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Chapter 10 - "We need to leave now."

Scene right after the football game and Carter tackles Link.

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Donovan pulled on his shoes, his mind a riot of questions. Was Carter likely to sit on her conclusions and analyze them? Or was she more likely to dive in? After last week there were so many situations where she reacted both ways that Donovan didn't know which way she would lean. 

So caught up in his thoughts, Donovan only barely registered Link leaving the locker room. Hurriedly tying his laces, Donovan followed Link out. The hallways were crowded as students rushed for freedom.

The second they were clear of the door, Link was yanked to the side and pulled into a bathroom. A flash of brown hair and blue eyes told Donovan exactly who grabbed him. Just as Donovan reached the door, it closed, a click saying the lock had been flipped. Knowing it wouldn't work, he still tried the handle. Burying his irritation, he knocked.

Apparently, she'd gone for the dive in action. 

"Carter, let Link go," he said.

From the other side, he heard the muffled sound of voices. The door remained locked. A myriad of ideas darted through Donovan's head, each one was likely to get him in trouble for destroying school property. He knocked again, fighting the urge to break the door down. Link's strained laugh came from inside and Donovan paused, trying to figure out what was going on between the two of them.

"Carter, open the door," he called out again, angry.

The voices continued, Link's laugh gone. Donovan knocked once more. If the door wasn't opened within the next thirty seconds, he would break it open. The seconds ticked louder and Donovan eyed the structure, finding the point that would be the weakest. He decided the lock would be the place to start. His survey of the door frame was halted when the lock flipped.

Link appeared and instantly Donovan knew she'd thrown her deduction at him. There was a cloud of emotions in his eyes and he was tense.

"We need to leave now," he said, quietly.

Donovan didn't ask questions, he merely placed a hand on Link's shoulder and guided him into the tide of students. The mass swallowed them up, hiding them. Before they hit the front doors, Donovan steered them to the left and down a less crowded hallway and a flight of stairs. Pushing through a side door, they were deposited on the opposite side of the school ramp.

The parking lot was beginning to fill and they hurried around groups, ducking into the Mercedes. Before Link had even buckled, Donovan was pulling out. Using a jerk move, he cut off four cars and sped onto the road.

"Tell me what happened? Are you okay?"

Link waved him off. "I'm fine. Just get me home."

Donovan said nothing though he could sense the emotions rolling off Link. For now he knew he just needed space. Speeding up, he carved his way through traffic, navigating the streets like a ship cutting through water. They had barely swung into their parking space, when Link was out of the car. Taking the keys out, Donovan followed. They were silent in the elevator. Link stared out the ground, his shoulders knotted.

At Link's apartment door, they stopped. From the other side they could hear people talking, the sounds familiar to Link's mother's employees.

"Come on," Donovan said, leading Link to his apartment.

He unlocked and pushed the door open for him. Afternoon light lit the apartment. Letting out a string of curses, Link flung his backpack to the couch and sat down. Donovan left his keys by the door and studied Link. His head was bent in his hands.

"Tell me what happened?"

"Carter knows." Link looked at him, panic in his eyes. "I don't know how she figured it out. I thought we were in the clear, she hadn't put it together this past week. I thought that meant she wouldn't find out. That I could be safe."

Donovan settled onto the coffee table in front of Link, raising his hand to stop his tumble of thoughts.

"What did she say?"

Link told him.

"How did you play it?" he asked.

"Dumb, like we've setup but I don't know if it worked. She seemed to be surprised by it but I don't know. What if she tells someone? What if she decides it's worth the money to sell me out?" Frustrated, Link hit one of the couch pillows with his fist. "Why the hell do I have to deal with this?! I didn't ask for any of it!"

Yanking off his glasses, he snapped them in two and hurled them at the wall. The glass shattered and the frame fell to the carpet. When he looked at Donovan, all Donovan could see was pain, hurt and sorrow.

"I never wanted this life! I never asked to be here! This was never my mistake but I'm the one who has to constantly pay for it! I have to constantly be a lie! Tell me the hell why?!"

Instead of answering, Donovan strode over to a draw and pulled it open. Inside were a pair of boxing gloves and protection mitts. Grabbing both, he tossed the gloves to Link.

"Put them on."

Link looked about ready to resist, but Donovan stared him down.

"Put them on."

As Link did as he was told, Donovan slid on the protection mitts.

"Stand up and hit me."

Donovan could still see the emotions and thoughts eating away at Link. Fueled by it all, Link stood and raised his fists. Focusing, he hit one of the mitts. Donovan nodded. With the next hit, he swore. As he got into it, he hit harder and faster all the time yelling and swearing at a life he had never asked for. The minutes stretched on as Link battled his demons.

Each punch released the pain and Donovan watched as it drained from him, eventually leaving him tired, but calm. Breathing heavily, Link stared at the floor, his arms hanging at his sides.

"Better?" Donovan asked.

Weary, Link nodded. Donovan rested a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," he said, his voice steady. "We'll figure this out. Right now you're safe. It's going to be okay."

For Link's sake he needed the words to be true.

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Come at me fool!

Ahhhh! I take it back! I wasn't ready! 🙈

So this will sound funny but I must really love you cause I keep adding chapters. This was not one of the first ones I wrote. This was actually the second to last one I wrote. I found later chapters more interesting to write.

But I thought of this scene and figured I would write it.

What did you think?

Leave behind something wonderful! Gosh that sounds weird and I don't know what you would leave behind.

Oh! You could leave behind a vote, a comment or a follow if you wanted to!