No One Does It Better

Oli's P.O.V

“LET ME IN!” I screamed as I beat frantically on Max's front door, my eyes were blurred from the tears that had been pouring nonstop since I rushed out of my apartment.

“Coming!” someone shouted before unlatching the door and throwing it open, it was Hannah.

“Oli…what’s wrong?” her voice was thick with sleep, but I could hear the worry in her words. I tried to catch my breath in order to tell her what was wrong, but it didn’t work out that way. I almost fell to my knees but she reached out enough to catch me and pull me inside.

“MAX! WAKE UP!” she yelled as she finally allowed me to sink to the floor, she crouched down with me.

“Oli…shh, don’t cry! Please, calm down!” she rubbed up and down my back as I sobbed into my hands, I vaguely heard shuffles of tired feet.

“What did you need…Oli! What’s wrong?” I wiped the tears from my face as I shot Max the saddest look I could muster,

“He’s gone…he just left…and he didn’t tell me…” I murmured quietly.

“Oli…I can hardly hear you…Hannah, can you help me get him to the basement? I feel like the guys need to wake up for this.” Max sighed as he grabbed onto my arm, Hannah gripped the other.
“Of course,” she stated as she helped hoist me off the ground. I numbly let them carry me, as it felt like my body was devoid of any energy. Likely the culprit from crying my eyes out for such an extended period, but it wasn’t like that was something I could have prevented.

“Sit here…” Max lowered me onto the only spare chair as we finally made it down to the basement, everyone else was sprawled out on the couches and some on the floor. Hannah kept a firm grip on my arm as she lowered herself on the arm of the chair, shooting me an apologetic look. Max went around to wake everyone up, which didn’t go without some yelling.

“Guys, seriously wake up! It’s an emergency.” Max face palmed as the group finally stirred.

“What on earth is it, Max?” Dan whined as he slapped himself in the face to wake up, I cleared my throat. The tension in the room got thick as everyone finally sat up and stared awkwardly at me; with all the eyes on me I couldn’t help but break under the pressure. I sniffled a bit as I tried desperately to contain myself, but to no avail. I sobbed violently into my free arm, this time not trying to restrict myself or save myself from embarrassment. At this point, I was desperate.

“Woah! No, no, no! Olober, what’s wrong?” Matty called out as he came over to me and wrapped his arms around me, bringing me flush to his chest. I shook my head as I gripped onto him for dear life, no one else said anything. They let me cry until I was physically incapable of doing it anymore; I finally caught my breath in time to explain what the current situation was.

“Josh… was acting funny before I left, he said he needed space from me…and that he didn’t want to come to yours. When I left last night I found this note on my car,” I explained as I sunk back into the seat and away from Matt, who took a seat on the other arm of the chair. I pulled the first note out and passed it around, after it made its rounds everyone nodded for me to go on, “Well, when I got home my land lady was up and about, working on the commons area. She asked me if I had seen my friend earlier in the day because he stopped by; I explained that I didn’t know who she was referring too and she was quick to inform me. It was…Jona, Jona came to mine and Josh’s apartment.” I paused for a moment as Matt and several other people grunted or growled in aggravation, I sighed. “So, I thanked her and rushed up stairs to our flat. When I unlocked the door, this one fell out…” I pulled the second out and showed everyone, their faces fell to that of confusion and concern. “Then…” I choked up as I tried to recall what happened next. “He was gone, Josh was gone…his things are gone too…I don’t know where he is, or if he is coming back…”

“Are you serious?” Chris piped up; everyone else gawked at me in shock.

“Dead,” I replied quietly as I wiped my eyes for the billionth time, I shook my head slowly.

“Whoa!” Max exclaimed as he glanced at his phone, I bit my lip.

“What is it?” I bravely inquired; I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like the sound of whatever he had to tell me.

"I know this may come as a shock, but I need some time to myself. I will be over for band practice but please don’t question where I have been or where I'm staying or I will leave. I love you all dearly, but please, don’t ask me questions. This is hard enough. Sincerely, Josh.” He read aloud as he locked his phone once again before he let it go and tossed it on the island.

“So that’s it then? He thinks he can run off and leave us, leave Oli without an explanation?” Vegan clearly seemed agitated with my...boyfriend, if you could call him that still. I exhaled loudly,

“What an awful mess…” I whined as I felt tears creep back into my eyes, Hannah and Matt rubbed my back reassuringly.

“We will find him, don’t worry about it, Oli. We just need to figure out if we can track his phone, or something…” Jordan nodded his head as he finished up his plan, it could work; but yet again, I had my doubts.

“He doesn’t want to be here though…he left me for a reason.” I mumbled as I rested my chin in the palm of my hand.

“Don’t say that, maybe he just needed time to mull things over!” Hannah patted me on the back before toying with my hair, I sighed, “Maybe.”

*RING*

I shot a confused glance to Max as the door bell went off several times in unison, he put a goofy smile on.

“Maybe its Josh!” he chimed as he rushed up the stair case, I silently prayed that it was. After several moments I could hear Max talking to someone, followed by a small set of footsteps. I stood up and faced the door, hoping to see Josh's smiling face peek around the corner, but instead it was someone I wasn’t prepared to see.

“Uhm, Oli…uh he says he’s your brother?” Max raised an eyebrow, as he came around the corner, anxiety pitted in my stomach as a second person came into view. My jaw went slack, as I studied the man over; pale skin, not very tall, long hair that almost matched mine, it was without a doubt,

“Tom,” I whispered. Seeing him was a shock in itself, but as he got closer I felt anger boil in my blood. Bruises littered various parts of his skin; his neck had black marks around it like he had been choked. His nose was bleeding and his lip busted,

“I know this isn’t the ideal time or place…but Oli, I have something you need to hear.” He uttered as he took a few more steps forward, I shook my head in disbelief.

“Why are you here? How did you find me?” I asked a bit loudly, he seemed taken aback, but nodded his head understandingly.

“I have my ways...and uh...Jona came by the house…” he muttered as he crept closer to me, I nodded for him to go on. It almost felt like talking to a stranger, I was relieved in some ways to see him, yet angry about him being so battered, and envious of the fact that he still had the love of our parents. He was always the favorite child anyways; he yelped as he wiped the blood from his nose, it took all I had to not to hug him. “Well, mum and dad are out of town…and I don’t know how, but Jona broke in.” I nodded for him to continue once again, “The lights weren’t working, and the door was open, and the curtains were all drawn up…not the way I left it.” I felt something in my head break; I lowly growled. Jona, that explains everything! He had to have broken in our house and made an appearance when I had left!

“Uhm…and he jumped me…told me that I couldn’t come into town anymore because I had to disappear…” Tom lowered his head to the ground, before taking a few steps forward and tugging on my arm gently. I glanced tiredly at him, my brother who I hadn’t seen in years, before breaking down. I carefully collected him in my arms and sobbed into his shoulder, after a few minutes; he was doing the same to me.

“Jona, I'm going to fucking kill him! He must have broken in our flat! Our apartment was in the exact same state as Tom said the house was in…but what on earth could he have said in order to make him leave?” I released my brother from the hug but kept him close to my side, he pursed his lips,

“And why did I have to disappear? Mum and dad don’t even let me go into town often…” he mumbled,

“I don’t know…but he’s definitely up to something.” Lee said as he stood up from the couch to greet Tom for the first time in years, I shook my head before speaking out,

“Yeah…if we want to find Josh and unravel this mess…we need a plan.”

And a fucking miracle.

-*-

Josh's P.O.V

I groaned as the sun from outside peeked its way through my window and laid right in the path of my eyes. My body was deathly sore, my head was pounding into my skull, and I felt like I had slept for a thousand years; but not quite long enough. At first, I expected to roll over and see Oli, I expected to see him curled up and see the sun making his dark hair glow; but then I remembered that I wasn’t with him, I wasn’t at what was once our home. My eyes didn’t get time to adjust before a loud knock came to my door,

“Open up, faggot!” my dad’s gruff voice greeted my ears, and I had to pocket all the emotions and pain so that I could propel myself off of my mattress and open the door for him. I quickly twisted the knob and swung the door open, he grinned before raising a fist and punching me square in the chest; I gasped and stumbled backwards. Successfully tripping on my backpack and hitting the floor with a loud thud, he walked over to me and delivered a swift kick to my back. I kept quiet, knowing if I made any sort of noise that he would just make it worse, and today…I couldn’t handle anything worse.

“You didn’t open the door fast enough, dumb arse.” He explained as he reached down enough to grip me by the arm and hoist me upwards, I didn’t object; instead just let him.

“Why did you come back here?” he seethed, I felt my body hit the wall and the next thing I knew, he was pinning me there. His face looming only inches from mine, anger clearly evident in his eyes, I sighed.

“I'm a piece of shit…like you said.” I admitted with a frown, but this only seemed to make my dad laugh.

“So your just now finding out how worthless you really are?” he commented with a sly smirk, I feebly shook my head yes.

“You still want to die, Josh?” he questioned as he got a grip on my neck, I struggled as the air left my lungs, but I faintly whispered, “Yes.” But before I could succumb to the dark, he released his grip so that I fell to the floor. I groaned as the air hungrily returned into my lungs,

“Then why don’t you do it yourself? Be a man.” He grunted, as he stalked out of the room. I heard him grab keys before exiting the house, his car starting up a few moments later. I curled my knees to my chest and let his words sink in, tears viciously stung at my eyes, and the next thing I knew; I was in hysterics.

“Oli…” I cried out, wishing he could somehow hear me, wishing he would come running to my aide. But I had already done too much damage, I didn’t deserve him. I never would, and my resolve was clear…I was never going to be with him again. It would absolutely be the death of me, and it would definitely be toxic for him. The only time I would ever sacrifice my happiness is when it came to something I loved, and that’s why I couldn’t have him; I would ruin him. While I collected myself off the floor, I daydreamed about what it would be like to be happy; what it would be like to be blissfully unaware, what it would be like to be anyone other than Josh Franceschi.