Among Us (boyxboy) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 32 - The person you need

It wasn't long after the boy had left, that Oliver had disentangled his limbs from me and got up. He'd thanked me with a smile so fake, I didn't even have to point it out.

Only now, we were awkwardly standing around outside someone's house, not really knowing where to go or what to do.

"Do you... still wanna come over?" I asked hesitantly, aware of how insensitive it was. But I at least wanted to let him know he could always come to me, no matter the situation.

He shook his head and looked down to his shoes.

"It's fine. I think I'd better go home now. Another time, alright?" He hadn't looked at me again and he still wasn't. Then he turned around and hurried down the street, not even waiting for me to say goodbye. It made my heart ache to think that I was so useless in helping my best friend. The thought of running after him, really making sure he was ... not fine, but at least stable, never even crossed my mind until it was far too late. And maybe that was what hurt the most.

Slowly, I trudged back to my own home. Tears were threatening to spill over, stemming from my anger. Yes, I was angry. Furious even. At myself for never measuring up to any situation, and also at the world for just dumping everything on me and expecting me to just put up with it and take it.

I held back though. I wouldn't give in to tears because of this. I was stronger than this. I wanted to be stronger than this.

Partly forgetting why I had been outside for so long I opened the door thoughtlessly, immediately halting in my step.

The scene in front of me was so surreal, I wasn't even sure I had really seen it.

My father stood in the middle of the hallway, obviously wanting to disappear upstairs, while my mother held his wrist in a bruising grip. Her face was a mask of fury, all scrunched up, but with puffy red eyes, as if she had been crying. Her whole body was shaking, probably in an attempt to not just aimlessly throw punches at her husband. The fingers she had snapped around dad's wrist were digging into the skin, right where the veins were. I knew how much it hurt and because of who taught me, I also knew that mom was more than aware of the pain she was inflicting. Still, she didn't seem to stop, or even feel bad for that matter.

Dad, on the other hand, was calm. I knew this facial expression. It was the one he got when he'd found another mangled animal on the street, or when a beat up and raped woman found her way into the shelter he worked at. Only those times, there wasn't a definite target for his rage. Now, it was obviously channeled towards my mother.

It was scary, seeing them like that. They seemed like strangers, people I didn't know, invading the house that had always equaled home and security for me.

Without saying a thing, without even reacting at all, I ran past them to my room. They had not moved an inch since I'd opened to door, probably too shocked to.

I quickly closed my door and locked it, not wanting for either of them to come in here right now.

My back hit the door and I slid to the floor, sitting in the same position as Oliver had before. Hunched up around myself. And suddenly I thought I could understand how he'd been feeling. Wanting to disappear from the world, if only to make all of this easier than it was. I was rocking myself back and forth, hoping to find some consolation in the motion. Instead, I was sobbing onto my knees, not able to hold anything back. Soon, I was lying on my side, my back to the door, in the foetus position. I felt numb.

Everything just came crashing down on me in that moment. Oliver had needed me before, someone to be strong for him. Now, I was alone, not expected to be anyone's saving hand. Now, I was in need of one myself.