Page 9 of It Was Always You

I touched my lip and my fingers came away with blood. I wiped it on my pants.

When I looked up again, Paul was standing inches away. He wasn't a small man, but neither was I. "That's the last time you'll do something like that, Noah." Then he glared at my mom still hiding behind me. "When I get back from Angelo's house, your son better be gone. I won't have that kind of disrespect in my home."

What? He was kicking me out?

A moment later, Paul disappeared out the front door.

My mom immediately went down the hall and came back with a cold washcloth in her hands. "Maybe you should go stay at your dad's house for a few days, just until Paul calms down." She gently patted my lip with the cloth.

I looked down at my mother, not believing what she was saying. "You want me to go?"

"Just for a few days. You two feed off each other."

I shook my head, still not believing her words. I took the washcloth from her. "He was about to hurt you again."

"I had things under control. You didn't need to step in. You just made things worse."

"So you wanted me to stand by and let that jerk hit you?" I scoffed. Was she seriously saying that right now?

"He's just stressed. Something happened at work, so he's a little irritable."

He had my mom brainwashed so badly it made my blood boil. How could she fail to see that this wasn't healthy behavior? "That's nota littleirritable. If I hadn't been in the way, you'd be the one with the bloody lip. And in case you forgot what happened last time, he probably wouldn't have stopped there."

She looked away and wrung her hands. "As soon as he gets his big promotion next week, everything will be better. Just give him a break."

"Give him a break? Are you hearing yourself right now? This is not how a healthy person thinks."

I regretted my last sentence almost immediately. I knew better than to say things like that to her.

Her gaze hardened. "So you're going to start insulting my intelligence, too?"

I groaned, and my shoulders sagged. "I didn't mean it. I'm sorry, Mom." I ran a hand through my hair. "I just can't stand how you let him treat you so badly. What is it that keeps you here?"

But she wasn't listening. She was already busy cleaning up the broken pieces of the vase on the floor. "I think you should spend the next week at your father's house." She didn't look at me when she said it.

This was insane. She let Paul treat her the way he didbut would kick me out because he told her to? Her own son?

I didn't say anything. It was pointless to talk to someone who wasn't willing to listen. This wouldn't be the first time this year that I had to find somewhere to stay because of Paul's temper.

I went upstairs to pack my bag. When I got to my room, Brielle was standing in the doorway with tears in her eyes. "Do you really have to leave?"

I brushed past her and pulled my duffel bag off the top shelf in my closet. "Your dad said to get out, so looks like I have to leave for a few days."

She followed behind me as I started packing. I threw a couple of pairs of jeans in my bag along with my favorite hoodie and a few pairs of underwear and socks, and a couple of t-shirts. Plus my toothbrush and shampoo, and then I figured that was about all I needed.

"I don't want you to go, Noah. I don't want to be here alone if something happens."

My heart broke for my little sister. It wasn't fair that she had to deal with any of this. She was so young.

I sighed and sat on my bed. She wiped at her tears with the back of her hand as her bottom lip trembled. I pulled her into a hug. "Mom thinks things will be better if I leave for a few days."

She clung to me. "But what if something happens again?"

I held her close, rubbing a hand down her curls. "You can message or call me on your watch if you ever feel scared and I'll come right home, okay?" I pulled back and held her at arm's length, so I could see her face.

She nodded and wiped at another tear trickling down her cheek. "Okay."

With another sigh, I stood and finished packing the rest of my things in the duffel. Then I slung it over one shoulder and my backpack over another.

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