Adopted by Austin Carlile

Ben Threw

*Austin's POV*

I was looking for my car keys in the drawers in my room – I don't know how the fuck I was able to lose them. Again. Already almost all my drawers were empty, their contents spilled all over my room. God damn it, it's like they have tiny key legs and decided to play hide and seek with me.

I heard yelling from downstairs, and my thoughts immediately turned to Jinxx. Maybe something happened and I wasn't there to stop it? Oh God I just adopted her a couple of days ago and already I managed to fuck things up! I ran downstairs and into the kitchen where the yelling was coming from. I saw Alan holding Jinxx while yelling at Tino, his face red, and Tino looking down at the ground and apologizing. 

I came over to them and asked Alan, "What's wrong? Why is Jinxxy crying?" while pulling her away from Alan and enveloping her in a hug. I rubbed her back gently and said to her, "It's okay, sweetie, it's okay, just please don't cry". She hid her face in my chest while Alan said, "Tino here thinks that it's cool to ask someone about their past WHEN THEY'RE NOT READY TO TELL IT!" Alan yelled the last part, his face turning even more red and Tino said, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to know more about –"

Before I could say anything, Alan started yelling at him again, "IF SHE WANTED YOU TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HER PAST, SHE WOULD'VE TOLD YOU! Look at what you've done,". He put his hand on Jinxx's shoulder trying to calm her down, but I could see it wasn't working. Her body racked with sobs and I tried my best to soothe her by rubbing her back.

She said, "It's, hic, not his, hic, fault" and maybe it wasn't his fault, but I got SO MAD. She was so happy in the morning, and now she's crying her eyes out, all thanks to Tino who had to bring up her past. 

Jinxx saw that I was mad when she looked up at me, and I could see her eyes cloud with worry. "Austin...". I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose and took a couple of long, deep breaths. Finally I was calm enough to say, "Tino please, just leave, okay?". Jinxx tried to say something, "Austin-" but I shook my head no and said to Tino, "Please, just leave, okay? I think Jinxx needs to calm down okay?"

Jinxx buried her head in my chest while Tino hesitantly agreed.

He left and I continued to hold Jinxx and trying to get her to calm down. In a couple of minutes my little princess stopped crying. She looked up at me and said, "I'll be right back", breaking our hug and walking to the staircase. 'Exactly where does she has to go now?' I thought to myself as I grabbed her arm, trying to be as gentle as possible, knowing her cuts were still open.

She looked at me with innocent eyes but I saw right through them. She looked way too innocent, and I could see SOMETHING was up. I just need to figure out what exactly.

"Exactly what did you forget upstairs?" I asked her.

"I...have to go to the bathroom. My makeup is a mess probably" she said. She hesitated and I realized exactly what she was going to do. 'Why would this gorgeous girl harm herself? She's so perfect and beautiful and is the sweetest person alive. Why would she feel the need to drag that blade across her skin?' I thought to myself as I hugged her tightly to my chest.

"You promised you won't remember?" I whispered into her ear, making sure Alan wouldn't hear.

"I'm sorry" she said a bit too loudly because Alan looked over, surprised and confused, and said, "Sorry? Why are you sorry? That you have to go to the bathroom?"

I thought it seemed to dawn on him exactly what she meant he said "No", looking unbelievably sad.

"Please tell me it's not what I think it is," he said turning to Jinxx.

"I, uh –" she started to explain, but quickly hid behind me when he came over.

"Alan, please, leave her alone okay?" I said to him. She's been through enough in one day. 

"No! My best friend is hurting herself, I will not just "leave her alone"!" Alan said to me and stepped around me to face Jinxx.

I turned to Alan and Jinxx and he looked at her and asked, "How bad?"

"I-" she began to say, but Alan cut her off.

"How bad? I need to know, please!" he said and grabbed her arm. She flinched, and I flinched along, I could imagine the pain that grab must have caused, "Hey be careful Alan" I said to him.

"Austin everything's okay, I'll go talk to Alan...um, outside okay?" Jinxx said to me, her eyes pleading. I nodded, still unsure if everything was really okay, but trusting her, as she lead Alan outside.

I pulled out my cell and called Vic. He picked up on the third ring, and I asked him if it was okay if I could come over with my daughter and knowing him, he immediately said yes. I warned him that she had a rough past but I didn't mention her self-harm. That's too personal, but I just hope that she'll open up to him on her own.  

After I hung up, I went back to looking for my car keys. I looked through the downstairs closet where everything was cramped together so I had to be careful whilst looking, fearing for my health. But after 20 minutes, my work paid off. I found my car keys! I don't know why they were there, but let's not question that. (Told you they had tiny key legs o.o) I closed the closet door and saw Alan and Jinxx, "Okay! I got them, now we can go," I said to Jinxx.

"Umm, where are we going?" Alan asked.

"Well, me and Jinxx are going to Vic's house," I said looking at Jinxx, making it clear if she wanted to invite him along, she can.

"Ohhhh can I come? Pretty pretty pretty please?" Alan asked looking at Jinxx with puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah sure," she said.

We headed out to the car, and I could see that Jinxx was thinking really hard about something. During the drive, she seemed to become more and more worried, her brow creased with worry and she would glance at me with the same worry and then away. I reached over and lightly stroked her shoulder. "I don't know what you're worried about, but you shouldn't worry, Vic's a nice guy."

When we got out of the car I had to shake Alan awake, he fell asleep. Again. Then we headed to his house, Jinxx still looking way too worried.