Getting To Know Spooky

Tristan's POV

I was not happy when Elona and Cris walked away from me. I was not happy that they had disrespected me in this way. A man looking out for Elona and that is what David had trusted me with...in this case, her modeling. I know that keeping an eye on Elona would mean more than just these things. I would have my way with her because she would be alone at home.

Spooky started to walk, but I grabbed his backpack which was draped over his shoulder, "Where do you think you're going?" I said through clenched teeth as I pushed him back against the wall of the school building. I grabbed a fist full of his collar. Those stupid sunglasses are always in place. I took it off with my other hand, throwing it to the ground.

"Let go!" he struggled against me, but I was stronger.

I furrowed my brows as I loosened my grip on him, I pulled away as I saw that blue eye. He adjusted his t-shirt collar and jacket. Not sure why he still wears a jacket in the heat. "What happened to you?" I asked, genuinely concerned this time. This is not what I had expected.

"Nothing is going on," he huffed as he began to push past me, but I stopped him by pulling him back to the wall again.

"I will not let you walk away until you tell me what the f^ck is going on with you. Who gave you that?" I asked, eager to know.

He let out a sigh, "Why do you even care?" he looked past me.

"Do not ask a question with another question, so answer me. Who did that to you?" I asked, still holding him against the wall.

I let go of him in case that will help him talk. "I need to go home," he said.

"Get in my car, and then I can take you home. Or we can have lunch because clearly those two girls ditched me. So, what is it going to be?" I asked.

He let out another sigh, "Fine, let's have lunch," he said, and then he picked up his sunglasses from the ground and put them on again before we walked to my car. We got inside, and we drove in silence to my favorite restaurant. I was eager to know what was going on with him.

Once we got to the restaurant, I led the way to a table in the far corner and a waiter placed menus in front of us "The usual, Mr Crane?" he asked. Spooky didn't open his menu.

"Yes, please. Make that times two." I replied, and I looked back at Spooky, my reflection staring back at me in his sunglasses. "What would you like to drink?" I asked him.

He shrugged, "Chocolate milkshake, please," he said. At least he has manners. I moved my attention back to the waiter. "A chocolate milkshake and my usual," I said.

"Got it, Sir," he took both menus and left. I adjusted my suit jacket and shifted in my chair to sit comfortably.

"So what is going on?" I started, holding my gaze on him.

"After all the things that you did to me in order to keep me away from Elona, you care enough to take me to lunch and ask me about my situation," he stated.

Well, there was certainly a concerned shift within me when I saw that blue eye, and I wasn't going to let it go, "Are you going to tell me or not? If it is a bad situation, I may not be able to help," I replied impatiently.

"Whatever you say or do won't change a d^mn thing."

"Something tells me that your father could be ab^sive towards you." I leaned back in the chair. "He punched you, didn't he?"

"So what if he does? You can't do anything about the situation."

"What if I can? Stop being so stubborn and just talk to me," I was so impatient that I was starting to lose my sh^t, but I tried to remain calm.

"He beats me up sometimes. He has anger issues and whenever I don't want to do something, or when I'm just in my room all the time, he comes up to beat the sh^t out of me. I haven't been to school recently because I was not in the right frame of mind. I was forced to go to school this morning because he was at home. He usually travels. We moved here because he got a new job. He was fired from the previous company due to his anger. He takes it all out on me and that is what I have known ever since." he shrugged.

That was like a knife through my heart. I don't wish that kind of thing on anyone. "What about your mother?" I asked.

"She died when I was young," that twisted the knife further into my heart. "He was the death of her. I have a stepmother now, whom he adores and never beats, but she doesn't even feel sympathy towards me. That is what it's like being in a household where no one cares about me." he said, and I continued to hold my gaze on him as the waiter came back with our meal. I just needed to soak this in. Elona, Cris and Spooky have three things in common. They lost their mothers. They go through pain and I feel bad for him.

The waiter left, and I finally pulled my gaze away from him as I looked at my meal. "What about other family members?" I asked, looking up at him again as he dug into his steak.

He shrugged, "I got no idea. I guess because of my father's sh^t, he has been on his own for a long time. I never got to meet my family. I don't even know about my mother's side of the family as my father kept us in this box. It wasn't too bad, but it did get worse. I haven't even attended my mother's funeral. I was locked up in my room. My father didn't even wait long after my mother died to marry my stepmother. I can't help but think that they must've had an affair," he said.

I was staring at my food now, soaking this news in. He is not safe there. But I don't trust him around Elona either. I want to meet his father and see if all that he is saying were true. I mean...that blue eye is enough evidence.

"You can call me if you need me, but you need to keep your distance from Elona." I said.

He scoffed, "I do not like Elona in that way. The only person that I have my eyes set on is Cris. She is the one that I like, and she pulls my heart towards her. I don't even think she likes me in that way. It was never Elona, and you tried to keep me away from her for nothing. Now, that you know it's Cris that I want, maybe you can back off and allow Elona and I to be friends," he hissed.

I was taken aback, my Cris is the one he wants. I didn't see that one coming. My daughter of all people. "I will not allow my daughter to date you who comes from a family that will put my daughter in danger. How will you even protect her from your father if you cannot even protect yourself?" I snapped.

"I doubt she even wants me, but I will never allow her to be in my house. That is one place where I wouldn't want her to be. I don't even want her to meet my father. If she wants me...if that ever happens. We will be kept a secret. I'm sure that you and Elona are a secret," he said, and started eating.

I clenched my jaw, and then I let out a sigh. "Thanks for telling me all of this," I replied, not bothering to say much about Elona and me.

I needed to see his father, and hopefully I can do that today. But first, I will make a turn at Dakota Agency and see what is going on over there. It seems like I will have to take Spooky with me. This is a lot to take in in such a short time.