“This is crazy screw him” Justin cursed to himself
as he slammed the phone down.
This
was the tenth time in three days he’d tried to contact his brother and still no
answer. The first time had been right after waking up on the couch after his so
called kidnapping; no one had answered then and three days and ten phone calls
later still no one had answered the damn phone.
At
first he’d tried to tell himself, as had Chris, that Josh might not have been
home at the times he’d called but now… Justin didn’t know anymore. It had been
three days and Josh no longer had a job so that wasn’t an excuse, he couldn’t
be doing much of anything and he didn’t have to so no reason for him not to
answer the phone. Josh had also not returned his phone call from three days
prior when he’d left the message on the answering machine. He’d been sure Josh
would call back but so far; nothing.
A
part of him was worried; what if something had happened to him? A reason why he
couldn’t contact him. It sounded strange and somehow he wasn’t buying it, he
was far most angry.
Josh
hadn’t contacted him in weeks, it had mostly been Justin that had to call or
come over to get to see him and the more he thought about it, the angrier he
got. The strange excuse from Josh of a technical problem with the phone came to
mind and it all just made him angrier.
It
was Josh’s turn to make an effort, it couldn’t all come from him and as the
insecurity kicked in again he wondered if Josh still wanted to hang out with
his little brother now that he had a rich clan he belonged to.
***
Josh
had sulked for three days straight. He lay in bed doing nothing but blankly
staring out in front of him. He didn’t talk, unless Louisa demanded that he
said something. He didn’t eat, unless they said he had to. He didn’t sleep,
unless Louisa specifically told him to and he didn’t participate in anything
unless he was forced to.
Everything
he did was forced and he hated his life, often wondering how things had ever
come to this?
He
wasn’t a boyfriend anymore, he doubted he was even loved; he was a prisoner,
plain and simple. Matt was on his case almost constantly and he felt as if he’d
committed the biggest crime in history to have a guard almost 24/7.
It
was hell.
***
Josh
was laying on the king sized bed he shared with Louisa once again, tossing a
hackey sack listlessly in the air. Louisa had given it to him yesterday,
thinking that because he loved to play hackey sack it would somehow solve all
his problems, that he would be happy. He snorted inwardly, the only way he
could ever be happy again was when he’d get away from Louisa as far as he could
with his brother safe and sound. He tossed the ball against the ceiling,
watching as it plumped down next to him on the bed. He left it there, he didn’t
care about the damn thing and it certainly wouldn’t make him happy.
He
sauntered into the living room, he wondered why Louisa left him alone so much.
If she loved him so much that she wanted to force him to stay with her than why
wasn’t she spending every waking minute with him? Not that Josh was
complaining, he didn’t like hanging out with Louisa but being on your own all
the time and knowing that Justin was worrying while you couldn’t do a single
thing about it drove him nuts. Made him angry too, he wondered why she wanted
to keep him, like a puppy she couldn’t get enough off but wouldn’t want to take
care of 24/7. No of course she had her people for that and it made him feel
even more like a toy she only picked up when she wanted to and no reason else.
He
opened cabinets he’d inspected time and time again in his boredom but his eye
fell on the contents of one cabinet, something he’d never cared for before but
seemed very appealing right now; the liquor cabinet. He smiled despite himself
and grabbed for the first bottle. The whiskey burned his way down his throat,
making him feel number already.
***
“Josh
what are you doing?” Louisa asked as she came into their room, seeing Josh
dance around the room with an almost half empty bottle in his hand.
“Huh?”
Josh asked absentmindedly, spinning towards the voice.
“Hi
sweetie!” he exclaimed drunkenly.
“Are
you drunk?” she exclaimed taken aback.
“No!”
he denied preposterously.
“What
in the world gave you that idea” he asked innocently.
Her
gaze darkened.
“What’s
wrong sweetie?” he pouted, the liquor speaking. She put her hand in her side.
“You’re
drunk Josh”
Josh
shrugged carelessly. “So? I’m calling you sweetie, wasn’t that what you
wanted?”
“Josh!”
“Yes?”
he said stumbling to her, wrapping his arms around her which was the first time
by choice. Although he was so skinny, in his drunken state he was still too
heavy for Louisa to support.
“Dan!
Matt!” she yelled for help. Matt was nearby, as always, and quickly rushed over
to Louisa trying to hold Josh up. He grabbed Josh, pulling him off of Louisa
and pushing him on the bed.
“My
dear bodyguard” Josh said sweetly, the liquor talking, as he tried to get up to
hug his bodyguard.
“Sit
boy” Matt said firmly. Josh pouted but sat.
“What’s
going on?” Dan asked when he walked in.
“He’s
drunk” Louisa explained.
“Am
not” Josh countered, crossing his arms over his chest, a pout gracing his lips.
“Damn
kid” Dan cursed.
Josh
giggled as he watched Dan’s furious face. He giggled like a five year old and
for once didn’t care how angry Dan looked or how fast he was approaching him.
“You
little punk you just don’t know how to behave do you?” Dan gritted out as he
grasped Josh’s shirt and pulled him closer. His angry face mere inches from his
victim’s.
“course
I do” Josh said childishly, the pout back.
“Argh!”
Dan groaned, there was no reasoning with him now, he was drunk off his ass.
“Get
him some coffee” he ordered Matt who nodded before going into Louisa’s kitchen.
Josh took another swig of the bottle which strangely hadn’t been taken away
from him and squeezed his eyes shut when the liquor burned its familiar way
down his throat.
“Give
me that!” Dan snarled as he swiped for the bottle.
Josh
was too drunk to put his reflexes to work and so Dan had no trouble taking the
bottle from him. He immediately started pouting again and Dan smacked him
across the face.
“Damn
pout of his” he muttered as he met up with Matt who came back into the room
with a freshly made pot of coffee while Josh was sprawled out over the bed, due
to the blow from Dan. He hardly felt the throbbing of his cheek. He really was
drunk and so not used to it. That was probably the worst; if he would have been
used to liquor he wouldn’t be this bad. Josh hardly ever got drunk. He enjoyed
a few beers but the real powerful stuff was just not for him and so his body
was not used to the high percentage of alcohol he now had in him. He didn’t
even like liquor but he hadn’t cared about the taste when he’d put the bottle
to his lips. It was mere the fact that it could make him forget his problems
for a while and that was exactly what he needed.
“Make
sure he drinks all of it, when he’s sober call me” Dan instructed his employee.
“Yes
boss”
“Alright,
come Louisa, let Matt do his job” Dan called for his sister who’d watched the
whole scene between her brother and boyfriend play out. She now jumped out of
the chair she’d been sitting in and walked over to her brother. They walked out
of the room together, Dan firmly closing the door behind him.
“Here,
drink up” Matt ordered his charge.
Josh
blinked up at him, still laying down. Matt set the tray on the nightstand and
with one strong hand pulled Josh up to a sitting position. The room spun around
Josh wildly and he held his head to stop the room from spinning. Matt once again
thrust a cup under his nose.
“Drink
it” he ordered.
“I
don’t want to” he countered defiant.
“It
wasn’t a question kid. Drink. It.” Matt repeated fiercely.
“Now!”
he added angrily.
Josh
quickly reached for the cup and started drinking, burning his tongue with the
first sip but he didn’t dare to quit so he slowly drank the entire cup. Matt
took the mug from him and refilled it, handing it back to Josh who scrunched up
his nose.
“Drink
it, don’t make me tell you again” Matt said as he squeezed Josh’s shoulder
harshly. He winced from pain and quickly took the cup, that also completely
draining, another awaited him but he didn’t even get halfway before he had to
rush to the bathroom. He threw up in the toilet, barely making it there with
Matt waiting in the doorway.
Once
he was done, Josh stumbled back to the bed, an arm around his stomach as he
snuggled underneath the blankets. He was soon out like a light and Matt
reported back to Dan.
“He’s
sleeping and will be sober in the morning, probably with an enormous hang over”
***
Josh
groaned as he woke up, his head. His head was throbbing, ready to explode it
felt. His hands went up to his head, he ran his hands through his hair and then
held his head in his hands, supporting it, hoping it would stop the throbbing
but of course it didn’t. Why is my head throbbing? Did they knock me out?
He suddenly remembered; he remembered the way he felt the night before and he
remembered seeing the bottles of liquor. He rubbed his hand over his head once
more.
Oh
no I got drunk.
“Good
morning Joshua, sleep well?” Dan asked as he got inside, closing the door with
a little more force. Josh moaned loudly.
“Don’t...
please” he whispered, it seemed as if the sound vibrated in his head, like an
enforcing echo.
“Sorry
was I being loud?” Dan asked, acting as if he was being considerate when in
fact his voice rose in volume.
“Dan
stop!” Josh cried out, holding his head with both hands while his eyes were
screwed shut.
“Stop
what Josh?” Dan went a bit further, he came closer and his volume was still
rising.
“Argh!”
Josh groaned while he rolled over, burying his face in his pillow.
“Come
on Josh don’t be such a wuss, get up!” Dan taunted, pulling the covers off of
him before pulling Josh up. The throbbing in Josh’s head multiplied, it was as
if his heart was pounding in his head and it felt like a ticking bomb, every
tick brought him closer to losing it. He slumped forward, holding his head in
his hands but Dan didn’t allow him much recovery time. Suddenly Josh felt a stronger
hand wrap around his bicep; Matt. He pulled Josh up harshly and guided him to
the couch in Louisa’s living room. He threw him in a seat while Dan made his
way over to them and sat down on the coffee table.
“What
the hell were you thinking Josh?!” Dan yelled at him, making him wince.
“You
really don’t know how to behave yourself?!” he added. Josh was squirming on the
couch, trying to avoid the loud voices but they reached his ears nevertheless.
“I
thought you finally learned your lesson” Dan continued punishing Josh for
getting drunk.
“Or
do I need to kidnap your little brother for a while longer? Maybe hurt him this
time?” Dan challenged, he knew this was hell for Josh. The amount of liquor
he’d had the night before most definite to cause a bad hang over and yelling at
someone with a hang over was the same as kicking an already injured knee.
“No!”
Josh exclaimed, wincing as soon as he did so. Josh took a deep breath and
slowly exhaled.
“Dan
I’m sorry, I’m sorry I got drunk, it won’t happen again I swear just don’t…
hurt my brother” Josh said slowly and softly, the mere whisper still sounding
like a drill in his head.
“It
better not happen again! Because I’m really starting to get sick of this and I
wouldn’t try anything again. One more disobedient act from you and your brother
will wish he was never related to you, do you understand me?” Dan ranted, still
loudly.
Josh
winced but nodded quickly, ignoring the pain in his head; Justin was more
important.
“Yes”
“Good
then get a painkiller and go to bed, we’ll talk later” Dan let him go, he’d
gotten his point across once again.
“Thank
you” Josh whispered before getting up and getting himself some aspirins. He
quickly crawled back under the covers, relieved when Dan left the room. Matt
stayed of course, in the living room watching TV as he watched his charge, who
was already fast asleep.
