Rip My Heart Out

Chapter Twenty

A/N new cover!

My father hands me a plate full of spaghetti as we all sit around to eat dinner.

"Ashton, remember that your mother and I are leaving tomorrow to go see her parents."

My mother chimes in, "We'll be back Friday."

I look at my expecting parents, then nod.

My father raises his eyebrows, "We expect that you'll be able to take care of Harry and won't get into any trouble."

"Oh, yes sir. I promise." I say. I've watched Harry plenty of times before, I've just got to keep Luke far away from here till Friday.

My mother smiles and places her hand to her chest, "My boys. I'm so glad Harry has such a mature and responsible older brother."

Harry just stuff his face full with pasta.

•

"I want vanilla and sprinkles and gummy bears." Harry excitedly says as he holds onto my hand while we cross the street.

I laugh at him, "You have to pick one."

He frowns and opens his mouth to speak but doesn't, then does it again. Finally he decides on gummy bears.

Harry points at all the things he wants and the teenage girl behind the counter slowly moves to get them.

"Well, this is just adorable." I hear a familiar, high pitched voice say.

Claire approaches Harry and I just as the girl hands him his ice cream cone. Claire smiles an exaggerated smile and Harry stairs at her curiously.

I pull a quarter from my pocket, "Here, go pick a song on the jukebox." Harry excitedly runs off to the corner of the shop.

"Hello." I blankly say.

She doesn't seem to be into greetings as she immediately starts talking "Tell Calum to leave me alone. I know you'll see him eventually and I'd rather not face him. I'm seeing someone new now and Calum needs to stay away." Her bored expression never changes.

I shake my head, "I think you should tell him."

"I had a feeling you'd say that." She lets out a sigh. "If you don't tell him I'll tell your little brother over there that you like boys, then good luck keeping that from your mom."

I glare at her, where did her parents go wrong?

"Fine."

•

"Where are we going?" Harry asks excitedly.

"A friends house, I got to give him something." I say nervously. I'm not excited about delivering the news to Calum. I know he's not going to take it well but I don't want to risk Claire telling anyone what she thinks she knows.

"What's his name? How old is he? Does he want to play?" Harry's small hand clings to mine. His curiosity is never ending.

I don't answer him as we reach Calum's front door and I knock.

"Who is it?" Calum calls back, angrily.

"Uh, Ashton."

"And Harry!"

He opens the door and reveals a shirtless, sleepy Calum. My eyes struggle to focus on his own.

"What do you want?" He says in a less angry tone. He rubs his eye with the palm of his hand.

"I need to talk to you."

Harry and I walk into his house and it looks exactly as it did when I was hear days before. Still no parents.

Calum instructs Harry to sit on his couch and hands him a pencil and a notepad for him to draw with.

We walk back to his room and he falls down on his bed, his chest rising and falling slowly.

"It's about Claire." I start.

He perks up, "What about Claire?"

I take a deep breath and say "She wants you to leave her alone, said she has someone new and wanted me to tell you."

Calum stays silent for a moment before he whispers "This is your fault."

"What?"

"She likes you, that's why she's so angry at you, because you wont fuck her. If you had just done it that night this wouldn't be happening."

I shake my head at the thought "You know I don't like her."

His eyes narrow as he sits up and stairs at me, "Yeah, because your a faggot even though you keep trying to tell yourself you're not. Straight kids don't do the gross shit you do."

My breathing turns shaky, "Calum, you don't mean that."

He stands. "Yes, I do. You're a faggot and my girl loves you but she can't have you, why do you think she got you to tell me? She's trying to make you jealous."

I back up as he stands threateningly in front of me, he seems taller than he ever has before.

"I don't know what you want me to say." I shake my head.

"Just leave." He points to his bedroom door and I don't argue, I'm afraid of what he might do if I make him angrier. The time we met flashes in my head, how easy it was for him to hurt me when he was mad.

"Let's go Harry." I say, quickly walking through his house.