My Girlfriend's Brother

chapter 2

"f*****g run, you stupid motherfucker!" Beau yelled. Currently, Noah was running away from him and Curtis and down a street.

Noah had been on his way over to the Knightly household when his bad luck had spotted Beau and Curtis. Both were lazing around on the grass, soaking the sun in and ran over to Noah when they spotted him. It was like they thrived on hurting him. Noah was getting quite sick of it.

Obviously, he did what any other person would have done and sassed them both and now they were running after him. He had, what you call, messed up.

Noah was only a few more blocks away, but he tripped over some uneven stones and landed flat on his face. It was stupidly cliche, he was aware. Beau managed to catch up and sat on him as he punched him in the stomach. Beau was glaring at him, nostrils flaring.

Noah shuffled, trying to get out of his grip, but he was failing miserably. How could he be so weak at such a crucial point in time?

"Curtis," Beau hissed, looking at the tall, dark-haired boy. "Grab his arms."

Curtis did as he was told and Noah let out a laugh. "Curtis, the little dog."

Beau punched him once again, this time in the stomach, and Noah groaned as the wind was knocked out of him. It took a minute, but he managed to take a deep breath and then he found Beau’s hands around his neck.

He was squeezing tightly. Too tight.

Noah couldn't breathe. He thrashed his hands around and found a rock, he grabbed it and hit him on the head. But because he was a twig, it barely did anything, but it was enough for him to loosen his grip. Pushing them both away, he took off running again, ignoring the dizziness that was creeping up.

He kept looking backwards and they were hot on his heels until he bumped into someone. He winced as his body crashed into theirs. Noah didn’t apologise as he normally did, he leaned over, wincing a little as he caught his breath, looking behind him. The two boys had seemed to disappear.

Once he felt like he was safe, he looked back around to now apologise profusely to the person he had bumped into, squinting a little as he looked up. He grinned when he recognised the light hair and light eyes staring down at him in mild amusement.

“Clark!” he yelled, throwing his hands in the air. “Hi! Sorry, for bumping into you. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

"Hey, Noah. Are you okay?" he said, eyebrows furrowed. Noah looked behind him once again and the coast was still clear.

"I'm fine."

"Uh huh, why were you running?"

"A jog?" he said and Clark raised his eyebrows as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You," he said. "On this warm Sunday, voluntarily chose to go for a jog?"

"Yes."

"Clark, let's go, I got them." Noah looked behind him to see Reece standing there. He was wearing a light blue tank with black shorts and flip-flops. Clark was also wearing something similar.

"Why are you breathing heavily?" he said once his eyes landed on Noah.

Huh, Noah was sure he had gotten his breathing under control.

"What? I don't get a hello?" Noah said and Reece glared at him. Noah shifted slowly, his body would most likely be bruised from Beau's colourful beating.

"Who strangled you?" Reece said as his eyes landed on Noah’s neck.

Whoops.

"What?" Noah said. He tried to hide the bruising, but his t-shirt wasn't going to do much.

"Your neck. Is bruised. It has finger marks. Who? Strangled. You?" he snapped as he stormed over gripping Noah’s wrist.

He flipped over the younger boy's arms and they were scratched.

"No one! I fell. I swear. I gotta go. The others are probably waiting," he said, moving away from them both. Noah did fall, so he wasn't lying to him. He was . . . Concealing the truth.

Noah didn't look back as he walked past the corner and once he turned, he ran to Kiera's house. He let himself in and went to the living room where Kiera, Mitch and Ell were sitting on the floor. Textbooks, notebooks, sticky notes, pens, pencils and highlighters were scattered everywhere.

"Finally!" Kiera yelled as she saw her boyfriend. She stood up, stretched, walked over and kissed his cheek.

She had on a white loose shirt with denim shorts on, her black hair was up in a messy bun. Ella was dressed similarly with her hair done in a ponytail.

"We're studying, we have an English exam tomorrow. Not all of us are geniuses like you," Mitch grumbled as he highlighted something from his notebook.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Noah said, smiling as he walked past the basement. He ignored his girlfriend's protests as he walked past her and in the direction of the bathroom. "Hey, Mrs Knightly!”

"Hello, Noah!" she yelled back although it was faint, he had heard it.

Noah went up to the second level and let himself into the bathroom and made sure to lock the door as he took off his shirt.

He winced as he caught his reflection in the mirror. His torso was scattered in bruises, some already black and blue, others an odd shade of yellow. The bruises on his neck were very, very faint. He was amazed Reece even saw it.

Well, there went swimming for a couple of days.

Noah eyed the bruises created by Beau’s anger. He had hated him from the moment his mother became the reason he didn’t grow up with a father, back when they were both 11. Beau knew he couldn’t hurt Noah’s mother, Miranda, so he went for Noah. Although, in Noah’s opinion, he had picked the wrong son. His mother didn’t seem to care much about him and he had simply gotten used to it.

Being the Sheriff's son was not as fun as everyone thought it was. Especially since the town was so small, and even though small, it was segregated in an odd way.

There were your normals, they made up most of the population. They were your everyday people, the majority of the high school kids, your office workers, the law enforcement, etc.

The next category would be the Lions. They were the only ones in this category, hence it being named after them. In some towns, there was usually one family, the richest and most powerful that everyone knew and lived on top of a hill with their perfect life and perfect family. However, the latter of that may not have applied to them. Sure, everyone wanted to be them. But, no one had seen them for a while, and with the rumours going around right now. Yikes.

The final category would be the troublemakers. The ones that liked being a menace to society, some people would be, Reece, Clark, and Bill (he was Beau’s dad, currently in a federal prison somewhere). They were the ones constantly in trouble with the law.

The best part, the majority were under the same roof for seven hours a day.

Noah slipped his shirt back on, ignoring the wince that came out of his mouth as he moved too quickly.

Just as he got seated, his phone rang. He ignored the curious glances from his friends and answered the call.

"Cam," he said.

"Mum wants you to come to the station.”

Of course, because why wouldn’t his mother ring his brother who was across the country instead of ringing him?

"Got it." He hung up and exhaled.

He looked around at the trio, Kiera looked up and smiled before she went back to her book. She grabbed a purple highlighter and coloured something.

“Look at my drawing,” she said when she had finished. She turned her notebook around to show a messily coloured flower.

Ell smacked her on the back of the head, scowling. “You’re supposed to be studying.”

Noah took that opportunity to stand up and quietly slipped away. He shut the door behind him as he made his way to the station. He was trying not to move his body too much. He was failing. He kept looking around, afraid Curtis and Beau would pop out of nowhere and beat him up again.

When the old station came into view, he smiled a little. He had managed to get there and no one had jumped him. He walked in, smiling at the officers sitting at their desks as he made his way to the sheriff’s office at the back.

"You called?" Noah asked, nervously playing with the hem of his t-shirt.

"A building burnt down. Do you know anything about it?"

"No.”

Your father and Cam are coming to visit."

Noah frowned. "Why?"

"I don't know, he said it was important and Cam just wanted to see his baby brother," she said as she typed away on her computer.

"Miranda, Reece and Clark are in holding, again," Kimmy said as she walked in. Noah turned to look at the dark-skinned woman, she had a smile on her face as her eyes landed on Noah. "Oh, hey, Noah."

"Hey, Kim," he replied, smiling.

"What happened to your arms?" she asked as she eyed them.

Noah’s eyes widened, he had forgotten about them.

"I was trying to skin myself alive. It was an experiment."

"God, I hope that's sarcasm."

"Yes. Yes, it is."

"Glad to know."

"Why are Reece and Clark in holding, again? I saw them less than an hour ago," Noah said, angling his head a little.

"They burnt down an abandoned building," she said, shaking her head. "Those boys and their addiction to fire."

"Keep them for a couple of hours,” Miranda said, still not looking up from her screen. “Did anyone get hurt?"

"No," Kimmy said.

"Well, that's a plus.” Noah frowned. She hadn’t looked at him once since he walked in.

He knew he wasn’t his mother’s favourite child, but she could have looked at him.

"Also, Beau was here again. Said something about wanting to see Bill," Kimmy said, looking at the sheriff with a small frown on her face.

Noah paled a little, he really didn’t want to see Billy. So, while the two women talked, Noah slipped out of the room.

So, his father and Cam would be visiting. Noah sighed. That would not be the best experience, considering all they ever did was argue. He walked past the holding cell, eyes focused on the exit. He didn’t want to look around and accidentally lock eyes with Beau.

“Noah!”

He tensed but found himself relaxing when he realised it wasn’t Beau shouting his name but Clark. He looked around and in the holding cell beside two women and three men. All of them had their eyes glued on Noah as he slowly walked over to the cells.

Reece frowned as he got up off of his seat and walked over to the bars, standing beside Clark. “What are you doing here?”

“She’s the sheriff. Why did you burn the building down?” he asked. He kept his eyes locked on the two of them in front of him.

"Doesn't matter," Reece said as he eyed the shorter boy. "Did she ask?"

"No,” Noah said. “ Didn't even look at me."

"Can you get us out of here?" Clark asked, waving his hand in Noah’s direction.

He peeled his eyes away from Reece to look at Clark and sighed. "How?"

"Well, you are the sheriff's son," Clark replied, smiling.

Noah eyed them warily before nodding. He walked away and found Colin sitting at his desk. Noah hesitated slightly. If his mother knew that he had helped Reece and Clark she would without a doubt be furious. After chewing the inside of his lip for a few seconds, he shrugged a little and walked over.

Colin was frowning at his screen, his glasses resting low on his face. He groaned as he slumped back in his chair. He jumped a little when he saw Noah. He smiled as he eyed the boy. “Hi, Noah! Can I help you?”

"Can you get Reece and Clarke out for me, please?" Noah asked.

"What did your mother say?"

"She said yes," he lied.

Colin sighed as he stood up, grabbing a pair of keys. "What did they do this time?"

"Burnt down a building."

"Anyone get hurt?"

"Nope."

"Good enough for me," he mumbled. He unlocked the cell and both boys stepped out before he locked it again. "Can we not see each other for at least a week?"

"Can't make any promises," Clark said as he walked away.

Reece mumbled something but didn't walk away.

"Thank you, Colin,” Noah said, smiling a little.

Colin returned his smile as he ruffled his hair. "Bye, Noah."

Noah walked to the exit, hyper-aware of Reece’s eyes on him.

“You know,” Reece said as they got outside. “You’re so short.”

Noah rolled his eyes. “I'm not short.”

Reece scoffed. “And how tall are you exactly?”

"5'7, that's tall enough. You're a tree that's not my fault."

He scoffed, but there was a small smile on his face. "You are literally skin and bones," he said. He used the back of his hand to hit Noah gently.

Noah let out a groan of pain as his hand collided with some fresh bruises.

"What the hell was that?"

"That was me. Groaning in pain."

"Why are you groaning in pain?"

"Because your hands are heavy and you said it yourself I'm skin and bones. Why did you burn that building?" Noah asked, trying to change the topic.

"Mind your own damn business," he snapped.

Noah grinned as he looked ahead, he spotted a cat and crossed the road hazardously ran to it. He slowed down and crouched, gently sticking his hand out. It slowly walked over, sniffing his hand and he grinned when it let him stroke it. Noah focused on the cat’s eyes and grinned.

“Reece! Look at its eyes! They’re like yours!” The cat’s eyes reminded him of Reeces. Big and a stunning shade of blue that resembled his.

Noah turned around and frowned when he realised Reece was no longer there. He turned around to look at the cat and continued petting it. But even then, the cat left a few minutes later. Noah sighed as he made his way back to the Knightly house. He had promised his friends he would help them study and he had already left once. He didn’t want them to hate him either.

Halfway to their house, his phone began to buzz in his pocket and, for an odd reason, he hoped it was Reece to explain why he had suddenly disappeared. He was, of course, disappointed when his mother’s name appeared on the screen. He braced himself as he answered.

“When did I say Reece and Clark could go?!” she hissed through the phone.

"I needed their help," Noah replied, biting his lip.

"With what?"

"Studying. I didn't think it would be a big deal, they didn't hurt anyone."

"You're grounded," she deadpanned, and Noah’s mouth fell open.

"For what?"

"Watch your tone!" she snapped. "Get your ass home. I'll have someone check. If you're not home in the next twenty minutes, there'll be hell to pay." She hung up and a noise of frustration escaped his mouth.

This whole day had been a failure. He woke up late, skipped breakfast and still ended up being late to the Knightly household because of Beau. Then he couldn’t even help them study because his mother had called him and he would have felt guilty if he had just left Reece and Clark and now he was grounded.

He just wanted to go home and sleep. Noah turned around to walk back to his house. She would most likely send someone to check on him and if he wasn’t at home, she would be furious.

"Noah!”

Noah turned around and Beau was practically running toward him. He panicked, turned around and he darted off in a run. Beau caught up relatively quickly as he jumped onto Noah's back and knocked him to the ground.

Noah wasn’t in the mood to do anything so he stared up at Beau in annoyance. “Do you not get bored? Don’t you have anything better to do than to follow me around?”

Beau’s response was to punch Noah in his stomach.

“Your b***h of a mother won’t let me see my dad!"

"What do you want me to do? Throw a party? Hand you a cookie?"

Beau punched him in the stomach again.

"What. Do you think you're doing?"

Noah looked awkwardly up, tilting his body slightly so he could see the person. He knew who it was, but he wanted to see him.

He had taken his shirt off, and sweat glistened on his torso. Reece never tanned, he always burned and the places he couldn’t reach had always been Noah or Kiera’s job when they were kids. Noah scanned him, his knuckles were bruised and bloody and there was a cigarette placed between his lips, which were also forming a bruise.

"Noah. What the f**k?" Clark said as he also appeared to look more flustered. His knuckles were also bruised and he was shirtless too.

"Is he the one who strangled you?" Reece asked, eyeing Beau. “And get the f**k off of him.”

When Beau didn’t move, Reece forcefully dragged him off of the boy. Noah didn’t hesitate to rush to his feet and stand beside Clark, eyes narrowed on Beau.

"No. For the last time! No one strangled me! I fell!" Noah snapped. "I can't do this," he said, motioning to everything that was going on around him .”I have to get home.”

"I'll walk you. I need to ask you something anyway," Beau said, and Noah tensed.

Surely Reece and Clark wouldn’t actually let him go home with him. They had seen it too.

“No,” Noah said. “I can go by myself.”

"No. I'll walk him," Reece said as he stomped out his cigarette. He leaned over to Clark and whispered something. Clark nodded and walked off. "Let's go."

Noah nodded. Right now, Reece was the much better option because, at the very least, he wouldn't hurt him.

Reece had already walked away and Noah ran to catch up with him. Neither of them said anything for a while until they were closer to the woods — closer to his house. Noah’s house was just in front of the woods,. That's why he avoided it most of the time.

Reece pulled out another cigarette and Noah frowned. "Do you have to smoke?"

"Why?"

"I don't like the smell."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "It just reminds me of things I'd rather not remember."

"Like what?"

"My father." He sighed but shoved his cigarette back into his box and slipped the box back into his pockets.

This time it was Reece who spoke. "Why won't you say who strangled you?"

"That's because I strangled myself. Yep, I'm a masochist."

"Your ears are red," he replied with a smile dancing on his face.

"No one else seems to notice it," Noah snapped and Reece shrugged.

"So tell me."

"It was no one! I fell!"

He paused and Noah turned around to ask him what he was doing, but he grabbed the shorter boy by the neck and slammed him into the nearest tree.

"You're lying. See if I put my fingers over the fingers, it covers them. So it can't be yours because one: your hands are too small. And two: you're not f*****g stupid and neither am I. Was it that Beau, kid?"

"No!" Yes.

"What are you hiding?" he said, glaring at him. “It doesnt take a genius to put one and one together. So, why won’t you just admit it?”

Noah wasn’t paying much attention to what Reece was saying as the loud ringing in his ears drowned him out. Noah tried to pry Reece’s hands off of him but he held on tighter.

Noah was terrified. He went with Reece to be safe, not to be strangled anymore.

"Reece. Let go of me," he said. He tried so hard to get the words out and they did come out, but barely above a whisper. "Please. Reece, let go of me."

Reece released Noah and his knees buckled and he hit the ground, scraping them again. He sighed, he was probably covered in scratches and bruises by now.

Reece frowned as he watched Noah. "Get up."

He didn't. He wasn’t sure he had the strength to. He had lost count on how many times he had been strangled, which was odd. "Noah, get up."

Noah looked up at him and his eyes landed on the sky that was slowly turning darker and darker. He prayed there wouldn’t be a thunderstorm. That was the last thing he needed right now. He did not want to be alone in that house right now, especially if there was going to be a thunderstorm.

Noah grabbed onto a tree as he slowly stood up, he stumbled a little and Reece’s hand shot out, placing it on the small of Noah’s back. Noah moved away from his touch. His phone rang and Noah sighed as he scooped it out of his pocket and answered.

"Hey, Kiera, what's up?" he asked, as he leaned against the tree. He would give himself a few minutes to gain his strength back before he began walking back to his house.

"Hey, babe. Are you going to come back? There’s supposed to be a thunderstorm, and we could all use your help," she said and he smiled.

"I can't. I'm sorry, I got grounded. I need to be home in the next five minutes."

"Oh. Want me to come over?" she asked, and Noah smiled as the butterflies erupted in his stomach.

"Grounded means no one's allowed." He began walking to his house, not bothering to check if Reece was behind him or not.

"Babe, I don't care. It's going to storm. Lighting and thunder and everything."

“I know. I'm sure I'll find a way to manage. I’m sorry for disappearing and not helping you study as I promised.”

"Oh, don’t worry about that, Noah, you have other things to do, besides help your friends prepare for exams that dictate the rest of our lives. It's raining. Just come to my house or I'm coming there." She had hung up.

It began to pour and Noah hissed, as he began jogging to his house. Kiera couldn't come over, he was grounded and that meant no one was allowed over.

Noah arrived at his house and he fiddled with the keys but they slipped out of his wet hands. He leaned down to pick them up and so did another hand. For a nanosecond, Noah thought it was Beau and he whirled around, surprised to see Reece,

“Didn't you go?”

No.”

Reece opened the door and Noah frowned as he stepped inside.

“Don't give me that look. It’s pissing it down, I’m not about to get wetter than I am.”

Noah jumped a little as he stepped inside as Reece’s phone went off. He pulled it out and sighed. “What do you want, b***h?” He was quiet for a few seconds, his eyes flickered to Noah a couple of times. “So, what you’re saying is, if I babysit your boyfriend, I get a favour?”

“What about,” Noah was cut off by Reece placing a hand over his mouth. Noah crossed his eyes to look at his hand. Reece motioned for Noah to stay quiet.

“You got yourself a deal. Yes, ring me in ten minutes and I’ll be at his house.”

"So, now Kiera owes me a favour and I'm babysitting your ass."

"What?"

"Apparently you hate thunderstorms. Kiera said she'd owe me a favour if I went over to your house."

"But you're already here."

"She doesn't know that though."

Before Noah could call out Reece for lying to his sister, the doorbell rang.

“Noah, It’s me, Colin, open up!”

Noah’s eyes widened. If he saw Noah, he would tell his mother and then he would be in even more trouble.

“Hide!” he hissed at Reece, who raised an eyebrow. “Please,” he added, and Reece nodded, looking very amused as he went up the stairs.

Noah waited a few seconds until Reece was gone before walking to the door and throwing on a smile. “Hi, Colin.”

"Hey kid, sorry to drop by. Your mum said to check if you were at him and you lied to me," he said, pouting.

"I'm sorry. I really needed Clark and Reece's help and you wouldn't have let them go otherwise," Noah explained. Colin nodded, smiling.

"Right, I have to go. We're extremely busy. Your mother said to prepare the house. She said you'd know what it means and that she wouldn't be home today.”

Noah nodded, he did know what that meant, a loud burst of thunder erupted and Noah let out a squeal which caused Colin to laugh a little. “Good luck on your exam tomorrow.”

“Thanks!”

Colin left a few seconds later, reminding him to lock up.

Reece came down wearing some of his clothes. Okay, so Noah tended to steal his clothes because he liked how much bigger they were on him and they were very comfortable.

“Why do you have so many of my hoodies? I was wondering where they had gone.”

Noah shrugged. “I borrowed them and forgot to give them back. Where did you find Cameron's pants?”

“In his room.”

“Right,” Noah said. “I’m going to change, make yourself comfortable.”

Noah walked up the stairs and his eyes landed on the bland walls. It was another reminder of how different his home was compared to the Knightly’s. They had family photos, achievements, and drawings they did as children hung on the walls. They had decorations and everything that made a house a home.

While Noah’s home was bland, even in his room, the only real decoration was a picture. A group photo of Kiera, Mitch, Ell, Reece, Clark and him that Mrs Knightly had demanded they all take. (this time last year she was into photography) Oh, he also had a TV, if that counted as decoration.

The only clean thing with full sleeves he had available was one of Reece’s hoodies. Just as he managed to slip it on, Reece barged in. Noah sighed in relief any second sooner and he would have seen his bruises.

He waved his phone in Noah’s direction. “It’s Kiera, say hi.”

Noah raised his eyebrows at what Reece had his sister saved as but put the phone to his ear.

"Babe?"

"Yeah?"

"My mother said I couldn't go. It was too dangerous so I sent over Reece's dumbass. I just do not want you alone. I know how much you hate this type of weather."

The butterflies erupted in his stomach as he smiled. “Thank you.”

"No problem. Anyway, I gotta go. I have so much to revise and such little time! I wish I had your brain, bye!" She hung up and Noah handed the phone back to Reece.

“You really like my sister that much?” he said.

“What?”

“You’re smiling like you're all in love. It’s disgusting.” Noah rolled his eyes.

He had spent time with Reece at his house before, but they had been kids and his family had been whole. Now, he wasn’t too sure what to do. “Do you want to watch a movie?”

Reece eyed Noah, his blue eyes raking up and down Noah, and then he ran a hand through his hair. “Don’t you have an exam tomorrow?”

Noah nodded. “We do. But I know it all.”

"Smartass. Movies it is! Go make food. I'll do all this," he said, motioning to the TV.

Noah nodded and went downstairs. He grabbed some snacks and a few different cans of drinks and threw them on a tray. He turned the heater on so the house could warm up. He could always turn it off before his mother got home. He climbed the stairs, wincing every now and then.

When Noah got home, he paused. Reece was lying on his back on his bed and he was holding the photograph in his hand. The TV was casting light on him. Reece turned to look at Noah, and it took everything in Noah not to do something. What? He wasn’t sure.

“Why did you keep this?”

Noah put the tray on his bed and scratched the back of his neck. “I didn’t have any photos of us so I asked your mother to send that to me. She printed it for me instead.”

Reece rolled his eyes but sat up, moving towards the headboard. “Get in, we’re binge-watching Marvel movies.”

Noah nodded as he slipped into bed and then crawled over Reece, ignoring his body, screaming out in pain. Noah put the tray of food between them.

Reece played Iron Man and Noah got comfortable as he watched too, ignoring the sound of the thunder, lightning and rain.

~*~