Chapter 11

"Um, why the fuck did it take you guys four fucking days to tell me this?!" He barks shocked, "I thought—"

"Yeah, we know" Pete already knows what he's going to say, "but seriously you don't want to mess with him Jasper, leave Daniel alone."

"Why it's not like he did it?"

"Yeah, but he stood by his parents the entire time, defended them even," Savannah argues. "He's not a good person Jasper don't waste your time."

"Seriously man take our word for it, you don't want to mess with Daniel Atkinson"

"So just let Alister, JJ, and them make his life a living hell? Whatever happened was before I got here, I can't do that."

"Jasper you tried and he threw it back in your face, just give up."

"No! Before I thought he acted like that because he's just mean, but now I know it's because he doesn't trust anyone... yet."

"Oh my god," Savannah shuts her eyes giving up, "you don't listen." Jasper just shrugs. He has to prove that he's not like everyone at Everton, Daniel didn't do anything to him, so why should he just sit by and watch when he can actually help?

Back home now Daniel parks his car in the driveway as the gates closes behind him, going inside his house he sees everything slowly coming together. His mom got all the covers off the furniture, all the dust is gone now, and the house is starting to look like it used to before. Before everyone basically cased their house until his mom got scared enough to fly them out of the country.

A year in his mom's home country was what the woman needed, being with her parents away from everything and everyone. Daniel spent a year in Belgium being homeschooled, he didn't bother going to high school, not in the mood to meet anyone new after spending months being tormented because of his father. No one knows but Daniel hates the man, he hates that he did this to them and his mom had no choice but to stand by her husband, which forced Daniel to stand by them for his mom's sake. Now they've left Belgium, and he hopes it wasn't a mistake.

Dropping his jacket and bag in the foyer the boy walks inside his big empty house heading right for the kitchen. Daniel missed home, he grew up here and was forced out. He didn't miss school though.

Daniel wasn't very different before this happened, he was still quiet and always brooding, but still, he had friends. Now all he has are his mom and their housekeeper Marsha.

"Hi," he greets Marsha who's at the stove cooking Turning she smiles, "hey, how was your day?"

"Always the same," he gives a vague answer. Walking to the fridge Daniel opens it for a bottle of juice. "My mom around?"

"She should be in your dad's office, says she's finally ready to clean it out."

"Great," Daniel rolls his eyes sighing, he knows what that means. She's probably in there quietly sobbing, every time something reminds

her of her husband it makes her cry, and since they've been back home she's been crying a lot. Walking towards his dad's office the boy stops at the entrance when he spots his mom, she's sitting

at the desk staring at a frame and wouldn't you believe it, she's crying.

"You can't keep doing this," Daniel speaks startling her, she quickly wipes her face dropping the picture. "Stop torturing yourself mom," he adds walking in

"I'm trying," she clears her throat, "it's not that easy though."

"I know," he walks around standing next to her at the desk, rubbing her back Daniel asks, "what are you going to do with all this stuff?" It's still a mess in there from a year ago when the place was raided by cops

"He said not to touch anything, but fuck him he's not here to stop me, I'm throwing it all away." "Need help?"

She shakes her head, "Marsha will help me after dinner." Walking away Daniel drops on the couch in

the office and his mom notices the

frown, it's not new but every time she asks Daniel always gives the wrong answer— everything is fine don't worry. "How was school?" She tries anyway

"Nothing new," he answers.

Jasper needed to know the full story and after hours of deep diving he knew it all, or at least what the articles and people on the internet had to say about the Atkinson family, and none of it was good. Press conferences after press conferences of Daniel standing next to his mom as his dad spew lies. Jasper's heart broke for the boy, Daniel looked so miserable, in every picture he looks like he'd rather be anywhere else. No kid should be in the center of something like this. Jasper didn't need to know Daniel to know he didn't deserve this.

"Wow look at you," Jasper reacts as Savannah walks towards them wearing her cheer uniform for the first time

"You look like you want to tell me everything that's wrong with me for fun," Pete jokes And Jasper adds, "you look like I should be terrified of you"

"Are you guys done?" She stares at them unamused, they nod chuckling. "I like this about as much as you guys do"

"So just quit already," Jasper suggests

"You've been on the team for weeks and the girls still ignore you, clearly the plan isn't working."

They start to walk the hall side by side

"This is my first pep rally if I really hate it after the game tonight I just might quit, but I have to find out if I can keep the uniform"

"Why?"

She grins, "Carlos likes it."

"You know what's weird?" Pete asks making an observation, "your boyfriend never hangs out with us, yet he has no problem with you always hanging out with us. Why is that?"