Coffee Shop Soundtrack (Marianas Trench)

Chapter Twenty One

Six days later, Mike and Josh carefully made their way over to Matt’s house. Mike drove and Josh anxiously tapped his foot or drummed his fingers the whole journey.

“Josh, calm down.” Mike said. Josh shook his head.

“I can’t. I’m so worried about him, Mike.” Josh said. “What if we can’t even open the door?”

“Then we smash it down, Josh. He’s getting out of there whatever. We waited too long in the first place, he doesn’t deserve to be there.” Josh sighed shakily and nodded.

They climbed the concrete steps together, up to Matt’s apartment. They noticed on his door that there was a new lock, one that they had to lock from the outside. Mike pursed his lips but got on his knees and quickly began to pick the lock. There, it was easy. So they knocked on the door loudly. Matt must have looked through the peephole, for there was a gasp of a curse on the other side of the door and the door was unlocked. Matt flung the door open, smiling widely. He was skinny, really skinny, and his fingers were raw and calloused.  There were purple bruises all over his face, a deep gash in the centre of his forehead and one across his jawline, and his neck was darkly bruised as well. It highlighted his prominent bones and hollow cheeks, making him look more skeletal than ever.

“Holy fuck. This can’t be real.” He breathed, and Mike and Josh entered. As soon as the door shut, Josh wrapped his arms around Matt carefully, as though not to disrupt any lurking injuries under his far too large sweater. Matt evidently didn’t care, because he hugged Josh so tightly the elder thought those frail arms might snap.

“Matt, we’re getting you out of here.” Mike smiled, dropping the small suitcase he was carrying on the floor.

“You can’t... you’re gonna get me in trouble...” Matt hesitated, gravitating near Josh, his arms folded and fingers trembling.

“We have to, Matt, you’re not safe.”

“It’ll be worse if I leave... he’ll find me...”

“Matt... just trust us, okay? Take whatever’s yours, and hurry, okay?” Matt nodded dumbly, grabbing the case and rushing to his bedroom. Josh followed closely, taking whatever clothes Matt tossed at him and squashing them down in the case.

“I can’t thank you enough for saving me.” Matt said.

“It’s fine. You don’t deserve this, and I didn’t believe you when you called.”

Matt nodded as he folded a sweater and handed it to Josh. “He... he told me that I couldn’t talk to you guys anymore. I stood up to him... I didn’t want to... have sex with him, so I told him no, and he got mad.” Josh had stopped what he was doing, so Matt tapped his shoulder lightly to remind him. “And he held the phone up to my ear and told me what to tell you guys, and after I called you he smashed it on the floor. I didn’t mean to lie, I’d never lie like that, I just didn’t have a choice.”

“I tried calling you again. But it told me your phone was out of service.” He smiled humourlessly. “I guess that was why.”    

In a hurry, Mike rushed in. “We’ll finish this, Matt. You go get your stuff from the bathroom.” Matt nodded, and rushed towards the bathroom, grabbing his wash-bag that was still pretty much packed from when he stayed at Mike’s all that time before. He grabbed his toothbrush and hairbrush and face-razor, and then he picked up his other razor and slipped it into the lining of his bag. As he headed out to go back to his bedroom, he caught sight of someone sitting in the living room. He covered his mouth and rushed back to his bedroom as quietly as he could.

“Mike.” He whisper-shouted desperately. “He’s here. What do I do?”

There was panic evident in his eyes and Josh grabbed the bag off of him, throwing the last of his belongings into the case and zipping it shut. Matt rushed out to go see Tyler.

“Matt, why the fuck was the door unlocked, you piece of shit?” He yelled, grabbing Matt by the collar and pulling him up to his eye level. When Mike walked out to the living room boldly, with Josh following, nervously clutching his rucksack and carrying his suitcase, his tone changed and he dropped Matt to the floor again, glaring at the weaker boy. “And why are these two here?” Tyler snarled. Matt glanced over as Josh subtly slipped his laptop, college papers and notebook into it.

“I’m going with them, because you... you treat me like shit, and I c-can’t stand it anymore.” He said. Tyler raised his hands and pushed Matt roughly, knocking the boy down and hitting his side on the counter on the way down. He yelped out.

“I fucking told you never to speak to them again, you decietful fuck.” He yelled, picking up fistfuls of Matt’s hair and slamming his head down to the floor, evidently not caring that the other boys were there.

“Tyler!” Matt rasped. Soon, the weight was lifted off of Matt by Mike.

“Fuck off, Michael, he deserves this.” Tyler said, struggling out of Mike’s grip and heading over to where Matt lay.

“No he doesn’t, Tyler.” Josh said. “He doesn’t deserve any of this and you’re treating him like crap and it’s not fair. I should call the goddamn police.” Tyler kicked Matt roughly, with Mike rushing to the poor boy’s attention, before coming back to where Josh was. “The fuck did you just say to me?”

Josh was a little taller than Tyler, but he sure wasn’t stronger. He clenched his teeth and stepped forward. “I said, it’s not fair for him to be treated like this. What did he do to you?”

“He went off with you, faggot.” Tyler hissed, getting in Josh’s personal space.

“It started before Matt even met Josh, Tyler.” Mike pointed out, but Tyler didn’t even cast a glance in his direction.

“I’m fine, Mike, really, it’s okay...” Matt mumbled to Mike, who was helping him stand. They watched as Tyler continued to try and intimidate Josh.

“Do I look like I give a fuck? He’s mine. You stay away from him.”

“He’s not yours to take! He could do so much better than you.” Josh said. Matt shuffled to his feet, with the support of Mike. He cast a warning look at Josh.

“Oh, yeah. Like you then?” Tyler brushed his hair away from his eyes. Josh bit his lip, but continued.

“Yeah. Because I wouldn’t beat him up.” Josh said, and Tyler just laughed.

“Fine. Whatever. Take him out of here. He’s not even a good fuck anyway. I could find someone much better myself.” Tyler said loudly, waving his arms around. Matt, blushing furiously as the tears threatened to spill over, went to grab his guitar, and Tyler followed him. “You’re worthless. I hope you never forget that.” He grabbed the younger’s wrist and dug his fingernails into the fragile, pale skin on the inside, he pierced the frail skin with his sharp fingernails and Matt stifled a yelp.

“Whatever he tells you, you’re worth nothing. You’re a piece of shit. You would be better off dead. Cut up your arms and kill yourself.” Matt gulped and nodded, zipping up the guitar case and leaving the room. Mike took his case and Josh took his rucksack, leaving Tyler to grab a bottle of beer from the fridge to drink alone.    

Matt sunk down in the seat of Mike’s car, letting tears fall now he was outside the apartment. Josh sat in the back with him, rubbing comforting circles on his back. Matt was exhausted. “I’m sorry.” He said, loud enough for both Josh and Mike to hear.

“What for? You didn’t do anything wrong, Matt.” Mike reassured him.

“For lying. For all that drama, it didn’t need to happen.” The younger boy sighed. “I’m just really sorry.”

“Don’t be, Matt. Nothing was your fault.” Josh stated, and after a pause, he continued. “Are you gonna stay with Mike? ‘Cause there’s space at mine, if you want...” he said, blushing lightly.

“I’d love to stay with you... i-if it’s not a problem.”

This left both of the boys grinning, Matt gently stretching up to place a kiss on Josh’s cheek. Josh blushed even more than before, and leant across to wipe tears from the younger boy’s face.

A/N: This was really difficult to publish! Wattpad was messing up but I think I fixed it (hopefully). Sorry for this