Becoming a Farmboy

Chapter 14 : Back to Oklahoma

Chapter 14

Riker POV

"W-why are you u-um g-getting a divorce?" I asked, trying to stop myself from shaking.

"Riker, we thought it would be the best idea right now," mom said.

"H-how is it g-going to work?"

"Well... You're going to go back to Dakota's. And then in the fall, every other weekend, you'll be alternating between here and dad's apartment."

"N-no! Y-you can't do that to me! He'll hurt me!"

"Riker-"

"No! You can't do that!"

I got up, and bolted up to my bedroom. I don't want to get hurt! If I go to dad's, he'll hurt me! I'll get slapped, and then it'll just get worse and worse and worse!

I hid under the covers on my bed. I heard my door open, and I completely froze.

Something touched my back, and I must've jumped at least a few inches above my bed.

The covers were pulled off me, and I saw Dakota. She looked really worried.

"Rik-"

I burst into tears. Dakota pulled me to her in a tight hug. I couldn't seem to catch my breath. I just kept gasping for air because I couldn't stop crying.

"Riker, come on. Take some breaths."

Dakota pushed me lightly so I was laying down in bed now. She was pushing my bangs out of my eyes.

I finally got myself under control again.

"Riker, you don't have to worry about everything right now. We have the rest of the summer at my house. It'll be fine."

"Until I come back here and die!"

"Riker, don't start crying again. I just got you to calm down."

"I'm sorry..."

I curled up into a very tight ball. I wrapped my arms around my legs, and pulled them close to my chest.

"Do you want to go talk to your mom?"

"No."

"Riker, you have to."

"No!"

"Ok, then what about getting on a flight back to my house."

"No!"

"I thought you wanted to get away though."

"I hate planes!"

Dakota sighed.

"Riker. You need to pick, but hiding in bed isn't an option."

"Then I want to go back to your house."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to go back if you're just going to cry and be miserable."

"I don't want to talk to her."

"Riker... I don't understand..."

"What?"

Dakota sighed again.

"What!?" I asked, getting impatient.

"I don't understand why you're mad about your parents getting a divorce if you're terrified of your dad. Isn't this a good thing?"

"No! I love him!"

"Riker, if he's hurting you-"

"I don't care! Can we please just go back to your house!?"

"Fine..."

Later...

Dakota POV

I could see through him completely.

We're on a plane right now. Riker's next to the window.

He's pretending he's fine when he's not. I can clearly see him biting the inside of his lip. And every now and then, he'll bite too hard, and he'll jump a little.

He won't look at me, he won't talk, he won't do anything but stare at the floor.

His breathing will hitch, and then it'll go back to normal. And it's just a never ending cycle of him almost starting to cry.

His eyes fill with tears, but he keeps blinking them away, and gaining control of himself again.

I feel like one of these times, he's going to finally crack.

"Riker... Riker, look at me."

I put my hand under his chin, and moved his head to face me. His eyes started filling with tears again. He tried to look away, but I didn't let him.

"Hey. I just want to help you, ok? Anything you need, just tell me. Do you want to talk?"

"No," he whispered.

I let go of his chin, and took his hand. I intertwined our fingers tightly. Riker sighed, and looked down at our hands. One of his tears fell on our fingers.

I could feel him tense up next to me. He turned and leaned his head on the wall. I kept a tight hold on his hand.

I started rubbing his back slowly. I felt him relax a little bit again.

I dropped his hand, and wrapped my arms around him tightly. He turned towards me, and cuddled into me.

Later...

Dakota POV

We got off the plane, and went back to my house. Riker was like a zombie. His eyes were glazed over, his face was blank, and he was barely paying attention. He even almost got himself run over.

We snuck in through my window since it was late. I pulled Riker's mattress over to the loft door, and I pulled mine over there too. We got in bed, and kept the loft door open between us. I wanted to be there for him if he needed it.

Morning...

Dakota POV

I'd done a lot of thinking last night... And it's getting sort of close to fall. Riker's going to be going home soon. I know he's stressed out, and he's stressing me out too.

I feel so bad for him because I can tell he's so upset. But I can't let myself get closer to him. We need to break up before it's fall so it doesn't hurt so much. I love him, but it'll be easier to let him go home if we're not a couple anymore.

Riker didn't want to do chores today, so I told him to talk to my mom. He was too scared, so he came outside with me. I was cleaning out the horse stalls, and Riker was sitting in the back of the barn, on hay bales, staring at nothing.

I finished up with the horses, and sat down next to him. He didn't even move.

"Rik, I know you're upset-"

"I'm beyond upset."

"Ok... I know you're beyond upset-"

"If you're trying to make me feel better, it's not going to work."

"Rik..."

"No. Don't waste your energy."

"I'm sorry you feel upset. But you need to help with chores, ok? We can go do the chickens. You're good at collecting the eggs."

"Fine..."