The Brains and the Bad Boy <Editing>

He Found Out

It's been another week staying with Keith and his family and his stepdad kept asking why I couldn't just go home. "Call your mother or something!" He would go on and on frustrated and I wouldn't know how to respond, Keith would stick up for me when I couldn't though. I don't know why though, why is he being so nice when everyone else isn't? "Hey, Keith? Could we um, get some of my stuff from my house today?" I asked,
"Sure, if you want to." He told me and I nodded. The day went on, the teachers gave me handouts since I didn't have any glasses yet. I could always "borrow" some money from my dad, it's the only way I could ever get what I needed for myself. Lindsey tripped me by my locker and I fell, papers scattering everywhere. Lindsey snickered and I scrambled to pick up myself. "Lindsey, go back where you belong. I'm sure the jocks need their personal slut back." He told her.
"Y-yes, Keith." She squeaked before scurrying away.
"Why is she scared of you?" I asked a bit confused.
"Eh, you put a few people in the hospital and get put in Juvenile Prison for a month you're suddenly out to get everyone." He said as if it was nothing, I didn't respond as he helped me gather the last few things I dropped. I took something from my hand but he suddenly grabbed my wrist and turned it over, my heart stopped as he saw the pink lines that decorated my pale skin. I grabbed my arm back, "I stopped."
"Alice," he warned.
"I. Stopped." I repeated and he gave a look that made me crack.
"I relapsed into cutting two weeks ago, I threw it away though and I stopped." I told him and he sighed.
"I just... Didn't think you were that person."
"Well I'm sorry to disappoint you, I seem to disappoint everybody don't I?" I snapped, picking up my stuff and jogging to class. I sat down in class, my leg tapping up and down with anxiety. 'Slope? Easy...' I thought to myself and started doing my work. "And class, remember we have a test tomorrow. I sighed but put away my stuff and got ready for my next class. "You better study, I need a good grade." Sabrina told me, sounding like she was threatening me.
"I can't read." I smiled sarcastically at her impulsively and she glared at me.
"Figure it out, I'll tell Lindsey if you fail me." She threatened like Lindsey owned me, I scoffed and left. The next few periods went by, I ate alone at lunch like usual, gym was a nightmare and it was finally time to leave after my last two periods. Keith caught me as I was leaving but we didn't say anything. We pulled up in front of my house. "Well are you going to go?" He asked and I nodded.
"Can you help though, I can't carry everything." He nodded and he followed me to the vines by my window. "You use the-? Ok." He questioned as I was already half way up to my window. I climbed all the way, Keith followed soon after. "It sounds like my dad is asleep, it's not usually this quiet." I whispered and he nodded slowly. I started putting my clothes away in a duffel bag. Keith's phone buzzed and he picked it up, "I'm bringing this outside, be right back." I told her quietly and he nodded. I snuck quietly down the stairs and set my duffel out the door.
I came back upstairs, I snuck into my dad's empty room and took money from a tiny safe he had, the password was my mom's name and hasn't changed. I went back to my room and rolled up my smaller posters and put them on my bed. "You play guitar?" Keith questioned suddenly picking up my mom's guitar that I found.
"I... I used to, I stopped a few years back when my dad threatened to smash it." I laughed humorlessly.
"Huh. Bring it then." He said tossing it to me. I caught it by the neck and laid it on my backpack. I head downstairs with them a few minutes later. I snuck carefully down the stairs and opened the front door, it was slammed closed by a big hand. "What do you think your doing?" The low grumble of my dad's voice growled at me.
"You kicked me out, I'm getting my stuff."
"You're staying now, where you can do something useful." He told me grabbing my arm and pulling me from the door.
"Ow, let go of me!" I said, snatching my arm back and kicking him. This wasn't my best move.
"You little-" A sharp pain hit me and knocked me to the floor with a yelp.
"Red? You ok?" I heard footsteps from the stairs. Oh no.
"I'm fine, go back upstairs. I'll be right there." I choked out.
"Like hell you are! Who did you bring into my house?"
"A friend, he's helping me get my stuff because I'm leaving." I was then kicked straight in the stomach, I let out another yelp. A hand grabbed my arm and helped me up.
"What the fuck is going on?" Keith shouted as I tried to regain the air that was knocked out of me.
"We're... Leaving n-now." I coughed though my dad didn't budge.
"No you're not." He told me and I stared him in the eyes.
"I would be more concerned about checking your safe." I smirked at him and his expression changed to worry.
"If a cent is gone-"
"Go check." I said shortly, interrupting him. He marched off upstairs and once he was out of earshot. I turned to Keith, "wait for it..." I glanced at the stairs.
"Alice!" I heard a bellow.
"Now we run." I clarified and we grabbed my stuff and left. We made back to his apartment in one piece, more or less, I fell after I took one step but was helped up immediately, "thanks." I mumbled. We got I'm the door and started up the stairs. "So, wanna tell me what the fuck just fucking happened, Red?!" Keith told me, his voice risen.
"Nothing, just forget about it. I got what I needed, that's that."
"No, not really. I'm pretty sure your dad is a fucking psychopath!"
"I don't want to talk about it."
"I do!" He exclaimed as we got in the door.
"Dad! She has bags!" Zack yelled in horror that I had stuff with me but I was focused on the argument at hand.
"Drop it, Keith. It's done." I snapped, my voice was in a shout now.
"No, I still don't think so! Red!" He called as I stormed over to his room to put his stuff down.
"Why do you even care?!" I shouted in frustration throwing down my bag.
"I don't know!" He yelled in the same frustrated tone.
"Just... Leave me alone for a bit." I said softer. He didn't reply and I went to the small balcony they had off of Keith's room and the living room/kitchen. I was out there for a few hours. I studied for a while, sat thinking for a while, questioning if I should launch myself off the railing, you know the normal for me. Lauren brought me dinner but once she left I dumped it and watched it fall to the sidewalk, narrowly missing someone.
"I'm hoping you realize it's the beginning of spring still and it's 60 damn degrees out." I heard behind me.
"Can't say I didn't try." Keith said to someone.
"You have no people skills." It was his mother.
"Dear, get inside please. Before you get sick." I looked over my shoulder.
"I'm fine." I dismissed, I was sitting on the railing.
"Can you at least get to where you won't fall?"
"Nope."
"Go to bed, mom, it's late." He ordered and I felt her presence leave but another get closer. He sat next to me in the railing and it was quiet for the longest time.
"Since you refuse to come inside, we can either talk about your dad or your wrists. Which one do you choose?"
"Neither."
"Ok, then how about both?"
"Ugh..."
"Why?"
"Cutting was a coping mechanism. My dad started hitting and ordering me a little after my mom's first death anniversary."
"Ok then."
"The only food I'd get is lunch at school because I was not good enough for food or whatever that means." I said with sickened smile.
"He even went to be as cruel as to sell all my mom's jewelry for drug money. The locket is really all I have, that and the guitar."
"That explains the tattoo." He observed.
"Which is killing me by the way." I made a point to say.
"But um, that's really the extent of it. I was never fed but expected to cook for him. Never to talk back unless I wanted the crap kicked out of me. And if he was ever high or drunk to stay as far away as possible, this often meant I had to sleep under the goddamn porch with a vicious rat." I said, he just kind of nodded, a sharp sting went through my stomach and I hissed.
"Why don't you come inside and I'll get you some sort of painkiller." He said and I reluctantly nodded. I trudged back inside with him. I sat on my bean bag that now had my bags on it. "Pamprin?" He yelled to me and I face-palmed.
"I got kicked in the stomach, I'm not on my period, you nit." I laughed, my joking spirit slowly returning. He came back with two orange pills that read Advil across the middle. I popped them in and swallowed them with a gulp from my water bottle. I thanked him and I leaned back on my chair and shut my eyes. "Wanna take the bed, I take the floor?"
"No, the beanbags comfy enough." I assure him and he huffed, going to bed. It was quiet for awhile but I knew that he wasn't asleep yet. "Hey, Keith?"
"What?"
"You aren't going to tell anyone about today or about my dad, right?"
"Red, it's not exactly that kind of thing you keep from people."
"Please, Keith? You have to promise."
"Fine. I promise..." He yawned and he fell asleep. I laid awake for a little bit longer, why did he have to find out? Fuck my life.