"You're being unreasonable," I argued. "Why can't I?"

"Because I said so," was his smart-ass reply. 

"You won't even know I'm there. Or you could just drop me off in town and pick me up after you're done with work." Anything to get out of the apartment. It has only been one day of me staying here and I was going stir-crazy. For some reason, Aaron refused to let me set a foot outside so when he mentioned he had to go to work today I pleaded him to take me along to.

"I said no," Aaron snapped before sighing. "I'll be back later tonight. Lock the door."

"But—"

"Lock. The. Door."

I conceded. "Fine."

He gave me one last stern look before he left me to my boredom.  If this was how my life was going to be until dad finished surgery, kill me now.

Wait.

Dad.

Crap.

I grabbed my backpack and fumbled through it before I found what I was looking for: the medical papers.

Shoot, shoot, shoot. I completely forgot about them. Dr. Matthews wanted them as soon as possible. I had planned to drop them by his office when I returned home, but now that I was staying in Colorado that wasn't an option. Mailing them would take way too long and sending them by email wasn't secure with all the sensitive medical information on them. I'd have to find a fax machine. That would be the fastest and safest way.

Question was, where to find one?

A quick google search on my phone told me the nearby library had one available for public use, but they closed at 5pm and I had no idea when Aaron would back.

That left two options: wait for Aaron to get back and send off the document tomorrow or go by myself and do it today. Pros for the first option: I'd be listening to Aaron so he wouldn't kill me. Cons: dad's transfer and surgery would be delayed and while his current condition was stable, Dr. Matthews has warned it was likely to change at any moment hence the need for the papers 'as soon as possible'. Pros for the second option: dad would get his surgery sooner. Cons: Aaron would murder me.

What a conundrum.  

The more I mulled it over, the more I realized there was a third option: go fax the document and return before Aaron got home. It was still early in the morning and the library was only a twenty minute walk away. I'd be there and back before noon. Aaron would never know I was gone and therefore he wouldn't kill me and dad would get his forms today. Everyone wins.

I was a freaking genius.

Reassured with my full proof plan, I grabbed my backpack and headed out. It didn't take long to reach the library. I had Dr. Matthew's office number saved in my cell and I gave it a call. The receptionist gave me a the fax number and I sent the document, which she was confirmed was received. She informed me that Dr. Matthews was busy, but he would give me a call soon and let me know what would happen next.

A weight I'd been carrying since dad's accident lifted off me as I exited the library. Mission accomplished. Hopefully with this, dad would finally be okay. No, with this he would be okay. I was positive.

"Baby Reeves!" Someone called out. I turned to see Nat flouncing towards me with the same two guys I met outside of the party the other day.  "What a pleasure to run into you! Where's our dear old grumpy Aar-bear?"

Crap. The plan was to send the fax and return home without Aaron finding out, not to run into his friends who were bound to spill the beans to him later. "He had to work today so I thought I'd explore."

"He let you go without him?" One of the guys asked, utterly shocked.

So they knew about Aaron's weird behaviors too. "Um, not exactly."

"Rebel. I knew I liked you." Nat grinned. "Don't worry, we won't spill your dirty little secret to him. But for payment you have to joint us for lunch!"

"That's okay. I'm fine." Each second I spent away from the apartment was an increase in the chance of Aaron returning home without me there, a risk I didn't want to take.

"Nonsense!" Nat looped his arm through mine and began to drag me along with them despite my stuttering protest.

"You'll learn its impossible to say no to Nat," one of the other guys said. "He always gets what he wants. By the way, I'm Collins and that's Trevor."

"Sam." I guess it would be alright. It was only noon after all and I was hungry.

Nat led us in to a small dinner he swore had the best chicken nuggets in the state. We were sat in a corner booth, Nat and Trevor on inside and Collins and me on the other.

"So is Aar-bear treating you alright?"

"Oh I'm sure he's treating him more then alright," Trevor commented with a sly grin.

"Leave the poor kid alone," Collins said.

"He's been alright." At least, alright for Aaron.

"Only alright? He'd be insulted," Trevor cackled and I felt Collins kick him under the table. 

"Ignore him. His mom dropped him on his head when he was a baby," Collins said.

They conversed between each other, throwing me a question or comment every now and then to keep me  involved until our food arrived.

It was weird to think of them as Aaron's friends. I wonder how he acted around them. Did he joke and laugh too? I couldn't remember Aaron having friends as kids, but I was eight when he left so that could be my poor memory. Did they know he was gay? Was he more open and honest with them then he was with his own family?

"That hit the spot," Collins said as he rubbed his stomach and leaned back throwing his arm over the back of the booth.

Trevor burped.

"Pig," Nat said.

"Nah. Wolf." Trevor grinned. They all shared a laugh at the word, which didn't make sense to me cause wolves had nothing to do with burping.

"Best be heading home soon Baby Reeves," Nat advised, "before the big bad wolf finds his den empty."

"Too late." Trevor mumbled, his eyes glued on something behind me.

"Sam." The word, that voice, chilled me. Aaron stopped next to our table seething as his eyes bore into me.

Words wouldn't form.

"Look Aaron, man," Collins started. Aaron's eyes moved from me to Collins and then to Collin's arm.

He pounced.

"Fucking shit!"

"Get off him man!"

"Calm down!"

"You fucker!"

"Someone call Jace!"

It was a mess of flying bodies and cursing. Aaron has grabbed Collins from the booth and thrown him to the ground, where he seemed set on bashing his face to his hearts content. Trevor has gotten up and tried to pry Aaron off Collins, but Aaron pummeled him down too.

My body wouldn't stop shaking. He was going to kill them and then kill me.

"He's gone batshit," Nat spoke into his phone as he took the scene. "He'll kill him. No he had his arm around him—that idiot—they don't stand a chance, we need you ASAP. If you don't he'll shi—well what do you want me to do I can't stop him either when he's like this!...right. Maybe. Okay. I'll try. Just get here soon." He hung up.

With a sigh he shouted, "Sam doesn't look to good!"

I wanted to kill him for throwing the attention on me.

Aaron paused a punch, his head swiveling to me, his expression of sheer rage. I flinched.

"He looks pretty scared," Nat continued. "I think he wants to go home. Sam tell him you want to go home."

Please stop bringing me into this.

Nat nudged me purposefully under the table. I swallowed and nodded stiffly.

"I think he wants you to bring him home. Sam say you want to go home."

"I want to go home." Back to Colorado, I'd do anything to be there now and not here.

Aaron stood up, leaving Collins and Trevor on the ground who smartly didn't move. He grabbed me from the booth, wrapping an arm tightly around my shoulder as he led me away.

Why did I leave the apartment to start with? Cause I was a freaking genius, that's why.