Chapter 4

The next morning, Jacob got up fifteen minutes before his mum usually entered to get William out of bed. He had been awake for a while and for some reason, he couldn't cope with just lying in bed, he felt restless.

He was stood in the bathroom and brushing his teeth when the voice spoke.

"I hope you slept well last night."

Jacob closed his eyes and spat out his toothpaste. He ignored the voice and cleaned the sink. Once that was done, he put the plug in and started to fill it up with cold water. He watched as the clear water splashed the white marble and curved against the shape.

When it was full enough, he dipped the tips of his fingers in. As predicted, the water was freezing. He needed a shock to his system to clear his head. He would've had a cold shower but it was too much effort for his inactive brain.

"And I hope you have a better morning than yesterday."

Jacob took a breath and pushed his face into the icy water. He closed his eyes and allowed his senses to go a little crazy.

He liked it when the water went into his ears, it muffled the noises of the birds chirping and his parent's conversations. It relaxed him to the point where he felt like he could concentrate, just for a moment. The cold made him shiver. He liked how it distracted him from thinking about his irregularities.

"Do you like swimming?"

Even though Jacob loved the tranquil stillness of being underwater, the voice could never be silenced.

He pulled his head up and gasped for breath.

"You're not real," He mumbled out loud, just as his father walked past the door.

"That's what you think."

"That's what I know," Jacob thought back. "I'd be even more of a freak if I thought you actually existed."

"You're not a freak."

"You don't know me."

"But I do, I've been inside your head for half a year. I know your thought's, your emotions and I can hear what you're thinking all the time."

"You're not real."

"I am, you'll see soon."

"Why do you keep saying that?" he said out loud. "You're in my head, you don't exist."

"I'm sorry Jacob, I know how hard this is for you and I know you're struggling. This will all make sense-"

"Will you just leave me alone," he sighed, sitting on the edge of the bath and dropping his head into his hands. He allowed the sorrow to wash over him. Jacob felt defeated by a voice. It was tearing him apart and there wasn't a single thing he could do.

"Son," Scott said softly but his heart was racing. Jacob's head snapped up to see him standing by the door with kind eyes and a warm expression. "Come on, I want to talk to you."

Jacob chewed on his bottom lip and followed his dad out of the bathroom and towards the garden. The sun was poking through clouds and the day looked like it was going to be nice. Jacob always liked it when the sky was a little moody. Storms made him feel comfortable. Maybe because the sky looked sad and he could relate.

Scott opened the back door and lead him towards a wooden bench at the bottom of the garden. Jacob still had his pyjamas on as he sat next to him.

They both took a moment to embrace the fresh air and allow the soft morning breeze to hug their skin.

"Is the voice still talking to you more often?" Scott asked, studying him with an intense stare. Jacob nodded while fidgeting. "What is it saying?"

Jacob looked up at the house to see his mother watching out of her bedroom window. He could barely see her due to the reflections on the glass but he could tell she was disappointed.

He took a big breath before speaking the truth. "It keeps saying that soon, he'll tell me who he really is."

Scott nodded slowly. He noticed that Jacob developed a deeper shade of anxiety because he worried that people will know he has a voice inside of his head. Of course, nobody would know unless they were told.

"Do you believe it?" As always, his voice was incredibly calm.

"Of course not," Jacob mumbled quietly. "I don't like it when it says that."

"You'll understand soon, I promise."

Jacob clenched his jaw, and Scott knew it just spoke.

"Is he speaking now?"

"It told me that I'd understand soon," Jacob sighed sadly. "Dad, I-I think I'm scared."

Scott lifted his hand and gently rubbed his back.

"If it begins to threaten you or say bad things, you have to tell me immediately. It doesn't matter if I'm at work of if you're in a lesson. You have to call."

"I would never hurt you."

Jacob nodded and ignored the voice. His dad's advice was more important to take into consideration.

"Okay, I will," He said quietly and cleared his throat. "Thanks."

Scott patted his shoulder and stood up.

"Come on then, you need to get ready for college."

* * * * *

When they arrived at college, Jacob's morning was better than yesterday because he slept more. But he was still not one hundred per cent okay, he never was.

"Have a good day," Scott said out of the window while they made their way through the carpark.

William saw his friends but he'd rather walk his brother to his first lesson. Family always comes first in his mind.

"What have you got now?" he asked and walked through the automatic double doors.

"English literature," Jacob mumbled and avoided eye contact by looking at the ground like it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen.

"Sounds... boring," William chuckled and nudged his shoulder. Jacob looked up to see a warm grin spread across his face. "Don't fall asleep through this one."

He rolled his eyes and cracked a smile for the first time this week.

"I'll try not to."

"It's good to see you smile."

Jacob ignored it and stopped outside a green door. There was quite a lot of people stood outside and he wished, for once, that he had a private tutor.

"You should smile more. You look happy when you do."

"How can I with you in my head?" Jacob thought back and turned to his brother for a distraction. "What have you got first?"

"Sports management. And I know what you're thinking, it's not fun either," William sighed. "But I best get going or I'll burst the vein in my lecturers head if I'm late."

Jacob loved how his brother was able to keep him sane.

"Okay, I'll see you at home."

"See you later," William smiled before walking to his own lesson.

"You're lucky to have a brother like him. I sometimes wish I had a brother."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Jacob muttered and crossed his arms so he didn't fidget.

"Soon, you'll have someone else to take care of you like that."

Jacob clenched his jaw and fought against rolling his eyes.

"Can you just be silent for one day?"

"I couldn't even if I tried. I have to talk to you."

"Why?"

"Because you're my ma- you're mine."

Jacob frowned and glanced around to make sure nobody was watching him. He had chills down his spine even though he knew that anything the voice said wasn't true. It still made him feel uncomfortable.

Just then, the door to the room opened and students started piling in.

Jacob slowly followed, wanting to get it over and done with because he knew today was going to drag. As he was about to enter, a strong hand grabbed his shoulder and pushed him out of the way. He gasped and fell into the wall with surprisingly a lot of force, causing him to lose his balance and land on the ground.

He looked up to see the guy that knocked his bag onto the floor yesterday was smirking at him.

"Stay out of my way," he grumbled before walking into the room. A few sniggers were directed in his way but most people felt sorry for Jacob, even though nobody helped him up or defended him.

His cheeks were burning from embarrassment and his back was throbbing from hitting the wall so hard. Just as he was about to climb to his feet and run away, someone quickly crouched in front of him.

"Are you alright?"

Jacob was about to tell the voice to shut up when his eyes connected with worried grey ones. An actual person spoke to him this time. He recognised the eyes because he remembered thinking that they were an unusual colour.

It was Hunter, his brother's friend.

U-Um, yes," he whispered and quickly stood up.

Hunter did too and it was the first time in a while that Jacob had to look up to someone. Being six foot and two inches was tall for his age. Hunter wasn't much taller though, maybe a few inches.

"You're hurting," Hunter frowned. "I mean, are you hurt?"

"No," Jacob mumbled and pulled his bag back on. That was a lie, his back and shoulder did feel painful.

"Are you sure?" Hunter stared intensely.

"Yes." He wasn't a man of many words. Well, not out loud.

"I can tell your brother what happened if you-"

"No," Jacob interrupted with a little frown. "It's fine."

"Okay," Hunter said with those mystic grey eyes. "Don't be afraid to hit that guy back. He's a coward really."

Jacob stepped away when he realised that he was a little too close for his liking. Hunter's mouth altered for a second but he hid it well.

"You know him?" Jacob asked quietly.

"Unfortunately, yes. But don't worry, I'll make sure he knows his place." His deep voice was unusual for Jacob to listen to, for some reason.

When he started to fidget and didn't say anything back, the voice boomed vibrant in his mind.

"Why are you so cute?"

He quickly diverted his gaze, looking for any opportunity to escape.

"Well, I'm gonna leave you to get on with your day," Hunter smiled and almost stepped closer but he stopped himself. Jacob avoided his gaze completely before turning towards the room. "I'll see you tonight."

His words made him stop and turn with a frown.

"Will didn't tell you? I'm coming over so we can start on the project." Hunter's eyes glistened when Jacob looked at him for a single second.

"Oh," Jacob whispered and turned and without looking back. He entered the green door and headed straight to the back of the room.

Hunter stood there for a moment with a dazed smile on his face until his friend approached him.

"Hey Sam," Hunter sighed and masked his expression, but his friend's wise eyes had been watching him talk to the boy.

"Hello," he grinned. "So..."

Hunter rolled his eyes and walked with him down the corridor. "What?"

"How was it talking to him?" They both made eye contact and Sam saw the frustration on his face. He knew how hard it has been for him.

"You have no idea how much I wanted to tell him who I really am."