Maybe Something Is Wrong
Harley was sitting in his room, looking out the window, deep in thought. He had just gotten home from school, and his father was already there.
Unfortunately, his father had been in a particularly bad mood lately. Harley had tried to stay out of his way as much as possible, but it seemed like no matter what he did, he always managed to upset his father. Harley sighed heavily, rubbing his sore throat.
"Harley!" His father's voice sounded fine, it’s probably nothing. "Coming!" Harley's voice came out raspy from the recent strain, as he quickly threw his backpack onto his bed and headed downstairs.
When Harley reached the bottom of the stairs, he found his father waiting for him at the front door. "Go run to the corner store for me, buy a few packs of cigarettes.” The older said before handing Harley twenty dollars “Here's twenty dollars. Don't talk to anyone alright? Just get the Winston ones and come straight back." His father's voice was calm but held a slight edge that made Harley's stomach churn. The younger nodded, taking the money carefully, his hands trembling slightly. "Be quick about it.”
Harley quickly put on his shoes and jacket, heading out into the chilly air. He walked briskly to the store, trying not be distracted. As he entered the store, the bell above the door chimed loudly.
Harley approached the counter, his hands shaking slightly as he placed the twenty-dollar bill on the counter. "Can I have two packs of Winstons, please?" The cashier, an older man with a friendly face, looked at Harley, then down at the money.
“You buying it for an adult?” The cashier said as he dug out a pack from the bottom of his desk. Harley quickly nodded as he pushed the money towards the older. Just as the cashier handed the cigarettes to Harley, the door to the store suddenly swung open and a well-dressed man walked in. It was…Tony? He glanced around the store before his eyes landed on Harley.
Tony froze mid-stride, his eyes widening in surprise as he recognized the teenager. “Harley? What a surprise!”
Harley's eyes flicked up to meet Tony's, a look of confusion crossing his face. "T-Tony? What are you doing here? I thought you left a few days ago," Tony chuckled, walking over to the counter.
"Ah, yeah, well, plans changed." He said, glancing at the cigarettes in Harley's hands. "Is Harley having a little rebellion going on? Don’t worry kid, I won’t tell anyone.”
Harley quickly shook his head, his face flushing a deep red. "No, no, it's not for me. It's for my dad, he asked me to get them." He said quickly.
Tony raised an eyebrow. "Well, looks like once your father's back, I suppose you don't need me anymore, huh?" He said sarcastically. Harley's heart sank at the words, his grip tightening on the cigarettes.
"Are you serious?" Harley asked, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up at Tony, his eyes wide and filled with a mix of hurt and confusion. “I’m just joking kid!” Tony tried to laugh it out despite seeing Harley’s hurt face. "You really think I'd just disappear once your dad came back? I'm not that easy to get rid of." He said, he didn’t expect for Harley to believe it.
Harley looked down at the cigarettes in his hands, he forgot his father said not to talk to anyone. "..I have to go," He said quietly, turning to leave. Tony's hand shot out, grabbing his arm. "Hey, wait."
“Tony, please let go,” Harley whispered urgently, his voice trembling slightly. “My dad said to not talk to anyone, I-I don’t want to get in trouble.” Tony felt the genuine fear in Harley's voice, and he quickly dropped his hand. "Kid, wait, don't go yet, we can talk first. Come on, I’ll treat you to a meal."
Harley hesitated for a moment, his heart racing with anxiety. “M-maybe another time, Tony,” He said quietly, before quickly turning and leaving the store. Tony watched him go, a pang of concern hitting him. He sighed and turned back to the cashier.
The cashier, the older man with a gruff voice said to Tony. "Can you get out? You’re disturbing my customers." He snapped. Tony rolled his eyes and headed for the door. He stood outside the convenience store, watching as Harley hurried home. The way he looked at him with scared eyes... it bothered him more than he could admit.
Harley rushed home, his heart still racing from the encounter with Tony. He hoped his father hadn't noticed his delay. As he approached their house, he saw his father's shadow moving across the window and quickened his pace. He breathed deeply, trying to compose himself before entering.
As Harley opened the door, his father turned to face him, his expression thunderous. "What took you so long?" He demanded. Harley froze, the cigarettes still clutched in his hand.
Harley swallowed hard, looking at the cigarettes as if he forgot he held them. "I-I'm sorry, I got caught up," He stuttered, his voice quivering slightly. "But I got them, see?" He held up the cigarettes, hoping to appease his father's anger.
His father's expression softened slightly as he took the cigarettes from Harley, examining them before putting them in his pocket. "Alright, alright. Just be more quicker next time," He said, his tone a bit less harsh. Harley let out a sigh of relief, feeling his heart rate slow down.
His father sat down on the armchair, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it. He took a drag, his eyes fixed on Harley. "You didn't talk to anyone on the way back, did you?"
Harley froze at the question, his heart starting to race again. He quickly shook his head, trying to keep his voice steady. "N-no, of course not. I came straight back like you said." His father nodded, seeming to accept the answer, and Harley let out a silent sigh of relief.
Meanwhile, Tony sat in his hotel room, the generic decor and faint smell of cleaning products doing little to cheer him up. He absentmindedly flipped through channels on the TV, but his mind kept wandering back to Harley.
Harley lay in bed, the phone vibrating silently under his pillow. His father was already asleep in the next room, but Harley could still feel the tension in the air. He carefully pulled the phone out, the screen lighting up wilth Tony's message.
"Hey, it's Tony. I just wanted to make sure you're okay. Let me know if you need anything." Harley stared at the words, his mind racing.
Harley's fingers trembled slightly as he typed out a quick reply.
“I’m fine, thanks.” Sent.
He stared at his phone, heart pounding. Part of him desperately wanted to open up, but he knew he shouldn't, not after the incident with Abbie.
Tony's response was almost immediate.
"You sure? You almost never look fine whenever I see you."
Harley could almost hear the skepticism in Tony's text. Tony waited, phone in hand, for Harley's response. Minutes ticked by, and Harley still didn’t respond. Tony typed out another message.
“Harley, I swear if you don’t answer me right now I’m gonna-“
Tony sat up in his hotel room, his brows furrowing. He deleted the message and typed out another.
"Listen, I'm not mad about anything alright? When I know something's wrong, I won’t let it slide, you know that. I'm coming over tomorrow."
Tony's fingers poised over the send button, hoping Harley would finally respond. As expected, Tony's phone buzzed with Harley's frantic texts.
“You can't come over."
“My dad will be mad."
“It's not a good time."
“I'm grounded."
“I’m not gonna be home.”
“Please don't come."
Tony read each messages. It was clear the kid was desperate to dissuade him, but Tony wasn't buying it.
“I'll figure something out. See you tomorrow.”
Tony responded back before shutting off his phone to avoid further persuasion attempts.
"Tony please, you can't..."
- message ignored.
“My dad doesn’t like having people around-“
- phone turned off.
_____________
The next morning, Tony arrived at Harley's house, he rang the doorbell, standing firmly on the porch. When the door opened, Tony found himself face to face with Harley's father.
“Who the hell are you?" Harley's father demanded, his eyes narrowing at the stranger standing on his porch. Tony stood tall, his expression unwavering. "I'm a friend of your son and I'm here to see Harley." He held out his hand, expecting the man to introduce himself.
The father’s hand remained firmly at his side, his voice sharp as he called over his shoulder, "Harley! Get down here right now, what did I tell you about having friends over?” Tony watched his face carefully, noticing the slight twitch in his jaw that betrayed his annoyance.
Harley quickly ran down stairs, Tony picked up the marks on Harley's arm peeking out from his sleeve that looked a lot like finger bruises. It wasn’t there before. Before Tony could react, Harley appeared at the door, trying to stand slightly behind his father.
"Harley, you know this guy?" His father asked gruffly, blocking the doorway. Harley swallowed hard, his eyes flicking nervously between Tony and his father.
Harley's voice cracked as he reluctantly nodded, "Y-yeah, I know him. He's... he's a friend.” His eyes darted to Tony pleadingly, silently begging him not to make a scene.
Tony's gaze narrowed at the clear fear in Harley's eyes. He stepped forward, his voice low and calm, "I think we need to talk, Harley. Alone." He met the father's glare, his expression firm but non-threatening.
Harley shrinked under his father's piercing gaze. The look his father gave him carried a weight of accusation and disappointment that made Harley instinctively feel at fault, despite Tony's presence.
"You have exactly five minutes," his father glared at Tony before walking leaving the door open. Harley stood there, shoulders hunched, staring at the floor. Harley stepped outside, closing the door softly behind him.
"Why did you come? I told you not to.” Harley blurted out, his voice barely above a whisper. He kept his eyes downcast, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt. "My dad... he doesn't like visitors. Especially not... not my friends." Harley tried to meet Tony's gaze.
“I'm not leaving until I know you're okay. Those bruises on your arm..." Tony's gaze flickered to the marks before meeting Harley's eyes again.
Harley quickly tugged his sleeve down, shaking his head vigorously. "It's nothing, really. Just a little accident," he said, his voice unconvincing even to his own ears. He forced a strained smile, trying to deflect Tony's concern. "I'm fine, Tony."
Tony's expression softened, but his gaze remained piercing. "Accidents don't usually leave finger-shaped bruises." He reached out, gently taking Harley's arm and lifting the sleves again to examine the bruises more closely. "And these are pretty fresh. When did this accident happen?"
Harley's eyes darted nervously as Tony inspected the bruises. "My dad was just having a mood swing, okay?" He tried to pull his arm back, his voice rising defensively. "He didn't mean it. He never means it.”
“He doesn't mean to leave bruises on his son's arm during mood swings?" He crossed his arms, his voice low. "Harley, does this happen often?"
Harley's nerves snapped, his face flushing with anger and embarrassment. "Just mind your own business okay?!" He shouted, his voice shaking. "You don't know anything about my family, about my dad! He's just... he's having a hard time!”
Tony's eyes flashing with a anger he rarely showed. "A hard time? Harley, look at your arm! Does your father often lose his temper and hurt you when he's having a 'hard time’?!”
"No, it's not like that!" Harley argued back, his voice rising. "You don't understand! He's my father, he- he loves me! It's just... sometimes he gets stressed!”
Tony's voice dropped to a cold, measured tone. "When does he 'love' you? When he's beating you? When he's scaring you into believing you deserve this? Is this what love looks like in your world?" He stepped forward, his height suddenly intimidating.
Harley shrank back, his eyes filling with tears. He covered his ears, his voice breaking. "You don't know what it's like! You don't know what he's like when he's angry! He can be so sweet and so loving!"
Tony’s eyes locked onto Harley's tear-streaked face. “He hurts you physically and emotionally, making you believe you deserve it. That’s why you’re not telling me. Am I getting warm, Harley?"
Harley, trembling and overcome with emotion. "Just go Tony.. I’m not allowed to see my friends anymore,” his voice cracking. "My dad needs me, and I-I can’t abandon him.” He turned his back, wiping at his tears.
"Harley, ever since your father came back, you've changed," Tony said softly. "You're jumpier, you flinch at loud noises, and you can’t even make eye contact with me anymore.”
Harley's breath caught in his throat, Tony's words hitting too close to home. He looked down, unable to turn around to look at him. "That's... that's not true," he insisted weakly, but even to his own ears, it sounded like a lie.
Tony sighed, his heart heavy with concern. "Harley, I've known you since you were a little kid. I've seen you grow up, and I've never seen you like this before."
Harley swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in his throat. "Just leave me alone," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "Please, just leave me alone. It’s- it’s been more than 5 minutes.” He turned and ran, disappearing into the house. Tony stood there watching Harley vanish into his house. A heavy sigh escaped him as he rubbed a hand over his face. He was not going to give up on Harley.
With one last look at the house, Tony turned and walked back to his car, feeling defeated. He started the engine and drove away, he will find a way to help Harley, but maybe not now.
____________
"Stupid, stupid, stupid," Harley muttered to himself, wiping at his tears with the back of his hand. "I should have hid my bruises earlier. Now he knows, and he'll never leave me alone about it."
The sudden sound of the front door creaking open startled Harley from his thoughts. He hadn't heard a car pull up, maybe his mother had forgotten something... His heart raced as he heard footsteps in the hallway getting closer. Then, a familiar voice called out, "Anyone home?"
Harley's breath caught in his throat as he recognized the voice. It was Abbie, she had been away for weeks. Harley quickly pulled down his sleeves, hiding the bruises as best he could, his heart pounding in his chest. "Abbie?" he called out, trying to sound casual. "When did you get back?" He stood up, smoothing out his sweater as he heard her footsteps approaching his room.
Abbie sighed heavily as she entered Harley's room, her bagsdropping to the floor with a thud. "Just now," she muttered, not bothering to hide her annoyance.
Harley's eyes widened slightly at Abbie's tone, but he tried to play it cool. "So, let me guess, Jessica's parents finally kick you out for staying with them for too long?" he asked. He hoped that keeping the conversations light would distract her from noticing anything off about him.
Abbie rolled her eyes and flopped onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Yeah, something like that. They were getting really annoyed with me just being there all the time. I guess they thought I was becoming a burden or something." She sighed again, her voice taking on a slightly bitter tone.
Abbie sat up again and crossed her arms, looking at him with a hint of defiance in her eyes. "I don't wanna stay here anymore. This place is driving me crazy. I'm sick of seeing dad here, he was never there for us.” She sighed before continuing, “I just wanna go back to living our lives like normal. Without dad and his drama ruining everything." Abbie finished, her arms still crossed.
"I don’t- I don’t think he's that bad,” Harley said softly, his gaze drifting to the floor. "He's trying to make things right. And mom's stressed, she's trying to keep everything together."
Abbie's eyes widened in shock, her gaze snapping back to Harley. "Are you serious?" she repeated, her voice rising in disbelief. "Harley, he's been gone for years! And now he just waltzes back in like nothing happened? And you're actually defending him?” Her anger simmering just below the surface. “It's not like you two have some special bonding moment or something."
Harley lapsed into an uncomfortable silence, his gaze fixed on the floor. He could feel Abbie's eyes boring into him, waiting for a response. The words he wanted to say lodged in his throat.
As the silence stretched uncomfortably between them, Abbie exhaled loudly, shaking her head in frustration. "Whatever.. forget I said anything." She stood abruptly, grabbing her bags off the floor. "I'm going to unpack in my room."
Harley watched Abbie leave, her words echoing in his mind as he walked to his bed and laid down. Harley remained motionless on his bed. Despite everything, he couldn't bring himself to hate his father.
Soon after, a few hours had passed and Harley still couldn’t sleep. He heard chatters downstairs but chose to ignore it, thinking it was Abbie and his mother trying to reconcile. He hadn’t heard this much chatter ever since Abbie started to avoid them. Harley rolled onto his side and pulled the blanket over his head, try to shut out the world.
Just as sleep began to claim Harley, the soft creak of the bedroom door pulled him back to consciousness. He lifted his head slightly, squinting through the darkness, expecting to see Abbie again but it was his mother. He haven’t talked to her in days.
His mother closed the door quietly behind her, her movements hurried. She sat down on the edge of Harley's bed, her hand reached out to pull the blanket back from his face.
"Get up, now," his mother hissed, already pulling Harley out of bed by his arm. “Go get ready, we’re leaving.”
"Wait, what?" Harley stumbled, caught off guard by his mother's sudden urgency. He tugged his hoodie over his head, his mind racing to keep up. "Leaving? In the middle of the night? Mum, what is going on?"
"I don't have time to explain alright?!” His mother snapped, her voice low but sharp. "Your father left a few hours ago. Who knows when he'll be back." She pulled him out of bed, her fingers digging into his arm. "We need to go before he returns."
“What about Abbie? Is she okay?” Harley asked, not knowing what was going on. “Abbie's already packed, I told her about it earlier,” his mother said hurriedly. "She's waiting in the car. We're taking only the essentials, leave everything else behind." She threw Harley's backpack at him.
"Mum, wait," Harley caught the backpack, stopping his mother in her tracks. His brow furrowed, concern etched on his face. "Where exactly are we going? And why are we leaving dad?”
His mother turned to face him, her eyes pleading. "I can't explain everything right now…” She took a deep breath.
"The point is, I now can protect you both." She grabbed both his shoulders, looking desperately into his eyes. "I wanted to leave when your father came, but Abbie was avoiding us so I had to wait a little longer.”
“Mum, are we running from dad?" Harley asked terrified. What if his father found out about this? He can’t just abandon his father like this.
“Yes Harley, we are,” her voice sounded tired. "We need to leave before he realizes we're gone." She urged him towards his bedroom door to go outside. "Now come on."
“Mum, we can’t abandon dad! Dad has been trying to help us, he did everything he could, he even tried to communicate with Abbie!” Harley’s heart was racing with worries. He was still his father. “Harley stop being naive!" His mother hissed as Harley flinched from the yell. "He's not the man you think he was!” His mother said trying to snapped Harley out of it.
"He's not strict, he’s abusive. He has a temper problem, you know that. And it's been getting worse, not better.” The older woman said while being able to stay calm. "Just pack whatever you can't live without. Leave the rest." She quickly left the room to the staircase.
Harley sighed watching his mother leave the room, maybe he can come visit his father once in a while, or maybe even call him. He knows his father will try to find them, he wouldn’t give up on his family, would he? He sighed again and walked over to his closet and opening it. With trembling hands, Harley threw some clothes and important items into his backpack, adding a small wooden carving - the only thing his dad had ever given him that felt genuine, even if it had been a long time ago.
As Harley zipped up his bag, his mind wandered to Tony. He hoped Tony wouldn't be too mad at him for leaving without saying goodbye, or even try report him missing.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Harley heaved his backpack over his shoulder and stepped out into the hallway, locking the door behind him. His mother was already waiting by the staircase, her eyes urgent. "Let's go," she said, practically pushing him down the stairs.
The car was parked right in front of the house, with Abbie sitting in the front seat, she looked at Harley with a sad and guilty expression. Harley assumed his mother had told his little sister what had happened while she was away, why else would she look at him like that? Harley shook his head and placed his bags onto the backseat and got inside. He tried to get Abbie’s attention by nudging her but she didn’t looked back, instead she looked away from him. Harley felt embarrassed his sister knew what had happened, after all, he was supposed to be the “strong” big brother.
His mother sat in the car as soon as her son closed the car door. She looked at the house one last time with a long sigh before speeding off into the night, tires screeching as they left the familiar neighborhood behind. Harley stared out the window, watching the streets blur into a stream of lights. He wondered if Tony would notice he was gone by morning, or if he would just assume he was avoiding him.