The Comforts We Despise 2
DISCLAIMER: This story contains adult content.
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Chapter 2
The Other Son
"You related to Mr. Hill?" I asked.
The strange boy nodded. He looked uneasy being around me. He looked more nervous than I was for some reason. It was almost comedic for some reason. I would have been more nervous but the resemblance between this guy and the Hills was uncanny. He was DEFINITELY a Hill. Hell he probably deserved to be in this house even more than I did if that was the case.
"I am."
"Well..."
"Well what?"
Was he serious?
"How are you related to Mr. Hill?" he asked, "Why are you in my room?"
"You promise not to tell anyone you seen me?" he asked.
He was here in secret. This was becoming very interesting. Just when I thought nothing interesting could happen in the Hill Mansion then this happened. This boy just fucking shows up and its so fucking strange.
"Maybe. Answer me this, were you the one who did my homework?"
He looked down as though he had done something wrong.
"Yes."
"Hell then I won't tell a soul your secret," I stated, "You are like I don't know...a workshop elf or something. I mean this is weird as hell. I feel like I'm in the twilight zone but I'm rolling with this."
"Well I'm a Hill. I won't tell you which one but you'll figure it out really soon. I wanted to introduce myself to you," he stated and extended my hand, "It's nice to meet you."
I didn't shake immediately.
"Your house?"
"Yes...your name is...Quashie right?"
"Yes."
"It's really nice to finally meet you Quashie. I really hope I can tell trust you not to tell anyone that you saw me. I have to go now it's almost morning."
Before I could say anything else he took off. He didn't go through the door. He went over the bathroom that was attached my room. I thought I was seeing stuff for the minute and then I followed him into the bathroom. As I got to the bathroom though he had disappeared. If it wasn't for this unique vanilla smell that he left behind I would have thought I had imagined the entire fucking thing.
"You ok, you look like you are in a good mood..." Mr. Hill told me.
It was Saturday. Everyone was down and I knew why. Pristine was throwing one of her little dinners and I was in the kitchen. It had been a few days since I saw this person Jonah but this morning I had woken up to a note.
THANKS FOR KEEPING MY SECRET.
I stuffed the note in my pocket when Mr. Hill walked by. We were on the patio. Mr. Hill was definitely my favorite in the house. He had an amusing quality about him. He forgot what he was saying often and I was pretty sure it was the early stages of Alzheimer's but there was something endearing about it.
"I'm excited about Pristine's party," I lied.
I was excited about this Jonah Hill. I had no idea why. It was creepy as hell to see him in my room. Where had he come from? Where was he? WHO was he?
"What did you do with Quashie?" Mr. Hill asked me laughing.
I laughed at the idea.
"Hey I'm growing," I lied again shaking my head, "What's another one of her parties going to hurt?"
He shook his head, "A lot. You don't have to act."
"Hey do you know a Jonah?" I asked."
He paused for a moment, "Who told you about that?"
"About what?"
"Jonah..."
"No one. It's just a name on my bed. Why what is there to tell."
"Oh...oh nothing. I don't know a Jonah," Mr. Hill stated, "Anyways---don't be too turned off about the party. Don't worry you can invite your little...friend...if you want."
He elbowed me twice in a very suggestive way. He had definitely trying to change the subject.
"Ozzie?"
"Yeah that one. Don't worry I know how you kids get down. Don't worry your secret is safe with me."
I blushed red. Talking about my sexuality with a man Mr. Hill's age was never comfortable. The thing I had told him multiple times that Ozzie and I weren't a couple but he always seemed to forget and suggest the same thing a month or two later. I didn't mind though. He wasn't dramatic like Pristine or negative like Lauren. He was actually trying to get to know me.
Hell what would once more hurt, "I am not interested in Ozzie at all in that way. We are just friends."
"Oh I completely understand," he said winking, "You know when I was young I had a `friend' that was male. I found out it wasn't really my thing you know but I think its always good to experiment. Boy did we experiment. We used to play slap and tickle in the showers---"
Oh god.
I zoned out feeling some sort of seizure coming on. No way in anyone's fucking world did I want to hear about this right now. I prayed for something to happen. I wanted anything to happen but then I saw Aaryn and company walking up the drive way. Shit anything but that.
Great.
Aaryn was with Rebecca, Adrian and Jackie. I got up immediately wanting to go in.
"You can't leave me out here with these people," Mr. Hill said.
I wanted to almost laugh when he said that but I didn't. Aaryn came up to us and smiled.
"Good morning Mr. Hill," she stated smiling, "We came to help out with the party."
"Oh how nice of you Aaryn," Mr. Hill said.
"Hey Quashie," Adrian stated.
I nodded back to him. He was supposedly broken up with Rebecca but the four of them were ALWAYS doing that stupid double date thing. There was no way in hell I was going to invite Ozzie to this party now. Hell I would ditch the whole party too if I hadn't just lied and told Mr. Hill I was excited about it. I wasn't excited about it. A few hours of Aaryn feeding Pristine's ego didn't seem like a good time at all to me.
"You guys know Pristine has like an entire staff right?" I stated, "Did you miss the mansion or something...you know what. Nevermind. I'll just show you where everything is being set up."
I guided them into the house. No point in stopping these kiss asses. We grand dining room was huge and Pristine's staff was already busy decorating.
I could feel Aaryn's eyes on my back. I heard her whispering something about me and before I knew it I felt someone trip me. I looked back knowing damn well it had to be either Aaryn or Jackie. I was more surprised when it was actually Rebecca. Aaryn was laughing and looking away but she was too far away from me to actually have tripped me.
"Thanks...I needed that."
"You would say something sarcastic. You are like the king of sarcasm," Aaryn stated.
And you are the queen of hell. I would have said that but why even give her the acknowledgement.
"Rebecca, grow the fuck up," Adrian said.
There he went again. My prince in shining armor except he was friends with the damn dragons. I ignored him. I knew damn well they were all dressed up for the party already and there was no way they'd be doing anything intensive. They just wanted to sit around and then take credit for "helping" when Pristine came.
The sad part was a guy like Adrian in their ranks. I wanted to shake him and scream at him. STOP HANGING OUT WITH THESE PEOPLE. Even Rebecca wasn't like this unless she was around Aaryn. Aaryn brought out the worst in everyone.
"Here is the room everything is being set up. Pristine's ass will be here in a minute. So pucker up."
"You going to let him talk to me like that?" Aaryn asked Jackie.
"Come on Quashie," Adrian stated pulling me out of the room.
I could tell Jackie was going to man up a little bit. He would probably threaten me or something but I knew damn well he wouldn't hit me. I didn't think at least. I knew if he did hit me though I'd probably pass out. Adrian, my bootleg prince charming, pulled me into the hallway to safety just in time.
By the time we got in the hallway it was almost like he wanted me to thank him or something. I just gave him a blank stare.
"Why do you keep provoking them?" he asked.
"Oh this is my fault?" I asked, "They go around the school terrorizing half the student body but I guess nothing is their fault either."
"I'm not saying that. I'm just saying you can tone down the sarcasm sometimes," he stated.
"They can tone down the bullying and you can tone down the bullshitting."
He shook his head, "Look I'm just trying to help. You are being really defensive. Why do I have the feeling you don't like me?"
I shook my head. The way he was looking at me was kind of sad to tell the truth. He didn't even have to acknowledge what was going on. He could have joined in if he wanted to. I knew he had it in him and I was one sarcastic ass guy to tell the truth.
"I'm sorry," I finally said.
"Listen I'm not saying you and Jackie have to be best friends--"
"...Right because pigs haven't started flying..."
He gave me a stern look before continuing, "I'm just saying you guys can improve your relationship a little bit. I actually plan on talking to Jackie about it too. Your parents were close. There is no reason the two of you can't be close as well."
"Why do you care?"
He shrugged, "I don't know. You are kind of cool. If you guys start getting along you'll be around a little more. We just have to find something to bridge that gap."
I hesitated. I really had never given Jackie the time of day. I was always disgusted by him.
Maybe he was right though. My parents were best friends with the Hills. They had to see something in this god forsaken family to name them my godparents.
"If he's down I'll think about it."
He tapped me on my shoulder, "Great man."
He smiled at that moment as he did it. Truth was I was more giving him a chance to get to know me then really giving Jackie a chance to get to know me. If he wasn't Jackie's best friend he would probably be one of the coolest guys I knew.
The party was an uppity snoozefest. The music sounded like someone was dying. The food tasted like tomato paste. The crowd looked like they were just seconds away from going into a coma.
I looked around the room of the banquet hall as I tried to loosen my stupid tie. Everyone was here. The uppity of the uppity. Truth be told I did a good job fitting in. I could turn it on if I wanted to. I didn't like being here but I was doing a hell of a lot better than Lauren. I kind of felt bad for her as I saw her standing by Pristine being lectured to stop grimacing people.
"Lauren listen the world isn't going to end if you smile hunny," Pristine was saying when I walked up, "Did you see your brother socializing. Look at how handsome Quashie looks. You look like a Hill!"
"Oh great!" I smiled trying my hardest not to show my sarcasm.
Pristine wouldn't have gotten how fake I was being anyway. She thought me of all people looking like one of the flawless Hills was the upmost compliment.
She smiled, "I know right. How you enjoying the party? Did you mean anyone interesting?"
Interesting at the party...no.
I tried to push it a little bit though, "I met someone named Jonah. Did you know him?"
Her smile dissipated. The name DEFINITELY hit a nerve with her. She looked completely surprised as she blinked twice. Silence. Complete silence. Was it shock? Was it some sort of...memory that I triggered.
"Where'd you hear that name? Tell me."
Something was up. Something was definitely up. She knew a Jonah Hill.
"You know what," I stated, "It was a Joseph I think."
Suddenly her serious face lit up to the same snobbish Pristine face she and she let out a soft little giggle.
"Oh...ok. You must be talking about Joseph Silverstein. He keeps telling me how amazing my dress is. He won't get the clue. I'm taken! Isn't he annoying? Enjoy yourself sweetheart. Oh look here comes Margeret. How hideous is that dress on her----Oh Margeret! Margeret HEY! You look AMAZING! Turn around I want to get the full effect."
Lauren walked up to me.
"Wasn't that weird?" she asked.
"What?" I asked.
"How she froze up at that name. Jonah...Jonah, Jonah, Jonah..."
She kept repeating the name.
"You know the name."
"Yeah. God, from a long time ago. Geez. My memory sucks. I had to be a kid. Where the hell did I hear that name before. I just can't seem to remember."
"Maybe someone related to you?" I asked Lauren, "Think..."
Suddenly a light came on in her head. I could see by how her eyes lit up. Lauren definitely seemed to know something as well. This was definitely starting to get to me. There was something strange definitely going down. This family...they knew something and I was going to get to the bottom of it.
"Oh crap," she said.
"What?" I asked her, "Tell me."
She paused a little bit. She was holding back. She knew something though. She had remembered something for sure.
"Nothing you know it was coincidence," she stated shaking her head, "Just something from the past but that was a long time ago when I was kid. Nothing that you need to be worried about."
"Lauren..."
"Leave me the fuck alone ok?" she finally stated, "Ok?"
I knew not to push Lauren too far. She was a bit bi-polar. Some of the language that came out of her little 14 year old body surprised me a lot sometimes.
I rolled my eyes as I watched Lauren walk away to go brood over something else or whatever she was doing.
I couldn't help myself as I picked up my cellphone and went into the front of the hall. I immediately called Ozzie. There was no way that I could hold this.
<Ozzie...>
<Hey what's up. How's the party?>
<It's shit. Listen some weird shit is going down. This family they have like secrets and they are acting weird as hell. It's like they are hiding something.>
<Oh...sounds juicy. Any idea what it is?>
"Jonah? Jonah Hill?"
I turned around to see that someone has been eavesdropping on my conversation. Over my shoulder there is a woman standing there. I recognized her almost immediately. Her name was Margaret. Ms. Margie. She was Pristine's best friend supposedly but with all the shit that they talked about each other they coined the term frenemies. Margie was the wife of some Stevie Wonder-ish singer from the 80s that was very blind and very dependent on her. He had made a ton of money and she thought she had hit it big time until his accident. Since then she'd been stuck in the mansion babysitting him for a lifetime. We never really had a real conversation besides hi and bye.
I dropped the call on Ozzie without even realizing it.
"You know him?" I asked.
"Oh the names sounds familiar," she stated laughing, "My question is baby...how do YOU know about Jonah Hill. I know Pristine's ass didn't spill the beans. She has that secret pulled tighter than her facelift..."
She was laughing at her own joke as though it was the funniest thing she ever said. From her breath, the flute of champagne in her hands and her OBVIOUS slur I could tell she was a little bit drunk. Pristine was right earlier though. Margie looked a mess. She had on this unflattering dress that was the color of throw up. It revealed her front and obviously one of her breasts were a lot bigger than the other.
"Well what do you know about him?" I ask her.
"I know he knows enough secrets to get Ms. High and Mighty off her high horse. What I wouldn't give to talk to him."
Her eyes were set across Pristine across the room. I prayed I never had friends like this in my life. I could see the secret hate behind her eyes. Was it jealousy? Pristine's husband was still a huge name and her husband was a nobody.
"What kind of secrets?"
"The kind you don't want coming out," she said shaking her head, "Way worse than mine. You know she went telling all the girls at the country club how I needed to borrow a loan from her. I went to her in confidence with that! She smiled and agreed only to turn around and talk about it..."
It was clear she was a woman torn.
I looked across the room at Pristine. She was squeaky clean in this town. She had lived for years off her husband's name. One of her kids was a coon and the other one was two steps away from being a double for Lindsey Lohan. Still she managed to keep her reputation perfect. I wasn't interested in ruining Pristine though. I was more interested in who Jonah was. What was he about?
"Who is he to her?" I asked.
She turned a little confused, "Oh I thought you knew. Damn I must have had too much to drink. Maybe I should have said that."
I turned to her, "Well you started already. You might as well just finish."
"That's exactly what I said about Pristine's botox treatments..."
She wasn't even hearing what I was saying. Her eyes were staring across the room burning into Pristine.
"Ms. Margie please refocus."
She turned to me, "What was your question hunny?"
"Who is Jonah Hill to Pristine."
"That's her son of course. He's the twin to that handsome one Jackie. They weren't identical of course though. They were fraternal twins. Not identical but similar. Very similar."
Holy shit.
Jackie was the only Hill that I hadn't brought Jonah up to. It was his twin. It all kind of made sense a little bit.
I shook my head, "I don't understand I've lived with the Hills for 7 years. How come I don't know anything about him."
"Because maybe someone doesn't want you to know," she finally stated, "Or anyone else for that matter."
Did she mean Pristine?
"What happened to him?"
She shrugged, "That I don't know. He just up and disappeared. Maybe he died."
No he didn't. He was very much alive.
Margie started slurring even more as the night on and even though I pushed to get more information from her it was clear her drunk mind was more interested in bashing Pristine. She was getting pretty loud too and clearly making a scene from her drunkenness. I had to remove myself from around her. It was just in time too because Pristine sent over Preston to ask if she needed a ride home. I could see her face flush with embarrassment.
The night dwindled down. Margie wasn't the only one who was high off something. It seemed Lauren had taken something as well. I wasn't sure what it was but I saw Preston sending her to bed and saw the red in her eyes. Truthfully I believed for a while that Lauren was some sort of drugs. I just didn't now exactly what it was but I assumed it was some sort of pill.
Pristine saved face of course saying she was sick and people believed her bullshit.
Mr. Hill, Jackie and Pristine paraded around the party so much that by the time it was over I was glad. I didn't know how long I could fake my smile trying to play that perfect son for them.
I almost felt sick to my stomach by the end of the party. I couldn't keep up with all the fakeness even though I tried. It was bleeding me. Seeing how Margie talked about her own friend behind her back sickened me. Seeing how Pristine kept on with all these people she didn't care about was annoying. Hiding her daughter instead of fixing the problem had Pristine written all over it.
People would sell their souls for fame and fortune.
I found myself upstairs walking past Pristine's parade of maids to my chambers. I had never been so happy to be away from all the bullshit. I felt like at least I had my little home away from home. Even if the room had that uncomfortable old Hollywood `don't mess anything up' theme going. It was a pretty big room and connected to a bathroom people would dream of. The closet was a walk through closet that led to a small study area where I kept most of my paintings.
I found myself going into that room. It was pretty late in the night but I needed to release all of the tension I was feeling. I had made a drawing of the sea and I figured I would continue to shade that. As I made my way to the painting I noticed there was a note.
Someone had been in my room.
I picked up the note that was attached to the paper it read.
I LIKE THIS ONE. I WANT TO MEET UP WITH YOU. MIDNIGHT ON THE 7TH FLOOR IS AN OLD PANTRY. BE THERE.
-JONAH
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