Just the Beginning

13

MATT

I sit in my room where I stare at the blank walls around. My face is sore, I have a black eye, not sure about broken bones. I'm sure I'll be fine.

Suddenly there's a knock at my door, it's loud. "Matthias get your ass up boy," my dad snaps, "let's go. We got shit to do today."

"Coming," I say so I atleast answer. I get out of bed and toss on some fresh clothes before checking myself in the mirror. My eye isn't so swollen anymore, just black and blue. I take a piss before flushing and pulling up my jeans. I stuff my phone in my back pocket and head downstairs. I wonder what's going on today. Part of me doesn't want to know though, just wants to leave. I'd rather be with Ana right now.

"So you wanna tell me what the hell happened with your brother last night? Want to tell me why you started being a dickhead to him?"

"What?" I'm thrown off guard, "I-I didn't start anything. I got home and he-"

"Okay spare me the bullshit," he waved his hand, "just tell me what happened. And tell me the damn truth. Don't make this harder than it needs to be."

I look at him confused. I didn't start anything. How am I supposed to tell the truth? My side is the truth but my side isn't what he wants to hear. He can't stand for Jack to be in the wrong. So I explain, but I'm explaining it how I want to. Won't make a difference, I'll still be in the wrong either way.

I walked in the front door of the house last night after dropping Ana off at Jada's. It's quiet, too quiet. I looked around slowly before I tried to go upstairs but Jack stopped me.

"So where the hell did you have my car?"

"Jack, it's ours man," I sigh, "it's ours. I was just taking it for a drive. That's all."

"Why do you smell like smoke?" He walks closer to me before stopping, looking me up and down and snapping a bit louder, "why! Where were you! You know dad hates when we go out late."

"I was with a friend," I shake my head, "with Chase. It's not that big of a deal."

"You're lying."

I shake my head and start to walk away but at this point he grabs me and spins me around to face him.

"Don't walk away from me. I'm your elder. You stay until I tell you to leave."

"Jack just fucking leave me alone alright?" I snap at him, "please. I can't deal with this right now."

"Oh you can't? Maybe you can deal with this then."

I watched his fist pull back but before I could think to swing I felt him make contact with my eye and I stumbled backwards. I trip over the chair, hitting my head hard against the wall. The drywall gave way, leaving a hole where I landed.

"Now look at what you did!" Jack snapped, "Dad's gonna be pissed."

"Maybe you shouldn't have hit me you fucking asshole!" I stand up and run at him, swinging my arm around and making contact with his jaw. He catches himself on the couch, pushes himself back and pulls my chest to his knee. The air leaves my lungs and he pushes me to the ground before punching me again. I'm out of breath and it feels like death with him on top of me. He pins my arms under his legs and grabs my hair in his fist.

"This is all our fucking fault Matt," he glares, "you know I don't like the car being gone forever. If you wouldn've just stayed here instead of going out with that stupid bitch-"

"Don't call her that!" I throw my leg up back hard enough to knock him forward, allowing me to get up. "You don't get to call her that, Jack! You don't know her." I don't know how he found out. I didn't tell anyone but Chase.

"Oh now you defend her," he laughs, "you fuck her yet? Is she any good?"

I try to keep my cool. I know he's just being an asshole but I can't take it. It hits a nerve nothing else does. I run at him but he turns just in time to stick his foot out and somehow manage to flip me mid air and throw me on the ground. The air again is knocked out of my lungs. I feel defeated. Tired. Angry.

"She won't be around long," he leans in, "she'll find out about you and then it's just a matter of time. She doesn't care about you."

"You're wrong."

"Oh am I?" he laughs, "we'll see about that."

He has to be wrong, right? She'll stay... right?