debauchery *gawsten* ✓

Chapter Eleven

12.25.17
edit: 8.19.20
tw; substances and abuse (physical and verbal)
563 words

awsten p.o.v.

we went to school the day after. of course, i didn't want to. i didn't want to risk coming home later than he did, therefore giving him another excuse. geoff and otto had made me though, so i had no choice.

speaking of geoff, he and otto made sure to always keep an eye on me. that shouldn't have been hard considering a) i never left otto's side, and b) i didn't want to leave his side. but they both kept an annoyingly close eye on me when all three of us were together.

geoff had driven us to school. otto told him that they would be my ride from now on. he had no problem with it because he didn't like to cause scenes in front of people. he was cool with it also because he no longer had to give me a ride.

geoff was now giving otto and me a ride back home. i was careful to contain my shaking. it wasn't too hard though because i was sitting up shotgun, and otto was in the backseat. geoff had his eyes on the road anyway.

i've learned, or rather taught myself, how to control the shaking in my shoulders. however, i couldn't control my shaking hands. i wrung them together to keep myself occupied. geoff noticed this and asked, "awsten, what's up?"

hands hurt, i signed, and otto translated. i just need lotion, that's all. i'm really bad at keeping my hands moisturised.

"he really is." otto added. "he let them get so dry once, that they were fuckin' bleedin'."

"jesus, awsten, lotion your hands!" geoff laughed, pulling over in front of my house. his car was out front. i swallowed past the lump that had already formed in my throat.

see you tomorrow, i signed before quickly getting out of geoff's car. i didn't stop to let them respond. i made sure i wasn't running to my front door.

he must have heard the door shut because he called out, "awsten, that you?" his words were slurred.

i hurried into the kitchen to reveal myself. when i did, i saw him at the kitchen table with a needle up his arm. set out before him was his kit.

i narrowed my eyes at him. he rolled his eyes. "awsten, awsten. this...is nothin'. this is none of...your business." i crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow. he glared at me. "none of your business." he repeated.

i don't know what came over me when i slapped him. all i saw was red. all i knew next was that i was sliding across the floor, and he was standing over me, the needle now ripped out of his arm.

"you dare touch me in my own goddamn house, boy?!" he roared. "you are nothin' but worthless and in my way! get outta here!"

i nodded as i scrambled up. surprisingly, he didn't come after me as i shot up the stairs.

i slammed my door shut and made sure to lock all four locks. normally i would have just locked one and that would have been enough to stop him. tonight was different and i wanted to take no chances.

despite not being able to get into my room, he still yelled at me through the door. i didn't hear most of them because i spent the night in my closet.