Status: you may need to read The First Boy first
We're All Alright
first fight
“Who threw the first punch?”
“Declan.” Rhiannon and Deena both said in unison.
The three Reese’s children sat in the back seat of their father’s van with crossed arms, ready to receive their punishment. They didn’t mean to start a mini riot in the school hallway. It just kind of happened.
“I can’t believe all three of you got suspended. A fight? Seriously? I thought we raised you better than that. Just wait until your mother hears about this.”
“Well what were we supposed to do? I wasn’t about to sit back and let Elijah speak to Declan that way.” Rhiannon argued. “I don’t care if he is the principal’s son. He can’t treat Dec like shit, Dad.”
“Yeah, and I wasn’t just going to sit there while they were attacking Rhi. You taught us to stick up for each other, remember?” Deena chimed in.
Declan was probably the most upset. He could still taste metal in his mouth and the entire right side of his face still hurt but it was his heart that was aching the most.
“Declan….you feeling okay, bud?”
Declan could see his fathers concerned eyes in the rear view mirror. He didn’t want to talk because he didn’t want to cry. His sisters always teased him by how much he cried. And there he was, after his first fight with the battle scars to prove it, and not one tear shed. It was a new record.
Though he couldn’t stop thinking about Elijah and how much he hated him. And he knew it was real hate because he’d had once actually really liked him. Elijah was a fake. He was a liar and a cheater and a stupid, shit head, god damn faker.
When Elijah made sure to make out with his girlfriend in front of Declan’s locker every day, he was faking. When he would shove him and call him the “f” slur, he was faking. And when he spread false rumors about Declan, he was faking 100%. But Declan knew. Declan knew every night when he would call him. Declan knew every time their fingers intertwined. He knew every time their lips touched. He knew the truth. But what did he care? It wasn’t like anyone would believe he, a freshman, had a thing with an upperclassmen anyway.
He was just so mad. Everything just blew up in his face and it wasn’t fair. He didn’t deserve half of the shit Elijah put him through. He didn’t regret throwing that first punch at all.
Declan didn’t respond to his father and just continued to looked out the window at the warped view of Boston. HE felt Deena place her hand over his clenched fish and then lay her head on his shoulder.
“You’re all going to have a fabulous time cleaning the entire house from top to bottom and eating slop for these two weeks you're home from school.”
They could tell he probably only half serious. He always tried to lighten the mood when things got to heavy.
“I’ll even cut up some potato sacks and have you all wear them around the neighborhood.”
“Can I cut mine into a mini skirt?” Rhiannon asked trying to help with the heaviness on the situation.
“No. Ankle length skirts only. This is a punishment, remember?”
When they arrived home Declan still refused to speak. He planned on just running up to his room and locking the door until he felt emotionally stable again. But before he could even make it into the house he was stopped by his dad.
“What?” He let out in a shaky voice, still trying to hold in his tears.
“I want to know if you’re okay.”
“Not really and I don’t want to talk about right now, if that’s okay with you.”
“I get it. You don’t have to talk until you’re ready. I just want you to know I’m proud of you.”
Declan was a little taken back by his father’s words. “Why? I got us all suspended.”
“You stood up for yourself and your sisters. I respect that. Declan, you’re an amazing kid and I’m not just saying that because you’re my son. You really are. That guy…if he can’t see that…if he can’t see how great you are, how good he had it...then he’s an idiot. And you deserve so so so much better than him.”
Declan couldn’t help but smile at his dad’s pep talk. They’d never really talked much about his relationship with boys, that was usually a conversation with one of the girls, but it was nice to know he was still listening.
“Thanks dad.” He wiped his face dry with the back of his hands, actually feeling a lot better.
“No problem, bud. You kicked his ass, right?”
“Obviously.”
“Good. Because if you didn't, I would've had to. No one messes with my kids and gets away with it.
“Sure, dad.”
“By the way, you’re all still grounded.”
“Declan.” Rhiannon and Deena both said in unison.
The three Reese’s children sat in the back seat of their father’s van with crossed arms, ready to receive their punishment. They didn’t mean to start a mini riot in the school hallway. It just kind of happened.
“I can’t believe all three of you got suspended. A fight? Seriously? I thought we raised you better than that. Just wait until your mother hears about this.”
“Well what were we supposed to do? I wasn’t about to sit back and let Elijah speak to Declan that way.” Rhiannon argued. “I don’t care if he is the principal’s son. He can’t treat Dec like shit, Dad.”
“Yeah, and I wasn’t just going to sit there while they were attacking Rhi. You taught us to stick up for each other, remember?” Deena chimed in.
Declan was probably the most upset. He could still taste metal in his mouth and the entire right side of his face still hurt but it was his heart that was aching the most.
“Declan….you feeling okay, bud?”
Declan could see his fathers concerned eyes in the rear view mirror. He didn’t want to talk because he didn’t want to cry. His sisters always teased him by how much he cried. And there he was, after his first fight with the battle scars to prove it, and not one tear shed. It was a new record.
Though he couldn’t stop thinking about Elijah and how much he hated him. And he knew it was real hate because he’d had once actually really liked him. Elijah was a fake. He was a liar and a cheater and a stupid, shit head, god damn faker.
When Elijah made sure to make out with his girlfriend in front of Declan’s locker every day, he was faking. When he would shove him and call him the “f” slur, he was faking. And when he spread false rumors about Declan, he was faking 100%. But Declan knew. Declan knew every night when he would call him. Declan knew every time their fingers intertwined. He knew every time their lips touched. He knew the truth. But what did he care? It wasn’t like anyone would believe he, a freshman, had a thing with an upperclassmen anyway.
He was just so mad. Everything just blew up in his face and it wasn’t fair. He didn’t deserve half of the shit Elijah put him through. He didn’t regret throwing that first punch at all.
Declan didn’t respond to his father and just continued to looked out the window at the warped view of Boston. HE felt Deena place her hand over his clenched fish and then lay her head on his shoulder.
“You’re all going to have a fabulous time cleaning the entire house from top to bottom and eating slop for these two weeks you're home from school.”
They could tell he probably only half serious. He always tried to lighten the mood when things got to heavy.
“I’ll even cut up some potato sacks and have you all wear them around the neighborhood.”
“Can I cut mine into a mini skirt?” Rhiannon asked trying to help with the heaviness on the situation.
“No. Ankle length skirts only. This is a punishment, remember?”
When they arrived home Declan still refused to speak. He planned on just running up to his room and locking the door until he felt emotionally stable again. But before he could even make it into the house he was stopped by his dad.
“What?” He let out in a shaky voice, still trying to hold in his tears.
“I want to know if you’re okay.”
“Not really and I don’t want to talk about right now, if that’s okay with you.”
“I get it. You don’t have to talk until you’re ready. I just want you to know I’m proud of you.”
Declan was a little taken back by his father’s words. “Why? I got us all suspended.”
“You stood up for yourself and your sisters. I respect that. Declan, you’re an amazing kid and I’m not just saying that because you’re my son. You really are. That guy…if he can’t see that…if he can’t see how great you are, how good he had it...then he’s an idiot. And you deserve so so so much better than him.”
Declan couldn’t help but smile at his dad’s pep talk. They’d never really talked much about his relationship with boys, that was usually a conversation with one of the girls, but it was nice to know he was still listening.
“Thanks dad.” He wiped his face dry with the back of his hands, actually feeling a lot better.
“No problem, bud. You kicked his ass, right?”
“Obviously.”
“Good. Because if you didn't, I would've had to. No one messes with my kids and gets away with it.
“Sure, dad.”
“By the way, you’re all still grounded.”
♠ ♠ ♠
remember in TFB when Deena say Declan had a not nice boy at home??? well story explained :)feedback and comments or you know whatever are all accepted and highly appreciated. josh'll be featured in the next chapter :)