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You have to run, his mind screamed at him. You both have to run faster, faster.
David never expected to be running through an all-too familiar forest clutching the most important thing in his life to his chest. David never expected to be running in the forest with scraped knees and his best friend right behind him. David never expected to learn so much information against his will.
This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go. He was supposed to be safe. They were supposed to be safe. They had a plan.
David feels someone grab onto his arm. “Stop.” Ron says, and David lets his body obey while his mind continues to yell at him. “Where are we?”
David turns around to answer him and then he finally gets the first good look at Ron he’s had in the past couple of hours. The sight makes him gasp. “Holy shit. Holy shit. Ron-“ “Don’t.” “Okay. Yeah, okay, we’ll deal with that later.”
“Where are we?” Ron tries again. David takes a deep breath. “We’re like, ten minutes from my mom’s house if we walk. Let’s just-“ a loud yell muffled by the trees interrupts him. A yell David fears he is all too familiar with.
Shit. Shit. No. No.
“We have to go.” “What?” Ron looks at him, non verbally questioning him. “ We have to go. Now, Ron. I don’t know what he’s fully capable of, and from what’s happened today, I’m not sticking around to find out.” David urges.
Another deep breath. In and out, his mind reminds him, because he’s at the point that he can barely breathe.
“I’m sorry,” David says between breathes. “I’m so fucking sorry, this-
~~~~~~
A few hours earlier
~~~~~~
Is a foolproof plan!” David claps his hands together and smiles. “Seriously, I’m impressed.” “It is good.” Ron agrees as they walk down the sidewalk. “Go, repeat.” “Really?” David groans as he asks. “Need to remember.” Ron insists. “Fine.” David rolls his eyes and pretends to be annoyed with him.
“So we go to my fathers house while he’s at work. You pick the lock and we get in. I get what I need, and we dip. Easy, simple, efficient, and foolproof.” David recites.
They stop at a front door David had frequented, up until about a month ago. David sighs.“Okay, we’re here. Are you ready?” “‘Course.” “Alright then, do your thing.”
Ron bends down and pulls out a hairpin from his jacket pocket. He fiddles with the lock for a while before hearing a satisfying click . “Done.” Ron confirms, putting the pin back in his pocket.“Wow. You amaze me more and more everyday.” David compliments.“Thank you. Now, in.” Ron gestures.
David steps inside and he swears he can feel the air weighing him down. He’s pretty sure he’s showing his discontent on his face. He looks back and sees Ron make a similar face.
“Okay, I’ll go to my bedroom and you…just do whatever. But be ready to leave in twenty minutes.” David explains before ascending the staircase, leaving Ron to his own devices.
As David takes every step, he’s bombarded with memories. Every step feels like he’s going back in time.
He makes it to his bedroom and exhales in relief. He’s reminded of the fact that even though this house was nothing more than a place of living, his room was a place of solace.
David walks into his room and goes to stand in front of his bed frame. He puts his hands under his mattress and pushes up. He lets out a sound of triumph when he realizes his mattress served its purpose as a hiding place. David pushes the mattress so it leaned onto the wall. He carefully walks over to the side of the bed and finds exactly what he was looking for.
Jackpot. A lockbox containing (what David essentially proclaimed) was his livelihood. About fifty photos of his friends and family (minus his father), and a small, hand-held plushie that Exer had won him at the arcade all those years ago.
To David, this box was everything. But he knew that to his dad, this was just another piece of junk cluttering up his (and subsequently David’s) life.
David sighs and holds the box in his arms.
Then he hears the click of a key opening the front door.
~~~~~~
Meanwhile
~~~~~~
Listen, Ron never said he wasn’t a snoop. And he felt like this specific case of snooping came with good reasoning.
Ron has never liked William Miller. He remembers when we first met him, right after a football game. David had played particularly well, so he insisted that it’ll be fine Ron, and you’ll have to meet him one day, so let it be on one where he’s in a good mood.
Ron remembers trying to not focus on the connotations of that last part.
Ron remembers the way William Miller looked at him. A look Ron knows all too well. A look that signified the message of you are below the gum on my shoe. It was a look of vitriol, of pure venom and toxicity.
Ron remembers the way he looked at David once he left. He remembers looking his best friend dead in the eye and saying I do not like that man .
Ron remembers how David had laughed like it was a joke, and how while David had his usual upbeat motif and smile, he had a nervous air to him.
Ron remembers that phone call. The one where Brenda had to explain to him that William Miller was a horrid person ( like he didn’t already know ) and that he had hurt David.
Ron remembers the minute he got one look at David’s face after what had happened and how he had one thought in his head:
William Miller needed to- no- will pay.
And Ron will be the one to find the proof that will make him pay.
Which is why he’s in William Miller’s study after having picked the lock. Who knew the same trick would work twice?
The study door opens with a creak. Ron walks into the room, feeling the same thick air that permeated throughout the rest of the house. He runs a hand through his hair before beginning to go through drawers.
First drawer. Nothing.
Second drawer. Nothing but paper clips and a set of ballpoint pens.
They always say third times the charm. Ron pulls the drawer open and the sight of what’s in the drawer…confuses him.
Cassette tapes. A set of cassette tapes. Ron pulls one out. He observes it and notices nothing unordinary. Ron does notice the cassette player on William Miller’s desk.
So Ron does what any logical person would do. He puts the tape in and presses play.
And what he hears interests him. It interests him so much he can feel himself wanting to take more tapes. But, no time for that. He presses pause and grabs the tape, putting it in his jacket pocket.
Because he couldn’t believe his ears. But he knows he can’t be shocked because they’re on a time limit. He goes back to the drawers and puts a few more tapes in his pockets. Call it stealing, but Ron has a feeling he’s going to need these tapes.
And then he hears it. The front door being opened with a key.
~~~~~~
God, David prays and hopes that’s Linda. But by the sound of the heavy shoes David knows his prayers have gone unanswered. He clutched the lockbox a bit tighter in his arms.
That’s when the severity of the situation hits him.
He is trapped. Correction: he and his best friend are trapped in his fathers house. Another correction: his homophobic father’s house who had disowned him and kicked him out.
He needs to do something. Other than meander around because moving around slightly dampened the increasing anxiety in his head.
David decides he needs a better view. He walks out of his bedroom carefully, making sure each step doesn’t make a noise. He crouches down and puts one of his arms on the banister.
Coast is clear. David looks around and carefully walks to his father’s study.
He finds Ron shuffling through drawers and shelves. He should’ve known, the snoop. He’s about to open his mouth when he hears footsteps come closer.
“Hide!” He whispers to Ron. He pushes him down and under the desk. “How-“ Ron starts but David cuts him off. “Shut up!”
The steps get closer. And closer. And closer. And then-
They stop. David holds his breath.
The footsteps walk away. They get fainter, and fainter. Then they’re gone. David and Ron both sigh in relief.
They both hear the front door open and close. And the house is silent again. David’s the first one to speak up. “We need to go.” “Agreed.” Ron nods his head. “Okay. Great that we agree. Come on, while he’s gone.” David grabs Ron’s arm and pulls him up.
“Why did your father-“ “He Just does that sometimes. When he forgets papers on the kitchen counter. He does it all the time and he’s in and out quick-fast. Now, enough with the questions, we’re leaving.”
They make their quick descent down the stairs, and they almost make it to the door before-
“You two thought you could get away with this?”
His father is staring them down with an icy glare.
~~~~~~
“Well, come on. I know both of you like to talk.” The silence fills the room. “Okay then. I’ll talk.” William turns to face David.
“You are not my son. You have not been my son since you decided to become a homo with Mr. Campbell’s kid. You have no right to be in this house and as long as you keep up this little ‘charade’ of yours. You are a bad influence, and so are your friends. I hoped you would grow out of this silly phase of yours, but I’m sad to see you haven’t. Shame. And you,” William turns to Ron.
“You are nothing but an enabler to this behavior of his. Why you choose to be friends with him is beyond me.” Ron looks at him unaffected. William takes this as a challenge. “Fine. You think I don’t know you, fine. I’m not holding back.” Ron looks at him again, a bit confused.
“I know exactly why you were sent here. The same reason your mother was sent here from down south when she was your age.” David sees Ron freeze up at the mention of his mom. William keeps going. “I wonder if she ever saw you being this much of a disappointment. I wonder if she ever saw you reliving her worst moments. The ones that caused her scandal. The ones that caused you to be exiled from your old school.” William takes a breath.
“You ruined that young man’s life. Actually, you ruined both of your lives. And you want to know what I think?” Ron digs his nails into his hands, like he’s holding back. “I think you deserved it. Every single bit of it. You and your mother are nothing but rot. Ruining everything you two touch.”
David watches as Ron punches his father square in the face. Ron steps back and attempts to turn the door knob. And that’s when David Miller truly realizes how much of a monster his father is.
And it comes with a resounding crack as William punches his best friend in the face. Much harder, and with much more anger. The hit puts Ron against the door, clutching his nose, but William decides that isn’t enough. He grabs Ron by the wrist, digging his nails into the inside of his arm, definitely drawing blood. Ron grabs the arm holding onto him and uses it as leverage to kick him in the hip with his boot. The kick knocks William off kilter, making him fall, and leaves room for an exit.
“Get the box. Go!” Is all Ron says before he’s pushing himself and David out of the door. Before it completely shuts, William attempts to grab them, and pull them back with a threat of “I’ll kill you both!” But Ron closes the door shut. The velocity throws David forward onto the front steps, resulting in scrapes on both knees. He winces at the pain.
David lets him and Ron breathe for about a millisecond before he pulls him up and they’re running. Their shoes slap across the pavement as David makes a plan in his head. The lockbox makes a clunk noise with every step.
We can’t go down the street. We have to go in the forest, it’s safer. It’s dense and thick and you’ve known your way around for years. David reasons.
Ron doesn’t ask any questions as he’s pulled onto the forest path.
~~~~~~
Present time
~~~~~~
They make it out of the forest, still running. They run all the way to Christine Miller’s home, high on adrenaline.
David all but thanks the heavens that the front door is unlocked. Which means somebody is home, and unlike William’s house, David would prefer it if there were people home. “Mom! Are you home? Mom!” David calls out in an urgent tone.
But Christine doesn’t answer David’s call. Instead, it’s Brenda. “Jeez David, just tell me where the fire is and-“ Brenda cuts herself off with a gasp when she takes in the sight of the two of them. “Oh my- who did this to you guys?!?” She runs over to inspect the two.
“Who do you think, Bren?” David chuckles wetly. “I didn’t think he’d- he’d actually hurt someone other than me but he- god, he-“ David swallows as he feels tears building up. “And he looked so- so fucking satisfied with himself. Like he’s gone and decoded a big secret.” Brenda pulls Ron’s face down to her height. Notices the dirt, the bruise forming around his right forearm, along with four crescent-moon shaped cuts.
David takes a moment to breathe. In and out. “I'm pretty sure Ron’s nose is broken. God, the sound Brenda. It was just a loud crack and then he was up against the door, blood running like a faucet and-“ David feels the tears coming back. He wipes the corners of his eyes. “And he dug his fucking nails into him, Bren, like he was a piece of meat. It was sickening.” Brenda lets go of Ron. She sighs.
“Okay. David, you get the first aid kit and help Ron. You remember how I helped you when dad pulled this shit with you?” David nods. “Good. Make sure to use the saline spray, just in case. Lord knows what you two encountered running through the forest. I’ll call mom and tell her to come home right away. She’ll know whether we have to go to the hospital or not.” David nods again.
“Okay, upstairs, I’ll check on you two soon.” Brenda shoos both of them away.
As the two of them walk up the stairs and step into the bathroom, he’s hit with a sudden wave of fucked-up deja-vu.
He wonders why for a moment, and his brain supplies the answer for him in the form of a crystal-clear memory.
~~~~~~
One Month Ago
~~~~~~
“Let me finish.” Ron sighs good-naturedly, putting on more antiseptic. “You don’t understand, Ron! I need to like- move around. Like a-“ David sighs dramatically before wincing at the slight burn of the said antiseptic. “Like dog?” Ron finishes for him. “Yeah! Yeah,” David snaps his fingers. “I’m like a golden retriever. I need to move around! I feel like it can help me somehow. What do you call that? Like when you give animals stimulation?” “Enrichment?” “Bingo! I need to have daily enrichment time or something like that. Because I am seriously un-enriched right now!” That makes Ron laugh. “I’m serious, Ron! I am!” David tries for a serious tone but fails, laughing with him.
Ron stands up to put the first kit away. “Ron?” “Hm?” “I know you want to say something.” “About?” “Y’know. About what happened with me and…my dad. But you’ve been keeping your mouth shut. I can tell when you do that. So just, say it.” David shrugs.
Ron looks him dead in the eyes, silver eyes meeting red-rimmed blue ones. “I despise that man.” He states. “He will rot in hell.”
He says it in that tone that David knows he was serious.
And as David sits up on the bathroom countertop, he leans his head back to feel the cool touch of the mirror.
And he silently prays Ron is right.
~~~~~~
Present Day
~~~~~~
“Well, good news is you don’t have to get your nose set back into place.” David observes. “Yay?” Ron offers. “Yay indeed. Just keep the ice pack on your nose. I have to look at your arm.” Ron puts his arm out. David pulls the gauze out of the first-aid kit.
Five crescent moon-shaped indents lay on Ron’s pale skin. The marks themselves an angry red. David can see the formation of a bruise, ugly shades of purple and yellow. David has to refrain himself from just turning his head away from it altogether.
Instead, David wraps up Ron’s arm. Because being best friends means getting through the hard shit together, being there when needed, and fighting tooth and nail to make sure the both of you come out of whatever it is together. Yes, this includes wrapping up your best friend's arm after he beats the shit out of the human being society deems his father.
“It’s kind of fucked up how our places were swapped a month ago. Actually, no, it is fucked up.” David looks up at Ron.
“What does my dad know about you, Ron? If it’s something you don’t want to say, I won’t make you say it. But if you tell me, I promise I won’t judge you.”
Ron eyes him suspiciously. “Fine.” He makes a come closer motion. “You tell anyone else. You die. Yes?” “Yep. Secrets safe with me.”
So Ron tells him. And-
“What the fuck. That’s insane!” “Mhm.” “Okay, but then what happened after?” “So what happen was-“
~~~~~~
One week later
~~~~~~
That I need to go roller skating!” David tells Ron over the phone. “Y’know, enrichment time and all that shit.” “And David call me because-?” Ron questions before he’s cut off. “Because I don’t want to go to the skate park alone!” “So?” “ So I called you to come with me. And before you say anything, you don’t even have to skate.” Ron snorts out a laugh. “Attempt to skate.” He corrects. “Ha, yeah. Anyways, you coming or what?”
Ron sighs, pretending to think about it for a minute. “Fine.” David squeals. “Yes! Okay, I’ll meet you in ten minutes. Oh! I remembered why I called you now!” “Skate?” “No, no. My mom wanted me to call and ask how your nose was doing. You know her, protective over everyone of Brenda and I’s friends.”
Ron twists the telephone cord in his hands. “Good. David?” Ron looks at the wall, trying to find a spot to stare at. “What’s up?” David’s tone is nonchalant. “I learned…some things. A week ago.” Ron confesses. “About my dad?” David clarifies. “Yes.” “Good or bad?” Ron’s silence is telling. “Damn. Okay, just tell me.” “Should I ?” “Well don’t leave me hanging! It’s Saturday night, we have time!” David seems almost too excited to hear about the bad things his father has done.
“Alright. So he…”
~~~~~~
Jackson was just trying to mind his own business. He’ll swear on his life. Pinky promises and all that stuff.
He just wanted to call his friends. It’s Saturday night and they wanted to hang out but Jackson wanted to ask Jolie where they wanted to meet.
He just wanted some clarification.
When he picked up the phone what he expected was to call his friends, maybe banter with Ken for a bit before Jolie makes them hang up because (in her words) “you two boys can bicker over your puppet children whenever. But please don’t make me listen to it any more than required.”
What he did not expect was…whatever the hell David and Ron were talking about.
“So what? He’s been committing fraud? He’s just been…lying about everything.” David’s voice is a bit shaky. “For years.” Ron clarifies. “Jesus. Okay. So now what? If he’s been getting away with this, what’s going to get him arrested?”
Jackson hears Ron sigh. And his brain is screaming at him to slam the phone into the receiver before he hears something he won’t be able to comprehend. But he ignores that thought, because how much worse could it get?
“He was going to frame your mother.” Ron states. His tone deathly-serious, leaving no room for questions.
Well, questions to ask. The question what the fuck? Has been buzzing around in Jackson’s mind for the past few minutes like an incessant fly.
There’s silence on the line. Dead and utter silence. The only noise Jackson can hear is the twisting of a phone cord.
After what seems like hours (weeks, months, years) he hears Ron’s voice. “David?” He asks.
And David? David screams. Screams so loud it can be heard throughout the house and Jackson thanks his lucky stars his Tia and Tio are out of the house for the weekend visiting some friends.
Jackson tries to understand any bit of the yelling, but he’s picking up on nothing. Until- “David! David! Just stop!” “Why should I? Give me one good-“ “You are still in his custody.” A beat of silence. David sighs. “That’s a good reason.” “It is main reason.”
“So how do I get out of his custody?” “You… can’t.” “Why the hell not?” “Long process.” David lets out a noise of frustration. “Fucking figures. Kicks his son out, beats up my best friend, disowns me, but when it’s time to act like a family it’s all place, everybody! ” David rants. “Sucks.” “Yeah. It really does suck.”
David sucks in a breath. “So, I’ll meet you at the skate park in ten?” “Yes, yes.” “Okay. I’ll see you. Peace.”
With that, Jackson hears the phone from downstairs click into the receiver. He takes a deep breath, relieved he wasn’t caught with his unintentional listen-in. He holds the phone in his hand.
“I know you’ve been listening, Jackson.” Jackson practically jumps out of his skin when he hears David’s voice. “How did you-?” “Had a gut feeling somebody was listening in on us, and Brenda is helping mom do something, so.” David clicks his tongue.
“Betcha wondering who we were talking about, huh?” “I didn’t mean to-“ Jackson tries to defend himself. “Oh I know you didn’t. It’s cool. I mean, it’s not like you didn’t see me after the whole initial ordeal.” David says it like Jackson didn’t see him with bruises and cuts all over that day. Like it was just a little bump in the road. Something minute in the grand scheme of things. “Okay, ask your questions, come on.”
“What- what happened? Who commited fraud? Who was trying to frame your mom? I don’t get it.” Jackson manages to spit out. He hears David laugh on his end. “Let’s just say it’s someone I’m not very fond of.” David says vaguely. “That doesn’t answer my question.” “I know it doesn’t. But I don’t feel like explaining the events of the past month to you over the phone. You want to know what’s happening, Jackson?” Jackson picks his next words carefully. “Now I do.”
“Well then come to the skate park. I swear I’ll answer any questions you have.” David offers. “But-“ “I’m not forcing you, Jackson. You don’t have to come. It’s totally up to you.” “But-“ “and no, Exer won’t be there. Actually won’t be around for a while. Should probably tell you about where he is too. Remind me. Anyways, it’s up to you. I’ll see you. Or won’t. Bye for real this time.”
The line goes dead.
~~~~~~
Well, what does he do now?
Jackson does end up calling his friends and does end up getting his clarification. That clarification being that they couldn’t hang out tonight. Which was fine. But it left Jackson with nothing to do for the rest of the night.
He paces around his bedroom. Then, he sees it. His skateboard. After Exer broke it, he’d been riding it less and less. Jackson doesn’t like to think about the constant paranoia that surrounds him when he thinks about Exer Campbell. But apparently Exer is gone, for a while at least.
He thinks about David’s offer. He thinks about how calm David had been, talking with him. Like if they were put in a room together, it wouldn’t be the social-interactional equivalent of walking on eggshells.
Jackson thinks about all the ways this can go wrong. His anxiety filled his thoughts with horrible scenarios. But then he realizes.
What was the worst that could happen? Surely not as bad as what’s happened to him the past few months. And hey, if this all turns out to be one big scheme, Jackson’s too tired to even try to decode it.
So Jackson paces one more lap around his bedroom before grabbing his skateboard. And even though all he did was a simple action, he felt something. Not physically, but emotionally.
He felt like he was beginning to mend something that should’ve never been broken.