I met Jason in front of the ticket box. Firstly, I was looking around nervously to make sure that there're no familiar faces around who could recognize me and Jason together. I didn't even know who potentially might be such a person but that's how I was. Always a wire.
My little paranoia immediately disappeared as soon as I noticed the angelic face of my date. He stood in a line and at my sight his lips curved into a beautiful smile. He even put a shirt on what disarmed me completely. I threw myself into his arms and kissed him passionately, wrinkling my nose. The thing that was most bothering me in Jason was the permanent odor of nicotine which always accompanies him. I don't know how but neither Tony nor Shane smelled like he was and they also smoked quite a lot. Everything else was amazing about him though, so I was able to ignore this one flaw.
"So nice to meet you somewhere outside of the toilets," he said after the movie finished when we were saying goodbye. We were hugging tightly, still in desire for closeness, although we've just spent the last two hours on fondling. Jason picked the seats in the corner and at the beginning I was confused. Normally, I prefer to sit in the middle, where you can see the screen perfectly. But he knew what he was doing because as soon as the lights were put out, it turned out we had a lot of privacy there.
"That's true but honestly, I don't really remember what the movie was about..." I giggled and he joined me.
What's amazing about Jason was that he didn't treat me like a little girl. Nor a child. He treated me as an adult, a woman. He appreciated my long (as for fifteen years old) legs and loved playing with thick hair. We kissed like this mature couple in the romantic comedy we just watched and that made me feel as never before. Adult.
That's how my Saturday's plan went on, so I really didn't have any reason to suspect that something's wrong. Everything was more than great. I wanted to dance out of happiness and I couldn't wait to see Jason again. I wanted to kiss him again and the amazing thing was that I knew he felt the same.
Will was the one who picked me up from the mall. He stopped at the parking lot like earlier and waited for me to take a passenger's seat. He started an engine when I buckled up. There was a smile wandering on my lips but he was serious. Normally, I could get worried but I was too occupied with keeping replaying my wonderfull meeting with Jason in my head, so I even preferred Will to be silent. He kept getting some texts on his phone and he seemed to be busy with some stuff so I didn't really care. My brothers sometimes behaved this way because of reasons I had no idea about and I learned to ignore it.
At some point, the car stopped. I took a look around, confused. Outside it was dark already and unpleasant. Will parked at the side of the road in one of those areas where every house looked the same and every lawn was perfectly cut. I was just about to ask what was going on when the door at my side opened. I jumped scared but calmed down when I saw it's just Tony.
"To the back." He snapped at me, pointing his thumb at that side.
I frowned at such a rude line and looked at Will, expecting some backup like for example that it was very mean to speak to his little sister this way and that sitting at the backseat once a while wouldn't do any harm to him. I could say it myself but it was Tony. I didn't dare to talk back to Tony. But Will was busy with texting and he wasn't interested in what was happening around him.
Without a word, I unclipped the belt and scrambled to the back of the car, pursing my lips so nothing I'd regret leaves them.
On the way home, Tony and Will were talking about something that I completely didn't understand. Some people with weird nicknames and this kind of stuff. I had a feeling that they were using some code that only they understood. I don't know, because I stopped listening to them quickly, still remembering amazing time I've had today.
At home, I rushed upstairs right away, dreaming of changing into sweatpants and burying in my bed with my laptop. I just turned towards my bedroom when someone caught my arm. I stopped and turned around, surprised. Tony. I didn't even hear him following me.
"Not so fast." he said with a smirk. Oho, that wasn't a good sign.
"What, Tony? I want to get some rest..." I groaned, stopping myself from rolling my eyes at him. We've just spent like 20 minutes in a car together, he had time to talk to me if he wanted...
"Vince wants to see you." he answered and pulled me towards the forbidden corridor.
"W-what? Wait, I'm not allowed to go there..." I called out, almost begging, because I'd give anything for him to let me go and run to my room. I didn't know what was happening but at the thought of Vince asking to see me, I was getting goosebumps. And why were we going to the part of the house that I was told never to go?
"Alone." muttered Tony.
"It hurts." I squealed, looking at his muscular and tattoed arm, holding mine, skinny.
He loosened his grip but didn't let me go.
We were going through this long corridor that I remembered well from my first and last trip here. We got to the place where the couches and lamps were. And all those doors. There was a man standing there, wearing all black and with an earphone. He ignored us just like Tony ignored him, passing by him and grabbing the door handle, carelessly knocking before doing it.
I didn't want to enter there, I was scared. I was scared that Vince will be angry at me that I'm here what was silly because it was Tony who forced me to come. I was also afraid of the surroundings in general because I had no idea what was happening in this part of the house and all this mystery just added up to my anxiety.
Vince's office was very tidy, modern and kept mainly in grey and black colors. Vince was sitting behind a huge desk on a comfortable- and expensive-looking chair. Somewhere on the right, there was a black couch. A skinny, adult man in a suit was sitting there.
My oldest brother was saying something and when Tony and I entranced, he just shot us a quick look, acknowledging our presence but didn't stop giving instructions to his companion. Just at the sound of this familiar, cold voice, I got shivers. What did he want from me?
"... if they don't want to cooperate, don't make any deals." he finished and the man in a suit nodded.
"Will's waiting downstairs," informed them Tony, finally letting me go. He went straight to the desk, leaving me at the back of the room. I also did a few little steps forward but quickly stopped, not knowing what to do with myself. I didn't want to come closer to them.
"Then it's time for me." said Vince's guest and nodded his head at my brothers, also throwing me a small but kind smile when he was passing me on his way to the door.
That's when I stayed in the room alone with the two of my brothers.
"They still think they can negotiate with us?" spatted Tony quizzically, sprawling on the black couch, previously occupied by the man in a suit.
Vince just shook his head with a sigh, checked his phone notifications, scratched his chin, throw some papers into a drawer in his desk and at the end he leaned back in his chair and finally raised his eyes straight to me.
At the same moment, I looked at my shoes.
"Sit." I heard him saying. Back, I raised my gaze a bit to check if he was speaking to me. He pointed at the chairs in front of his desk. Reluctantly, I forced myself to take one of them. Sitting in front of Vince's desk, I felt exposed to his scrutinizing look. He, on the other hand, fit there perfectly, just as if he was born to sit behind it and rule the roost.
Of course, before I was told what was happening, I made up my own theories. I considered the possibility that they could find out about my meeting with Jason. That thought was so frightening that I tried to make myself believe that it was impossible. Because come on, how would they know?
"How was your day, Hailie?" ask Vince casually, watching closely my reaction.
I tensed even more.
He had to know. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked me such a question. He knew. Did he?
He had to know, for sure.
"Good." I answered quietly when I realized that silence is lasting too long.
Vince nodded as if accepting my answer.
"Ah so you do recommend to see..." here he stopped and peeked at his phone screen as if he had to remind himself something. "...'Two Broken Hearts'?"
The name of this idiotic romantic comedy sounded exceptionally funny said by Vince and in different circumstances, I'd giggle. But I didn't feel like laughing now at all. How did he, the hell, know that I went to watch this movie? I didn't tell it any of my brothers. I didn't even tell them I was going to the cinema!
I was a hundred percent sure I didn't mention it to them because I wanted to hide as many details about my date as I could. Apart from me, the only people who knew about it were Mona and Audrey. And I think we let Marshall know as well. And Jason, obviously, but I think he cared to keep it a secret even more than me. Did anyone see us? In the queue maybe? Or after the movie? Why wasn't I more careful?
Play it cool, Hailie.
Yeah, easy to say.
"I don't think you'd like it..." I answered deciding to pretend like I had no idea what he was talking about.
"Ah yes? What exactly do you think I wouldn't like? The movie itself or the fact that you went to see it with..." Vince snapped his fingers, raising his eyes up, trying to remind himself.
"Jason Evegreen." Tony rushed with help.
"Exactly that."
I gulped at the sound of Jason's name in Tony's mouth.
Crap, crap, crap.
"He's the same kid there was a fuss about earlier?" made sure Vince.
"The same who I explained what'll happen if he doesn't leave her alone." confirmed Tony.
"Ah yes."
God, what to do? What to say? I knew I had to start defending myself but the only thing I was able to do right now was nervously fidgeting with my fingers. That was a lot anyway, that I could even move them.
"So, Hailie, how is it?" asked me Vince, concentrating back to me.
I took a deep breath. Now or never.
"Yes. I went to the cinema with Jason. We are friends, we like each other and we wanted to meet. I didn't tell you because I knew you wouldn't have let me go." I said honestly.
In Vince's eyes, I didn't find even an ounce of consideration. Quite the opposite, they darkened and left me no hope.
"Hailie, you're a smart girl, so I'm surprised by your reasoning. If I forbid you something, you mustn't do it. Easy like that.
"I know but you said that Jason is bad and it's not true, I know him well and he's really all right..."
"This kid is a horny virgin who just wants to fuck you." snapped Tony. I stared at him with my mouth open and widened eyes. I wasn't used to this kind of language and in general, I wasn't expecting to hear something like that.
"Tony meant that young boys with pretty faces can easily manipulate fifteen years old girls." translated Vince, giving him a look full of disapproval.
"J-jason is not like that!" I called out in a shaky voice.
"Jason's exactly like that." spat Tony.
I wanted to keep arguing but at that moment Vince raised his finger at Tony and turned to him.
"And you were supposed to watch her at school."
"Watching her is one thing but I wasn't following her every step like some fucking doggie." muttered Tony, shrugging.
"Please, Jason's really a good person and I want to keep meeting him..." I started again but I stopped when both my brothers looked at me as if I was mentally ill.
"Just leave it, Hailie, this frisky, little shit gapes at every ass that comes into his view."
"You're lying!" I screamed and felt like covering my ears. Jason's not like that.
Tony snickered.
"You're so naive..."
My lips were trembling and I didn't know what to answer so I did the only thing that I could do right at this moment. I let my tears roll down my cheeks.
"He's avoiding us but we still keep seeing him with Shane and Dylan during the breaks, when we have a cigarette. He smokes some cheap, nasty tobacco. He talks shit with his lousy friends. He slobbers over the sight of any chick.."
"You smoke cigarettes and check girls out yourself!" I was really crying now. I wanted to tell him something that will make him shut up.
"That's the point, someone like me or him is not a type of boyfriend for you, little girl."
I cried like a true little girl. I hated Tony. I hated him. I hated Vince as well. And all my brothers. I was so happy with Jason just a few moments ago and they destroyed everything. They weren't saying the truth about him. They weren't.
I wanted to get out of here, run away, whatever. Instead, I wrapped my arms around myself and looked on the floor, trying to calm myself down.
Vince actively listened to our conversation, stroking his chin. I felt his thoughtful look on myself.
"What am I going to do with you, Hailie?"