinking about numerous things. All of a sudden he put down his phone and turned his full attention towards me, making me a tad bit nervous.

"Why were you sad today?" he questioned and I rolled my eyes. I was waiting to see how long he went without asking it.

"What were you just mad about?" I also wondered, referring to his repeated huffs as he speedily typed on his phone.

"I had a fight with my brother, that's all," he mumbled. That sentence alone caused my heart to shatter but I tried to seem as nonchalant as possible.

"You have a brother?"

Xander rolled his eyes and went back to his messages. "Step-brother but I have to act like he's my real one. Fucking stupid." He looked at me, attempting to switch the topic from him. "Why were you sad?"

"Had a stupid fight with my parents, that's all," I said softly, not wanting to be reminded of it. "What was your fight about?"

His eyes grew cold and distant. "None of your fucking business," he raised his voice and snapped at me.

His aggressiveness caused my hands to slightly shake. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked that. That's your personal business, not mine." Xander brought his head up, probably noticing my voice shaking.

He moved his hand directly toward my face causing me to slightly flinch. I didn't want him mad at me, I didn't know what he was capable of doing.

But nothing happened.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw him tilt his head in confusion as he watched me. He apologized, "Shit sorry June I didn't mean to snap at you, I just don't really feeling like talking about him." I nodded and his hand slowly crept up to my face, this time I leaned towards it. He softly wiped away a stray tear that fell down and smiled at me.

I quickly drew back, hating that Xander just saw me like that- vulnerable. I wiped my face and cleared my throat, ignoring his wondering stare by looking at others in the room. The superficial adults were completely oblivious to seeing me almost cry and I was glad. I couldn't be showing my weak side to anybody.

My eyes stopped on someone with a murderous expression on their face, my mother. I tried to hide my smile as I grabbed Xander's arm. "Dude, my mom's totally fucking pissed." He did a once over of the party, trying to be innocuous as possible when looking at her and he laughed along with me. "So does your dad, though."

Xander saying that made me tighten my grip on his wrist without even realizing and turned towards my dad. He had that same murderous look in his eye but his expression showed he had the intent to follow through. All color drained from my face as his lips transformed into a menacing smirk and he walked off, leaving me as an absolute mess.

"June, June, baby, Juniper" I looked over at Xander to see him staring at me with concern written in his face. He lightly grabbed my hand gripped on to him and placed it into his large hands, closing on it delicately as if I was a porcelain doll.

"Are you okay?" Although a simple question, it had a complex answer. But, like all the other times, I nodded my head yes. He double checked to make sure and then sat quietly with me. "Will you be okay if I go take a smoke really quick?"

My eyes widened and I rapidly shook my head. "Is this because of your dad? I saw how mad he was and if h-," his voice was laced with anger, trying to keep it hidden to not scare me again.