Not so innocent

nine

We were sat in the car, on the way home. Me in the backseat and, and Aiden got unlucky and had to sit up front, next to a presumably fuming Joe.

"I'm not mad. I'm... I just don't get it." He was clearly mad. When none of us answered he continued. "I mean I got into fights all the time when I was your age, but Alec you are already walking on an extremely thin line, and then you are still stupid enough to pull some shit like this. "

"Hey!" Aiden suddenly interrupted, much to Joe's dismay. "Look at him, I clearly did the most fighting, so don't get mad at him."

Joe was quick to whack him on the head, and send him a deadly look. "You don't talk like that, and you definitely don't fucking talk to me like that. Understood?" Joe was fuming.

"Yes, sir," Aiden mumbled while rubbing his head.

We pulled up to the house, and Joe ordered us both to our rooms. He clearly wasn't messing around. Aiden and I both quickly walked up the stairs and into each our rooms. I sat down on my mattress and looked around my empty room. What more could they even do to me? I mean, Joe could use his belt again. They rarely did it, but it seemed a bit like they now saw it as their last resort. And sure enough I could hear the belt swinging in Aidens room, but not a single sound from Aiden himself. 

A few minutes passed, the belt still whipping through the air, and still not a single sound from Aiden. Joe was probably just waiting for Aiden to crack, before he stopped. I started to get more and more scared. Would Joe really whip me again? Before I had time to answer that thought, Sergio stuck his head through the door. 

"You guys fucked up good, huh?" 

"Yeah, I feel bad about it," I mumbled, starring at my hands. "It's my fault, really."

"True, but Aiden shouldn't have hit back. But are you two cool again?" He asked.

I just nodded. Sergio stood there studying my room, clearly thinking about whether or not he should say something. Then he spoke again.

"Do you want my advice?" He didn't wait for me to answer. "Suck up to them. And do it good. Just keep low profile, stay under their radar, don't get mad and just do what they fucking tell you to. It can't be that hard, bro."

"Great advice." We both jumped at the sound of Joe's voice, and after a scrutinizing look from Joe Sergio scurried away.

To my surprise Joe's belt was back on his body and no longer in his hands. Before I could even say anything he started walking away and called for me to follow. He moved fast but without actually walking fast. He was just build in a way that he easily could walk faster than most people run, but looking so natural and of course scary as hell.

We made it out to the back yard and he finally stopped walking. I stopped a few steps behind him, as a puppy who waits for its owner to tell it what to do.

"We're gonna try something new today," he stated while staring out into the yard. "Suicide runs."

My eyes widened, and I just stood there in shock. I'm not in particularly bad shape but nothing like Joe, and the other boys. My brain was working hard to come up with an excuse. "But, Joe -"

"No." He cut me off. "This is not a negotion. Start now." He stated harshly.

"Im still in my normal clothes," I tried. 

Joe finally turned around, and gave me one of his famous death stares. After that I didn't even try to fight it and simply just gave in. I started running back and forth in the yard, in what I myself would consider a pretty decent speed. Joe on the other hand, definetly didn't agree.

"You consider that suicides?" He yelled out in a mocking tone. "That shit is pathetic."

I was running as fast as I could, and my face was completely red, now from both the running but also the straight up embarrassment, that Joe definitely saw as a part of the punishment. I was still running in my jeans and my T-shirt. My sweatshirt I had gotten rid of on the grass. 

I must have ran for at least half an hour when Joe called me over. I collapsed on the grass infant of him, only to be dragged up again, by Joe. 

"Oh, you think you're done?" Joe asked, clearly amused. "After that shit show?" I didn't answer, I just kept my eyes on my sock clad feet, that were now completely green, from running in the grass. "Answer me!" He yelled while shaking me. "Do you think you deserve to stop."

Yes, you fucker, LOOK AT ME! 

"No, sir." I mumbled instead, completely out of breath.

"Good, me neither. So what do you say we make a deal?"

When I didn't answer he slapped me on the head. 

"Yes, sir."

"Good," his voice still sounding surpirioer to mine. "Because I still haven't been on my run yet, because I was busy dealing with you two idiots, so let's do it this way instead: now since you have had your warm up, we can go running. And we will run, until you run past me. We won't stop a second earlier."

"Fuck," I mumbled under my breath. I knew what route he was talking about. It was only like 4k, but once I went running with him and he ran it at least 3 times. And he and I both knew I wouldn't be able to even keep up with him, let alone be faster than him. Sometimes I fucking hated him.

"Did you say something?" Joe asked, in that threatening way only he can.

"No, it's fine," I answered quietly and obediently, like that good brother I was. Oh, how disgusting.

"Good. Not that you had a choice, but still." He smirked at me, once again letting me know that I was completely under his demand. I don't doubt that he enjoyed this.