The Silent Rider

Chapter 44

I made my way down the stairs slowly due to the burden of the knee brace, my dad following behind. As I get to the end of the stairs I hear the front door shut showing Jordan had left.

"Dad said you needed me, what's up?" I ask entering the kitchen. "I was just down here a few minutes ago."

"Oh I didn't need anything." She looked at me confused, but then my father enters the room.

Colter looks up from his phone and looks at my dad. "Is this some sorta family meeting or something? Is that why you texted me to come?"

"More of an announcement, I just needed all of you here so I don't have to repeat myself." He had a beer in one hand, probably his third this hour knowing him. "I got a promotion, I was asked to go help out a collegiate level rodeo team and I said yes, it'll only be a few months and I would leave after Christmas, so in a few weeks."

"So you just agreed without asking anyone's opinion?" My mom looks betrayed and hurt but there was something else too I just didn't know what. "You're just going to leave?"

"Why does it matter? He's never here anyways, and now that I think about it I never see you on the grounds either, Liz says it's been awhile since you've coached so where have you been?" I stare him down sternly.

"Listen here you brat, I don't have to explain my whereabouts to a pest like you, and your so called friends, like that boy you so love to waste your time with, soon enough they'll realize you're nothing but a waste of space." He's so close to me I felt his breath on my face and his spit that smelt fowl like beer.

"At least I'm not drinking my life away."

Then it was just ringing in my ears, and throbbing in my head. It took me a second to realize what had just happened but as I felt the sting of where my father's hand had just hit my right cheek I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

"STOP IT NOW" I couldn't differentiate the voice I was still too stunned by the ringing and the sting.

He had actually done it, he had hit me. He used to hit Colter all the time, never the face though. This is a new one for him.

I brought my hand to my face and shuttered as my fingers grazed the skin. I knew it would swell and bruise, he had managed to hit almost my whole right side, I might even get a slight black eye.

I felt something cold touch my cheek now, my mom got me an ice pack, I hadn't heard anyone speak not because they weren't but because I couldn't process it. I didn't take the ice pack from her I just stood there and let her hold it for me.

~~~~
My dad had left, I was now sitting on the couch, my mom has since left me alone and my brother went who knows where. I hear a shuffle behind me but I can't be bothered to see what it was. I just sat and stared at the fireplace in front of me.

"Ash?" I hear the voice but didn't react. I didn't even know how to.

"Your brother texted me saying you might need me, is everything okay?" That's when I turn my head towards the voice. I saw as the small smile Liz wore fell, and I saw Jordon standing behind her.

"Oh my gosh, what happened?" She came rushing towards and as her hand reached towards me I couldn't help but flinch. She stopped her hand midair.

"Ash, did he do this?" It was Jordon this time speaking. He came up to me and crouched down at my feet, I knew what he was asking I just couldn't bring myself to answer. "Hey don't do this, don't go back into that silent shell of yours. Open up, what happened after I left?"

I couldn't answer so instead I just cried into his shoulder as Liz held my hand.