One Last Prayer

Part 11

I'm fiddling with the seatbelt chuckling quietly when Chase brushes past my hands to buckle me in.

"Y' shouldn't drive." I try my hardest to sound less intoxicated. He rolls his eyes and slams my door shut before walking to the other side and sliding in. "It's a nice place y' got here." I look around the car and start to laugh. I hiccup and cover my mouth quickly.

"Please don't throw up in my car, Riley." HE starts the engine and we begin to move.

"'T's your fault if I do." I hiccup again and move my hands to my lap as I lean my face against the cold window. "You forced me in."

I hear him sigh dramatically. I close my eyes and try to stop the world from spinning. "So I'm starting to wonder if all I've heard about you, being this good girl Christian was ever true." My eyes snap open and I look at him. I try to put my hand on his cheek but miss. It looked a little closer than it is I guess. I look at my hand. "You are drunk off your ass and I had to literally drag you out of that house."

"I did. Not. Feel like leaving yet." That sounded sober, right?

He shakes his head watching the road. "The issue is that if you didn't leave, you would've been one of those stupid bitches that are all the same that need the thrill of feeling something euphoric or intoxicating just to hang messily on random guys to get any kind of emotional connection to people. You don't need that. You have a connection to something greater."

I frown and wave my hand at him. "Not anymore." I look forward leaning lazily back against the seat.

He pulls into his driveway and looks at me as he turns the car off. I make no movements to get out of the car. "Are you saying that you are throwing some tantrum because you had one bad night and now you're giving up on the religion you were raised with?" When I don't answer he grabs my chin making me jump as he forces me to look at him. "Riley. Answer me. What are you trying to prove, and who is it to?"

I stare at him as my eyes begin to burn, suddenly I'm feeling overwhelmed with emotion. "I want to be who I want to be. I want to live my life before it ends. And if I want to experience every part of my life that I've missed now, I need to catch up quick b'cause I'm really behind."

He stares at me for a minute before getting out of the car and walking to my door. "I understand that." He says looking down at me before bending to undo my seatbelt. "Live. But don't be sloppy. Don't be dangerous."

I push at his arm because I'm capable of unclipping my belt but he's already done it. I look around then sigh, feeling the weight of my body as I try to hold in tears that have no actual reason to be threatening me.

"Do I need you to carry you in, Ry?" He doesn't sound angry anymore. I shake my head and stand slowly. He wraps his arm around my waist and leads me into his house.

All the lights are out but the windows let enough light in from the moon that shapes are visible, and he seems to know his way around. When we get into his room he flips on the light and my first instinct is to groan loudly. He pushes a hand to my face and I laugh beneath the force. When I look up at him he's half smiling. "My mom's asleep. Unless you want her to come say hi to you. In this state. Again?" I cower away and stumble to his bed flopping down as if it's my own.

He's walking to his dresser when I sit up to look around. "Where's my phone?" My mind has made its way to my dad and I realize I never even talked to him about going out tonight. He must be so worried. I feel sick as I move to stand and Chase rushes to me pushing me gently to sit back down. He hands me the phone and I glare at him. How long has he had it? When did he get it? I don't break eye contact with him so I'm thankful when he's the first one to look away and goes back to his dresser. Six missed calls and several text messages. I skim through them and get the gist. My dad has never experienced me not coming home or not checking in. My head is starting to pound and I check the last message.