Anthony's Story by MELODY DUPREE (first ebook reader .txt) 📕

get into the relationship because honesty is the best policy and the truth will also set you free from a relationship that wasn’t meant to be before it started,” I said and gave him a quick hug before going back to my room to send the team a message.

The moment the message was sent I sat back and waited for the team to arrive. They all came in through my bedroom window and sat on the floor until I closed the door. Suddenly Anthony jumped up and slammed the window shut and closed the blinds.

“What you got man because you look pissed off,” Anthony said and I nodded my answer.

“I need a job done that only Anthony can professionally do because it involves tattooing something on Michael’s back,” I announced and the team looked up at me in shock.

“You want us to help you after you defended the traitor,” Junior asked skeptical of my sudden change of mind.

“My dad’s face is black and blue from a fight that he obviously got into with Michael’s dad last night and the only thing that could have caused that fight was Michael opening his big mouth and telling his dad that I was his boyfriend’s son and one of the one’s that tattooed him yesterday. Because when my dad left home to go over there yesterday his face was the same color as mine and he didn’t have stitches in the back of his head,” I said and walked over to my desk and drew a rough draft of what I wanted tattooed on his back and where it would go.

I handed the sketch to Anthony and he took a long look at it before taking different tubes of colored ink out of his jacket pocket and holding up three he asked, “Which two colors do you want to use on his back?”

“Red and yellow because his dad will have a field day when he sees his son with a tattoo done in redskins colors,” I said cracking up and collapsing on my bed in laughter.

“Junior can I come in,” my dad called in through the door and I turned to my teammates with fear on my face.

“You asking me or your son, sir,” Junior called out and we all cracked up.

The bedroom door opened and my dad came in still holding the icepack to his face. I ducked the swing my dad took at me and darted out of the room full speed knowing very well that he could not see.

“You boys have too much of your fathers’ blood in you for your own good. You do know that right,” I heard my dad say as I snuck up behind him and lunged at his back.

We landed sprawled on the bed my dad groaning and I realized last night’s fight had went further than just his face.

“Um you guys go in the living room please so I can see what else happened to my dad. Because I don’t think he stopped at just his face last night which is a bad thing because I can’t see the full extent of his injuries,” I said and they got up and walked to the living room with Anthony closing the door behind him.

Before I could move my dad grabbed me by the back of my shirt and threw me off of the bed and onto the floor so he could get up and leave the room. I grabbed his legs and caused him to fall down. I moved to get on his back but he flipped me onto my back and I realized I had just pissed him off and he pinned me down with one hand and I immediately knew the moment my teammates left I was going to get a beat down.

Michael's point of view

As I walked down the street to Junior’s house I began to wish he had never called because something didn’t sound right about the eerie silence that was in the background even though I knew he wasn’t alone in the house. I turned up the walkway to his house and quietly knocked on the door and when no one answered I sat on the front porch steps to wait for someone to come home. Just then I heard an angry shout come from the back yard and I walked to the side of the house and hopped the fence like we always did in order to run and hide on Junior’s property. Junior had Anthony by his throat pinned up against the side of the house out of sight of the others and I prayed to god I could be of some use to Anthony. I grabbed Junior by his shoulder and pulled him away from Anthony effectively breaking his hold on the other boy’s throat.

Junior turned to look at me and a shit eating grin spread across his face.

“Well, well, well, look at what the cat brought in,” he said loud enough for the whole team to hear and they all came over in their bathing suits.

“I only came to say I was leaving the team and it would be the last time you guys would see me at Baltimore High because me and my dad are moving due to a business advance in his company so see you around or maybe never. Whichever one comes first as my dad always says. And Jason tell your dad I said I am sorry for what I caused to happen. I got to go and finish packing my things,” I said and walked away quietly unfastening the lock on the fence and opening the door to go out through there.

“Like we want you around anymore. My dad is afraid to leave the house to go to work because of his face. So good thing you’re moving because we were going to add another tattoo to your back come later today. So go ahead and leave, you worthless piece of shit,” Jason shouted and I just shook my head and walked away back the way I had come.

As I reached my house I heard running footsteps coming up behind me, so I moved off of the sidewalk and waited until the person ran past me but they didn’t come to a stop. The person stopped beside me and stepped in front of me and put their arms around me quickly pulling me into a hug. I looked up to see Anthony standing there in front of me and I immediately broke down in tears.

“Hush Michael, I am not going to hurt you,” he whispered and I recoiled at the sound of his voice which sounded like it had not been used in a while.

 I pushed him away and walked up the walkway to my front door only to have Anthony pull me back and sit me down on the porch steps. I tried to fight him and he held me down until I had completely calmed down and then he let me up into a sitting position. Just as he was about to speak a car pulled up next to the sidewalk and Junior got out, anger the present emotion on his face. Anthony swallowed hard and backed up until he had pressed his back against my front door and I couldn’t call my dad for help because he wasn’t home. He was in Washington D.C unpacking what we had already packed and sent to the new house.

 “You know what pisses me off about you Anthony,”Junior asked and I looked at Anthony who shook his head quickly.

“No I don’t,” he whispered and I knew he had a sore throat based on the fact that I could hardly hear his answer but I could definitely read his lips.

“You know exactly what to do that will tick me off,” Junior hissed and I mouthed at Anthony soundlessly the word ‘run’. 

He did just that. He leaped off of the porch and ran across three different lawns before he hit the street and kept on running. Junior cursed and ran for his car quickly flooring the gas pedal and making a U-turn in the middle of the street. I prayed to god that Anthony made it somewhere safe before Junior got to him because I knew Junior would not have mercy on him after all the times Jason came to school banged up and we knew it wasn’t his dad.

Anthony's point of view

As I ran down the deserted street hoping and praying Junior wouldn’t find me a black car turned onto the street from a side road and floored the gas and pulling to a stop in front of me Junior’s mom got out.

“Get in and it’s a good thing you called because Junior’s car is coming up the street now,” she said as we got in the car.

“Thank you for believing me and coming to get me even though I know it’s a lot to ask of you after you have been so kind to feed me and not make me find my own food,” I said and she laughed a short laugh as Junior pulled up beside the car.

“Anthony get out of her goddamn car and get in mine. NOW,” he shouted and I just shrunk back in my seat and started to cry.

“Junior when you have calmed down you are more than welcome to come over to my house, but until you calm down I cannot let Anthony get in your car,” my master said and pulled off with me still in the car.

I looked back and immediately I regretted it as I saw Junior pull out his phone and start texting. By the time Monday came I would have no friends anywhere in Baltimore. I turned back around and pulled out my phone and called Michael whose number I had not yet deleted from my contact list. He picked up on the first ring and told me he was busy so I asked if he needed help packing his things. After I got off of the phone with him my master turned the car towards Michael’s house and let me off there with the warning that I could not be seen by any of Junior’s friends outside Michael’s house. I nodded and got out and let myself in the house to find most of the furniture gone and closed boxes everywhere. I walked to Michael’s bedroom and found his room in disarray and him nowhere to be seen.

“Michael where are you,” I called and immediately I regretted it when the