Ferrari (1) DRAFT

34

It turns out Jack Matthews lives right near the school. His house is small, but that's to be expected. What I didn't expect, is how beat up it would be. There's trash filling up the front yard, and a plank of wood covering a broken window. The door is ajar, but I don't need to get out of the car. Jack storms out of the house, slamming the door behind him. He spots Oliver car, and stomps over to us.

"What do you want?" he scowls, leaning his elbows against the door.

"Let's go for a drive," I say.

His eyebrows relax, but he's still tense. He looks over at Oliver, and shakes his head.

"I don't think so," he says.

"Jack..."

"It's none of your business," he spits. "Just get fucked Robins."

"Watch your tone," Oliver grumbles.

I shoot him a desperate look, telling him to shut up.

"Just get in," I urge.

"In your boyfriends' car?" he scoffs.

"Come on, man," Oliver contributes.

Jack shakes his head. He stands up, and begins to walk back into his house. I tug on the handle o the door, trying to get out of the car. The damn door won't budge. Oliver presses a button on his dashboard, and the door opens, but Oliver doesn't let me walk in alone. We get out of the car, and follow Jack. He's slammed the door shut, but that won't stop me. I open it, only to meet the overwhelming scent of something fruity, but unfamiliar to me.

"What is that?" I ask.

"Weed," Ollie says.

I frown, looking through a crack in the floorboards. There's laughter coming from the other side of the wall. I stick my head around the corner, and spot a group of older kids, smoking and throwing darts at a board on the other side of the room.

Jack lives in this mess? There are cans of alcohol on the floor, and stains everywhere. It reminds me of Jesse Pinkman's house in Breaking Bad.

"Who the fuck are you?" a girl asks.

She's only wearing a bra and panties. Just as nude as the other people in the living room.

"I'm looking for Jack," I say.

A guy next to the girl scoffs.

"That little bitch runs off all the damn time," he says. "Should've killed him when I had the chance."

"Excuse me?" I exclaim, taking a step further into the room.

I feel Oliver grab my hand, trying to stop me from doing anything stupid.

"You heard him," the girl says, turning to her friend with a smirk on her face. "Remember when he pulled a gun on him and he wet his pants?"

"Lucy," Oliver tugs at my hand, but I refuse to move.

Jack lives here. In a house, with guns, weed, and alcohol, and clearly, troublesome youths. Where are his parents?

"Get outside," Jack says, appearing behind me.

I frown, but follow his words. Oliver follows me back out onto the front lawn, Jack leading the way.

"This is what you live with?" I ask, not wasting a second.

He nods, but doesn't respond.

"Where are your parents?" Ollie asks.

"That were my parents," he says.

The guy and the girl that just spoke to us? What the hell? They didn't even look 30.

"is this why?" I ask, referring to his horrible actions.

He's miserable himself, and he's been making me miserable because he doesn't have a way to deal with it. If those are his parents, all he knows his hatred and anger. As if he's ever learnt any coping mechanisms.

Jack purses his lips, clearly hesitant. Come on, say something.

"Don't fucking tell anyone, understand?" he urges. "I just turned 18, I can move out now."

"We can help you," I say. "But you need to let us."

Jack sighs, the wrinkles in his forehead softening. He's relaxing.

Another car pulls into the driveway, and an older man steps out. He

"I'm going away for a few days," Jack says. "I'll deal with it when I come back."

"You sure?" I ask.

"I'm leaving in an hour, just going camping in the bush with my boss to sort everything out," he explains.

I didn't know he had a job, but at least he has someone looking out for him.

"I'll be here when you get back," I assure him.

"Thanks, Lucy," he nods, but hesitates. "And look, I'm really sorry about everything and ai know this doesn't make up for it, but the fact that you're looking out for me now, speaks volumes about your character. And you too, Oliver."

Oliver nods, but doesn't say anything.