"My dad is in prison." I blurt.
Rivers looks at me without emotion. "For what?" He asks.
"He abused my mother and I when I was younger."
"And he's still in prison?"
"As far as I know."
"How long ago was it?"
"Nine years."
"Jesus, it was that bad?" Rivers cuddles closer to me and makes me feel like I'm in a safe place.
I think back to the nights I spent in the emergency room because of his abuse. "Yeah." I answer. "It was that bad."
Rivers is silent. "Not that it will make you feel better about your shit father," Rivers starts, "But I've got one too."
I look at him, waiting for him to say more, but he doesn't. I don't pry. The two of us just lay in eachothers arms, staring at the stars. Feeling safer than I ever have before in my life.
My phone starts buzzing in my back pocket. I pull it out reluctantly and see my mom is calling me. I answer.
"Elijah Jude." She says, "Where the hell are you? It's 2 in the morning!" She shouts into the phone.
I look at the time and see that it really is. The clock reads 2:47 a.m.
"God mom, I'm so sorry I lost track of time."
"Get home now. I've been worrying about you, you haven't responded to any of my texts." She sounds stressed, and I feel really bad.
"I'm so sorry. I'm on my way."
"Please be safe." She says, and the call ends.
I look at Rivers and apologize, telling him I need to get home.
"Hey no worries," Rivers sits up and helps me out of the trunk. He walks to the passenger side with me and opens the door, leaning towards me as he does. "I had a really great time with you tonight." He whispers. I watch his eyes as they fall to my lips, and then rise back to look in my eyes.
I lean forward and our lips connect for a short second before he pulls away, "You gotta get going otherwise I could stay in this moment for the rest of my life." Rivers says. I smile.
The entire ride back to my house, my smile doesn't leave my lips. Rivers puts in a Pink Floyd CD and we listen to the music without saying a word. And I could not have asked for it to be any other way.
YOU ARE READING
Manic
Short StoryElijah Jude has an illness. But the illness dosent control who he is. After his abusive father gets sent to prison, the voices came. The doctors say he dissociates to stay alive. But it's much more complicated than that. Elijah has to learn to...
