The Only Exception

“Dude, you need to call the cops.”

“No way! They’ll want to take me away or something stupid like that. Besides…I only have a month until my 18th birthday and 3 months until graduation. I’ll be fine.”

“That’s what they all say and then they’re dead!”

Rolling my eyes, I adjust my position on Ray’s bed and say, “You’re over-reacting.”

“Like hell I am!” He shouts and points accusingly to the bruise on my neck. “Look what he fucking did to you, man. What if he hadn’t let go? You could have died.”

“He wouldn’t have killed me. He wouldn’t want to lose his little pet.” I scowl at the mere idea of being his pet but that’s practically what I am to my parents. A pet. A thing.

Ray takes a seat at his desk with a sigh. He thankfully drops the subject and allows me to play video games without interruption. I bite my lip because I really should call Harper but if I tell him what happened he’ll want an explanation as to why I didn’t go to him. I just don’t want to cause him trouble, that’s all.

Later on that evening I find myself lying next to Ray. He’s fast asleep, snoring rather obnoxiously at my side while I’m wide awake staring up at the blank ceiling.

What am I going to do on my birthday? I could move in with Harper but really, he’s just across the street. They can still bother me but instead they’ll be bothering the both of us. I don’t want to be any trouble for Harper. I don’t want him to regret being with me.

The next morning is a Friday and I sigh in relief. Ray and Bobby are chatting animatedly beside me about some video game while the girls are talking about…girl things. I don’t even want to know. Ain’t goin’ anywhere near ‘em.

“Oh my god, Roy…what happened to your neck?” Susan suddenly asks, catching me completely off guard. Snapping away from my thoughts, I look towards her and reply.

“Nothing, why?”

“Don’t lie to me,” she scolds. “What happened?”

I bite my lip and try to think up an excuse. This morning Ray and I had put cover up on it but the color didn’t completely match my own and the bruise was still there, just not as bad. I was hoping that no one, especially the girls, would notice it. Before I have time to answer though, Ray comes to the rescue, “Roy stayed over last night and we were wrestling. I pinned him down rougher than I thought!”

Susan falls for it easily and I give Ray a thankful smile. He just winks at me and goes back to talking with Bobby. The rest of the day flies by like it always does and before I know it, it’s over. I jump in the air at the realization that I don’t have work. Behind me, Bobby laughs, “You hate work that much?”

“Nah, just feeling lazy today,” I reply with a slight shrug of my shoulders. “So what are you two doing?”

“I’m grounded,” Bobby frowns. “I wasn’t even aware parents still grounded their children these days.”

Ray laughs, “I got a shit load of chores to do.”

I frown because…well it isn’t that I want to avoid Harper. I just don’t want him to see these marks. He’ll want answers, answers I don’t want to give to him. I guess I have no choice though and with a sigh, I hop into Bobby’s car and let him drive me to Harper’s.

“See you guys later.” I wave good-bye to the two while they back up and out of the drive way.

Maybe I’m walking way slower than normal or maybe not, I don’t know. But when I reach the door, it flies open before I can even grasp the handle. Standing there completely dumbfounded, I look up to see Harper. His eyes are on my neck and I know I’m busted. Throwing on a sheepish grin, I chuckle, “So uh…h-hey…”

“Get in,” he orders and there is no way I’m objecting when he’s looking at me like that. The moment I’m in the door, he slams it shut and I jump. Spinning around to face him, I frown at the way his eyebrows are furrowed angrily. “What the hell, Roy? You told me you’d be careful. You said you’d come over if there was trouble. Why didn’t you?”

“I know,” I sigh, kicking off my shoes and jacket. To stall time, I walk into the kitchen and grab what is needed to make the both of us dinner. It’s early but my stomach is already growling. “I just…you’re right across the street and this would be the first place he’d look and…I don’t…I just don’t want to cause you any trouble.”

A pair of arms wrap themselves around my waist, pulling me back against a hard chest. Harper rests his face in the crook of my neck, his lips kiss the tender skin as if it’s hoping to heal it. The thought of it makes me smile and I look at him to see a sad smile on his face.

“You’re way too selfless,” he says around a sigh. “By scaring the shit out of me like this you’re causing me trouble. Just…come over here. That way I know you’re ok.”

“It really won’t bother you? Him pounding on the door, possibly calling the cops or…anything?”

“Of course it’s going to bother me but it is what it is. Stop arguing and do as I say,” he laughs, kissing my cheek to show that it’s really up to me. Not that I’ll say no…it means I can spend more time with him, which I obviously want.

“Sorry,” I mumble.

“It’s ok…you know…it’s cuddle weather outside, I think.”

I smirk and look back at him to see the suggestive twinkle in his eye. Biting my lip, I decide hell with the food. Harper is ten times better. Chuckling, I move away to follow him upstairs where I swear we do appropriate things. Aha, that’s not believable at all.