Speak Up... (Sequel to Can't Say...)

Chapter 17

⚠TRIGGERS: Attempted assault, attempted murder, sexual assault, abuse, fear, anxiety attack etc. Viewer discretion is advised⚠ Flashbacks  are in Italics
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Kevin was driving towards the Koop residency with Avi next to him. He gave his big sister a call the night prior telling her that he was moving back in with Kevin as their relationship was alright and smooth sailing now. She agreed for them to come down and gather his things. They were driving over there when Avi's phone went off.

"It's Esther. She says my stuff is packed and ready for me to collect to leave straight away unless we want to stay for dinner."

"Sure. Could never say no to Esther's cooking."

"It could be Darien."

"Darien knows how to cook?"

Avi scoffed and shook his head at the oblivious man next to him. They arrived and got out of the car before walking up to the front door, it flew open right before Kevin could even look at the door knocker.

"Hello."

"Hi Es. Mind if we come in."

"Sure."

She let the two boys in and walked to close the door and trailed behind them as they walked up to the room where Avi was staying. The room seemed drab, filled with sad memories of the nights he cried himself to sleep because of the physical and emotional pain he was feeling. Because of the sad betrayal, he was feeling, all the negative emotions and thoughts that swarmed his mind almost came flooding back to him in that instant.

Almost.

He knew they weren't true though. He knew that all of what he was told was a lie. 

"Avi?"

He snapped back into reality after hearing his name being called from behind him. He turned to face his boyfriend.

"Are you ok? You spaced out."

"yeah... just thinking."

"Well you were thinking for a while because we moved all your things into the car and Esther said that dinners being made if we want to stay..."

"i love essie's cooking..."

They both ventured downstairs into the living room and waited until Esther was done. She set something into the oven before the news programme on her phone went off.

"Another top story. The man who was charged with the attempted assault of American bass singer/songwriter, Avi Kaplan of the A Cappella band Pentatonix has been named as..."

She stopped and looked at the screen, sure enough, there was a picture of a random man and her little brother on the screen.

"... security walked in on the scene after hearing cries of 'get off me' coming from the bathrooms of the LA Music Festival's after-party, during an interview with Beyoncé. The man in question..."

"Avi?!"

"Yeah?!"

"Come here!"

"Coming!"

She heard footsteps shuffle towards her. She looked over to the doorway and saw her brother stood there. She ushered him over and pointed at the screen.

"Why didn't you tell me this happened?"

He just shrugged his shoulders and looked away from her.

"The attacker, Niel Stoking, was not only found to be a well know attacker but also had close ties with notorious attacker, Daniel Rindler, who not only ran a sex trade but was charged with the kidnapping and attempted murder of singer/songwriter, Avi Kaplan..."

Esther was fuming and Avi was just watching his sister, making sure she didn't break anything because she usually did when she got like this.

"i... am going... to KILL HIM!"

"essie."

She stopped reaching for the porcelain plate in her reach and looked over at her scared little brother in the corner of the room looking at her with pleading eyes he always used to give her when they were younger.

--FLASHBACK--

They were all huddled on Josh's bed in his room, this happened frequently sometimes daily, their parents at each other's necks throwing anything they can at them forgetting the 12, 8 and 6-year-old children upstairs. They all jumped and Avi began shaking slightly as they heard another plate smash against the wall. Avi looked up at his sister.

"e-essie..."

She looked down to meet his panicked filled eyes and his shaking figure.

"when will they stop?"

She looked at his eyes, his pupils were dilated and shaking and his eyes were glossed over with unshed tears. She felt so bad for him as he was only 6 yet suffering from immense anxiety because of his parents. She took his hand in hers and stroked the top of them as another glass object was smashed.

"i dunno av. i dunno when they'll stop."

The wall. Something went through it. That's when Avi began sobbing and a full-on anxiety attack took over his body. Josh stood and opened the window and grabbed a rope before tying one end of it to the bed head and throwing the other out the window. He grabbed his sibling coats and shoes before getting his.

"Put them on, we're sneaking out."

They did as he told them and soon they were climbing down the rope, Josh first, Esther second, Avi looking down at them from the window.

"I'm scared, Joshy."

"It's ok! Just hold on and slither down, I'll catch you if you fall. I promise."

Avi began to climb down and he soon made it down without falling. The three of them held hands and ran towards their neighbour a few houses up the road, they were a nice old couple who loved the kids. Josh knocked on the door, it may have been 10 pm but they really needed someone there for them. An old lady opened the door and looked down at them and tutted.

"You're parent's arguing again babies?"

"yes ms. kiny. gave avi a panic attack."

She looked at the child next to Josh and frowned.

"Oh, you poor boy. Come in you three. I fix you up some warm soup and somewhere to sleep."

She let them in and closed the door before she walked off and gave the kids some pumpkin soup before setting out three toothbrushes and let them brush their teeth and let them go to bed in her guestroom to sleep for the night before giving them cinnabuns with berries and hot chocolate with marshmallows for breakfast and letting the kids go back to their parents in the morning.

--FLASHBACK OVER--

She looked at her brother before opening her arms up for him to walk into, he did and the two embraced before their moment was interrupted by the beeping of the oven. She went to take out the beef wellington out the oven and called the two other men into the dining room as she and Avi served the food onto plates and gave it to their boys and sat with them as they ate. Kevin and Avi soon collected their things and began to leave before Esther grabbed Avi.

"if you need to talk..."

"i know essie. thank you..."

The siblings hugged it out before Avi kissed his sister's cheek and walked over to the car and put his suitcase in the back and got into the passenger side of the car as they took off back to the car to their home.