Lonely eyes

Chapter 4

Colton P.O.V
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I sit in the park under the willow tree where I had found her. Alex. I saw her in school and I regretted not catching her life events of her summer, or catching her name till about 30 minutes ago.

About 10 minutes of sitting in silence staring between the oddly comforting ran down park and her after I let the thoughts slip from my mind through my mouth, she had gotten a text and had to go but not before she got up and looked down at me pausing as if rethinking what she had wanted to say and murmured a "thank you" than hurrying off to wherever she had to get to.

I decide to stand brushing off the back of my jeans and wondrously walking around the park and the just as beaten up, ran down neighborhood surrounding it, as I begin to head back to the new house I had moved into about three weeks before school started with my step dad and continuously drinking mother.

I huff a sigh of unwilling want as I open the door to my profoundly new 'home', as if this place will ever be a home. I come faced with James, my step dad, peeling my mother off the floor with a bottle of booze half empty falling from her intoxicated hand as he speaks smoothing words and guides her up the stair shooting me an apologetic smile. I don't know how he handles her but I'm glad he does cause I don't know if I could anymore and he's the only father figure I've ever had so I guess she's not the only one that longs for him not to leave.

I walk towards the kitchen as my phone buzzes from inside my pocket, I pull it out and read 'hey.. this is Colton right~Alex'

I smile in shock and relief that she actually texted the number I had slipped her as she left. I type a quick 'yes of course whats up~Colton' and slide my phone back into my pocket as I grab the raviolis from the cabinet, opening the top and popping it into the microwave than head back into the living room.

James and I sit beside one another as I eat and text Alex, talking about how she doesn't have good taste in food if she can't stand raviolis, as supernatural plays on the tv. My mother comes stumbling down the stairs groaning for Advil and her car keys as its time for her night shift at the local gas station a few blocks down from our house. I stand while saying "James will get the Advil let me drive you to work mom."

Thankfully she doesn't fight the offer as James gets off the couch and retrieves the Advil while sending me a 'thanks' as we head out the door, car keys in my hand.

I pull into the front parking lot of Cefco convenience store as she slurs how she's so proud of how much I've grown into a good man and the continuous sorries of her conditions and how she swears she'll change.. same sob story as always, but I smile anyways and say "I know ma, it's ok I love you have a safe night shift," and kiss her cheek as she climbs out the car and head back towards the house. On the drive back to the house I past a familiar brown haired girl and pull over to the side, as my eye brows pull in with confusion on why she's out walking at this hour, I roll the window down and hollered out her name.

She turns around a little shocked and then relaxes, "Oh hey" she says as she walks to the car I smile at her as she continues, "You drive?"

I nod my head as I say "want a ride? I don't bite"

She smiles and nods her head as she opens the door and climbs inside the small four door car. I ask "Where to?" Once she's settled and buckled in, she gives me her address and I put it into the GPS pulling back onto the road.

"Why you out driving at this hour?" She ask as she watches the land slip by out the window,

"I could ask you the same, why you walking out past midnight?, That's not safe you know?" I joke as I glance over at her than back to the road in front of me. I hear her sigh as she murmurs, "my step mom." I look at her in confusion as I ask "everything okay?"

I watch her shrug from the side of my eye as she says, "everything's fine," and put on a smile. We pull in front of a house not too far from mine, two story painted white with a navy blue car parked in the drive way. I cut the engine off and turn toward her and say "there it is again.." I pause and search her face then continue "that fake smile I saw you wear all day today, except in the park"

I whisper the last part and bring her eyes from her lap to my eyes by leaning in more, not kissing rang just enough to get her attention. "Tell me the truth"

I watch as her shoulders slouch and a sigh of defeat escape her lips. She lets her eyes stare into mine and says "well.. you see it all started when my father past away...