Status: Dunno
Fate Loves the Fearless
III
"We have to go, now," Adam said in an angry tone. He stomped down the stairs of the porch and pulled me by the hand away from the quaint little house.
"Your dad's home?" It was more of an assumption than a question.
"Yeah, and he's-"
Adam didn't finish his sentence. There was a holler from the front door and an explosion of glass against his Jeep. Shards flew around us as we yelped in surprise, instinctively shrinking back and covering our faces. "Don't you dare leave this house, boy! You listen to me - that little slut isn't going to take over your god damn life!" Adam's dad, John, bellowed with a slur. I looked up in horror as he got ready to throw another beer bottle at us.
I glanced at Adam, who had the fire of hell in his eyes - something I hadn't ever seen.
Ten minutes was all it took for the following to come about:
- A profanity battle regarding me
- A fist fight
- A broken nose on John's part
- Bloody knuckles on Adam's
- A suitcase filled with Adam's clothes and probably his computer consul being shoved into the back
- The wail of police sirens approaching, doubtlessly due to the neighbor's concern
"Are you okay?" I asked him quietly. His gaze looked far off, as if he was recollecting something.
"I never wanted you to see anything like that. I'm so sorry, Beth. I wouldn't have brought you over if I knew he was home. God. . ."
"I'm more sorry that you've had to put up with that for so many years. I didn't even know it was that bad. . . He's never seriously hurt you, has he?. . ." I ventured, glancing over at my lover.
His jaw set in the way it always did when he was being stubborn. That gave me the answer right off the bat, so I didn't push the subject any further. We drove in silence for a while, until we reached the exit going back to my house. "You can stay with me for a bit if you want."
He chuckled, his rich voice giving me goosebumps. "Your dad won't agree to that. I'll just get a motel for the night."
That's when I was reminded of the dream I had had a few weeks before. The rebellion and riotous attitude came seeping in from the back of my mind. "You know what? What if. . . Well. . . I dunno, we left for a few days? Took a road trip?"
"No, Beth. I don't want you to get into trouble for that. It'd be the end of our relationship. . ."
"Pull over."
He obeyed.
"Quit being such a damn pussy, Adam. Say yes for once in your life. Who's gonna miss us? Your parents? Mine? Fuck no. They might act like it, but that's only because they won't be able to wait until they can ground us when we get back. Fuck them. Fuck everyone. We could wear what we want, say what we want, have sex every night, smoke, drink, whatever. We can see the world without any assholes to tell us otherwise. I'm sick of these stupid rules, and I'm sick of all this shitty authority. What are we gonna tell our grand kids? That we stayed at home, went to school, and behaved? That our greatest memories were Friday nights spent playing Halo? Hell no. We're gonna fuck things up. We're gonna get into trouble. We're gonna live like we don't care. How can you sleep at night, knowing that the clock is ticking away our time together? I can't. So what are you going to do, Adam Hemshaw? Will you fucking run away with me? Either way I'll take your Jeep."
Adam's mouth hung wide open at my sudden and insane words. His green eyes searched my own, attempting to see if I was joking. We sat in silence for a good ten minutes before a smile began to play on his thin lips. "I'll pack a bag, darling."
That was the first time he ever called me darling, and I knew by it that he was dead serious.
"Your dad's home?" It was more of an assumption than a question.
"Yeah, and he's-"
Adam didn't finish his sentence. There was a holler from the front door and an explosion of glass against his Jeep. Shards flew around us as we yelped in surprise, instinctively shrinking back and covering our faces. "Don't you dare leave this house, boy! You listen to me - that little slut isn't going to take over your god damn life!" Adam's dad, John, bellowed with a slur. I looked up in horror as he got ready to throw another beer bottle at us.
I glanced at Adam, who had the fire of hell in his eyes - something I hadn't ever seen.
Ten minutes was all it took for the following to come about:
- A profanity battle regarding me
- A fist fight
- A broken nose on John's part
- Bloody knuckles on Adam's
- A suitcase filled with Adam's clothes and probably his computer consul being shoved into the back
- The wail of police sirens approaching, doubtlessly due to the neighbor's concern
"Are you okay?" I asked him quietly. His gaze looked far off, as if he was recollecting something.
"I never wanted you to see anything like that. I'm so sorry, Beth. I wouldn't have brought you over if I knew he was home. God. . ."
"I'm more sorry that you've had to put up with that for so many years. I didn't even know it was that bad. . . He's never seriously hurt you, has he?. . ." I ventured, glancing over at my lover.
His jaw set in the way it always did when he was being stubborn. That gave me the answer right off the bat, so I didn't push the subject any further. We drove in silence for a while, until we reached the exit going back to my house. "You can stay with me for a bit if you want."
He chuckled, his rich voice giving me goosebumps. "Your dad won't agree to that. I'll just get a motel for the night."
That's when I was reminded of the dream I had had a few weeks before. The rebellion and riotous attitude came seeping in from the back of my mind. "You know what? What if. . . Well. . . I dunno, we left for a few days? Took a road trip?"
"No, Beth. I don't want you to get into trouble for that. It'd be the end of our relationship. . ."
"Pull over."
He obeyed.
"Quit being such a damn pussy, Adam. Say yes for once in your life. Who's gonna miss us? Your parents? Mine? Fuck no. They might act like it, but that's only because they won't be able to wait until they can ground us when we get back. Fuck them. Fuck everyone. We could wear what we want, say what we want, have sex every night, smoke, drink, whatever. We can see the world without any assholes to tell us otherwise. I'm sick of these stupid rules, and I'm sick of all this shitty authority. What are we gonna tell our grand kids? That we stayed at home, went to school, and behaved? That our greatest memories were Friday nights spent playing Halo? Hell no. We're gonna fuck things up. We're gonna get into trouble. We're gonna live like we don't care. How can you sleep at night, knowing that the clock is ticking away our time together? I can't. So what are you going to do, Adam Hemshaw? Will you fucking run away with me? Either way I'll take your Jeep."
Adam's mouth hung wide open at my sudden and insane words. His green eyes searched my own, attempting to see if I was joking. We sat in silence for a good ten minutes before a smile began to play on his thin lips. "I'll pack a bag, darling."
That was the first time he ever called me darling, and I knew by it that he was dead serious.