“I get kind of… weird about stuff.”
When he hadn’t said anything in response after a few moments, I looked up at him. Chase had picked up the mug and was looking at the bottom of it where my name and Salem’s were stamped.
“It’s good of you and Salem to do something for a worthy cause. Donating time or money to groups that work to make things better is something to be proud of.”
I nodded and pulled off a piece of my muffin and rolled it between my thumb and finger.
“Can I tell you something, Brandon?”
I nodded and then added, “Yes, of course.”
“I volunteer once a month at a group—a counseling group.”What? Why is he telling me this? Did he already think I was fucked-up?“It’s for guys who are victims of violent… um… violent… sexual crimes.”
Heat spread across my face as I stared blankly at him. At least I thought I was staring at him blankly, but I had a feeling my face was showing a less than calm expression.
“Um. That came out really wrong.” Chase rubbed his forehead while I tried to focus on breathing calmly because my heart felt like it was racing. Chase held the mug in his hand and turned it sideways so the bottom faced me. “What I meant to say is that I realize some things might be difficult to talk about.”
“Do you?” I could tell that my voice didn’t sound the most welcoming or friendly. I couldn’t help it, though.
“Yes.”
Doubt it.
“And I wanted you to know that whenever you feel like you want to talk to me about the reason you support this group so much, I’m here to listen.”
“What makes you think it’s nothing more than me wanting to give to a charity?”
“I think it’s very personal to you.”
“You do, huh?”
Chase nodded. He pushed up the sleeve on his left arm, took his watch off, and revealed a faded scar on his skin.
“You aren’t the only one who has things that are difficult to talk about in your past, Brandon.”
Oh, shit.Had he tried to kill himself before? Or… was he a cutter?
“I’m sorry. When you said you volunteered at a group thing, I thought you were telling me you suspected I needed that kind of help.”
“No. I told you that because the group is a way for me to give back and let others know there are people who will listen. That group is important to me, and I think the anti-human trafficking group is important to you.”
I looked into his eyes and simply nodded. I glanced around to make sure no one was too close to us. I swallowed hard and took a slow, deep breath.
“The summer after I graduated high school, I was taken to a party. I… I was held there against my will for a few years.” I realized my voice wasn’t much above a whisper. When I swallowed, I noticed the huge lump in my throat. I couldn’t say much more, and I realized it was a feeble attempt to tell him what happened.
“When I started modeling, I had a crush on another model. Turns out, she liked me too. The photographer could tell we liked each other, and he started putting us in shoots together. Our shoots were always last, and we didn’t mind because we liked each other, and we’d kill time by sitting and talking. Then the shoots started to change quite a bit. Closed sets with just the three of us. The photographer started making demands that he had no right to make. The demands were accompanied by threats against our families. It went on for a few years. I was sick and stressed all the time. Then I found out she was pregnant. She was pregnant with you. Everything came crashing down on me. I was sixteen and terrified. Before I knew it, I found myself on the floor of my bathroom with a stomach full of Oxycontin and a gash on my wrist.”
My head was spinning with this information. Something shitty had happened to my parents, and I was the result and consequence.
Chase took his phone out of his pocket and messed around on a few screens before setting the phone on the table. He spun it around so I could see it.
“That’s Patrick. He’s our adopted brother. Anyhow, he’s the one I called from the bathroom floor.”
“It’s good you had someone to call,” I managed to say.
Chase looked over at Salem and gestured toward her with his head.
“Is Salem someone you confided in?”
