All American Boys

23. The Golden Gate

"What is it?" he asked me, once the door was finally closed behind us.

"It's about Isaac," I told him, heaving out a pent up sigh. "I'm just really worried about him. I don't know what to do."

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"He keeps trying to deny it," I told him. "But he told me that. . . Your dad sometimes. . . mistreats him, to put it that way. He bought him a car, to make up for the time he pushed him down the stairs."

Hayden only stayed silent.

"Every time I try to ask him about it he'll just try to shrug it off, try to make it like it's not a big deal," I said, shaking my head. "Every time your dad comes back he tries to stay out if he could help it."

Hayden said nothing.

"It's not my place to say anything but maybe you should do something," I told him. "I can't do anything, I'm not part of your family. I can only do so much."

Hayden paced around the porch, before he finally turned around.

"I'll try to see if I could get him to live with me," he said. "But I'm not sure if I can promise that."

"Will your dad allow it though?" I asked. "I mean, he might try to stop him from leaving."

"I don't know, honestly," the young man replied, folding his arms in front of him. "Honestly I've cut off all contact with him. But I'm sure he wouldn't be happy if Isaac left too."

Hayden shook his head as he let out a sigh.

"You know, Isaac had always been trying to fill in shoes that never fit him," he replied. "I mean, I honestly enjoyed football, and even with my dad pressurising me I still liked it. But with Isaac. . . He's just not that type.

"And I honestly thought it stopped years ago," he said. "Our dad used to be very. . .violent about five or six years ago during the financial crisis. When we almost lost everything. But it was never against me though, it was always Isaac. Because I was all that he wanted me to be. He couldn't be happier with me – good grades, good record on the football team, got into a good college, but Isaac? To him, there was always something wrong with Isaac. And you know, he used to be quite feisty and those two would be at loggerheads a lot. Until one day, my dad had enough and – "

"And what?" I asked, even though I probably already knew the answer to that.

"You know, my dad is a burly guy, and that day he had enough and got physical with Isaac. He had him pinned to the wall and he just. . ." Hayden muttered, the words difficult to leave his lips. "Grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be an iron my mom had left on, and he just pressed it on that poor boy's back. He was screaming, Alex. I can't forget how horrible they were."

I only put a hand over my mouth. It was horrible. How could someone do such a thing?

"The next day my dad brought the whole family to the theme park," he replied. "I don't know, maybe it was sort of his way of saying 'sorry' but honestly, it was the most awkward time of my life. Isaac didn't talk to anyone for days. And Isaac changed completely. He never dared go against our dad ever again. Whenever he's around he was always scared, and he tries so hard to be on his good side."

"That's horrifying," I gasped. "Honestly, poor boy."

"And you told me about how our dad pushed him down the stairs?" Hayden continued. "I guess, me leaving for the navy and cutting him off might've set him off I guess. I thought those times were over. I was wrong. And . . . It's my fault. If I hadn't left Isaac wouldn't have been abused again."