A Time To Love

[Zetti]

Chapter 11

Holly shivered. For the past few hours, she had been in this hellhole where there was a hell of a lot of guys who had been eyeing her up.

‘Holly?’ she heard

She turned. ‘Angelo’

He looked at her ‘I was supposed to be picking you up from a place a hell of a long way from here’

‘Sorry, can you just take me home’

Nicole appeared from behind him ‘Come on then darling, we will take you home’

All three of them walked to the car.

‘You know I will have to tell your mother’

‘I know’

**

Belle was drying her hair and as she turned off the hairdryer, she heard a car pull up.

She walked out her room and into the kitchen, she saw Angelo with Nicole and Holly.

‘Thanks for picking her up

‘Go and tell her’

Holly looked shamed.

‘What is it?’ Belle said putting her hands on her hips ‘What has she done?’

‘She was a party but nowhere near where she should have been.’

‘Where was she?’

‘At a pub’ Angelo said not cushioning the blow.

Nate had just walked in from seeing Laura off at the airport and heard the conversation.

‘Was it the pub near the youth club?’ he asked dreading the response, which was not a good place for anyone to be let alone his 15 year old sister.

Angelo nodded.

Nate cursed ‘That’s the only place where all the druggies go’ he said to his mother.

‘Did you do drugs?’ she said horrified

Holly mumbled

‘Did you!’ she said raising her voice.

Angelo and Nicole eased their way out of the situation, leaving them both of them to it.

She nodded. Nate looked at his sister ‘Was it Dean?’

Belle frowned and looked at Nate ‘Dean?’

‘A guy in my year, he’s the resident drug dealer and the most popular guy’

Holly had tears streaming down her face.

‘So was it Dean?’ Nate asked. In some ways he felt sorry for her, everything with their parents had affected her more than she let on, maybe drugs was her way of releasing the pain.

She nodded.

Belle turned to Nate ‘Go and disconnect the PC and the laptop from her room and put in mine’

Nate looked at Holly but she wouldn’t look him in the eyes.

Holly knew she was stupid for even going anywhere near drugs, it had destroyed her mother and drove her father away from them. She didn’t mean to take it, she just wanted to be recognised with her mates.

‘Put your phone and iPod on the table and go to bed’ Belle said without looking at her, she was too ashamed to look at her. ‘Sorry’ she said in a quiet voice as she walked past her and placed the items on the coffee table.

**

[Zetti]

Chapter 12

She walked to her room where Nate had just finished disconnecting her PC. She didn’t say anything; she just curled up on the sofa bringing the Winnie the Pooh bear that Aden had bought her when she was 5 at the funfair.

Nate stopped moving everything and sat on the bed. ‘Come here’ he said as she scrambled towards him.

He hugged her. ‘You should have rang me the minute they offered it, I would have come and got you’

She sniffed ‘I know, I just wanted a release, I hate not being popular’

Nate moved her face so that he was looking at her ‘Being popular is not all it is cracked up to be’

‘Isn’t it?’ she asked

‘No, it is just a way for them to watch your every move’

She sighed. ‘I just hate having to be second best’

‘If Dean liked you, you wouldn’t been in this position’

‘I know, I know, I just wanted someone to like me’

‘You have friends, you have me and Mum and Dad’

‘I know, but you are always out with Laura and your friends, having fun’

‘And what you want the same thing?’

‘Yes’ she admitted.

Belle walked in not much later. ‘Nate, take the PC down please, I need to talk to your sister’

Nate held the hard drive and walked to the door. He looked back at his sister and gave her a sad smile. She was going to need him after his mother had finished with her.

‘Go Nate’ she said again and he walked out.

**

Belle closed the door.

Holly had gone back to her original position holding the teddy close to her.

Belle rubbed her hands over her face and looked at her.

‘Why?’ she asked

‘I just wanted to be noticed’ she said meekly not looking at her

‘Noticed? Drugs can kill you’ she screamed at her

She flinched but Belle didn’t hold back

‘You are such an idiot. Drugs destroyed me and nearly destroyed this family. Why the hell would you go there’ she screamed again but then she stopped as she looked Holly who was trembling.

Belle wanted to hold her and say that everything would be alright but she couldn’t.

She couldn’t show any signs of weakness; it just made her look even more weaker than she actually felt.

‘You are grounded indefinitely; I will drive you to school and back home. You will not do anything without me.’

She nodded and sniffed ‘are you going to tell Dad?’

‘I don’t know, I should do ‘

She didn’t respond, she felt so ashamed that she had let herself get into that situation.

Belle walked down the stairs, she was still really angry and hurt by Holly’s actions.

Nate was just finishing put everything in her room.

‘Thanks’ she said.

She felt so drained, she couldn’t believe her own daughter would go anywhere near drugs when it had destroyed her. She had nowhere to turn to apart from drugs at the time. She couldn’t understand why Holly wouldn’t talk to her or Aden, or even Nate who would have told her eventually.

‘She did it, you can’t change that, and you need to help her’ Nate said as he reappeared in the doorway.

‘I know, I just don’t know how to, I am too angry at her’

Nate nodded ‘You going to tell Dad?’

‘I don’t know I should do’ she said mirroring her response to Holly.

‘Is that going to achieve anything?’

‘He deserves to know, you are his children as well’

‘I know’ he admitted ‘Just don’t push Holly away, she needs you to be strong’

Belle nodded. ‘Thanks Nate’ she replied

‘No problem. Better go to bed.’ He said kissing his mother on the cheek and hugging her.

She knew Holly needed her; she was just terrified that if she tried to help her then she may fall back into her own habits.

It was times like these where she really wished that Aden was there to help her. She needed him more than ever right now but he had to be in London, she just hated being alone when her children needed her.

Nate had been so alone the past few days since he realised that Laura was leaving him. He tried to act like it didn’t affect but Belle knew it was.

Maybe it was her motherly instincts but she knew that he was hurting more than he admitted.

Holly had to have had a reason to go into drugs. She never thought that her own daughter would do it but now she had, she didn’t know what to do.

She was still recovering herself. How she a recovering addict, help her daughter when she still didn’t trust herself around drugs?

She wanted to help her but how? She kept pondering it as she got into bed. She wrapped the covers around her and turned the light off.

Belle remembered how much she hated herself when she took drugs. It took Aden to knock some sense into her.

She didn’t want to hurt Holly but maybe the cruel to be kind approach was the one she had to take?

**

[Zetti]

Warning: Mentions of abuse.

Chapter 13

‘How was Mum?’ she asked as she got into Nate’s bed. She didn’t want to be alone.

Nate replied ‘Angry and hurt’

Holly sniffed yet again ‘I don’t know what to do’

‘You shouldn’t have got yourself into this position’ he said but he took it back ‘Sorry, that was harsh’

‘No, you are right, I just don’t know how to fix it’ she said as the tears came streaming out again.

‘What do I do?’

He hugged Holly and wrapped the covers so that she was warm. ‘I don’t know, but know this, you are not alone’

‘Thanks bro’ she said as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep with the tears still wet on her face.

**

Belle couldn’t sleep; she just kept on searching for answers as to what she could do. The only thing that she kept thinking alongside that was that she wanted Aden.

They had always dealt with the kids together and she didn’t want this to be any different.

She looked at the clock. It was 2am which meant it would be about 10am in London.

Maybe he would be at work.

All she knew is that she needed to talk to him. She pulled herself and got the phone.

She looked at it and dialled his number but before she allowed it to ring, she thought, maybe telling him is not the best idea.

He might want to come straight back and he could lose his job. She put the phone back and slid under the covers and tried to sleep.

**

‘Is she ready?’ she asked Nate a few days later

‘Yes, she’s just getting her bag’

‘Will you please make sure she gets to her class?’

‘Sure’ Nate said as Holly came down.

‘Get in the car’ Belle said without looking at her.

Belle was too afraid to look at her, it was hurting her too much to see her face, she just needed some time.

Nate’s phone rang ‘Hello?’

‘It’s Laura’

‘Hey, I didn’t expect you to ring so early’

‘We are 2 hours ahead. Remember?’

‘Oh yes, sorry time differences’

‘Anyways, I need to talk to you, are you alone?’

‘Not at the moment, hold on’

‘I am gonna walk to school. Matt wants to talk’

‘What about Holly?’

Nate groaned ‘Can’t you?’

Belle sighed, she knew that she couldn’t stop Nate, she couldn’t punish him neither, and it was not his fault that his sister had taken drugs.

‘Okay, I will take her’

**

‘Am alone now, what’s wrong?’ he asked as he sat on the beach, he had another half an hour before he had to get to school’

‘I don’t know who else to talk to’

Nate frowned ‘You can talk to me, I promise’

‘You cannot tell anyone, you have to promise before I say anything to you at all.’

‘Okay’

‘Say it’ she insisted

‘I promise’ he said more confused now than he was at the beginning of the conversation.

‘My father…’ she paused, she didn’t know how to put into words

‘What?’

‘He does things to me that he shouldn’t’ she said as her voice broke.

‘Does he hit you?’

‘It’s not that kind of physical abuse’ she said hoping that he would work it out because she didn’t know how to say it.

He gasped in shock ‘He... abuses you? Sexually?’ he said stumbling over the last word. He could hardly believe it.

She broke down in tears and Nate really wanted to hold her, he was struggling to hold in his own tears.

‘You have to tell someone’

‘I told you, I can’t tell anyone else’

‘You have to! He is a paedophile’

Laura flinched ‘He isn’t, he’s just needs me to do it with him’ she believed that her father had to do it with her.

‘He is wrong and needs to pay’ he urged tried to make her reason

‘I shouldn’thave told you, we aren’t together, I don’t have to answer to you’

He said gently ‘Hold on, sorry that was harsh but you do need to tell someone, please’

‘I can’t, I better go’

Nate could hear her father talking.

‘Please tell someone’ he said but she had already cut the call off’

He groaned in frustration and threw his phone down on the ground.

**

[Zetti]

Better late than never

This is a bit of a filler chapter. Cant seem to break this writers block

Chapter 14

3 weeks later

Holly and Nate got into the car the end of the school day.

‘How was your day?’ she asked Nate.

‘It was okay, got so much homework though’ he moaned

‘Ah well if you didn’t spend your life on your PS3 then you wouldn’t be in this position then would you?’

‘True’ but then playing on his PS3 was a cover, he was trying to find a way to get Laura out of that place, he felt useless but he had no other option, he couldn’t tell his parents.

‘So you have no one but yourself to blame’ she said as she set off.

‘Eh, well I will get it done one way or another’

Holly didn’t say anything, her mother hadn’t spoken to her properly in nearly 3 weeks and she couldn’t blame her.

She hadn’t even told her Dad yet and he was due back tomorrow. She knew that her mum was going to tell him. She needed to bring herself to do it herself.

She couldn’t expect her mother to do it.

‘Holly, did you get the science project in?’ Nate asked

‘Yes, I get my results on Monday’

‘Am sure you’ll be fine’

She smiled at Nate for the first time in a while; he was doing his best to make her feel better.

Belle smiled at Nate, he was being so mature, she was proud of him.

‘Mum, can you drop me off at the diner, am gonna meet Kyle’

‘Sure’ she said as she approached the diner.

‘Don’t make me anything; I will probably grab something at the diner’

She nodded as he got of the car. He waved goodbye and made his way into the diner.

Holly stiffened again. Belle realised that she had but she didn’t say anything until she got into the house ‘Go and do your homework, I will call you when your tea is made’

She nodded and made her way up the stairs.

The phone rang.

‘Hello?’

‘Hey’ she heard Aden say

‘Aren’t you meant to be on a flight?’

‘Am at the airport, should be boarding soon, technical difficulties got the flight delayed’

‘Oh right’

‘Ah there we are, better go, are you and the kids okay?’

Belle pondered whether or not to tell him about Holly but then she decided against it.

‘It’s okay, but we need to talk to when you get back’

‘Sure, it’s the first place I will be anyways’

‘Miss you already’ he said ‘I have to go’

‘Miss you too, I love you’

‘Love you too, see you soon’

**

Holly came down the stairs and sat on the sofa curling up. She had a book but she wasn’t really reading it, she had spent the last hour trying to muster up the courage to talk to her mother.

Belle sighed as she saw Holly on the sofa looking completely withdrawn, it didn’t help that she hadn’t spoken to her properly in weeks.

‘Holly’

She looked up expecting a backlash. Belle sat down and opened her arms. Holly shuffled forwards into Belle’s arms.

Holly’s tears fell thick and fast. She needed her mum.

‘Shh, it is going to be okay, I promise’

Holly couldn’t see how it was going to be.

‘Are you going to tell Dad?’ she asked

‘I have to’

‘No’

‘What?’ Belle asked looking at her but still holding her in her arms.

‘Let me tell him, it’s my fault’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Yes’

**

[Zetti]

Chapter 15

An hour later…

Nate walked in. ‘I found someone outside’

‘Who?’ she asked

He moved out of the doorway and Aden appeared.

Holly and Belle looked at each other.

Belle was the first person to recover from the shock ‘I just spoke to you on the phone’

‘I know, I was just trying to surprise you’

‘Mission accomplished’ she said with a wry smile but she was glad that he was back.

‘Don’t I get a hug?’ he asked Holly.

Holly sniffed and ran into his arms.

‘Hey… what’s wrong?’

Belle excused herself and dragged Nate to the kitchen but before she did that, she whispered to Aden,

‘Just listen, don’t flip out’ before hugging Holly and leaving the room.

**

Aden & Holly sat themselves down on the sofa.

‘Okay, I guess Mum told you that I went to a party about 3 weeks ago?’

‘She said something like that to me, yes, why?’

‘I told Mum that it was at Sarah’s

‘Right’ Aden said sensing that he wasn’t going to like what she said next.

‘It wasn’t’

‘Where was it?’ knowing that he wasn’t going to like her response. Holly’s pale face indicated that and he squeezed her hand. ‘Go on’

‘It was the pub near the youth club’ as a lone tear fell. She didn’t even bother to wipe away, she knew that soon more tears would join it.

Aden’s eyes widened in shock as he tried to take in what his own daughter had just told him. Tjere was a barrage of thoughts rushing through his head. He wanted to voice them but he found himself saying ‘The one where all the druggies go?’ he asked hoping that he was wrong.

She nodded unsure of what to say next.

‘Did you take any drugs?’

She nodded again. Holly didn’t know how to say it, she wanted to but she didn’t know how to, she had the words bouncing around her head but she didn’t seem to be able to get her brain to engage with her mouth and speak.

Aden cursed ‘Which ones?’

She breathed in and said ‘Ecstasy’

Belle walked in a few moments later as she heard Holly cry. Aden stood up and turned around.

‘Why did you not tell me?’ he asked.

‘Holly, go and eat something’

Holly stood up and walked to the kitchen.

Nate grimaced as she sat down and placed her head on the table.

‘Are they fighting?’

She looked up ‘Probably’

‘How hard was it?’ he asked as he sat next to her.

‘Incredibly, but I had to do it’ she said as the tears began to fall yet again.

**

‘You should have told me’ Aden said as he sat down with his head in his hands.

‘I know, but she wanted to tell you, she’s being punished now, she hasn’t had any outside contact with anyone apart from her teachers’

‘How did you manage that?’

‘I was really angry; I told the teachers it had to be that way’

‘And they didn’t ask you why?’ he said as Belle sat next to him

‘I told them the truth, they had to know’

‘And they didn’t expel her?’

‘I didn’t say what drugs it was’

Aden cursed to himself ‘why the hell would she go there?’

‘You need to talk to her, she needs you’ she admitted

‘I can’t look at her right now, I think I need to go home and calm down’

Belle felt stung that he still didn’t think that this was his home with her and their two children.

‘Sorry, that was harsh, sorry, I meant my apartment’

Belle looked at him ‘If you don’t want to be here, then say, but she is our’ placing the emphasis on the word our ‘daughter’

He pulled her close to him and hugged her ‘Sorry, I just still need to process the fact that our own daughter took drugs, I just can’t believe it’

‘I was the same, but instead of hating her, let’s just help her’

Aden nodded ‘Not yet though, I can’t talk to her or look at her, I just need a few days’ he kissed her forehead ‘I will ring you later’

He walked to the kitchen, Holly looked up with tears still falling but Aden didn’t look at her, he waved to Nate and then walked out.

Nate cringed, his father still needed time just like his mother did but he didn’t think that he was being fair. ‘Hold on’ he said as he ran after his father.

‘No... Don’t’ Holly protested but Nate had already ran out.

**

[Zetti]

Chapter 16

‘Dad’ he called

Aden turned ‘What?’

‘Don’t just walk out’

‘I will be back’

‘She needs you’

Aden breathed in and calmed down just for a second ‘I can’t talk to her’

‘She hates herself more than you and mum will. She is being punished; all she does is talk to me. She is all alone; you ignoring her isn’t going to help’

‘If I talk to her, I will lose my temper’ he admitted to Nate

‘Then do it, but do not walk out because this family cannot be torn apart yet again’

Nate looked at him once again and then walked back to the house.

He smiled as his father caught up ‘Since when did you get so wise?’

‘I had to’ he said with a smile

Aden walked into the kitchen where Belle was plating up.

‘Hungry?’ she asked, she didn’t even look up.

‘Starving, he sat down and Nate got him a plate’

Holly sat in silence and finished her food.

She excused herself and went to her room. She could hardly believe her eyes when she walked into her room.

Aden hadn’t even looked at her. She was trying so hard but she had no idea what she was supposed to do next.

**

‘What the hell are you doing here?’

‘Don’t flip, I had to see you’

‘I am grounded and I can’t see any of my friends because of you’ she hissed lowering her voice so her parents didn’t hear.

‘I am sorry, I shouldn’t have deserted you

‘Why did you’

Dean looked shameful ‘Kate’

Holly gasped ‘Did you sleep with her?’

He looked at her and shook his head but Holly knew that he had.

‘At least have the decency not to lie to me. You owe me that’

‘I owe you so much; I just wanted to see you’

‘Go away, I don’t want you here’

‘Please, just listen to me’

She crossed her arms ‘What could you possibly say?’

‘I know you took ecstasy’

‘Everyone knows that, it is not a secret’

Dean sat down on her bed ‘Sit with me’

‘Tell me and then sod off.’

‘Fine, I had a bet with Lee that I would be able to get you to take drugs by the end of the party.’

‘I know, that’s nothing new’

‘We made it about 3 months ago’

She nodded ‘When you finally decided I existed’

He looked at her, her eyes looked worn out, she had been crying a lot.

He guessed all because of a stupid bet that he didn’t even want to have.

‘I am sorry, I never meant for you to get hurt’

‘Go away’ she said refusing to accept his attempt at an apology.

‘No, you have to listen to me’

She hissed ‘I don’t have to do anything, my life is ruined and my parents hate me, all because of you!’

Dean stood up and walked towards her ‘I love you’

Those three words stopped her in her tracks.

‘Don’t say that if you don’t mean it’ she whispered as she looked down.

He put his finger on her chin and made her look at him ‘I do mean it, I do, and I love you’

She looked at him unable to say anything. She found her voice ‘Go please, I can’t do this’

Dean looked at her but agreed ‘Fine, but this conversation is not over’

‘Go’

Dean walked to the window and climbed out, jumping on to the nearby roof extension and making his way down jumping off and landing on the grass.

**

[Zetti]

Chapter 17

Aden sighed when he heard Holly slam the door.

‘Who was it?’ he asked Nate.

‘Who? What?’

‘That gave her the drugs’

‘I don’t know who ‘gave’ it to her but I know who supplied it’

Belle put her hands on Aden ‘Okay, listen, Holly has been an idiot but instead of trying to attack the drug dealer, let’s just try and see if we can stop this from happening’

‘I just want to strangle him’ Aden with contempt.

Nate couldn’t help but agree with him

‘No, don’t, it is not going to solve anything’

‘It will make me feel better’ Nate said ‘It’s so hard seeing him every day acting like nothing has even happened’

There was a knock on the door. Belle opened it. ‘Is Holly in?’

‘She is busy’

Nate stood up ‘What the hell are you doing here?’

‘Nate?’ Aden asked

‘That’s him’ he said clenching his fists.

Aden ran at him and pushed him up against the wall ‘Did you give my daughter drugs?’

Dean looked terrified and Belle had to force Aden off him ‘Don’t’ she said to Aden.

‘Go away’

‘No I need to talk to Holly. I have to apologise’

‘Go away’ Holly said from the doorway.

‘Please, just listen. Let me finish’

Holly tensed ‘Make him go, please’ she said as Nate hugged her, she was close to tears.

Dean hated seeing her in tears, he just wanted her to know that he didn’t mean to get her involved or hurt; he loved her too much for that to happen.

Belle was calming Aden ‘You better go before you get hurt again’ she warned.

‘Holly’

She looked at him

‘I love you’ he said and saw Aden’s glare and walked out.

Holly started to cry. Nate hugged her closer. ‘It’s okay, we are here for you’

Aden walked over to her and hugged them both ‘He’s right, we are all here for you’

He made her sit down at the table ‘We need to work out what we are going to do’

‘I know what I did was wrong, I shouldn’t have even gone to the stupid party, I just wanted to fit in’

Nate looked at her ‘Dean is not popular, he’s a jerk’

‘I know but it’s just hard’ she admitted to herself

‘How many did you take?’ Belle asked

‘One and I hated it, I didn’t even get high, I just felt a bit weird’

Belle frowned ‘I don’t think she needs rehab.’

Aden agreed ‘How long have you been grounded?’

‘3 weeks give or take’

‘And you haven’t had any contact with your mates?’

‘No, no phone, iPod or laptop’

‘The least you deserve’ Aden said

‘I know, I do, I just wish I had my music’ she admitted

‘Hmm… well I am not sure if isolating you from your friends is a good thing’

Nate groaned.

‘What’s with you?’ Holly asked

‘Stupid phone, keeps saying the battery is full when it isn’t!’ he screamed at the phone.

‘Calm down’

‘Sorry, have had this phone for 2 years and now it decides to stop working’

‘Are you okay?’ Holly asked sensing that something else was going on.

‘Nate?’ she asked again.

‘Nothing’

‘Don’t lie’ she said adamant that he was hiding something

‘Okay, you can’t say anything’ he looked at the three of them

They all nodded.

‘Laura rang me last night and we spoke via Skype, she told me something that scares me’

Aden looked at him and said ‘Go on’

‘She showed me some scars on her arms’

‘Scars?’

‘She harms herself’ Nate said with tears falling.

Belle held him as he cried all the tears. Holly moved and sat next to him putting her head on his arms.

‘Why?’ Aden asked when he stopped crying and sniffed

‘Her dad… ’ He faltered ‘touches her’ he couldn’t say the rest of it but Aden knew exactly what Nate meant.

Aden cringed and Belle squeezed his arm.

‘Did he?’ he asked knowing what Nate was alluding to

He nodded and Aden’s heart broke for Nate. He didn’t even know how to respond to him at all.

**

[Zetti]

I originally wrote this as the second part of Chapter 17 but it made it too long and confusing so here we go. I doubt I will update again till the weekend so enjoy and comment xx

Warning: Mentions of Abuse

Chapter 18

It had been a week since Nate had told his parents. He was in constant contact with Laura but she wouldn’t tell him anything about what was going on.

‘Hi’ he said as she answered the phone.

‘Hey’ Laura responded

‘Are you okay?’

‘Yes, I just need to say something’

‘Okay, go on’

‘I can’t contact you anymore’

Nate knew that she was going to say that ‘Is that you talking or him?’

Her silence gave him all the answers that he needed ‘Of course it is him, does he know that I know?’

‘No but he doesn’t like the fact that you are still in contact with me’ she admitted.

Nate groaned ‘So what, you are just going to stop talking to me?’

‘I don’t want Nate, but we aren’t together and I can’t keep in contact with you and make my father happy at the same time. It’s too hard’

‘Please, let me get a ticket and you can come here, get away from your father’

‘And leave my sister to go through the same fate? No, I would rather he do it to me and not to anyone else’

Nate’s heart broke ‘Has he since?’

Laura paused and Nate knew that he had ‘What a jerk. You need to get away from him’

‘I have to go. Mum wants me. I am sorry but I will not be contacting you anymore. Its goodbye’

‘No… don’t… Laura!’ he screamed as she hung up on him.

Aden came in ‘What happened?’

‘She won’t talk to me anymore; she’s too scared of her own father’

‘She’s in denial. She thinks she has no other option’

‘How the hell can you know that?’ he asked allowing his anger to take over, he was shaking with fear and anger all at the same time.

Aden breathed in and hugged his son, ‘Sit down and listen to me, I went through a similar experience

Nate’s eyes widened ‘What?’ his voice was barely audible as his father nodded.

Belle was outside the door; she closed her eyes for a moment but left them to it. Aden was strong enough to tell him.

Flashback

Aden was sat at his desk in his room. He was 15 and hated school but it was his own release from his home life.

Justin walked in ‘Dude, come on, we’re playing footie’

‘Nah, can’t be bothered’

‘Come on’

‘No, not today, is Dad back?’

‘No, not yet’ he said with a grimace creeping onto his face.

‘Come on, you might as well play, staring at that page isn’t going to make it jump into your brain’

He groaned ‘Urgh, fine, let’s go, I always trash you anyways’ he said grabbing the ball off his brother and running outside.

‘Yeah right’ he said sarcastically running after him.

**

Once the game finished, it was quite late and Justin decided to lock himself in his room.

Lucky him Aden thought, his granddad wouldn’t let him have a key, he had jurisdiction over everything, not that his dad cared, all he did was drink constantly.

He was lying in bed later on that night and he had his head faced away from the door, he didn’t want to see his face but he knew what was going to happen.

He could sense it, it happened every night apart from Sunday, he always got drunk on Sunday.

‘Aden, look at me’

Aden reluctantly turned around and looked at him as he got under the covers.

He knew what was going to happen and so he closed his eyes and just let it happen, he didn’t have the energy to stop him and he had got to the time where he just believed that he deserved it.

End of Flashback

**

Nate was still in shock as his father finished explaining it all.

‘I never knew’

‘I know, I didn’t want to tell you until you had to know, Laura will come to terms with it but till then you have be strong’

Nate breathed ‘Does Mum know?’

Aden nodded and stood up ‘She does know, she was the first person I told outside of my family’

‘And what about your brother?’ Nate asked

‘Uncle’ he told Nate

‘Did it happen to him?’ he said ignoring the previous comment

Aden looked at Nate, he didn’t know what to say, they never spoke about it. Abuse is such a hard area to talk about.

‘I don’t know, we never spoke about it. He might have gone through it’

**

‘So you told him?’ Belle asked as Aden got under the covers later on that night.

‘I had to, he needed to’

‘I am proud of you; it was hard enough for you to tell me let alone him’

Aden smiled.

‘I did realise something though’

She looked at him ‘What’s that?’

‘I want to find Justin’

Belle didn’t expect him to say that ‘Really?’

‘Yes, I mean it’s been so long, I haven’t seen him since he ran away from home. I want to know what he’s been up to. I want him to meet you and the kids’

Belle snuggled up to him ‘Then find him, I would love to meet him and I am sure the children would as well’

‘I love you Mrs Jefferies’

She cocked her head to one side and smiled seductively ‘How about you prove that?’

He grinned evilly and lowered his face to hers ‘If you insist’

**

[Zetti]

Chapter 19

Belle smiled the next morning when she woke up to find Aden snoring away. She eased herself out of the bed and put on her dressing gown.

It was about 6am and she needed to have a shower. She locked the door to the bathroom and got into the shower.

She loved the feeling that the water gave her, it made her feel at peace with herself. However a few moments later, she heard cursing.

She sighed.

She knew it wouldn’t last long before something happened. She got into her underwear and wrapped the towel around her hair before putting the dressing gown on.

She stepped into the lounge ‘What is going on?’

‘Stupid laptop just froze and my assignment is on there’ Nate screamed.

Aden walked out rubbing his eyes ‘What is going on?’ he asked

‘Laptop froze’ Belle said as she walked to the kitchen. ‘Breakfast will be ready soon’

‘Ah’ Aden knew too well the feeling of the laptop freezing

‘We really need a new one’ Nate replied as he restarted the laptop

‘Is Holly awake?’ Aden asked dodging the laptop comment

‘We still need another one’ Nate said knowing he was trying to deflect attention from the laptop to Holly.

‘Is she?’

‘No idea, I am not her personal keeper’

‘Nate!’ he warned. ‘We have to keep an eye on her’

Nate looked sheepish ‘Sorry, I know, I still want to punch Dean every time I see him’

‘But you won’t’ Belle said as she walked back in ‘You know that it will only make things worse’

‘I know, just doesn’t me wanting to though’

‘Aden’ she said

‘I am not going to stop him. I want to punch him myself’

‘You nearly did’ Holly muttered as she came down the stairs.

‘He deserved it’ Nate said as he saved his assignment to his memory stick and turned the laptop off

‘Hmm… breakfast’ Holly said as she smelt the pancakes.

‘Pancakes’ her and Nate looked at each other with a big grin and raced to the kitchen.

Aden chuckled. Neither of them ever could resist pancakes.

Holly sat down but once the bacon smell got to her, she instantly felt queasy.

‘Are you okay sis?’ Nate asked as Holly came over pale.

Holly stood and ran to the bathroom.

Belle ran after her ‘Holly?’ she said as she came into the bathroom. Holly vomited into the toilet.

‘Urgh’ she said as she sat back down. ‘I don’t what happened’

‘It might just be a stomach bug’

‘Probably’ Holly said as she tried to pull herself up but failed and was going to fall when Aden walked in and grabbed her before she fell

‘Whoa, come here’ he picked her up and set her down on the sofa.

‘Should we call Sid?’

‘Maybe, let’s just see how she goes’

Aden picked his phone ‘Am gonna call in sick. I am not leaving her like this’

‘I have the day off, you should work’

‘Dad, go to work’ Holly said as she propped herself up ‘I just need to ride it out.’

‘I don’t like leaving you like this’

‘I am not incapable’ Belle said crossing her arms

He hugged her ‘I know, I just don’t like it’

‘Dad?!’

‘What?’ he asked a disgruntled Nate

‘I need a lift’ he said

‘Now?’

‘About half an hour, I really need to print this assignment’

‘Fine, let me get changed’

**

Belle let Holly sit on the sofa and have her iPod for a couple of hours.

Holly still felt off, she was fine for a few minutes but as soon as she could smell the bacon, she felt sick.

She didn’t actually get it; she probably had a stomach bug. She just didn’t want her parents to worry.

All they seemed to do was worry and it made her feel even guiltier

‘You okay?’

‘A bit better’ she took her iPod off and handed it to her mother.

Belle took it and placed in the drawer. ‘I need you to be honest with me’

She frowned ‘Okay.’

Holly looked confused, she didn’t know what Belle was going to say, she put her hand on her stomach as it stung but it was not overly painful so she didn’t think anything of it.

‘Have you taken anything?’

She shook her head emphatically and Belle believed her.

‘Good, it’s probably just a stomach bug; you will be fine in a day or so’

Holly nodded ‘I know, I just hate being ill’

**

[Zetti]

Chapter 20

Nate hated watching Dean acting smug all the time like he had no cares in the world. He hated him but he had promised his mother that he would leave him alone.

‘Dean’ Nate found himself saying.

‘What?’ Dean had to be civil, otherwise Holly would never go anywhere near him.

‘We need to talk’

‘Fine. Where’s Holly today?’

‘She’s not well’

Dean’s face clouded over in fear ‘She’s okay right?’

Nate looked at him ‘Do you actually care?’ he asked not believing him

‘Of course I do, I love her’

‘Don’t say that, otherwise I will knock you out’

‘Boys, get to class’ they heard.

Neither of them moved from that spot, they were too busy staring each other down.

‘Now!’

Again neither of the moved until Nate said ‘Stay away or I will not be responsible for my actions’

‘Jefferies. Class now!’ Mr Copeland said and Nate knew that if he didn’t he would end up in detention so he glared at Dean for a few moments then he picked up his books and walked away.

Dean watched him. He didn’t want to have to fight with Nate mainly because he knew it would make it harder for Holly and despite what most people though, he loved Holly.

He skulked off to class not far behind Nate. ‘I won’t stop talking to her, I love her’

Nate growled. He hated not being able to punch, he walked into the classroom but Dean pulled him back ‘I will carry on seeing her’

‘Get off me’ he said in a low voice that made it clear that he wasn’t in the mood.

Dean didn’t move and Nate shook him off and the next thing he knew he had punched Dean and it had blown into a full on fight’

**

Nate sat outside the principals’ office holding an icepack to his swollen eye.

Aden was escorted in and looked at Nate, he shook his head ‘I though your mother told you to leave it alone’

‘Come in Mr Jefferies, you too Nate’

Nate didn’t look apologetic at all; it wasn’t like he had started the fight. Dean wouldn’t leave him alone.

‘Let me see’ Aden asked Nate

Nate moved the icepack away.

‘Ouch’

‘So what happens now?’ Aden asked Miles

‘Nate has to apologise in a public assembly’

‘No way in hell’

‘Language’ Aden said before Miles go the chance to.

‘Sorry’

‘It’s either that or suspension’

Aden stared Nate down ‘Your mother will kill you if you get suspended’

Nate sighed ‘what about Dean?’

‘Unfortunately, his father is on the school board so he gets out of it’

Nate grimaced. ‘Fine’

**

Holly decided to go to sleep in her room. She knew that she wouldn’t be able to sleep there with her mother watching her every movement

She got under the covers and a few moments later, her door opened.

‘You have a visitor’

She frowned and pulled herself up ‘Who?’

‘Kate’

Holly tensed

‘I can make her leave’ Belle said

Holly nodded ‘Please, I can’t talk to her’

‘Okay, you sleep; I will bring you some food later’

‘Thanks mum’

She waited a few moments till she knew that Kate had gone and then finally closed her eyes.

A few hours later…

She woke up and she felt really out of sorts, somehow the sleep had made her worse.

She managed to lift herself up and walk to the door. She opened it, everything seemed blurry and she had no idea what was going on.

She could hear something but she couldn’t focus on it, she grabbed to the landing rail and slowly made her way to the stairs.

She got to the first stair and lost her balance, she tumbled all the way down the stairs till she ended up at the bottom in a heap.

**