Fight For Us

Chapter One

-Eight years ago-

    "What the hell do we do now? Jayson looks at me, wanting the answer that I can't give him.

    "I don't know," I tell him, staring at the wreck in front of me. 

    My heart is pounding, and I feel like I'm watching a movie, but yet I know I'm staring at the horrible reality.

    "He has to pay for this," Chase says, his hands are still shaking no matter how much he tries to hide the fact that they are.

    None of us thought the night would go this way. It was a night that was suppose to be filled with laughter and a lot of celebrating. Finally, all five of us would be out of this god awful town and we would be away from our drunk of a father. 

    I was finally going to ask Amie to marry me.

    She is only one of the reason's I'm still here. Besides my brother's she is all that matter's to me. Now because of one stupid choice that we made I have to let her go. One moment was all it took to change our lives.

    That car going into the ditch, the sounds, the smell of death. I can't erase the images from my mind. It's like it is on repeat, playing over and over again.

    Staying in this town isn't an option for me now. My brother will take the fall for what he did, and I promised my mom before she died that I would protect them and that's what I will have to do even if that means I have to leave and never come back.

    "We go."

    Three sets of eyes turn to me, all scared and don't know what to do.

    "And leave him here? Jayson yells, his hands pointing at the wreck.

    "We have no choice, Jayson! We can't stay. We weren't driving, and it'll look like we were!" I yell, gripping my youngest brother's shoulders. "We'll come back. We'll make sure that, tomorrow, he confesses."

    "No." Chase, he's the one with the biggest heart, shakes his head. "No. We weren't driving and I can't leave these people."

    Jayson sighs and touches his shoulders. "Dylan is right." 

    Shane looks at me, realization flashing in his eyes.

    "My car was the...."

    "I know, that's why we have to go. It was your car that hit them."

    Chase seems to just catch up with what the issue is. Our father may have been driving the car, but it was in Shane's vehicle while he did it. Of course nobody will believe that our father would ever do something like this. It would be blamed on the bad boy in the family. Shane has had his fair share of getting into trouble in this town because of our old man. Everybody wants to believe him over us boys.

    "Dil..." Shane's voice shakes. "We can't just leave this people. Chase is right."

    I nod "We go home and tell him we're going to turn him in. Chase is right. He has to be the one that pays for this. But we all know that he won't be. We all know that we can't be here.

    I feel sick to my stomach. Nothing is going right. My father is a drunk, and everybody thinks that he is god. He was trying to pick a fight with Chase, but since Chase isn't a kid anymore, Dad was put in his place. As much as he wants to start with the rest of us, he won't do s**t in front of me. Not because they can't hold their own but because he knows that I'll f*****g kill him if he touches any of us again.

    Right now, however, it feels like the first time that he beat me. I'm paralyzed by the fact that someone I came from could be that awful but it shouldn't surprise me cause when my mom was dying instead of being there for her he was out drinking looking for a piece of ass. We thought when he got elected Mayor it would change him but with more power came more beatings.

    I look to the car, wheels up, smoke coming from the undercarriage, i couldn't fight back the nausea any longer. 

    One instant and my entire life changed. 

    "Let's go," Jayson says, dragging Chase towards the car.

    "This is wrong!" he yelled back at me as he yanks his arms away and heads back to the car.

    I feel the same, but I have to protect my brothers. "We can't do anything, Chase. They're dead, and we are the ones standing here. It was Shane's car, and we have no idea if Dad made it home. We have to go after him, Damn it! I wouldn't care if he was hurt but I promised mom I would do everything in my power not to let him get hurt but if he dies before I can get there I will be pissed because he wont be punished for what he did. I have to go."

    He looks torn, and guilt hits me so hard that it hurts to breathe. All of this could have been avoided if we would have hidden the keys like we always did, but it's been almost four years since I had lived at home full-time. We were all careless.

    I should've known my father would take the car. I'm the oldest, the one who has always saved my brothers, and now I failed them.

    I will not ever allow any of my brother's to suffer the consequences of our stupid father.

    After a few seconds, the four of us get back into the car. No one said a word. What  was there to say? I think about the people that my father had just murdered. Did they have a kids out there waiting for them to get home. Were they good people that my father just took from this world.

    When we get back to my father's house the five of us are all somber and unsure. We find our father passed out on the couch as if he don't have a care in the world. He's laying there like he didn't just kill those people. I'm so angry that I punched and I don't care if it kills him, he grunts and goes back to sleep.

    "Now what?" 

    "We stay here until he wakes, and then we send his sorry ass to jail where he belongs."

    The morning comes, and I'm the first to wake up. I didn't sleep much I go outside and check the car to make sure I didn't dream of the horrible events that happened last night.

    There are scrapes and the dent on Shane's bumper, the black paint has white streaks down it, and the bumper is hanging off. I close my eyes, hating that, once again, there is a mess that I don't know if I can clean up.

    I think about our mother and how disappointed she'd be. She was an angel that was taken from us way to soon. After she died we never felt warmth, love, and devotion. We have been on our own since she died, and besides Amie her last wish is the only reason I'm still here.

    I made a promise to her while she was on her dying bed. I told her that not only would I protect my brother I would also make sure they turned out okay. gave her my word, and look where that has led me.

    I fall to my knees , staring at the damage and  prayed that the man who had only ever thought about himself will do the right thing this one time.

    That's when I hear someone behind me.

    "Dil?" Chase's voice is quiet, but it sounds as if he's shouting.

    He's looking for answers that I don't have.

    "It really happened." Jayson says.

    "Yeah..." I wish it weren't the truth, but the proof is laid out in front of us.

    When Shane opens the door, his face is rigid, and it looks as if he's lost years off his life. "I can't look at that car."

    Before anyone else can say anything, my father comes out, running his hands down his face. He bumps into Shane but steads himself.

    "What are you five knuckleheads doing?" his voice is slurred.

    "Do you not remember anything from last night?" I asked.

    I struggle to look at him because this isn't the man that raised me. This man is a drunk and an abusive bastard who thinks his sons are the outlet for his anger.

    "You're going to confess what you did." My voice leaves no room for discussion. "You killed at least two people last night, and you put your sons in harm-again. We are done protecting you.

    My father looks over the car and then he looks to us. We stand ready to fight him if need be.

    "Like hell I am." 

    "You're a worthless bastard!" Shane yells and heads towards him. My hand grips his arm, pulling him to a stop. "You have destroyed everybody's lives. I won't let you do it anymore! You are going to confess!" He screams at him.

    Shane has always been the calm one, mom would always call him her "Sweet Boy." He had a tender heart, and he let a lot of people walk all over him, to see him this outraged had the rest of us speechless.

    Dad takes a step closer trying to show that he is the alpha male with his chest puffing out and spit forming on his lips. "You are going to make me, Boy? It is your car that has the damage. I'm sure everyone in town knows the Allwood brothers are back in town."

    Anger like I've never felt starts to build. "You were the one that was driving."

    His evil grin spreads. "No one knows that, Son. Nobody is gonna believe that their trusted Mayor would do such a thing." 

    "I'm not your son. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that." 

    "Here's what it looks like. All five of you boys are in town. Shane's car has damage on it, and people are dead..."

    Chase's breathing was getting louder, and I could see that he was clenching his fists. "You f*****g bastard. You are disgusting."

    "Maybe so, but you seem to have gotten yourselves into a mess. If I were you, I'd keep your mouths shut so you don't end up sending your brother to jail. No one will let a convict in the  military." Then he turns his faze to Shane. "It's be a shame to see you lose that, wouldn't it?" He starts laughing as he walks away.

    "He can't do this!" Jayson yells. "He can't pin this on us, can he?'

    They look to me, always to me, and I have no clue. I really don't put anything past him. "I don't know but I will do everything in my power to make sure that he don't."

    "I can't go to jail, Dil" Shane starts crying.

    No he can't. Shane is going places. We all are, and its far away from this town. I can't do this to Amie either. I can't bring this burden to her. She can't know about what happened last night it will destroy her. What kind of life could I give her now, if he ever made good on that threat.

    And if I can't have her, then there will never be another.

    There's only  one option: a vow between the only four people that matter more than my own life.

    "We promise each other right now," I say with my hand extended  and then wait for each of my brothers to circle around me and link together hand to wrist. "We vow that we will never be like him. We will protect what we love and never get married or have kids, agreed?"

    It meant that I had to give up Amie. It meant that I would ruin every f*****g dream that I have, but it's is the only way that I can protect her. She'll find another man-a better one-and she will be happy again. She might not think it now but she will.

   Shane bobs his head quickly, "Yes, we will never love because we might be like him." 

    Jayson's voice is as hard as steel when he finally says, "We don't raise our fists in anger, only to defend ourselves."

    Chase's eyes are filled with anger. His hands are squeezing tighter as he stares at me. "We never have kids and we never come back here.

    Our youngest brother Michael shakes his head in agreement. Hopefully now that we are all away from this bastard he will feel safe and start talking again.

    We all shake. The Allwood brother's never break promises to each other. 

    A few hours later, we moved the car into one of the abandoned barn in the back. We're all tired, broken, and exhausted. Jayson, Shane, Michael and I are leaving tomorrow, but Chase has a few weeks before he leaves for boot camp. 

    "Dil?" Shane grips my arm as I pass him.

    "Yeah?"

    "You don't have to do this, you know?"

    "Do what?" 

    He sighs and then pushes his hair back. "Break her hear. I know what we said, and while it works for the rest of us. We know that you love Amie.

    I do. I love her more than anything in the world. I love her enough to let her go. I love her enough to give her a better life. I know that as strange as it seems but breaking her heart if the best gift that I can give her.

    "I can't love her and think to weigh her down with all of this. I can't give her the future that she deserves, and I wont break my word." My heart is breaking just thinking about it, but I know I have to stay strong. "If I stay with her, we will always be tied to this town. I can't do that. I can't stay here I have to leave and she won't leave. I will have to start a new life and give her the opportunity to do the same thing."

    Shane pinched the bridge of his nose. "You do know that she will never let you go?"

    I shake my head, blowing out a low breath. "She doesn't have a choice."

    I walk away because there's nothing more to say. At this point, there is nothing but hurt and pain from the decisions we have made and i have to spare her from that. From this day on, I have to hold on to the fact that what I'm doing is right. No matter how much it kills me to do it.

    After everyone is in bed. I head out of the house and down through the fields. This path is so familiar to me that I could walk it in my sleep and still find my way to Amie's place. She has always been the reason I kept going forward. We were more than just two kids who had horrible fathers, we had a closeness that I never knew was possible. 

    When I reached her cottage, I climbed the tree that gets me close enough to her window that can knock on it. 

    After a few minutes, the pane lifts, and I feel like I can't breathe.

    Amies long black hair is pulled up in a bun, her eyes are bright and full of life.

    "What's wrong?' She immediately knew something was wrong.

    "I'm leaving to go back to Chicago tonight."

    "I thought you were staying here for the rest of the summer." 

    I have to let her go. I love her way to much to drag her down with me. "Something has came up and I just can't stay."

    She releases a heavy sigh. "Go to the barn, I'll meet you down there. I don't want to wake up my mother."

    Before I can say anything, she slides the window close, I have no choice but to get out of the tree and leave without meeting her. 

    When my feet hit the ground Amie is there, wearing my  jacket pulled tight and a pair of sweatpants.

    She never looked more beautiful.

    I take a step towards her without even thinking.

    "Why are you leaving?"

    I brush back the stray hair that has came out of her pony tail. I will never get to touch her face again so I want to enjoy it. I want to remember the way she smiles. There has been so many last time that has already passed that I want to remember all that I can.

    "I have to."

    "Your dad?"

    I nod. "The thing is, Amie. I'm not ever coming back."

    "What?"

    "I'm done with this town, and I can't be here anymore. All of this small town life I can't do it anymore."

    She blinks a few time as if thinking she was dreaming and then she clutches her stomach, "What about all the promises you made? What about how you swore you'd never abandon me? You know I can't leave here. My mother and sister need me, and I love it here."

    "I love New York."

    "Do you love me?"

    More than anything. More than I can ever let her know.

    "Not enough to stay here."

    I watch the hurt dance across her face as she steps back. "Not...enough?" Then her eyes narrow. "What the hell is wrong with you Dylan? This isn't you. You love me. I know you love me!" She moves closer, her hands tried to grab my wrist but I step back before she could. She still makes contact with her palm on my chest. "I feel it here. We know each other better than anyone else. Don't you dare lie to me."

    I need to end it quickly. I have to protect her from my father's fallout. I vowed to do what I have to do, and that means breaking not just her hurt but mine.

    "You don't know me!" I almost screamed. "You and I it was fun while it lasted, but I'm tired of it. We are only fooling ourselves thinking we could make long distance work. We're not even out of college yet. Nobody find the one that they are gonna marry in high school. Promises are broken, and I'm over trying to force myself to stay here. I will never spend another night in this f*****g town as long as I live."

    Amie turns her back and nods. That isn't my girl. She's a fighter, and when her green eyes fine mine, there's fire in them. "I see. So, to hell with me? Screw the fact that the last seven years I've only loved you. It doesn't matter that I have waited for you and only you. Been here for you all this time. I mean that little to you?"

    She's the world, but I can't tell her that.

    "I don't care about you like that. I've been pretending for a while. I never want to get married. I never want to have kids. I'll never be able to love you the way you want."

    Her mouth drops, and she shoves my chest hard. "f**k you! f**k you for saying that to me! I have given you everything. I hate you! You are as bad as my father, and we both know how I feel about him.

    Then she turns and runs, leaving me alone to hate myself even more than she could ever hate me. I did what I had to, it was the only way. I'm sure she can't hate me more than I hate myself....