Black And White

Eighty One

That evening, Mitch was beginning to get worried because Scott hadn't responded to any of his texts since school ended.

Mitch had even tried contacting Avi, who also didn't answer.

Part of him wanted to go to Scott's and check on him, but the other part of him hoped that Scott was just spending some time with his dad.

Mitch still hadn't received an answer until he was leaving the dinner table.

As soon as Mitch saw a text from him, he rushed into his bedroom and decided to call him.

Scott's low voice spoke quietly. "Hey."

"God, Scott, I've been so worried. Are you okay?"

"Uh oh... You're not s'pose to worry while you're hurt. You'll make it worse or some'in."

"Scott, are you..? Are you drunk?"

"Drunk? Drunk on life. Drunk on the thought of you, my dearest love."

Mitch heard a familiar laugh in the back round. "Are you with Avi? Drinking? On a school night?"

Scott seemed to breathe a little heavier, his impaired state realizing that he was in trouble. "Uh... No?"

"Scott Richard Hoying--"

"Yes, Sir." Scott mumbled back.

Mitch sighed loudly, glancing down at his sweatpants for a moment. "Damn it, Scott. Where the Hell are you?"

"Home... Well, not home. The home-iest home that isn't in your arms."

Mitch easily filtered his sappy babble. "You're at your house?"

"Mhmm... Are you mad at me? Please don't be mad at me."

Mitch was already grabbing his keys and his wallet. "I'm not mad, honey... I just wish you would've said something to me."

"I'm sorry... Please don't be mad."

"I said I wasn't mad."

Scott made a sad noise, and even over the phone Mitch could picture the pout on his face.

Scott started more of his baby-babble. "I just want someone to be proud of me, Mishy. You know? I just... Wanna make Mishy proud..."

"I'm very proud of you, baby. But not when you make decisions like these."

"You're... Not proud?"

"Baby--" He was only two minutes away. If Scott could just hold it together for two more minutes...

"You hate me? You.. You wanna leave?"

But Mitch shouldn't hold his breath about it. "No, baby, you're my everything."

"But I'm not enough. I wasn't enough to make my mom stay, or enough to make my dad spend even a single day with me so why should you have to stick around?"

"Scott, please. Baby, I love you so so much, I'd be nothing without you. I'm almost to your house okay? Will you just sit still, quietly, until I get there? No more alcohol, okay? Don't be sad."

"Why not, Mishy? Drink makes it feel better.. For a little while..."

"You don't need that drink, okay? You've got me, and that's all you need."

*

Scott was staring at the ceiling now, his head in Mitch's lap on the couch.

Avi stood in front of them, more sober than Mitch thought he'd be. "He called me to ask if he could stay over. I wasn't home at the time though, so I said I'd come get him in an hour or so, but..."

"You got here, and he was like this?"

"Mhmm. So I just figured I'd stay with him. Didn't want him to embarrass himself in front of my mom; Knew he'd never live it down."

Mitch nodded slowly, looking down at Scott to run his fingers through his blonde hair. "How are you feeling, babe?"

"Sad." He muttered.

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

"Dad was mean. That's all."

Avi looked at Mitch too. "From what I can gather... His dad said some rude ass shit, threw a few things, threatened to beat him up, and then packed up his shit and left."

Mitch ran his hand through Scott's hair. "My poor baby..."

Scott leaned into his hand, even when he pulled away. "I'm your baby."

"Yes you are, honey." Mitch looked up at Avi. "Are you gonna stay here?"

"Yeah, no worries. I got him. I'll drive us both to come get you tomorrow morning, okay? Maybe... Text him and leave a few happy thoughts for him to wake up to?"

Mitch nodded once. "Oh, no problem. Just take care of him, please."

Scott reached up to pull Mitch's hand from his hair, only to hold it in front of his face. "I don't want you to go."

"I know, honey... But I snuck out to see you. I have to get back."

Scott squeezed Mitch's hand a little more. "Don't go." He frowned a little, and he looked almost like he might cry. "Please don't leave me."

Mitch frowned down at him, pulling their intertwined hands over so he could kiss the back of Scott's hand. "Don't pout like that, babe. You're breaking my heart."

Scott continued to pout at him, his hair slightly out of order. "Please, Mitchie."

Mitch looked up at Avi then, hoping for advice.

Avi held a hand out to him. "I can call your parents. I'll just tell them Scott had an emergency, and you're driving him to the hospital or something. Then they won't expect you home."

Mitch shook his head slowly. "This is crazy... Thanks for doing that though."

"Yeah." Avi then took Mitch's phone, and disappeared down the hall.

Scott turned over a little to kiss Mitch's stomach, before lifting Mitch's shirt a little and kissing him again.

Mitch smiled at him, squeezing Scott's hand. "What are you doing down there, honey?"

Scott only chuckled a little. "Kissin' my baby."

Mitch smiled down at him, and when Scott pulled his own hand away so he could hold Mitch's hip as he pressed kisses to his stomach, Mitch moved his hand back into Scott's hair. "Scottie..?"

"Hmmmmm?"

"What did your dad say to you?"

Scott made a disapproving sound. "Said he wanted to beat my ass. Said I deserved it for being ungrateful. Said... Said she left because of me."

"Aw... Baby, you know that's not true."

"I was gonna let him beat me up so I could beat his ass right back. But.. I know the rule, so I called Avi to help me."

"And then what happened?"

"He threw a bottle of beer at me, and pushed me a little on his way out of here. I don't know if he's coming back..."

"You don't need him, Scottie Bear. You're better off without all the stress and grief he's putting in your life."

Scott hummed at him, and didn't answer. "I just wanna be loved, y'know? Even the people that brought me into this world don't want me."

"Baby, that--"

"What's so bad about me?" Scott moved a little to look up at Mitch's face. "Am I a bad person? Or am I just impossible to love?"

Avi walked back out of the hall, handing Mitch's phone over. "Okay, it's all good. Your mom said it was fine, and that she hopes Scott is okay."

Mitch kept his eyes on Scott. "Thanks..." He didn't feel comfortable telling Scott how much he was worth, in front of Avi. But maybe once Avi had gone home... Maybe.

**