Rocky Love: Gina & Will's Story

21: 𝐌𝐫. 𝐅𝐥𝐲𝐧𝐧

𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥

I miss my little sister.

AJ hasn't been home for almost a month now, and I think both me and Mama are struggling with that.

We want her here with us, but we know it isn't safe.

Pop has struggled with alcohol for as long as I can remember, and he's a mean drunk too. Although, he doesn't have to be drunk to be an asshole.

My grandparents know what's happening, and they've been begging Mama to leave. But she won't.

They haven't been the only ones begging.

I talked to her just the other day about it. Told her we could move out on the money that her and I are making.

"Don't say that," she'd scolded me,"what if your father heard you?"

What fucking if?

He didn't scare me anymore. I'm taller than him now and more bulky too. I guarantee that the next time he swings on me, I'll be able to knock him flat on his ass.

Not that I want the challenge.

We're on summer break right now, which just means I'm working more hours.

But I'll do whatever I can to help Mama. Pop spends all our money on liquor, so me and Mama will pool our money for groceries and bill payments.

I'm thinking about taking a second job over the summer, just so we can break even. But Mama says I already work too much.

Right now, I'm on my way to Gina's place.

She invited me over so I can hang out with her and her parents. I'm just hoping that Niall isn't there, because if he is, I just might lose my damn temper on him.

He still treats her like shit. He better not treat her like that while I'm around, or I'll be putting an end to it real quick.

I pull up outside of her backdoor and as I'm turning my truck off, she's running out to greet me.

She pulls open my door and smiles up at me.

"Hey, Will!"

"Hey, Gina Jo."

She backs away so I'm able to get out of my truck. But as soon as I shut my door, she's taking my hand.

"Are your parents okay with you doing that?" I ask, nodding towards our intertwined fingers.

"They know we're friends," she says, simply.

"Gina, friends don't normally hold hands like this."

She laughs and starts swinging our hands back and forth as we walk up to the porch.

She drops my hand when she reaches for the doorknob.

As soon as the door swings open, I'm overwhelmed by the smell of chocolate chip cookies.

Her father's watching TV from his armchair and her mother is nowhere to be found. But the cookies I smelled are sitting on a cooling rack on top of the counter.

"I made ya cookies," Gina says, sweetly.

"You didn't have to."

"I wanted to."

Her dad looks up from the television and I almost turn around and walk right back out of the door.

"Dad," Gina says, leading me over to stand closer to her father,"Will's here."

"I can see that," he replies, peering at me from over his reading glasses.

"Afternoon, sir," I say, not knowing how exactly to address him.