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Chapter 8: Stage Fright
“You really suck at this game.” I told Noah as I watched Blaize beat him at the videogame they were playing. It was an old fight game they both liked, why Noah likes it when he always gets beat at it every time he plays though is beyond me.
“Shut up, I can beat you at it.” He snapped, jerking the paddle around as he hit the buttons.
“I never said I was any better, just that you suck.”
The Game Over music began to play and Blaize started, dancing in her seat. “I won! I rock! Yeah, yeah, I rock!” I stared at her as she continued her dance and chant. After a moment she noticed me. “What?”
“You scare me.”
She stuck her tongue out at me. “Come on Noah, lets play again.”
“No way.”
“Why not?”
“Because I keep losing!” He snapped, standing. “I’m going to grab a soda, anyone want one?”
He barely waited for an answer before stomping into the kitchen. “I would!” Blaize called after him. “Want to play Elliot?”
“Hardly, I’m worse than Noah, you’d have me down in five seconds.”
“I’ll play the computer then,” as she set up the game the phone rang. “Get that for me?”
I made a face at her, I hate the phone, seriously its my worst enemy. I always end up saying the stupidest things possible. Still I grabbed the phone to answer it for her. “Hello?”
“Elliot?”
“Lauren?” I was surprised. I hadn’t expected her to know Blaize’s phone number. She better not have gone through my stuff for it.
“Oh God Elliot, please tell me you didn’t do it!” I pulled the phone away from my ear as she shrieked at me. Ow.
“Okay, I didn’t do it. Now what didn’t I do?” I asked. I shrugged at Blaize and Noah who had come out of the kitchen.
“Beat up that boy!” she shrieked again, even louder.
“What boy I didn’t beat anyone up!” I said back, nearly shouting myself. Why would I beat anyone up?
“That Sterling boy, you really didn’t beat him up?”
“No, I…” I froze had she? “Did you say Sterling?” my mouth went dry. Sterling was hurt? What the hell…was that why? I nearly dropped the phone. “Is he okay? How badly hurt is he?”
“So you really didn’t…”
“Yeah, I really didn’t. Now, how fucking hurt is he?” now I was shouting.
She sounded shocked when she spoke a few seconds later. “He’s pretty bad, the cops said he was in the hospital…” she trailed off.
“The cops said that? When did you talk to the cops?” I asked confused again, as well as busy wondering what hospital Sterling was in. I had to go visit him, to see how hurt he was, if there was anything I could do…
“Well, they were here…Looking for you. They think you beat the boy up, and…and now their heading over there to pick you up,” she added the last softly.
I stood there staring at the wall as I realized, she had actually thought I did it. That I hurt someone. How could she think that? Why would she think that? Was she even now having doubts about whether I did or not?
“You told them I was here?” I asked softly. What else could she have done?
“Yes, I’m sorry. Look I’ll be there soon, okay?” she offered.
I thought for a moment about telling her not to bother. “No, just meet me at wherever it is they plan to take me.”
“Alright.”
I hung up before she could say anything else. Sighing I looked over at my friends to find them both staring at me like I was insane.
“What the hell is going on?” Noah asked.
“Well, for one, it seems the cops think I beat up Sterling,” saying his name made me wonder again what hospital he was in. And why hadn’t he told them I wasn’t the one who put him there? Did he think I did or something?
“Who?” Blaire asked standing up from her game.
“Sterling,” they both gave me blank looks. He’s in the play with me,” I said hoping that helped some. I thought I had told Blaize about him?
“Oh, well, why do they think that?” Blaize asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe I was the last person her was with or something,” I sighed and shrugged. “Either way, the cops are coming to get me.”
“What?!” they both shouted.
I opened my mouth, about to explain a bit more when someone began to began on the door. That’s probably them. Both Blaize and Noah were frozen, glancing back and forth between me and the door. Seeing that neither were going to move, I made my way over to open it. It was the cops standing there. Two of them both guys, and both looked like they had just ate a lemon.
“Hello, we’re looking for an…” one cop started.
I interrupted. “Me, I think. My sister called and said you’d be here.”
One of them stepped closer, looking at me. “You’re Elliot Fairbrook?” he sounded doubtful.
“Yeah,” I said. I paused nervous. What should I say? Tell them now that it wasn’t me, or wait till they ask? I bit my lip, before thinking of something. They knew how Sterling was. Maybe they could tell me more than Lauren had. “Sterling, is…is he okay? My sister said he was the one who was hurt,” they looked suspicious now.
“Don’t you know how he is?” one snapped.
I shook my head a little confused. Why did he seem angrier now? I had just wanted to know how he was.
“So you just left him with knowing what condition he was in?” the other demanded.
I backed up a step. “I’m not the one…”
“What ever little boy. It will have to wait till we get down town,” he grabbed my arm and started dragging me towards the police car. Maybe I should have waited to ask about Sterling.
The hospital. I was in the hospital because of my dad. And…oh God, and they were trying to blame Elliot! Shit! I moved trying to sit up and let hissing breath. Not a good idea, really not a good idea. I tried turning my head to see if anyone was around. Damn, another mistake. Where didn’t it hurt? I didn’t even try to talk, I knew that would hurt too. I remembered trying to do it before.
What was I going to do? I had to tell someone, I needed them to know it wasn’t Elliot that did this. Who was I going to tell them did this though. I could say I didn’t know but…I couldn’t stand having this happen again.
“You awake sonny?” the head of an old man appeared hovering over me. He sounded familiar. Maybe he could help.
I opened my mouth to try to talk, forgetting before. And let out a strangled scream at the pain. Oh God what the hell? Why did that hurt so much?
“You shouldn’t be trying to move your mouth. Your jaw isn’t broke, just really badly bruised. It should be okay to talk with in a few days but until then wait.”
No! I needed to talk now! I had to tell them, him, anyone! I couldn’t let Elliot be blamed for this!
“And don’t worry sonny, the cops are already picking up the boy who did this,” no! I waved my hand, unable to shake my head. “What is it?” I shook my hand again and then had a sudden inspiration. I began to mime out writing if I could just get a pencil and some paper I could tell him. “You want something to write on? Hmmm, alright sonny, one moment then.”
The mans head disappeared and I began to twitch. I hated waiting and this was important. We couldn’t waste time, they had to know. He came back a few minutes later. He handed me the paper and pen and I lifted them above my head to see what I was writing.
Finished I handed it over to him. He read it out loud. “You have to stop them. Elliot didn’t do this, it’s a mistake,” he frowned at me. “Are you sure sonny? I mean he was the last one you were seen with, your dad seems pretty convinced it was him.” I motioned for him to hand me back my paper. Writing again he read over my shoulder this time. “It wasn’t him. We just went out for coffee, he went to his friends house afterwards. I headed home,” he sighed. “Well then what happened?”
I hesitated. If I told him…If I told him I’d end up in a foster home. I didn’t want that. What if I ended up some place worse? Still…I wrote something down and handed it to him.
“I went home. Yes, sonny, I…you mean…?”
“Boy,” I looked back at the detective. “What happened?”
“You already asked me that. Several times, and I told you. We went and got coffee and then he went home and I went to my friends,” I had a feeling he would never believe me. He thought I had hurt Sterling. Hurting Sterling was the furthest thing from my mind. I would never hurt him. Not on purpose and never like they seemed to think I had.
“Then how did Mr. Trumble end up so badly hurt?” the detective asked. He widened his eyes at me.
I met them squarely, if I looked away I knew I had no chance of making them believe me. “I don’t know. I didn’t do it, I would never hurt Sterling.”
“I’m sorry but, I don’t believe you,” I sighed. Why hadn’t Sterling told them it wasn’t me?
I buried my face in my hands. Everything was so confusing lately. My little brother most of all. Why did he have to be…Him? If mom and dad were still here…But they weren’t and I shouldn’t blame that on Elliot either. I knew that. Yet, still they had just gone out and got drunk because of what he had told the. Because he had come out to them. He had had to tell them he was gay, and so they had gotten drunk and died. I should think it was their fault, for reacting badly but still….
“I don’t think the kid did it,” I looked up at the two cops. The ones who had brought my brother in, who had been at my doorstep. They didn’t seem to notice me at all. “I mean he smallish, and the other boy he looks like he got ran over or something.”
“Yeah, and the Elliot boy doesn’t even have a mark on him.”
I could see him a few desks away. And for some reason he kept glancing towards me. Was the phone call about me? Who was it? After a moment he set it down and came back over to me. He spent a moment staring at me, I stared back. What was going on now?
“I’m sorry,” he made the words sound like they killed him. “The call, it was from a doctor at the hospital your friend is at. Seems the boy finally came back around. Told us who really did it, that it wasn’t you.”
I breathe a sigh of relief for a moment. “How is he then?”
The detective chewed his lip, “He’s pretty bruised and has a few broken ribs. Maybe a concussion.”
I let out a hiss of breath. All that? Why? Who hated him enough to do that to him? “What hospital is he in? Can I go see him?”
The detective hesitated. “Sure, go ahead. He’s down at St. Michael’s.”
I nodded and stood to go, hoping my sister was outside waiting to take me home and that she’d drive me to the hospital instead. I stopped a few steps away from his desk. Looking back at him, I decided to ask one more question. “Detective?”
“What is it?”
“Who did it?”
The detective stared at me for a moment. Then he looked away. “The boys dad.”
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I am a horrible, horrible person. I'm sorry for taking so long to update. Please forgive me? I won't do it again. Actually, this story only has two maybe three chapters left and it's complete. Is that good?
Thanks to all who reviewed:
storyteller451: I'm horrible for letting Sterling get hurt like that aren't I?
SkepticCritic: Sorry that I didn't send this to you. It had just been such a long time I thought I should get it up as soon as I finished it.
K.T. Wood: I hate his dad too. Wish I never created him...
Kohaku Cho: You can hate me for how long it took. I'm sorry. And this chapter was only a little longer too, sorry again.
ShadowFane: I did something but I'm sorry it wasn't quick. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Sorry, again, about taking so long.
Midnights Scream:Thank you very very much. :)
Sorry to all once again. I will do better. I should actually have the next chapter up soon. Hopefully. Please review. Night!
