Chapter 25 The Interruption #2
“When he made me read the letter, he saw it made me happy. And name-calling was one of his favorite tricks. Abusers always know exactly what to say to take your insecurities and turn them into the most twisted version of the truth.”
I blink, feeling my eyes sting with unshed tears. I was right. He left because of me. Because of my letter. I always thought I was being egotistical to think so, but it’s true.
Rafael grips Ethan’s shoulder. “So that night, I reacted. For the first time, I didn’t just let him beat me and insult me. I beat him back, and I almost killed him. I was filled with so much anger, I think I wanted him to die.”
Ethan sniffles. “That’s why you left?”
“Uh-huh. Your dad, he came over. He called an ambulance, told me everything would be okay. I think he saw my injuries and figured out what was going on.”
My mind reels, the pieces of his story colliding with everything I thought I knew. Why wasn’t Rafael arrested? Why didn’t my dad bring him in?
My shoulders sag. “He let you go.”
“Yeah. He saw me sneak out, and he told me I didn’t need to leave, that we’d fix it. But I couldn’t take the thought of being here when morning came and everyone found out.”
Ethan looks away, and I exchange a glance with Rafael. Something he said has struck a chord.
“Ethan, I was too stupid to accept your dad’s help. If I had…” His eyes meet mine. “I missed lots of stuff. Wasted a lot of time.” Focusing on Ethan again, he gives his shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t be like me. Ask for help.”
Ethan sniffles again, his lip shaking, then bursts into sobs, dropping the washcloth and ice on the couch. He turns his back to us, and when Rafael stills, holding my gaze, I know he’s telling me to be strong for Ethan right now. To give him a second to let him come around.
“The skate park,” Ethan whines.
I straighten, rushing to his side. “That’s where they are?”
“Hunter Sullivan and his friends.”
I pull him into my arms, where he continues gasping and crying. I meet Rafael’s gaze over Ethan’s shoulder, his eyes sparking with something dangerous as he cracks his knuckles.
“I hope you’re ready for a new side of me, Freckles.”
I follow Rafael through the dark skate park, Ethan walking beside me. “What’s the plan?” I ask as we step up a small hill and a group of kids Ethan’s age come into view.
“We’re playing it by ear,” he calls without turning our way. He walks hurriedly, aggressively. Enough to make us scramble to keep up, and to scare me to death.
“He’s a minor,” I remind him before we’re in earshot, as the group turns our way. There are six kids, two girls and four boys. Even without knowing who Hunter Sullivan is, I am sure it’s the tall blond kid standing in front of the others, like the boss of their own little gang.
“Look who’s back,” the kid mocks as he turns to his friends. “Did you bring your mom and dad with you? Oh, right, you can’t. They’re d—”
Rafael grabs the basketball out of one kid’s hands, then throws it straight into Hunter’s face. When the ball falls down with a dull thump, I can’t believe our luck that he’s not bleeding.
“You asshole!” Hunter screams, bringing a hand to his nose.
Rafael stands too close to him for comfort, looking down at the stupid kid like he’s lunch. “Hey, Hunter,” he says in a voice that’s inharmoniously chirpy. “I figured we should talk.”
“Who the fuck are you?” Hunter asks, stepping backward as his friends move away. I steal a glance at Ethan, who’s watching the scene out of the corner of his eye, head tilted down.
“I’m Ethan’s friend. Remember him?”
Hunter tries to push Rafael back but ends up having to take a step back himself. “Oh, okay. Are you his boyfriend?”
Ethan flinches next to me, but I keep my eyes on Rafael. On the walk over, I made him swear he wouldn’t do anything illegal, as it could cost me the custody case, but he looks beside himself.
“Ohh, I see. I’m supposed to feel insulted by you calling me gay.”
Hunter shrugs, his lips twisting in a sneer. “Only if you are.”
Rafael steps forward, and I don’t see exactly what he’s doing, but the two of them struggle. When he moves away from Hunter, he’s holding a phone. “Passcode?”
“Fuck you,” Hunter says as he tries to reach for the phone. When Rafael grasps his wrist, he grunts, powerless as Rafael drags his finger over the bottom of the screen.
“Here we go. Easy-peasy.” He steps closer to me and Ethan, a wicked smile on his lips. “Let’s see what delights await us. Ethan, where would you start with this?”
Ethan startles. “Uh… his texts?”
“Yeah, texts are good. But you know what’s better?”
“His photos,” I say as I glare at Hunter, standing there pathetically as he fidgets with the pocket of his jeans. Bet he’s nervous now.
“Jackpot.” He smacks the back of his hand against the phone. “Dick pic, dick pic, dick pic.” He turns to Hunter. “Is this your peanut?”
“Of course it’s—” He breaks into nervous laughter as his friends sputter and chuckle.
“Damn.” Rafael brings the phone closer to his eyes, as if he’s struggling to see anything. “You shouldn’t be too worried. I’m sure there’s another growth spurt in your future.”
I barely stifle a chuckle when Ethan breaks into quiet laughter.
Rafael, noticing, shows him the phone. “I’m not lying, am I?
” Before Ethan can answer, he turns to Hunter.
“All right, Hunter. I want you and your peanut out of my face, so let’s wrap this up.
” He holds the phone out, but just as the kid goes to grab it, Rafael drops it, then stomps on it. “Shit, Peanut. Sorry. So clumsy.”
“You fucking sissy!”
Rafael grabs his shirt, pushing him back until he’s holding him against a tree.
“Rafael!” I squeal, cringing as I cup my mouth.
He winks at me. “Everything’s under control, Freckles.” As he focuses back on Hunter, his voice drops. “You should read a book, Peanut. Learn better words.”
Hunter struggles, but Rafael keeps him there.
“Look, I’m sorry your life is shit. That your dad likes the bottle and screams at the TV that fairies are ruining the country.
And I’m sorry you struggle to understand why you feel all tingly in the locker room and not when you’re with one of those ladies.
” He jerks his head toward the girls. “But work it out in therapy, Peanut. Learn to love yourself, fuck men if that’s what you like, and most important, leave Ethan alone. ”
“Let me go!” Hunter has teared up, which makes me feel bad for him. Maybe he really is gay, and he hates himself so much he has to take it out on someone else.
“Not until you understand, Peanut.”
“I understand!”
Rafael immediately steps back, holding his hands up. “That’s all I needed to know.”
Hunter observes him carefully, and I would, too, in his place. Rafael is purposefully acting like a lunatic, and I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of his erratic behavior.
When Rafael steps closer, Hunter flinches. It makes Rafael chuckle, but he leans closer still and whispers something in his ear. I can’t hear what, but I swear it’s what will send us all to prison, because Hunter’s face goes white. No—green. Ripe-pear green.
After patting his shoulder, Rafael turns to Hunter’s friends and points at them one by one. Without saying a word, he winks at me and begins walking.
Ethan and I follow right behind, my heart beating wildly in the silence of the skate park. I can’t believe he did this. If this kid presses charges, God, we’re all fucked.
“Ethan, come here,” Rafael says as we approach the parking lot. “What’s Peanut’s ride?”
Ethan laughs excitedly. “Seriously? The BMW.” He points at a car in the far corner of the parking lot, and Rafael gives him his car keys.
“Walk back to my place. Grab the bat in the trunk of my car.”
“No—no! Ethan, don’t you go anywhere.” Eyes bulging, I grip Rafael’s arm. “Have you lost your mind?”
He pinches my chin, pouting slightly. “There’s nobody around. No witnesses.”
“That’s not the point!”
“You said we couldn’t get caught doing something illegal.”
I clench my fists at my sides. “I meant we shouldn’t do anything illegal.”
Rafael frowns. “Well, that’s not what you said.”
“Rafael.”
He glances back at the car and I could swear his eyes stick to the plate, but he moves away before I can say anything, and we all make our way out of the parking lot.
As soon as we leave the park, a strange calm settles over us. Adrenaline is still running high, but none of us says a word until Ethan bursts into laughter, and through his gasps, I can make out the word “peanut.”
I chuckle, and Rafael turns to me, his eyes oddly soft, like he enjoys the sound. I hope he knows how grateful I am for this. Ill-advised as it was, he helped my brother. There’s nothing as attractive as a selfless man who fiercely protects others.
Actually… there’s no one as attractive as Rafael.