32. Tobias
32
Tobias
“You have to be fucking kidding me,” Elijah said, peeking his head around the corner.
“It can’t be that bad. Lemme see.” I dropped the spoon on the counter beside the hot pan and walked over to Elijah, standing in the hallway looking at his neck in the mirror.
Right under his silver chain was the beginning of a bite mark forming on his shoulder. Little red indents lined his skin, showcasing where I had gripped on for dear life earlier in the shower.
“Oh, yeah. That’s kind of bad.” I smiled, running my hands softly over the bruise.
“You’re smiling. Are you not ashamed?” Elijah laughed, playfully pushing me away.
“I wouldn’t call it ‘ashamed’.” I bit my lip, holding on to his arm, pulling myself back in.
“No, you can’t flirt with me right now. We’ve got to hold it together. Dad will be back home in a few hours, and dinner is on the stove and—”
I had to shut him up somehow, so I kissed his lips, smothering him into silence.
Well, almost silence. His soft little moans tickled my ears as I wrapped my arms around his waist, savoring every second.
“Sorry about your mark.” I sighed, nuzzling my head into his neck.
He shrugged, wrapping his arms around my neck. “No worries. I doubt they’ll see it.” He dropped his hands and walked away to the kitchen. “Plus, I’ll keep myself moving so he won’t be able to spot it.” He winked at me before pulling on his beige crew sweatshirt.
“Okay, you do that.” I laughed. I ran my hands through his hair as he picked up the spoon and dipped it in the broth for our ramen.
He closed his eyes and licked his lips. “Delicious.”
“Your dad and I have perfected this, I think,” I said, grabbing the spoon and tasting a bit. It tasted great. Just a little bit of heat, exactly how I like it. “I’ll save some for him and Gwen.”
“No way, this is all mine.” Elijah moved me out of the way with his arm, which made me laugh.
***
We decided to watch a movie in the living room and eat our ramen there instead of at the table. Tonight’s flick is American Psycho, which we both love.
I waited for the perfect time. Elijah had his bowl tipped, and he was dishing the last bit of his ramen into his mouth when I said,
“I’d do Christian Bale.”
He basically coughed up a lung. I couldn’t help but laugh as he tried to catch his breath.
“What’s the matter?” I teased, resting my empty bowl on the coffee table.
“You better take that back.” He said, pushing his bowl on the coffee table before tackling me. “Take that back right now, Voss. Bale’s got nothing on my dashing looks.” He said, poking my sides.
Fuck, he always gets me with that. I tried to twist and turn to escape his fingers, but he was too fast.
“You’re going to make me sick. I have a belly full of ramen right now.” I laughed.
“Maybe you should’ve thought about that before you cheated on me in your mind.” He said through clenched teeth as he squeezed my cheeks with his fingers.
“Ouch!” I yelped.
“Take it back.” He laughed.
“No. He kind of looks like you.” I laughed. Elijah didn’t like this answer either.
“You think I look like a serial killer?” He said, grabbing his spoon from his bowl and waving it around like a knife over the top of me.
“Look at you! You two are twins.” I laughed.
I sat up, causing him to slide down on my lap. Dropping his spoon, he hooked his arm around my neck to pull me in for a kiss.
That was before something flickered in the corner of my eye, stopping me from connecting our lips.
“What’s wrong?” Elijah panted.
“I think I…no.” I shook my head. It couldn’t be.
I looked back down to Elijah, but as soon as I did, I saw something move behind his head outside the window.
“Fuck. One second. I think I see something moving around outside.” I squinted my eyes and slid out from Elijah's legs.
“Maybe it was a dog or something. Sometimes, the properties around us let their dogs out at night. It’s probably nothing.” Elijah reassured me, picking up our bowls and heading into the kitchen.
“Yeah,” I muttered. Only what I saw out of the corner of my eye resembled a two-legged human, but I didn’t want to scare him. “You’re probably right.” I walked over to the back wall, which had many open windows to peek out.
All I could see was the glistening water at the bottom of our land, the quiet boathouse, and the firepit. Nothing was unusual.
I walked away from the backyard view and returned to the kitchen to meet Elijah.
As I entered the hallway, I heard a shuffling by the side of the house.
And then, a knock at the front door.
My heart started beating out of my chest. Standing at the glass panel door was Derrick Voss.
***
“Who the hell is that? No one comes around this late–” Elijah walked out of the kitchen, wiping his hands off with the kitchen towel. “No fucking away.” He said as soon as he saw who our “guest” was.
“Stay here,” I said, moving him back with my arm.
“No, fuck that. I’m coming with you.” He said, storming ahead of me.
“Elijah! Don’t–”
Elijah whipped the door open, staring down Derrick, who looked nonchalant and slightly disheveled. The normally put- together man looked like he hadn’t shaved in a couple of weeks and lost some pounds. Honestly, he looked like shit.
My stomach dropped at the sight of him.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Elijah barked at him. “How dare you show your face here.” He spat.
Derrick's eyes never disconnected from mine. “I’ve come to see my son. Is that so wrong?” He smiled at me over Elijah’s shoulder. As though we were friends. As though this wasn’t the most fucked up surprise I’ve ever had in my life.
“How’d you even know I was here?” I blurted out.
“You really thought it was that hard to run from me? It’s a small town, Tobias.” His eyes drifted to Elijah, finally. “People talk.” He bit.
“You need to leave right now before I call the cops.” Elijah stood up straight in his face.
“Cops are already here.” He smirked, opening his arms up.
“You’re not a cop.” Elijah sneered. “Not anymore. Now, you’re just a creep with one too many DUIs who needs to get the FUCK off of my property.”
I watched as the smile on Derrick's face flickered. He was losing his shit, and I didn’t want Elijah to be in the middle of that.
Thinking fast, I cut between them, gripping Elijah’s arm. “Elijah, trust me,” I said, giving him a reassuring look. Elijah’s eyes moved off of Derricks and then onto mine. That seemed to calm him down. He nodded his head and took a step back.
I turned back towards Derrick, stepping out onto the front porch. “You need to leave. We’re serious. We’ll call the cops. The real ones. ” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“Wow, look at you.” He stood back, dismayed. You think you can talk to me like that? I’m your father.” I’ve never seen such blue eyes so soulless. “The amount of shit I’ve done for you? This is how you repay me?”
“What the hell do you want? Why did you even come here? I don’t have to be your problem anymore. I’m gone; isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?” I bit out.
He looked at me, confused. “I want you to come home. You belong at home. With me. It’s always been that way and will always stay that way.”
I squinted my eyes. “You’ve always fucking hated me. Why are you doing this? Why now? Why really?”
I saw his jaw tightening up and his eyes starting to grow dark. I readied myself. This is how it’s always started, and I’ve grown to prepare myself well. “Get this through your goddamn thick skull.” He pointed his dreadful finger in my face. “It’s your fault your mother took her own life. Us being stuck together is because of you. I wouldn’t have to be here right now if it weren't for you. She left you with me, trusting I’d care for you. I’m honoring what she wanted. You’re nothing without me. Without me, you’re just a weak little boy. It’s my job to make you a man.”
“She suffered from depression; you and I both know it had nothing to do with me. I know in my heart that she never would’ve left me if she knew who you really were.” I stepped forward, resulting in him stepping back down the stairs. “You were a horrible father. I was a child. Your only job was to fucking love me, and you failed at it. You deserve to rot in fucking jail for what you’ve done to me.”
“Nothing I did to you was anything you didn’t deserve…” I watched as his eyes flickered behind my shoulder, looking at Elijah. “...or didn’t want.” An evil smirk tugged at his lips as he returned his eyes to me. “I’ve always known you better than you’ve known yourself.”
My hands balled up into fists, fire burning through my veins. “That’s not true. You’ve never known me at all.” I spat, understanding what he was trying to get at.
A rush of nausea immediately came over me.
He stepped up closer to me again, squinting his eyes. “Are you telling me that I’m wrong? Tell me, Tobias. How long did it take for you to drop your pants and bend over for him? Or did you aim big and go for his dad?” His words were like venom in my ears. He leaned in closer to me and whispered under his breath. “I know how you care for your older men, remember?”
“You fucking bastard!” Elijah's voice erupted behind me.
I turned to see the anger plastered on his face as he trudged over. My stomach dropped. There’s no fucking way I’d ever let him get too close.
“Elijah, no. Stay back!” I yelled, pressing my arm against his chest to hold him back. This was a fight I wanted him to have no part in. I couldn’t take seeing anything happen to him.
“Oh, here we go. This is what I came here for. Let’s go.” Derrick rubbed his hands together, stepping down onto the gravel. “Come on. Someone’s gotta teach you how to fight, and it’s not going to be that pussy of a man you call your ‘Dad.’ ” He said, egging Elijah on.
“You sick, twisted man. Actually, you’re the lowest type of man. Abusive alcoholic. Homophobic. Depressed and alone. I mean, really, pick a struggle. How can you be so fucking pathetic?” Elijah spat, following after him. I stayed close behind, readying myself to tug Elijah back.
Derrick’s eyes widened as he straightened his back. This was it. Elijah hit a nerve.
“Don’t you dare fucking touch him,” I said through clenched teeth. My jaw tensed.
“Someone needs to teach him how to close his fucking mouth.” Derrick quickly stepped forward, rearing his arm back to make contact.
I saw red, my frustration finally hitting an all-time high. Everything happened so fast. I moved in front of Elijah to block the hit. Derrick’s fist came for my jaw instead of Elijah’s, but thankfully, I had enough practice to dodge it.
Without another thought, I lunged forward, tackling him to the ground by his waist.
Throwing my arm back, I hit Derrick right on his jawline. Immediately, I saw his head throw off to the side, spraying blood on the ground.
“You goddamn little shit!” He yelled, grasping at my neck to choke me. I leaned back so his hands couldn’t connect. He squirmed underneath me, trying his hardest to get himself out from beneath me, but I’ve had years of football, resentment, and frustration stacked against him; I wasn’t going to make this easy for him. Not anymore. Not ever again.
I steadied myself over him, gripping his black jacket in one hand and swinging as many punches to his face as I could with the other. He blocked me with his arms, but I was able to land more blows than I thought I would.
Sharp blows from his fists to my ribs stung a bit, but I was too locked in to give a fuck.
I couldn’t stop. I saw flashes of the younger me. So hungry. So bruised. So alone.
I saw a younger me. Terrified. Sad. Wondering what I did wrong.
Wondering what I could do to be better.
Maybe he wouldn’t hate me as much.
Why does he hate me?
Why doesn’t he love me?
“Tobias! Tobias. You’re okay.” I’m not sure when, but at some point, Elijah ran over to me, grabbed me from behind, and lifted me off, Derrick.
Derrick groaned, spitting more blood on the ground. I could tell by the way he looked from here that I had done some damage. He’d better get to a doctor - not like I cared.
“Don’t ever fucking talk to me or my family ever again.” I panted. He looked over at me, rubbing blood off his lip with the back of his hand.
“You don’t know what you just did. I’m going to burn your life down, boy.” He snarled. I could see from here that his right eye was already starting to swell over.
“I’d like to see you try.” I smiled. Seeing him bruised and black, filled me with joy. I looked over at Elijah. “Oh, by the way, Derrick. Yeah, I’m gay. So fucking gay.” I exhaled. I looked back over at Elijah again, who had the look of pride glimmering in his eyes.
Derrick muttered some homophobic slurs under his breath, but I didn’t care because he limped away down the driveway to where I’m sure he parked his stupid car.
Elijah and I waited a few moments before finally exhaling and looking at each other.
“Holy shit.” Elijah laughed, bringing me into a huge hug. “You fucking did it, baby. You fucking stood up to him.” Elijah squeezed me so hard I could barely breathe.
I fucking stood up to Derrick Voss, and I won.