Starbound

Chapter 20: Lia Starlitt

My thoughts were scrambled as I was pulled in too many different directions by too many people. I was always the quiet girl. I never had many friends. I never had to worry about my friends getting jealous, but now things were different. I had Kurtis pulling me towards him, which all I wanted was to follow him and be with him every second. But then I had my best friend, Lizzy. I loved her too and wanted to hang out with her as well. She didn't show that she was upset whenever she asks to hang out and I tell her I was gonna be with Kurtis. I knew she got upset, though. Anyone would. Then there was Atlas. She wasn't my most best friend, in fact she was kind of rude to me. But she still seemed to value me as one of her better friends, even if she was being fake. She had been begging me to hang out with her, but I turned her down every time. I felt bad, but I'd always rather hang out with Kurtis than her.
That's what happened, Atlas texted me asking to hang out, and I told her I couldn't, and that I was hanging out with Kurtis. I wasn't lying, though. And Kurtis needed me. He had just gotten kicked out of his house and he had to start living with his grandma.
We walked through the woods, heading towards the creek. We stood before the murky water, watching the water push against the mossy rocks within it. He wasn't talking much. He had a blank stare, which stretched on for what seemed like miles. But I wanted that stare to be on me.
"It smells nice. Like nature," I said, bending down and dipping my fingertips into the cold water.
"Yeah.." he replied, watching me.
We both looked to a unaccompanied fishing rod by Kurtis' shoe. Then, we both whipped our heads behind us as we heard breaking twigs and rustling dead leaves. Tate Brooks, Chase Kennedy, and Riley Kennedy. I could feel the panic set into Kurtis, as it should. These guys were not a good sign.
Tate Brooks, my far-out cousin. I knew more about him than the average person just because I've heard my parents talk about his family. A psychopath in disguise, Tate was as charming as he was dangerous. I'm surprised more people didn't catch onto his hidden true personality, even I could see the psychotic sparkle in his dark eyes.
Chase and Riley Kennedy are brothers, Chase being the older one. Chase was more laid back, a quiet guy with a history of making small comments under his breath that were just barely audible. I think I've already established what I think of Chase Kennedy. It's shameful. Riley is the more outgoing, energetic brother. He is a lot more troublesome and constantly talking and insulting people.
Long story short, the worst three people in the school approached us, trouble written on their teenage faces.
"I walk away for one second and some nerd steals my fishing spot," Tate said, glaring upon us.
"I'm not fishing," said Kurtis. "We can leave."
I loosely grabbed onto Kurtis' arm as we both begin to walk away. I whipped my head as Tate grabbed the back of Kurtis' shirt and pulled him strongly backwards. Kurtis fell onto his back, his head hitting the ground. I gasped, Riley grabbing my waist and throwing me to the ground beside Kurtis. Kurtis' eyes were closed, his lips were pale. I fearfully looked up to see Tate's face hovering over me. I breathed heavily, afraid for the worst. Tate stepped over me and reached down to Kurtis.
"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice shaking.
"Seeing what this twink has in his pockets," said Tate, shoving his hands into Kurtis' pockets. Riley and Chase stood very closely beside me, making me too afraid to move. Kurtis was waking up, his eyes slowly blinking and his hands sluggishly attempting to remove Tate's hands from his body. Tate dug Kurtis' phone out of his pocket. I watched, my mouth seemingly paralyzed as I failed to speak, even though I urgently wanted to. Tate gripped Kurtis' phone in his hand before hurdling it into the creek. The phone splashed into the water and sunk down to the bottom. Kurtis picked up his head a bit to watch his phone get thrown into the water, forever gone underneath the murky liquid.
"That's what you get," Tate said harshly before spitting at Kurtis.
"Let's go," Chase said, looking from Riley to Tate.
"That's for everything you've done to me," Tate growled at Kurtis. "You know what you did."
I watched as Tate grabbed his fishing rod from the ground and began into the woods. Chase and Riley followed him. Chase glanced at me as he walked away. We made eye contact, but I quickly broke it as I diverted my attention to Kurtis.
"I hate him," Kurtis growled, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at his hand, blood on his fingers.
"You're bleeding," I said breathlessly.
"It's fine," mumbled Kurtis, pushing himself up from the ground.
I stood up too and stood next to him. We both looked into the creek, the water still and calm.
"What did you do to Tate that made him so angry..?" I asked, almost hesitantly.
"I saved my sister from him," Kurtis replied, his eyes glassy and glazed over. "They were talking a few months ago, and they were really close to getting into a relationship. I told Estelle about him and how much of a jerk he was, and I was able to talk Estelle out of dating him. He knows that I told her things, so now he has this hatred towards me.."
"Oh.." I uttered. "You did the right thing. Estelle doesn't need him."
"Yeah, but now I have to live with the consequences." He started walking towards the road. His jaw was clenched, his eyebrows were furrowed, his face radiated utter rage.
I walked beside him, not speaking because I was a little too afraid. I know it might sound bad, and I know it isn't the most ideal situation, but I was terrified. He was angry, too angry for my comfort. Last time he was angry, I was struck by his anger. All because I laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. He hit me. I hate how much I think about that day, I wish I could stop being so caught up on it. But it's just so hard. I think the hardest thing about it isn't the fact that it was traumatic and abusive, but it's the fact that he only gets one second chance, and that if he ever does it again, our relationship is over forever. That's what worries me the most. Our relationship lays in his hands, in a clenched fist that either chooses to harm or love. It's his choice. I have to trust him. Except his phone is gone now, so I guess that means I can't text him anymore. That personally made me angry too.
We walked onto the sidewalk from the woods. I still haven't said a word, I was waiting for him to speak first.
"Do you want to come with me to my brother's house?" he asked me.
"Yes," I told him.
So, we both walked to his brother's house, which wasn't very far away. He was holding the back of his head with his hand almost the whole way. I knew his head had to hurt. He said he was fine but there's no way a bleeding wound wouldn't hurt.
We reached Yves' house and we walked in. Estelle was sitting on the couch in the living room when we walked in. She looked over to us.
"What's wrong?" Estelle asked him. It's like she could immediately sense something was up with him.
"My head," he said, carefully removing his shoes.
Estelle was truly like a mother to him. She tended to his wound gently, separating his hair with soft hands, careful not to hurt him in any way. I watched, standing by the bathroom door. Kurtis sat on the edge of the bathtub, his legs in the tub.
"Oh, Kurtis.." mumbled Estelle. "Who did this to you?"
"Tate," Kurtis said.
"Of course," uttered Estelle.
I watched Estelle clean his wound. It wasn't very deep, just enough to cause some bleeding. Most of the blood soaked into his hair.
After Estelle was done, Kurtis took a shower to clean his hair from the blood. Me and Estelle sat in the living room together. I sat there silently, watching the TV. I was okay with sitting in silence if she didn't want to speak. I was used to silence anyway, I wasn't the biggest fan of speaking. But if someone spoke to me, I'd be more than happy to speak back.
"He really loves you," said Estelle.
I looked to her.
"He talks about you all the time," she told me.
"I really love him," I replied, faintly grinning. "I think about him nonstop."
"After homecoming, he came home so excited. I asked him, 'who was that girl you were dancing with?' and he went, 'I don't know, but she had a kind face'."
"He's so sweet," I said, my grin turning into a smile.
"I've never seen him so happy than when he's with you. I'm glad he has you."
"I'm glad I have him too."

I went home that night thinking of what Estelle told me. Kurtis thinks I have a kind face. What a simple, yet so meaningful compliment. I think that might be my new favorite thing about myself. My kind face.
I entered my house and was immediately met with my dad. His arms were crossed and his eyes were directed right on me. I knew just from his expression alone that I was most likely in deep trouble. Even my mom was there, leaning against the kitchen counter, staring at me.
"Give me your phone, Lianne," my dad sternly commanded.
"Why?" I asked, glancing from my mom to my dad.
"Because I said so!" my dad growled.
"Dad.." I said, excuses running through my mind on how to get out of handing my dad my phone.
"Lianne.. just give him your phone, please," my mom said.
There was no excuses. I had to do as my dad said for the sake of not getting grounded or punished in any way. I took my phone out of the back pocket of my jeans and handed it to my dad.
"Now go to your room," he told me.
I walked to my room and sat down on my bed. I had nothing to do without my phone. I just sat there and thought about reasons why I'd be in trouble. I couldn't think of any, I was so utterly confused. Then my mom walked in.
"Mom, what's going on? Why is he so angry?" I asked, looking at my mom, begging for answers.
She sat down beside me. "He heard some rumors.."
"About what?"
"About Kurtis.. and you."
"What are they..?"
"That.. he hit you."
I think my heart stopped beating for a moment, or maybe it was the way my breathing paused that made it feel that way. They know. It's over.
"That's not true.." I mumbled in a desperate attempt to save myself, my relationship, Kurtis.
"Aunt Georgina told us that she heard it from some students," said my mom. "And now your dad is very worried."
"Then why is he mad at me?! Why is he mad at me for it?!" I exclaimed, tears collecting at the bottom of my eyes.
"I think he's just mad that it might've happened.. and he knows Kurtis. He knows he's a troubled boy."
"Kurtis isn't troubled!"
"He's just making sure there's no hints to anything happening like that rumor.."
"He's looking through my phone?! Mom, I'm 16!"
"I know, honey.." uttered my mom. "This is for your safety."
I was quiet for a moment, not knowing what to think or how to feel anymore. "What if he did hit me..? What would happen?"
"I don't know," my mom said. "We'd just have to figure that out. We'd talk with Kurtis."
"Talk to Kurtis? As in Dad would talk to him?"
"Mhm.."
"Mom.. you know how Dad gets when he's angry like that.."
"I know, honey. I know." My mom sighed and looked towards the wall. "We'll just have to see."
I knew that there were most definitely texts from Kurtis about him hitting me and apologizing on my phone. I knew that my dad would most likely find them. I knew that my relationship was jeopardized, and there was nothing I could do about it anymore.