36. Chapter Thirty-Six
Almost three hours later, after waiting for security to get a story from Chris, me begging them not to call the cops, getting a rideshare to drop off Mila at her house and then me, I’m standing outside the Harper’s.
Mila offered for me to stay there, but I didn’t want to. I just want to get into my bed and sleep for the next month. As I was on my way here, I got a text from Tomas who also offered for me to stay with him, but I denied that too.
I let myself inside and find Cole watching TV. I ignore him and go right upstairs, shutting my door and falling onto my bed.
My life is such a fucking mess.
I’m halfway asleep when I hear shouting downstairs. I jerk awake and run down the stairs, because it doesn’t sound like regular shouting. It sounds like they’re about to kill one another. Worse than last time. And after how the night has gone, I won’t be surprised if they full out brawl.
I find them in the hallway in each other’s faces. They must catch me out of the corner of their eye. Chris turns my way, furious.
“You have the balls to come here after tonight?” he shouts, turning toward me.
Cole stays behind him, looking unsure of what to do. Defend me. Or stay on his son’s side.
“I’m leaving,” I say carefully. “Just needed to get my stuff.”
It’s a lie, but it’s for the best. It’s like he doesn’t even hear me though.
“I can’t believe you are in my house!” he shouts, moving toward me, but Cole jolts forward, grabbing him around the waist and tugging him back.
“You are not fighting in my house,” Cole growls.
“Get the fuck off me!” Chris screams, fighting to get out of his father’s hold. Cole gives him a little shove to the side and Chris steps forward. I can see his split lip and bruised eye from here.
“Fuck both of you,” he seethes. “Especially you!” He points in Cole’s face. “Especially you,” he repeats, this time more quietly. He shakes his head. “I’m going to stay with mom. Should’ve done it years ago.”
“Christopher—” Cole starts.
“Don’t you fucking dare!” Chris bellows, glaring at Cole. He walks toward me again, but I can see he’s going upstairs by his avoidance. He storms up the stairs and all I can do is stand there. Chris goes into his room, slamming the door. I turn my attention to Cole, watching as he paces and runs his hands through his hair. Chris is in his room less than five minutes before coming back down, carrying a backpack and a large duffel bag. I’m still standing on the stairs, in the same place I was when he went up.
When Chris reaches the bottom, Cole stops at the end of the hall toward the living room, watching him. Chris turns to me, glaring.
“Have fun staying in my house. Living with my father. Maybe you can be the son you think he deserves,” he spits out before storming past Cole and going out the door.
Cole goes after him and I move after them both, not needing them fighting in the street. That’ll really get Chris arrested. He’s lucky he didn’t get arrested tonight. Security watched the video and saw he went after me first. They wanted to call the cops.
I stand in the doorway, trying to hide so Chris doesn’t flip out over seeing me again. Seems I’m a trigger for him when he’s drunk, which is bullshit. All I’ve done is try to help him. Be his friend.
“Where are you going? You can’t drive like this!” Cole shouts, throwing his arms in the air.
“Fuck you, Cole,” Chris mutters.
He must’ve called a rideshare when he was up in his room, or maybe it’s one of his friends, but a black Honda pulls up and he gets in. Then he’s gone.
Cole whirls and comes back inside, slamming the door shut.
“What the fuck happened?” he barks at me. I wince and step back.
“Don’t yell at me like this is my fault!” I argue.
He frowns, holds my stare for a long moment, then lets out a harsh breath. His hands are on his hips and his head falls back on his shoulders. “You’re right, I’m sorry. This is just… too fucking much. This is all too much.”
He sits in the armchair and I go to the kitchen to get us each a water. I give him one and then sit on the couch.
“He was drinking again. Being a dick. We got into a fight at Mark’s show.”
“Like an argument?”
I shake my head, opening my water. “No, like we threw punches.”
“Fucking hell. I thought those bruises were from someone else.”
“I’m sure I’ll have some tomorrow.”
“What exactly happened? What was he being a dick about?”
I grit my teeth, not even wanting to think about it. The anger in his voice when he said that shit to Mila? He’s so fucked. I’m not sure I can forgive him for that.
“He called Mila an uptight bitch.”
Cole rears his head back. “My son called one of his best friends an uptight bitch?”
I nod. “Yeah, and I told him to fuck off. He didn’t like it.”
Cole doesn’t say anything to that. It’s quiet for a while and I get to my feet.
“I’m going to pack my stuff,” I say as I move to the hallway.
“Why?” I turn around to find Cole standing. “You’re not leaving.”
“I am, actually. I can’t stay here without Chris.”
“Why not?”
“Because it’s weird.”
He frowns. “For who?”
I search his eyes, his face, trying to find a single reason he would want me to stay here. And it hits me all too fast. I see it then. It’s there, all over his face.
Cole is lonely. He doesn’t want to be here by himself.
“Do you have any idea why Chris is mad at you?” I ask softly.
“No! Not a fucking clue. If I did, maybe I’d be able to fix this.” He pauses, chest heaving. Cole takes a step closer to me. “Do you?”
I chew on the inside of my lip. “I do, but I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“Why the fuck not?” he barks.
“Because I don’t want to be involved with this, Cole. I left my father’s because he was an asshole. I come here and get the same treatment from someone who is supposed to be my best friend. I don’t want to fuck things up with Chris more than I already have.”
He steps to me. “You aren’t the one who did anything.”
“You don’t even know that.”
“I do know that.”
I shake my head and step away, forcing myself to move even though I don’t want to. What I want to do is lose myself in Cole. Hug him. Tell him to make everything okay. Make him feel okay. This is way more than I ever thought I’d be dealing with in this house. What hurts the most is knowing there is a remedy, and he’s standing right in front of me. Yet he’s so out of reach.
“Please don’t go,” he says. The desperation in those words nearly breaks me. When he speaks again, they sound stronger. “The least you can let me do is allow you a place to stay.”
I look away from him, shaking my head. This is such a bad idea.
“Why, Cole? Why do you feel like you have to do anything for me? You owe me nothing.”
“Because—” He stops abruptly and I expect an elaborate explanation, but he closes his mouth and shakes his head. “Just because. Please let me do this, Bryson.”
I sigh, relenting. “Fine, but I’m not going to be here long. I got the job.”
I turn and head up the stairs. It’s another lie. I don’t usually lie. But I’ve told two lies so close to one another and they fell from my lips so easily. What the hell am I going to do when I find out I didn’t get the job? Come up with another lie to cover up this one? But I need a reason to leave here. More than “I don’t want to be here.”
This is why lying isn’t worth it. It’s never worth it.