My Riptide

Chapter 4 ~reckless~

When I got back home from talking to this mystery boy that showed up, River, Paul was never to be seen.

There was no note, or message, but his things where not there anymore.

I tried to find Reef. Reef showed up at the front door after I was looking everywhere for him.

He leaned up against the door frame.

"What are you looking for." He asked moving himself to the couch.

"It doesn't matter anymore. Where is Paul?"

"Don't worry he will be back later today. He's trying to get out of this town because there is to many rumors going around about him. He wants y'all to go to Colorado because he has a new job there and its farthest away from here as possible." He lights a cigarette and props his feet up on the table.

"What do you mean "y'all"?"

"I'm useless to him. He doesn't need me. All I am to him is a punching bag for his anger issues. I'm staying here. You on the other hand, he sees you as a doll he can do whatever he can with for the time being."

"No please don't let me go with him. I'm going to turn out just how mamma did that night she couldn't walk after he did that to her for  hours please Reef I'll never see you again." Reef could see water leave my eyes and run down my cheeks quickly. He put his cigarette down and walked up to hug me.

"Promise me m, your not going anywhere Cory. Your staying in this town with me. Trust me you don't deserve this." I felt safe and protected again.

My brother over the years has grown up to live that way. He's gentle with girls and respects everyone around him that treats him the right way.

He's been calling me Cory ever since our dad died. My dad called me Cory all the time and after he died Reef has been calling me Cory ever since.

I always knew Reef had a peace of our dad in him. I just hope he never turns out like he did.

"It's just, where are we going to stay after he leaves? We can't stay here it's about to fall apart and filled with nothing but memories we shouldn't even have." He looked at the blood stain on his shirt.

"I can ask Hannah if we can stay at her house. I'm sure her parents won't mind, they like us a lot." As soon as I say that his eyes light up and he looks relieved.

He's always had a thing for Hannah, I don't know if he likes her or is just trying to be funny with her, I really don't know.

It's not like I've been around love that much in my life to know what it feels like.

The door knob shakes and soon the door slams open.

I stand behind Reef gripping on to his arm. So many thoughts are going through my head like if he was going to hurt us or maybe even try to kill us if Reef was tempting to say something.

All the thoughts were making me tear up, but I was trying to push them back to make him think I wasn't weaker than what I already was.

"I don't have all night you bitch. Get your ass In the car!" His screams are so loud they make me flinch.

I'm so scared if I would have to go with him. But I trust Reef. But I also don't have to rely everything on Reef. I have to stick up for myself.

"No, your not catching my ass in that car. I'm staying here."

"What the fuck did I just say to you, you cunt. Your only making this worse for later." He digs his fingernails into my arm and pulls on my skin like it was a leash.

I punch him.

I never had hit him before. Everyone in the room was shocked.

"The more you treat me like that you fagget, your going to end up next to your sorry parents." He punches me in the mouth so hard I fall to the floor.

With my busted lips and busted knuckles I couldn't hold back my tears anymore. I couldn't get myself up to my feet.

"HEY IF YOU TOUCH HER AGAIN IM GOING TO PUT YOU WHERE YOU SHOULD'V BEEN YEARS AGO!" I've never heard Reef scream like that. The second he screamed at him like that I knew Paul was going to regret everything he has ever done to our family.

" oh yeah and that is?"

"Hell."
Reef julted at Paul. Reef kept kneeing him in the stomach as I spat up blood.

Reef soon had Paul pinned to the ground. Their faces dripping in red. Reef pushed Paul into his car.

"YOU TWO BITCHES BETTER BE GLAD YOU DIDN'T END UP LIKE YOUR PARENTS TONIGHT!" He laughed and as soon as he drove off he yelled, "Don't be frightened when you see me again Coral!" 

Reef saw me spitting up blood from my mouth. He ran over to me and kneeled down. He held my face and started touching my mouth.

"What hurts most?"

"I can't tell it all hurts. Everything hurts Reef. It hurts." Tears still rolling down my face, Reef helped me stand up.

"Go wash yourself off I'll get you some ice."

"Reef your face is dripping in blood and your eye is turning purple, I'm fine it's you, you need to be worrying about."

"Don't worry about me go wash your face I will in a second. Here use these for your face and arm." He hands me frozen veggies and berries.

"I'll go call Hannah and let her know we are on our way."

" Cory make sure her parents know." Reef tries his hardest to impress her parents, even though they don't give two shits about how he respects them because they know he's good around girls anyway.

"Hello? Hannah can you do me and my brother a big favor for the rest of the summer?"

"Babes it's literally 10:30 it must be important."

"Yeah uhm can we stay at your house for a while. It has something to do about Paul again, I'll tell you everything I promise it's just we need this more than anything right now."

" Absolutely if it's anything about that awful man that shouldn't even be near y'all it's always a yes. I'll see you there I'll be on the porch waiting."

"Oh my gosh thank you see you there in about 12 minutes." Next thing I knew it m, we where on our way to Hannah's house.

EDITED-10-21-23