A Different Kind of Love, chapter 13
Zach ran into Billie's arms, panting. He closed his eyes and squeezed Billie's arms, clutching onto him once again. Billie Joe lifted him and carried him onto the couch again. It was always the couch. Billie Joe always knew the cycle...Zach came, he cried, the couch, he bonded, he wished he could stay, then he was forced to go home, he was beaten and then he came running to them again the next day.
Billie Joe lifted Zach's head to get a look at his fresh battle scars. There was cut over his eyebrow and blood was pouring out. Zach shook from the chase as Billie Joe pulled out the ready first aid kit, which they had now placed under the couch.
"They got me...they were throwing rocks." Zach explained quietly, as the smell of the studio wafted through his small nose. He began to feel safe again. Zach leant back into the familiar ivy green cushions of the couch and allowed Billie Joe to dab his cut with Dettol. He again looked from Billie Joe's slightly angry eyes...angry at what was happening to Zach, yet still Zach saw a whole world of care in Billie's eyes, and felt it when Billie Joe fixed him up. No matter how frustrated Billie Joe was with what was happening, he always was soft towards Zach. He knew how to pick him up so it didn't hurt, he knew how to hold his hand just right and he knew that Zach always asked for Nimrod to be played if he didn't want to talk, just rest.
Zach looked again at Mike's same worried expression, now filled with sympathy instead of uncertainty about him. Mike sat wearily down again and looked sadly over at Zach.
Zach remembered when he asked Mike if he liked him or not, and Mike telling him that Zach was like a little brother to him. He remembered when Billie Joe was yelling at the sixth graders Mike had taken him inside and showed him all of their CDs, telling him what each one was about, and making Zach forget he had hell to go home to.
Zach looked at Tre, and saw the same fun loving friend he had when he first came. He knew Tre was concerned for him, and he knew Tre was sweet to everyone right deep down. He knew if you opened up to Tre, you could see a complete new side of him. He remembered how Tre had showed him how to play drums when Zach was angry, and told him to hit as hard as possible. He also remembered him and Tre spelling out words to each other in breakfast cereals, and Tre spelling out "It will be OK" to him. He also remembered Tre shoving the message into his mouth when Mike and Billie Joe came, so they wouldn't see it and then spitting the message at Mike. But Zach hadn't said a word, and knew Tre was soft on the inside. He also saw a slight mischievousness in Tre's eyes, as he wanted to chase the sixth graders all the way home in his bird suit, but Mike had constantly told him no.
Billie Joe finished dabbing Zach's head. He then wrapped a bandage around it and wondered why Zach's dad hadn't noticed all of the bandages. Then again, the bastard probably didn't care. Zach helped Billie pack away the first aid kit and then rested his head in Billie's lap. Tre and Mike sat either side of Billie Joe. Zach rested in the middle of all three of them, and felt part of a family.
"Zach," said Billie Joe, "What do you think about coming to the police with me and telling them about your father?"
Billie Joe lifted Zach's head to get a look at his fresh battle scars. There was cut over his eyebrow and blood was pouring out. Zach shook from the chase as Billie Joe pulled out the ready first aid kit, which they had now placed under the couch.
"They got me...they were throwing rocks." Zach explained quietly, as the smell of the studio wafted through his small nose. He began to feel safe again. Zach leant back into the familiar ivy green cushions of the couch and allowed Billie Joe to dab his cut with Dettol. He again looked from Billie Joe's slightly angry eyes...angry at what was happening to Zach, yet still Zach saw a whole world of care in Billie's eyes, and felt it when Billie Joe fixed him up. No matter how frustrated Billie Joe was with what was happening, he always was soft towards Zach. He knew how to pick him up so it didn't hurt, he knew how to hold his hand just right and he knew that Zach always asked for Nimrod to be played if he didn't want to talk, just rest.
Zach looked again at Mike's same worried expression, now filled with sympathy instead of uncertainty about him. Mike sat wearily down again and looked sadly over at Zach.
Zach remembered when he asked Mike if he liked him or not, and Mike telling him that Zach was like a little brother to him. He remembered when Billie Joe was yelling at the sixth graders Mike had taken him inside and showed him all of their CDs, telling him what each one was about, and making Zach forget he had hell to go home to.
Zach looked at Tre, and saw the same fun loving friend he had when he first came. He knew Tre was concerned for him, and he knew Tre was sweet to everyone right deep down. He knew if you opened up to Tre, you could see a complete new side of him. He remembered how Tre had showed him how to play drums when Zach was angry, and told him to hit as hard as possible. He also remembered him and Tre spelling out words to each other in breakfast cereals, and Tre spelling out "It will be OK" to him. He also remembered Tre shoving the message into his mouth when Mike and Billie Joe came, so they wouldn't see it and then spitting the message at Mike. But Zach hadn't said a word, and knew Tre was soft on the inside. He also saw a slight mischievousness in Tre's eyes, as he wanted to chase the sixth graders all the way home in his bird suit, but Mike had constantly told him no.
Billie Joe finished dabbing Zach's head. He then wrapped a bandage around it and wondered why Zach's dad hadn't noticed all of the bandages. Then again, the bastard probably didn't care. Zach helped Billie pack away the first aid kit and then rested his head in Billie's lap. Tre and Mike sat either side of Billie Joe. Zach rested in the middle of all three of them, and felt part of a family.
"Zach," said Billie Joe, "What do you think about coming to the police with me and telling them about your father?"
