PLAY WITH FIRE

CHAPTER 12

HOLDEN KINCAIDE

5 YEARS EARLIER

My room was a mess when I snuck out this Sunday morning. 

They did it again last night, and afterwards they'd left me feeling so low, so disgusted in myself that I didn't know what to do. I must've sat frozen, huddled in the corner of my room, crying for hours. Had my Mum of seen the state she and Wyatt left me in she'd of cracked it and done it again. She'd of seen the tears, deemed me not a man and then raped me until I stopped crying. 

Wouldn't be the first time. 

I jumped down from the windowsill onto the roof, looking out the front and seeing Nolan's parents car waiting on the side of the road. I carefully jumped down onto the ground before jogging across the lawn to the car. I pulled the back door open, slid inside and shut the door. 

"Hey Holden, honey" Nolan's mum, Melinda turned around in the passenger seat, giving me a wide smile. She was a beautiful woman. Her hair blonde, eyes bright blue, smile always bright an wide. She had very few wrinkles beside her eyes and her mouth. I remember overhearing Hallie, Nolan's younger sister telling Melinda one day that if she doesn't stop smiling so much her face would sag. She smiles even more instead of less. She doesn't care about her appearance. Just about her kids and bringing joy and warmth to everyone's lives. She was a fucking saint. An amazing mother. 

"How are you this morning, Mr and Mrs Hartley?" I asked, earning a smile from Killian, Nolan's dad in the drivers seat. I'd seen photo's of Killian from when he was younger and he looked a lot like Nolan, he even still did now, except he sported a beard and moustache and Nolan didn't. Both Killian and Melinda replied before turning to their own conversation. I turned my body, looking into the back seat of the car. Hallie sat with her blonde head down, her small 12 year old hands grasping a pencil as she coloured in pictures from a colouring book. I reached my hand over, ruffling her hair making her look up at me with a gasp, her hand instantly going up to flatten her hair back down. 

"Holden, you dingus" She grit out, annoyed as she tried tucking pieces of hair back behind her ear. 

"Morning to you too, Ducky" She sighed, shaking her head at the nickname, a wide smile spreading across my face as she tipped her head down, hiding her smile. I chuckled, turning back around, pausing when my eyes met a suspicious Nolan. 

"Forgot where the front door was?" Nolan questioned, a single eyebrow raised. 

"It's a big house" I replied with a shrug, Nolan scoffing as he turned to look out the front windscreen. 

"Big house my ass-"

"Nolan, watch that unholy mouth of yours" Melinda scolded, glaring at Nolan before smiling at me, turning forward again. Nolan stared at his mothers face, opening his mouth, and mouthing a whole lot of curses. 

"I'm not blind boy" Killian stated bluntly, Nolan's mouth instantly slamming shut as he sucked his lips into his mouth, preparing to be absolutely throttled. Melinda turned, glancing at Nolan. 

"What was he doing?" She asked Killian, her eyes set hard on Nolan. He stared back blankly, trying not to crack under her stare. Killian shook his head. 

"Being a teenager. Forget it" When we finally arrived we all got out of the car. I lifted the backseat down letting Hallie jump out before I put it back up, slamming the door shut. 

"Morning" Up ahead, Father Thompsons voice was heard. He stood outside the front church doors, greeting everyone as they passed through. Melinda, Killian and Hallie all walked together, me and Nolan behind them.