CHAPTER EIGHT

Zac's eyes fluttered open moments after he’d fallen asleep – he was alone in the room and the lights had been turned off. He sighed, he could hear the water running in the bathroom, and knew immediately at it was Isaac in there, he could tell because Isaac’s shirt was hanging on the door handle – Zac could see it from where he was.

Zac turned over uncomfortably, he fidgeted until he was comfortable, and then he sighed, trying to go back to sleep – eventually, he began to feel cold, and he had to slide under the covers, he snuggled up and shrouded himself in the dark safety of his blanket, completely relaxed. At least he was safe here, his brother was next door – lord knew where Taylor had gone but at least Isaac was close by.

Zac had always felt safe around Isaac – and not just because Isaac was older and bigger than he was. Through the years Zac had always seen Isaac as calm and in control, and when Zac was in trouble, he knew he could rely on Isaac to get him out of it. Zac saw Isaac as the glue that kept the band together, the joke that made sad people smile, and most importantly the protector for his brothers when harm came too near.

Zac thought about this and instantly felt guilty. Ike would be hurt that I didn’t tell him what Don did, he thought. He’d feel hurt and that we weren’t as close as we used to be, there was a time I could tell him everything…

Zac then realised if Isaac knew what had happened, he'd probably try to kill Don, and this could wreck future situations for the band too. Zac frowned. What should I do? He asked. Keep secrets until we get back to Tulsa and get Jason back, and we can be rid of Don, or do the right thing and tell Ike and Tay what Don did.

Just then, Zac heard the door creaking open, and he froze, knowing. Zac had begun to know when Don was coming, he’d feel all cold, and right now, he could feel it.

Zac lay still, keeping his eyes closed, he pretended to be asleep. He’s taking a chance, he knows Isaac is in the shower – he must have known that Tay isn’t here too, Zac realised. He bit his tongue to stop himself from whimpering in complete terror. He knew what was coming, he could sense it now.

Don made his way over to Zac’s bed and he knelt on the edge or it, Zac could feel the bed shifting under the weight.

"Zac?" Don asked in a soft whisper, barely even audible – this Zac suspected was to stop Isaac from hearing in the bathroom.

When receiving no answer, Don began shifting the covers down Zac’s body, very slowly. Zac tensed up, he could feel his heart thudding hard in his chest, pounding in his ears hitting ninety, louder than any drumbeat Zac could play.

Don’s hands began wandering, and Zac wished he could muster the strength to scream loudly for Isaac, Isaac would stop this, Isaac was big enough to do some damage to this guy and stop the whole thing from happening.

But out of fear, Zac let it happen. He couldn’t move, he could just pretend to be fast asleep as Don’s hands wandered at the most intimate of places, places Zac hadn’t even dared take a fleeting glance in the bathroom mirror as he went to take a shower.

Zac prayed that Don would stop soon, his fear was causing him to almost start trembling, he tried to keep in complete control of this, and somehow managed, keeping out his thoughts of what Don was doing, and concentrating on other things, Zac thought of music, of Tulsa, of his mother and his siblings, trying to force out everything else, until something Don did caused him to break into tears.

Don had taken Zac’s hand very firmly, and was using it to rub at a place Zac didn’t even want to think of, Zac broke into tears instantly revealing he was awake.

He could hear Don chuckle cruelly as he continued using Zac’s hand. Zac tried to recoil, but couldn’t Don was firm and very persistent, Zac could do nothing but sob and listen as Don moaned deep in his throat.

"N-n-nuh-no…please…" Zac sobbed.

But Don continued.

The water stopped just then, Zac sat straight up, a gasp of relief pulling at his throat and Don looked at Zac. "Don’t you even think about telling," he hissed, and took Zac by the throat. "Do you hear?!" he whispered evilly.

Zac nodded barely able to breathe, and Don let go of his neck, then rushed off to make it out of the room quietly before Isaac could enter the room.

Zac wiped his tears with the back of his hand, made sure his face was completely dry and he slowed his breathing down considerably. Moments later, the door opened and light from the bathroom flooded in, lighting half of the room up in a pale yellow white glow.

"Oh, you’re up," Isaac said as he padded into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, his long dark blonde hair was dripping around his shoulders and neck.

Zac nodded weakly, and wiped at his sweating forehead.

"You don’t look so good, Zac," Isaac stated.

Zac got out of the bed, his knees felt so weak, he stumbled a little, then regained his composure, and he began to head for the bathroom. "I need a shower…" was all he could say, before he closed and locked the bathroom door, and turned on the shower. He felt a build up of tears coming already, and before he could start howling hysterically, he switched on the waterproof radio Isaac had left in there quickly and a song by Ocean Colour Scene blasted out.

Zac stripped himself of his pants and underwear and he stepped into the shower quickly, grabbing the soap and rubbing it all over himself, feeling completely disgusted by the thought of having Don’s hands anywhere near his body. He couldn’t believe he’d let him do that. He should have called for Isaac.

But Isaac could have been hurt, Zac remembered how easily Don had thrown him to the ground the first night Don had tried something, Don could easily hurt someone of Isaac’s tall-skinny frame just as easily as he had done with Zac.

Zac let the tears come, and belted the sides of the shower-stall brutally until his hands hurt, sobbing hysterically, hoping the music would drown him out to Isaac.

Zac slid down the wall, and sat naked and trembling in the shower, crying into his hands. Why did this have to happen to him?