One Hot Summer (boyxboy)

Chapter 2: No internet!

"You expect me to stay here, to work with no fucking wifi! You can fuck off!" 
☆

As he watched his mother's blue estate car bounce away down the beaten track, Jasper didn't really know how to feel. He didn't even know whether he would miss her or not. He couldn't even remember the last time she had even said a kind word or a positive comment towards him. Granted he had done nothing to warrant such positivity, but still, an 'I love you' or anything would have been better than. "I'm warning you! Last chance or you're kicked out for good!" Would he even want to return, regardless of the outcome of this?

The car is now out of sight. Jasper turns to see Molly and his Uncle Jim, arms wrapped around the backs of each other's waists. He looks at them both, a little lost as to what to do next and also a little sickened as to how loved up they appeared to be. "Hey." Molly says in a soft tone, removing her arm from around Jim's waist. She looks at Jasper smiling. "I'll show you your new room." She disappears inside and Jasper proceeds to follow, only being stopped by his uncle in the doorway as he becomes adjacent to him.

"Hey lad." Jasper freezes, slowly looking up to the slightly taller man. "You can have the rest of today to yourself, but tomorrow, I will be working you hard. Understand?"

Jasper internally groans, but is wise enough to not let his true feelings be known to his uncle. Not yet anyways. Not until he could figure him out a little more. 

"Yes uncle." He replies yet again as he hurries his steps towards Molly, who is waiting for him at the foot of the stairs. Jasper picks up his holdall on the way and follows her up the creaky wooden steps to the second floor. 

The central staircase leads up to a landing with symmetrical doors either side to Jasper's left and right, and three doors on the wall opposite. The central door, directly opposite Jasper showcased a tiny plaque with 'W.C' adorned on it. Molly carries on to her left to the door on the far wall. She opens the door, it creaks on it's hinges as she pushes it into the room, then holds it in place for Jasper to follow. 

"So...this is you young man." She says as Jasper steps foot into what would be his room for the next few weeks. Jasper puts his bag on the bed and takes in the surroundings. The room itself was plenty big. Double aspect windows revealing panoramic views of the surrounding farmland. Jasper would have even been impressed if he cared for such things. He did notice however a gnarly tree near one of the windows. A handy escape route if he should need it. He knew full well he wouldn't be able to sneak in and out during the late hours via the bedroom door, not if it creaked like so. The room itself is decorated with a leafy wallpaper, very much in keeping with the house, Jasper deduced. An easy chair was placed in one corner of the room, with a small sink in the other corner, a circular mirror on the wall over top. He is glad of this, allowing him a bit of privacy.

He looks back to Molly, giving a weak smile. "Thank you Aunty." 

Molly gives off a light laugh. "Enough Aunty already. I'm not that old! Just call me Molly." 

Jasper feels a little awkward with his unintentional blunder. Now not being able to look past his own feet. "Sorry...thank you Molly." He corrects, now feeling the urgency to be on his own before he embarrassed himself any further. Thankfully this is soon to be the case as Molly gives one last smile before backing through the door, and closing it. 

Jasper takes a deep breath, as he sits back onto the bed. His heavy weight caused the mattress to bounce and the metal bed frame to squeak. Did everything creak and squeak in this place? Jasper leans to one side, allowing him to pull out his phone from his pocket. He huffs in annoyance at the realisation he has used up the last of his mobile data on the journey. Jasper again stands up from the bed and opens the door. He makes his way to the top step, seeing his uncle still in the downstairs hallway, leaning over, retying his boot laces. 

"Uncle?" Jasper calls, wanting to not sound too nervous in his voice, but still feeling a little wary of the man. 

His uncle looked up at Jasper who stood at the top of the stairs "Problem?" He asks, now standing up straight with his hands on his hips.

"Can I have your wifi password please?" Jasper looks down at the man, who seems to find the question an amusement. 

"Sorry lad. We don't have the internet here." 

Jasper feels like all life has suddenly drained from him. This couldn't be true! His uncle was sure to be jesting with him. "You're joking right?" Jasper says, with his more usual voice, the thought of having no internet superseding any preconceived ideas he had about his uncle.

His uncle's face now appears more serious. He looks at Jasper head on, with his hands still on his hips. "No. I'm not joking. We don't need it." 

This is the craziest notion he'd ever heard! "How...how do you contact people? How do you buy stuff?" Jasper's voice is now getting a fraction higher and louder. 

"We have a landline and a car. Plus we grow much of our own food. We are pretty self sufficient." His uncle smirks at the look Jasper is giving him. "Besides, you're here to work hard and appreciate the fruits of your labour. Not sit around on your phone."

Jasper can feel the caution around his uncle evaporating at a fast rate. His hand squeezing his phone tight, whilst the other fists into a small ball. "You expect me to stay here, to work with no fucking wifi! You can fuck off!" 

Jasper's eyes widen as he watches the man's demeanour rapidly change to a look of equal rage. Regretting just slightly his own little outburst. "Get down here now!" His uncle bellows.

"No!" Jasper replies. As if he would. 

"You will get down here because so help me God if I have to walk up these stairs!" His uncle now matches Jasper's stance. Jasper briefly thinks maybe this is where he gets it from, but his thoughts are soon moved to the present when a big brown boot makes the first step on the creaky stairs.

"Hey hey! What's going on?" Jasper sees Molly come into view, placing her hand on Jim's arm. She looks up at Jasper who looks equally angry before looking back at Jim. This will not end well. 

"He needs to be taught manners Molly!" Is all Jim says. 

She looks again at Jasper. 
"Sweetheart. Please go to your room a minute." 

Jasper doesn't take his eyes from his uncle's gaze. "No!" He replies. All notions of trying to make a token effort, now leaving his thoughts. 

"Jasper...please." Molly asks again. 

Jasper now looks at the young lady at the foot of the stairs. Her eyes are pleading with him to just go. To remove himself from the situation. He finally backs down and steps back away from the top of the stairs, not taking his eyes from his uncle until he is out of his sight. They hear the bedroom door slam closed.

Jim reacts to the noise, attempting to race up the stairs, but Molly squeezes his arm, causing Jim to halt his actions momentarily. "Molly let go of my arm. He needs to see his mistake." 

Molly lets go only to cup his face. Turning him to look at her. "Jimmy. Listen...listen to me. Believe me when I say you cannot fight fire with fire with him. You will only create a bigger fire to put out." 

Jim steps back down to the bottom step again, placing his hands on hers. "So, what do you suggest?" 

She strokes Jim's cheeks as she speaks. "Let me talk to him...ok?" Jim removes her hands gently with his, taking a heavy sigh out. 

"Ok. We'll try it your way." He concedes. Molly smiles, kissing Jim on his lips, before taking a calming walk up the stairs. 

Molly gets to Jasper's newly acquired bedroom door, knocking softly on the aged wood. 

"Hey Jasper...sweetie. Can I come in?" She is greeted with silence. Molly isn't surprised. Not expecting him to open the door as soon as she asked. Molly waits a moment before trying again. "Jasper. I just want to talk." Again silence. Molly waits again briefly, the silence from the room, now concerning her. "Jasper. I'm going to come in ok?" 

She slowly turns the handle and peers round the large enough crack in the door. The cool breeze hits her face as she looks across to the wide open window with the old tree. Molly now pushes the door open wide to see an empty room. Jasper had made his escape.