The Nerd [ongoing]

filipendulous (23.)

filipendulous

(adj.) hanging by a thread

One look at the back of my jacket and his big mouth was shut. I chuckle inwardly, thinking back to the look on his face.

He has to keep his hands to himself. I am the only one that can hurt my Doll.

I smirk as I look at the computer in front of me. Ava thinks that she's smart huh? I shake my head and take a sip from my beer.

HUNTERS POV

Kick

Uppercut

Uppercut

Hook

Jab, jab, jab

Jab, jab

I rest my forehead and hands against the punching bag.

Fuck.

I hear the door behind me opening. I don't move.

"What are you doing here kid?" A stern voice asks me.

I quickly turn around. It's Dylan.

"I- was, um. You told me I could-" He gives me a nod. 

"I did."

It's silent for a couple of minutes. The only thing you can hear are my punches and kicks, echoing through the gym.

I take a step back to breathe. "Hey, kid. Alright?" Dylan asks me hesitantly.

"No." I give the bag another punch. 

"You, maybe, uh, wanna talk about it?" I turn around and Dylan is rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand.

"A girl once told me that sometimes it's better to talk about it instead of just bottling it up. A bit hypocritical of her if you ask me. But that doesn't make it untrue. Sit." He sits down on a bench and pats the spot next to him.

"Tell me what makes you come here at 4am on a wednesday morning." I sigh and unwrap my hands as I walk towards him and sit down.

"I um. There's this girl-" 

"Ah, young love." He smirks at me. 

"No, no. I mean- No. That's not it." I run my fingers through my hair and look at the punching bag. "I- She always wears these baggy clothes with her hood covering most of her face. I didn't know why. I thought that maybe she was insecure. And, she had this act." I shake my head.

"I don't know why but she acted like this, this, shy nerdy type. To, I don't know, not attract attention to herself? Sometimes she'd accidentally slip and make a feisty comment or something." I half chuckle. 

"And she is so damn beautiful. But, covered, in fucking bruises." I rest my head in my hands and look at the floor. "I didn't know what was going on."

"And, then, after school. While I was at home, having fun. She was at home being fucking abused!"

I stand back up and go back to the punching bag, this time without any bandages, and punch the fuck out of it.

DYLANS POV

He kicks the bag a last time and almost collapses. "C'mon kid. I'll take ya home."

It's very obvious that he cares a lot about the girl. Even if he won't see it himself yet. I'm just curious to know who the girl is. Poor girl. No one should have to go through something like that.

Hunter packs his bag and I lead him to my car. 

"Take a day off from school. You wouldn't be able to concentrate anyway." He nods.

We step into my car and I drive away to his house. 

"So, who's this girl that stole your heart?" I ask with a grin. 

"Hey, I never said she stole my heart."

Doesn't mean she doesn't have it.

I keep quiet and wait for his answer. He fiddles with his fingers. "Um, her name is," He sighs. "Um, Ava Garcia. Wait. Don't you know her? You have to help me. I- I don't know what to do and-"

I- I think I'm in shock. The kid keeps rambling on but I don't hear anything anymore.

My, my precious Ava? B- but how, a-and wh-, jesus.

Did Tim know this? If so, he kept it from all of us. He, he. Why did he? We could've gotten her out of that house a long time ago.

"Um, Dylan? We're here." I nod. Still a bit in a daze. I shake my head to get out of it and look at the cars in the driveway. 

"Send you dad to me kid, and hurry." My tone became ice cold. He nods, quickly leaves the car and hurries into his house.

I grip the steering wheel a little tighter. Okay, a lot tighter.

A knock on the passenger window. I open it. 

"Alright Dy-" 

"Jackson, I need you at the Arena. Boss will be okay with it. I need to be somewhere else today. It opens at 7." He looks a bit concerned but nods and says of course. I throw him the key before giving him a firm nod back and driving away.

~

I storm into Tim and Santiago's house. That little fucker is going to be yelled at and then we're going to get Ava from her house. I stop in my tracks.

It's her birthday today. It's her fucking birthday today.

"TIM!" My voice booms through the house. A very confused Santiago walks out of the kitchen with a little bundle in his hands.

"What's going on? Tim isn't here. Is Tim in trouble?" He takes a look at my face. 

"Tim is in a lot of trouble." He grimaces.

We hear a car entering the driveway. There's the little-

TIMS POV

She passed out. She passed out in the car. This looks way too much like when- I shake my head. Don't think about that.

I press my foot down harder against the pedal. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon.

Don't die on me please Ava. Omg, what'll San think when I walk into the house with her?

I enter our driveway and almost fly out of the car. I rip open her door, unfasten her seatbelt and sprint to the door. Not noticing another car in our driveway.

I open the door and stop in my tracks. A very angry Dylan and a very confused Santiago are standing a few feet away. Fuck. He knows, doesn't he?