It's been 3 hours since we got home. Chris ended up shouting at me again for about an hour. Now since we've ordered dinner (pizzas again) I guess it's time for round 2.

"Did you talk to him about the murder then?" Chris asks.

"Yeah," I reply "he didn't really want to talk about it."

"Did he say that he did it?"

"Yeah, he admitted to it."

There's a couple of moments of quiet before Chris slams his fists hard on the table. 

"FUCK!" He screams loudly as he pushes his chair back from the table. He picks up his glass and throws it at the wall behind me, narrowly missing my head. It smashes and pieces of it fly everywhere. Several get stuck to my hand. The contents of Chris' glass (lemonade) creates a puddle on the floor. There's a small dent in the wall from where the glass struck it. 

"FUCK!" Chris says again "I WILL FUCKING KILL HIM. HE'S RUINED EVERYTHING. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO FUCKING CALL HIM? WHY DID YOU NEED TO ASK?"

"I needed to hear his voice. I can't take being apart anymore. You and I keep fighting and I just want him to come back."

"WHY? HE'S A PIECE OF SHIT! HE'S NOTHING BUT A USELESS, GOOD FOR NOTHING PIECE OF SHIT!"

"Oh like you, you mean."

I don't realise what I've said until it's too late. Chris takes a moment to realise as well. When he does he turns and looks at me.

"What did you just call me?" He asks, his voice low and dangerous. When I don't reply he flies at me and pushes me. I stumble back against the wall. I've never seen him like this. He stomps over the broken glass, I hear pieces of it crack underneath his feet. He stands over me. His breath poisons the air with the regular smell of beer. 

"I SAID WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?" He roars. 

I stand still too terrified to answer. I desperately wish Connor was here to fix this. To help get Chris away from me or direct his attention, but there's only me. 

"You know what? Get out." 

I start slowly heading for my room but Chris isn't finished "NOT YOUR ROOM, OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

I turn to face him "YOU CAN'T THROW ME OUT!" 

"WELL I JUST DID. YOU'VE GOT 5 MINUTES OR I'LL CALL THE POLICE AND SAY I'VE FOUND THE REAL CONNOR, AND THIS TIME I WON'T BE TRYING TO SAVE YOU. NOW GET OUT."

I run into my room and grab my school bag. I shove in my journal, the photo off my table as well as some money and a few of my clothes. I shove my sneakers on and head back out into the hall. Chris is still there seemingly watching and waiting for me.

"C...can I have my phone back?" I ask.

Chris huffs "here take it," he says tossing it to me "it's not like you can tell on me to the police. They'll never believe you if I tell them all of the mess in this place was caused by you."

I'm about to go but Chris puts an arm across the front door, stopping me from leaving "wait. You and him are never coming back here. Is that clear. You'll be 18 soon and I never want to see either of your faces around here once that's happened. Understood?"

"Understood" I reply and he moves his arm and opens the door. 

I stand for a moment and take a breath. Then I feel a hand on my back pushing me forwards. I stumble and close my eyes as I hear the front door slam shut behind me as well as the click which tells me it's now locked.

I move my hand to pull myself up and realise I've been pushed down the three steps infront of the porch. I'm lying on the gravel. It's getting stuck in the same hand as the glass. I move to stand up but putting pressure on it hurts so much I almost want to stay here forever, lying on the ground. But I hate to think what Chris would do if he found me still just outside his front door the next time he goes out, so I move. 

When I stand up I also realise I've hurt my leg too during my fall. I slowly limp my way down the street until I reach the house at the end which has been up for sale for ages so I know it's empty. I reach into the pocket of my hoodie and pull out my phone. There's only one person I can call in this situation. The only two problems are 1. I have no idea how far away he is and 2. He might not answer me this time.

It rings and sure enough:

Connor: Hey Ro what's up?

Roman: Oh thank god you picked up again. Where are you?

Connor: That's a little difficult to explain.

???: Hey you must be Roman!

Roman: Woah Connor, who is that?

Connor: it's ok that's just Luke he's a friend, kinda.

Roman: You've never mentioned him before.

Connor: Well we only met today. Look Ro why did you call me again?

Roman: Where are you? I asked first.

Connor: In a hotel about 2 hours outside Pennsylvania why?

Roman: And how did you get there?

Luke: He hijacked our car!

Roman: WHAT? CONNOR!

Connor: Hey calm down Ro it wasn't like that. Anyway what's up. Why'd you call me?

Roman: It doesn't matter you're too far away to be any help.

Connor: Help with what? Roman what happened?

Roman: Chris grounded me for talking to you and he took my phone. Then when we were having dinner he asked if I asked you about the murder and I said that I did. When I told him you said you did it...

Luke: Wait WHAT! YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T! YOU LIED TO US?"

Connor: Wait Luke I'll explain in a second. Ro go on.

Roman: When I told him you said you did it he threw his glass at me. Well maybe not at me but in my direction...

Connor: I'll kill him.

Roman: Connor I'm not finished.

Connor: Sorry

Roman: He pushed me against the wall and started screaming that you were useless and a piece of shit...

Connor: I mean he's not wrong.

Roman: He is wrong. Don't think those things about yourself Connor.

Connor: Sorry. What happened then?

Roman: Well I said quietly that he was pretty much describing himself and to put a long story short....he threw me out.

Connor: WHAT? HE THREW YOU OUT! 

Roman: Connor calm down.

Connor: NO! RO... just where are you? 

Roman: About a ten minute walk from Chris' house. At the one that's been up for sale for ages.

Connor: Ok I'm coming to get you.

Luke: What? How? Connor it's like 7pm. And how are you gonna get there?

Connor: I'll walk. Roman can you walk towards me?

Roman: No. I can't. 

Connor: Why not? I'll meet you halfway. We'll figure something out. 

Roman: Chris pushed me down the stairs. I think I've hurt my leg. It's not broken but it hurts pretty fucking bad.

Connor: Fucking hell. Um, ok I'll come to you then. See if any of the windows are open at the empty house.

Roman: Isn't that tresspassing?

Connor: It's better than being stuck outside with an injured leg in November Roman.

Luke: Wait let me get my mom. *Luke leaves the room*

Connor: I'm so fucking angry at him right now.

Roman: I know Connor. I am too. What exactly did you do to Kailin then? The police said she was stabbed.

Connor: Yeah that can't have been what caused her death though. That must have happened after.

Roman: Who stabs a dead body? 

Connor: I don't know! But all I do know is I killed her.

Roman: How Connor? If you didn't stab her then you didn't kill her. So what do you mean you killed her?

Connor: After I ran away I hovered around town for a while until Kailin found me about 3 days ago. She thought I was you until I told her I was Connor and that I'd run away from home. She decided then and there to run away with me. We stayed together for about a day until I gave her some of the food I'd stolen from a gas station. It wasn't until she'd eaten it when I realised.

Roman: What?  

Connor: I'd given her a granola bar. 

Roman: Fuck. 

Fuck is a bit of an understatement. He really could've killed her then. Not on purpose of course. But if there's one thing you definitely don't do it's give someone with a nut allergy a granola bar.