Golden Boy (EDITING)

Chapter 5

Astrid

Connor ran into my bedroom with a look of terror on my face.  "Duke's coming back."

Duke was my uncle, and him coming back before he was meant to, meant trouble. He never came here unless it was for drugs, food or when the social worker was visiting. We were in his care but he was never here. He was a druggie with anger issues and he took it out on us. I planned to move out as soon as I could.

"Connor, go under my bed, take my phone, put my headphones in and don't come out until I come and get you again." I said, thrusting my phone into his hands and made sure no-one could see him.

I walked out of my bedroom to see my brothers frantically cleaning or apartment, they all had tops on, all looked clean and all looked frantic.

"Astrid, take these to the bathroom, for Chad." Orlando said, passing me cleaning supplies.

I walked into the bathroom to see Chad cleaning the bath. It was weird to see him clean, he was always so arrogant and hard, but now he looked scared as he scrubbed the bath.

"Thanks." He said, "Go help, Austin."

They were quickly trying to get our flat in order. No-one was ever home so it was always a tip. We spent all our time cleaning the diner, if we were cleaning at all. They were lifting packets of crisps, cigarette buts, cans of beer into the bins in handfuls and Orlando was running around with the hoover, trying to hide all the evidence of smoking in the flat. 

Orlando, Chad, Austin, Freddie, and I did the best we could in the ten minutes we had, it wasn't long before we heard the door slam open and the heavy footsteps coming up the stairs.  

We didn't dare sit down, we just waited for Duke to get home. I prayed he wasn't drunk. He was always verbally or physically abusive when he was drunk. But realistically he was going to be ridiculously drunk since he was actually coming home. He only came home if he needed something or got brought home by police. It was scary seeing my brothers so scared of him, they were the toughest guys I knew away from Duke but with Duke they seemed to cower away in fear. 

"DO WE HAVE ANY PASTA?" He shouted, full volume. "I'M FUCKING HUNGRY."

He stumbled into the flat, clearly very drunk.

"No, Sir." Orlando said, "But I can go and get some."

Duke's whole face snapped to angry. He picked up the chair he was leaning against and threw it at the wall. Plaster fell down off the wall and it made a huge bang. I winced at the sound and the price it would be to fix the wall. 

"YOUR JOB IS TO KEEP THIS HOUSE IN ORDER! DIDN'T YOU LEARN THAT LAST TIME?" Duke spat. "YOU ARE THE OLDEST ORLANDO."

Last time, Orlando hadn't had the house in order was when he was twelve. Orlando's two fears were the dark, and the woods. So Duke decided to take him into the woods behind the diner, at night. He beat Orlando up so badly, but not enough to make him unconscious. He was found three hours by eleven year old Chad who had searched the whole woods alone to find him. Ever since that day those two have been super close AND Orlando had kept all of Duke's favourite foods always stocked in the kitchen. 

"I'm sorry, I can go out and get you pasta." Orlando said, trembling.

It was strange seeing him so scared of Orlando. He was the toughest person whenever Duke was away. At school, people respected him so much. Even Connor, who hardly ever listens, listens to Orlando every time. Orlando spends literally all his spare time trying to build his muscles so one day he can stick up for himself. He could probably beat Duke up easily he was twice his size, but he was terrified of him. I don't blame him, he still had the scar on his forehead when Duke smashed a bottle on his head.