Rochdale | LGBTQ+

.Nine.

Libby kicked her little feet in the shopping cart. "What color notebook do you want for your classes Libs?" I asked, pointing to the assortment on the shelves. They had sparkly ones, animal ones, even textured ones. 

Libby frowned again. She'd been pouting since I told her we were shopping for school supplies. Libby wasn't excited for school. Neither was I, but Penny said I had to set a good example for her.

Penny was at work and Maddie was babysitting Wynnie, which meant quality time with Libby, even if she frowned the entire time. Penny worked at a furniture store as a salesperson. It was a luxury place uptown so she had to take the bus to get there. Normally our schedules would have to coincide to make sure the girls are not left alone, but Maddie was a total life saver. Time and time again she came by to watch the girls while we worked, and we'd come home to them happy and laughing. That's what we'd wanted in a babysitter- someone the girls loved that kept them cheerful and healthy.

Libby was drawn to the animal notebooks though, and quickly started smiling and pointing excitedly. I picked up a llama one and a pug one and held them up for her to pick. She scratched her head. Eventually she settled on the llama. So I stuck into the cart and checked it off the list of school supplies for her. I grabbed one of those really fat notebooks for me. I know you're supposed to have separate journals, but I just bookmarked sections and used the same notebook all year. Saves me a ton of money. 

Libby was pointing again- this time at animal erasers. 

***

I had Libby in one arm and the shopping bags in the other. One sack was my shit, the other was hers. Libby was resting her head on my shoulder. Shopping always wore the littles out. 

The rock came out of nowhere. It nearly collided with the side of my head. And the bruise on my jaw had just started healing. I looked around for the source and saw the blonde girl right away. She launched another stone and I turned around to shield Libby with my body. A heavy stone hit me square in the back, and I groaned in pain. 

"Stay away from Lucas, fag!"

That was all I needed to hear. That night I told Penny and Maddie after the girls were put to bed. Penny shook her head in disgust, but Maddie looked furious. "That little fucker!" she spat angrily.

"Who?"

"The blonde and my dumbass brother. She always acts like this after they hook up. He'll call her crazy, she'll move on, he'll get drunk and hit her up, she thinks they're in love again and going to get married, she goes bat shit if anyone else touches him."

Penny frowned. "Why call my brother a fag, though?"

I shared a look with Maddie. Maddie butted in. "Its her favorite insult. She uses it for everyone she hates. Man, woman, straight, lesbian, just top of her  vocabulary." She squeezed my arm and whispered. "Don't worry Cory, I know Lucas. He didn't tell that psycho anything about you that would make her pick that out specifically."

I wasn't entirely convinced, but I trusted Maddie. A whole lot more than I trusted Lucas right now. "We should press charges," Penny declared. 

"Are you sure?" Maddie asked.

"Uhm, abso-fucking-lutely! What if she had hit Libby with one of the stones Cory wasn't pay ing attention to? Plus, there's a giant bruise on my brother's back because of that whore. That a evidence against her right?"

Maddie grinned then. "She just turned eighteen. That's assault of a minor. She could go to big jail."

"I dunno guys, I'm no fan of cops. Greg isn't either. Do we really want them poking around here?"

Maddie shook her head. "Look, just press charges against her. That's it. Answer some questions, do some paper work, and bam! Court."

"I'd rather not go to court.."

"You don't have to. Only she will. The police will bring your charge forward and all of the evidence and interviews and whabam, she lands her ass in prison for being a crazy bitch!"

I glanced at the stairs. All I could think about was if that stone had hit Libby instead of me. She could've been seriously hurt. "Alright. We can press charges."

Maddie pumped her fist in the air. "Hell yeah! We'll go up to the station tomorrow to file a report." Maddie craned her neck. "Hey Greg! Cops might be here tomorrow! I would try and sober up!"

A groan was the only reply. "Did you say cops?!" Greg swung his shaky legs over the edge of the couch and rose his feet, stumbling into the kitchen. His skin was a sickly pale color and his eyes were red and puffy. "Now lets not be hasty. Why do we need cops here, huh? We're all happy and healthy, aren't we?"

I glanced at him sideways. "Yeah. Maybe all of us except you. Just look at yourself! You can barely stand you drunk piece of shit."

"My son, there will come a time when you too look like me," Greg said slowly. Greg had blonde hair and a lot of wrinkles. His eyes were a dull, saddened blue color. He was like the less cheerful version of Chester.

I shuddered. "Never."

Greg waved his hand dismissively. "Oh you guys are being dramatic! We don't need cops poking their fat donut lips in our business. What even happened?"

"My brother's crazy ex attacked Cory with stones," Maddie said.

"So? No son of mine is a snitch-"

"Libby was with him, and could've been hurt, too," Penny added seriously. But there was no shift in the man's expression. He crossed his arms and tilted his head up. He had spoken.

That used to work when we were younger. We used to think it meant you couldn't argue anymore, that the conversation had ended because he said so. Not anymore. We kept talking about the lawsuit as he staggered back into the living room, as if nothing was wrong.

I watched him go, a sour expression on my face. What a dick...