Stay for Me (Hold Me Close Prequel)

Chapter Twenty Four: Locked Door

-=Evan=-

"Get in there!" My father yelled at me, holding open the ruby red front door with one paw, and grasping my by the hem of my shirt, throwing me into the house. He followed me in quickly as I struggled to maintain balance. But that was futile, as the second he came within arms reach of me he pushed me into the couch. "What the fuck just happened back there?! Explain. Now." He fumed, the anger resonating off of him like steam from a tea kettle.

"I-I don't know." I said unconfidently, I had no idea how this was about to turn out.

"You don't know? You don't know?! Typical you. 'I don't know, I'm a helpless little runt!' That's you!!" He shouted angrily, as whatever temper he had left in him melted away. "It was bad enough that I had a wimpy excuse for a son like you, then on top of that you're also a faggot!"

"Don't call me that." I whimpered.

"Hm? Not a rotten little faggot? Then what was that back at the damned hospital? If not a faggot, what are you then?!" He yelled.

"I-I..." I stuttered.

"Speak up!" He screamed, picking up a liquor bottle and taking a swig from it.

"I'm gay." I finally responded. The feeling that people talk about, that feeling where you finally come out, no matter the reaction, and how you're supposed to feel great. It's a lie. I felt worse. A lot worse.

"You're what?!" My father screamed, swinging an amber glass bottle in the air. I flattened myself against the couch, trying to hide myself from him in a way. I knew he wouldn't take this well, he never takes anything positively. I gave out a small whimper as he grabbed my head with both of his paws, his small black eyes glaring into mine with malice behind them.

"I-I'm gay." I repeated softly. His breathing became heavier, his nostrils flaring with rage. I could smell the hard alcohol in his breath, and I was scared.

"I. Did not. Raise. A. QUEER!" He shouted into my face. I shut my eyes out of instinct. "Look at you. Pathetic. Your mother gave up her life for a wasteful cause." And with that, he smashed the bottle on the top of my head. I fell onto the floor, blood running down my face, mixing with the golden alcohol. He spat in my face, kicking me until I heard him fall.

"Evan!" A voice screamed my name as they took me into their arms. I was just barely able go pry open an eye to see a green bird holding my head in his arms before I blacked out.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

-=Jason=-

I knew something was wrong.

I didn't receive Evan's message for a while because I was busy elsewhere doing homework, but when I opened it he was frantically spamming me messages saying that his father was about to go insane when they got home.

So, in response, I rushed over to his house as fast as possible. The sun was setting as I leapt out of my car and started walking towards the house, but then I heard a loud crash.

Sprinting, I made it to the door a few paces later. Fear for what had just happened, fear that I was too late. The door was locked, and I knew I had no time to go around to the back and grab the spare key a couple hundred meters out into the woods that Evan had hidden for me. So, instead, I put the brunt of my right leg's force into the door knob, splintering the wooden door as it swung inwards against it's hinges.

Now it was my fist's turn. Evan's father stood over his son, who lie on the ground bleeding from his head, and in his surprise of me barging into his house, I beat his face inwards.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

-=Evan=-

I woke up at...Jason's house? I recognized his spare bedroom as I rubbed my eyes awake. I didn't even realize for about two minutes why exactly I was here. Then it hit me. I didn't cry or get sad or anything, I just kind of, felt empty.

Maybe ten minutes later I realized that I couldn't just mope around up here forever, and that I needed answers, so I opened the bedroom door and followed the voices downstairs to where Jason's mom was sitting.

"Oh! Evan you're awake!" She gasped, pausing the TV, which had been playing the morning news.

"Yeah. Hi." I replied, groaning and rubbing my head a little bit. "What happened?"

"Well what do you remember last sweetheart?" She asked. I gulped as I quickly mentally replayed the events that had transpired between my father and I.

"Being hit in the head." I responded.

"Hm. Well, Jason said to me that he rushed over to your place, found your dad beating you, and in turn restrained him. Let's see...after that, he called me, I rushed over, picked you guys up, called the police, who arrested your dad by the way, and we brought you to the closest Urgent Care. Don't worry, they said the only real damage was you cutting your right ear and that you should be all back to normal soon. Also, no ifs or buts, you're staying with us here from now on. I feel so guilty having let you live with that monster."

"But-" I started.

"What did I say?"

"Sorry." I said, looking down at the ground.

"Ok, well Jason gets back from work in about an hour, so how about you go back upstairs and wash yourself, I'll make you some lunch." She said before walking away. And at this moment, for now at least, I knew everything was going to be okay.