Prove It

Chapter XXXVI

While Christmas Day is peaceful, things are back to normal the day after.

"What the fuck Mom, why won't you drive me to Jackson's?" Holden roars. The bagel I previously came down to get is forgotten and I retreat back upstairs.

"Because I said no. I have to go to work, Holden, I can't just drop you off and pick you up whenever you need to be." I hear my mom's voice try to be calm from the stairwell, the voice she uses whenever she tries to reason with him.

"Dad's already at work, why do you need to be on time? Amanda can just pick me up!"

"No, she has plans already. You either tell Jackson's parents to come pick you up, or you don't go at all." The tension in her voice gets tighter, willing herself not to explode on him.

"They can't come, they're already at work," he argues, and I roll my eyes. And he won't accept that answer from Mom?

"I'm leaving, this discussion is over. And if I hear that you harassed Amanda about this, it's going to be a long time before you're allowed to go out again."

"Fuck you!" Holden screams. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!"

I hear the door open and close as my mom leaves the house. I quickly and quietly go to my room and close the door so he doesn't suspect I was listening. Although even if I were in my room, I would still hear him yelling.

That was only at 8 this morning. My parents keep scheduling him appointments with a therapist, but it seems he's only gotten worse. He comes back from his sessions in the worst mood and the medications have done little to nothing.

And now that my parents said I can't talk to Marcus about anything I don't know who I can turn to just vent. I've never told any of the details to my friends, and the time I tried to talk to Sofia about it she brushed it off saying he was just going through a phase. I stopped trying to explain anything to her after that.

And Emma, that girl will defend Holden with all her being. If I complain about one thing he does to her she starts attacking me saying I have to be more sensitive and understanding towards him.

Well I am. I really am trying to understand this boy but I have no idea how to. How does she? His moods are so out of control I never know what to expect from him. One day he could be cursing everything in existence, and the next day he's the sweetest and most caring person you could ever meet.

I swear he's going to make my head explode. If there's one person who can drive me absolutely up the wall it's this kid.

But now I'm at C.J's trying to forget all of what had happened this morning. Holden had ended up walking to Jackson's house and staying there for the day, and I had left the house before my parents or he had gotten home. I dropped Emma off at Christopher's and left for the party right after.

I'm once again standing in a circle of people I don't know, including Ricky and Mike. As uncomfortable as I feel I don't leave Marcus. He even slides in a few starters so I could contribute to the conversation.

I suppose they're really not all that bad.

"Amanda tell me what you think of this!" A guy I don't know comes running up to me from outside the circle and thrusts a cup towards me.

"Omar she's not going to drink that," Marcus steps slightly in front of me, pushing his hand away from my face.

Omar rolls his eyes at Marcus. "Dude chill, I'm not going to drug her or anything. I just want her to try my latest concoction," he explains like it's the most obvious thing ever.

"It's fine, Marcus." I put my hand on his arm and take the cup from Omar's hand and take a small sip. I quickly spit the contents back into the cup and hand it back to him.

"What the hell is that? It has to be the worst thing I've ever put into my mouth," I choke out, scrunching my face in disgust.

"It's all the stuff at the bar mixed together. I just wanted to know what it tasted like."

"You didn't taste it?" I ask.

"Man if someone drank that whole thing they'd be all kinds of fucked up," Mike interjects and suddenly all the guys in the circle want to try.

"Don't drink that!" I shout over them. They all look at me and raise their eyebrows.

"Why not? Really that horrible?" Aaron asks.

"No, but I don't think you want to drink something that's been in my mouth," I refer to me spitting back into the cup only a few moments ago.

"Eh," Mike shrugs his shoulders and takes a gulp from the plastic cup. I internally and externally gag at the action. Boys like him are really their own brand of unique.

"Oh yeah, there's no chance of chugging that," Mike says, pointing in Omar's direction.

"Oh just watch," Omar tips his head back and slugs the rest of the cup down in two gulps. I watch in absolute horror as he coughs up the liquid onto the floor. He runs out of the room into the bathroom and slam the door close.

I shake my head. I swear, heterosexuality is a curse.

My attention is pulled away from the disgusting scene when all attention is towards the muted television. C.J turns the volume up as the final two minutes of the year count down.

I see all the couples pull their dates close and others hunt their's down as the camera points to the huge crowd in Times Square, eagerly waiting for the final countdown.

The screen changes as the ball begins to make its descent at the top of the building, the anticipation growing with each second that goes by.

Marcus pulls me to the front of his body, a goofy grin lighting up his face as he rings in the new year along with everyone else.

He looks me in the eye, holds my face in his hands and kisses me. We're both smiling into the embrace, and my body feels like there's electricity running through it.

"Happy New Year Amanda, I love you," he breathes into my ear.

I hold onto him tightly and bring him in for another kiss. Happy New Year Marcus.