Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2009 08:20:17 -0700
From: K_V D <concertoind@gmail.com>
Subject: Under My Skin - 3

This is a work of fiction. All the resemblances are completely accidental.
Don't read it if you are not supposed to. You know the drill. My e-mail is
ConcertoInD@Gmail.com if you want to tell me something (insults, praises,
and whatnot). Thanks!


                                                                       -
III -



            When I walked into my house, my father was all but foaming at
his mouth.

"What time were you supposed to come back?" he asked in a low voice.

"Nine", I said.

"And what time is it now?" he asked in the same low voice and I glanced at
the clock.

"Nine fifteen."

"Would you like to share with me why you are so late?"

   I blinked. You gotta be kidding me! He's going nuts because of fifteen
minutes?!

"We had to finish the chapter", I shrugged. "For that quiz I told you
about."

"Jake", he said very evenly. "I can smell the lies coming off of you. You
are going up to your room and you will pray for forgiveness until ten, do
you understand?"

   I almost told him to go to hell.

"Yes, sir", I said instead.

"Go", he hissed.

   I was walking by him when he stopped me.

"Look at me", he demanded and I looked at him, startled.

   Suddenly he swung his arm and whacked me on the face so hard that I saw
the stars for several seconds. I swayed on my feet and shook my head.

"I can see sin in your eyes", he said.

   I could taste my blood in my mouth and suddenly I became very calm. "This
is the last time you ever hit me", I thought. "You will never hit me again
and I don't care if I will go to hell." I stared at him silently and he
finally turned away from me.

"Go", he said quietly and I walked away.

   I walked into my room and almost slammed my door. I turned the lights on
and stared at my reflection in the mirror. Great! I am going to have a hell
of a bruise tomorrow. I carefully touched my swollen cheekbone and winced.
My lip was busted too.

"Son of a bitch", I muttered and to my surprise saying that made me feel a
little better.

   I looked at my reflection again and sighed. I never cared much for the
way I looked. I was somewhat tall, about six feet. Thankfully I never had
weight problems. Probably because my mother would watch me like a hawk every
time I ate something. And if God forbid, I ate a little too much, she would
uncork on me with frightening energy and almost hatred.

   My eyes were just like my father's - very light brown. My hair color came
from my mother though - almost blond. I always liked to have it on somewhat
longish side but the last time I tried it, my father almost shaved my head.
Suddenly Christy's words sounded loud and clear in my head. "You thinking of
moving out?" I told her yes but I didn't mean that. Right now, however, the
thought was so tempting that I almost started to laugh manically. I wanted
to move out, I realized. I couldn't stand being around here anymore. And
since I went to school when I was eight - my parents had really hard time
letting me go into the social environment by myself - I turned eighteen two
months ago.

"There is not a single damn thing you can do about it", I muttered, thinking
of my father. "I can do whatever the hell I want."

   Swearing made me almost dizzy. I never used this sort of language before.
I wouldn't even think these words and if I did, I felt guilty for days.
Right now, however, they sounded so good that I felt like I just had
something really tasty in my mouth. I decided to start looking for an
apartment tomorrow. Then I cringed when I realized that I have no money
whatsoever. Crap, I have to find a job first... I sighed and pulled my T-shirt
off. I am going to go job hunting tomorrow, I decided. And I could care less
if my parents dropped dead the minute I told them about it.

   I went to bed and almost laughed when I remembered my father's order to
pray until ten.

"Screw yourself", I said softly and turned the lights off.

   That night I dreamt of Alex and in the morning I realized that I had
another wet dream. I got pretty good at hiding the evidence by now so I just
quickly pulled my sheets off and threw them into my closet, thinking that I
will wash them later when I am alone in the house. I took a quick shower and
got dressed. When I came downstairs, my parents were waiting for me in the
kitchen.

"You overslept", my mother said sternly and I just shrugged.

"Jake", she shook her head. "I don't know what's happening to you but it
scares me. It seems like you are..."

"Giving into the temptation", I finished silently.

"...giving into the temptation", she said and I almost grinned. "You are weak,
Jake! And you will end up..."

"In the grasp of evil", I thought and grabbed a piece of toast.

"...in the grasp of evil", she finished.

"I am fine", I said and bit my toast.

   My father got up so quickly that the entire table shook.

"You are eating without saying a grace?!" he looked like I just sprouted
some horns and hooves.

"Don't wanna be late for school", I said and walked towards the door. "I
gotta go."

"Get back here right now!!" my father barked and I simply ignored him and
walked outside.

"Hurry up, Summers!" Christy yelled the minute I closed my door.

   I walked up to her and she frowned when I got closer.

"Jesus", she muttered. "What happened to your face?"

"My dad smacked me", I shrugged. "I was fifteen minutes late."

"Oh, Jake..." she sighed. "I am sorry, it was my fault..."

"Nah", I said carelessly. "He would've done it anyway. Apparently he can see
a shitload of sin in my eyes."

   Christy started to cough.

"Good God, Jake", she said finally. "I don't know if I can ever get used to
those words coming out of your mouth..."

"It's going to get worse", I warned her. "So you better get used to them!"

   Christy laughed.

"Whatever", she said lightly. "Oh, hey! You remember Amber Leigh?"

"Sort of", I shrugged. "The redhead, right?"

"Yeah, her", Christy nodded. "Guess what!"

"She is pregnant", I said and Christy looked at me with reproach.

"No", she said patiently. "She is not pregnant, Summers."

"Then what?" I adjusted my backpack.

"Jake", Christy said with such glee in her voice that I frowned.

"What?" I asked suspiciously.

"She has a huge crush on you!" Christy squealed with delight and I almost
froze.

   What?...

"Yeah", she nodded energetically. "She called me last night at like ten and
she was asking if we are together or something since we always hanging out,
you know?"

"Uh huh..." I was able to say.

"So I told her that we are like best friends and that's it", Christy kept
jabbering. "And then she was like "Oh my God! He is so cute! I totally have
a crush on him!"..." she took a quick gulp of air and continued. "And then she
asked me if I can ask you if you can ask her out", she finished and looked
at me with beaming eyes as if she just did something really great.

"Oh dear God..." I muttered.

"Amber is really great, you know", Christy said with a light frown. "And she
is pretty!"

"Yeah", I breathed. "She is also a social retard..."

"Jake!" she exclaimed. "She is not!"

"She is too", I grumbled. "You remember the time when she told Mrs. Pauli
that her wig looked weird?"

"Well..." Christy said uncomfortably.

"Or when she told what's-her-name that she thinks her mom is stupid?"

"Melissa", Christy muttered and I nodded.

"Yeah, Melissa."

"Well, she can get pretty weird sometimes", Christy admitted unwillingly. "I
mean, she doesn't really have friends..."

"Doesn't surprise me", I muttered.

"Jake!" Christy sighed. "Can you just give her a chance?"

"What is it to you?" I asked with puzzlement and she shrugged.

"I kinda like her", she said. "And I promised her that you'll ask her out",
she finished in a small voice.

"Jesus, Bailey!" I growled. "She said she'd do your math homework for a
month, didn't she?"

"Three weeks", Christy sniffed guiltily and I shook my head.

"Traitor", I said gloomily.

"Jake, please..." Christy sniffed again and I sighed in defeat.

"Fine, fine, I'll ask her out... Jesus..."

"Thank you!" she brightened immediately. "Jake, I totally owe you one!"

"Actually", I said thoughtfully. "You might come in handy... I need a job."

"Oh yeah? What kind?"

"The kind that pays", I hemmed. "I need to move out of that house as soon as
I possibly can before I turn into Lizzie Borden..."

"I'll ask Matt today", Christy nodded. "He has friends everywhere and he is
surprisingly tolerable for an older brother."

"Sweet", I said with relief.

   If she finds me a job, then going out with that crazy Amber girl will be
totally worth it. Hey, who knows, maybe I'll fall in love with her and this
whole Alex thing will just get out of my stupid head!