Caught In the Storm (boyxboy)

Chapter 18

Edit: For any rereaders, I took the sexist conversation paragraph out. Lol I totally get the backlash, believe me, but I'm currently 22 years old and still getting angry hate comments over something I (misguidedly, I'll admit) wrote as an eighth grader with internalized misogyny and a desire to model my male characters after my problematic friends so I could create realist boys for my stories. I definitely needed to be educated back then, but instead I was berated :) Be kinder in the future, lovlies. It was an honest mistake.

Chapter 18

Thanksgiving break had finally come and I was grateful for it. My mom was still gone, Noland was happier, his teacher couldn't grill me everytime I came to pick him up, and I actually had enough food for a nice, Thanksgiving dinner for him. I wanted to be able to give him happy memories, not just the ones my mom ruined. Her mistakes and neglect shouldn't be able to take away the childhood he deserves. I don't even think he remembers what our mom was like before she became a full time drunk.

I was driving to my friend, Shannon's, house on Thanksgiving Day since Noland was inviting over to a friend's before dinner when Xavier called me. At first, I was skeptical as to why he would call me. I mean, the only reason he had my number at all was because we'd worked on a school project in freshman year. As soon as I answered, I found out why. He immediately blew up on my phone, going on and on, cursing and yelling so loud that most of what he said was indistinguishable. I rolled my eyes and waited until he stopped talking.

"I didn't here anything you just said, dipstick." I said. "What's the problem?"

"Don't act like you don't f*cking know! I'm going to slit your throat in your sleep, you asswipe. I swear to God if you ever lay your hands on my brother again-

"What?" My foot hit the brakes and I skidded to a stop, ignoring the driver that honked behind me before zooming past angrily.

-I'll severe your entire fucking bloodline, starting with-

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked. "I haven't talked to Ashton in at least a week. Someone hurt him?"

"Who the hell was it then if it wasn't you?" He snapped.

"Why the f*ck would I be asking, Xavier, if I knew?" I countered. I continued driving until I was parked in Shannon's driveway so I could talk without running my car off the road. In truth, though, I was worried. Sure, Ashton has a tendency to make enemies as fast as he makes friends, and he has plenty, but I never actually thought anyone would go after him. Especially during the break. 

"He went somewhere last night and came back bruised." He seethed. "If you had anything to do with it, I'll kill you."

"He was beat up last night and your calling me now?!" I shouted into the phone. "It's like two in the afternoon!"

"He didn't want to talk to anyone last night. I thought he'd tell me who it was in the morning!"

"You're an idiot. I'm coming over." I snapped.

"No you're not!" Xavier exclaimed. "My mom is home and when she recognizes you from the tape, she'll start asking a million and one questions. Besides, Ashton doesn't need anymore drama right now. Stay your ass where you are. I'll find out who it was."

"What made you think it was me?" I asked. "I'm the last person who would do this."

"Because he wouldn't tell me who it was, like he was protecting someone." Xavier explained. "And they weren't normal bruises. They were around his wrists and on his face. These are the kind of bruises my mom used to have before she left her last boyfriend. Look, I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier. I'll call you if he tells me anything."