•Hold onto Me•

12

I reached to help Josh up, as he grabbed my hand and landed on his feet, the ground holding steady he threw a hard hit right under my eye on my cheek bone, he got me good. I stumbled backwards, "Look man I'm so sorry, those guys are bad news, and I thought you were one of them coming up behind me." I shook my heads kicking myself for ruining everything I had going for me, but then the most bizarre thing happened, Josh started to laugh.

"Dude you are an idiot. Did you really think you were going to win 5 to 1? You're lucky I showed up, you teenagers will avoid just about anything when it comes to police." I looked at him and said point blank, "I've won before 7-1" Josh laughed, "of course you have, and I don't know what it was about," he pushed and thought hard about what he was going to say, swallowing, "but I swear if you hurt Paige it'll be the last thing you do." A grin came up on his face like he just said the right thing, "Remember I'm a cop, I'm good with guns." I nodded my head with a small laugh, shook his hand and we were on our way.

As I got back into my truck every fiber in my body wanted to turn around and be with Paige. I know there is something she is hiding from me, she has been strong for so long, but she's exhausted. I know if I could just try and figure it out I can help her. I pulled into my drive, before I even got out of the car I texted the boys the plan for tonight, everyone was pumped.. I know why they all don't want to be home, but Paige she's a closed book.

My sister came up to my truck standing in the step side barely able to peak her head into my window.

"Where's your friend?" She said smiling but also disappointed she wasn't with me. She had brown curly hair with wide brown eyes. I opened the door on her making her jump off the side, I pick her up and throw her over my shoulders, running through the front yard acting like a plane. Listening to her laugh makes my heart happy. I wish she could stay this innocent and young forever. And not have to bare than pain that's right in front of her reaching for her as hard as it can. I will keep fighting that grab for as long as possible. Allison deserves the best childhood she can get, and I'm not going to let the rest of our family ruin that for her.

I walk into our house, it was very small outdated house. We had greater things to worry about than what to paint the walls. My mom looked at me with her head turned a little, "you brought a girl home.." she said this as though she never thought she'd see the day, "she was so sweet, maybe she can come for dinner one night?" My face started to turn angry, "you know that can't happen." I turned my head so I didn't have to look at her. My moms voice sounded hurt, "You know if you meet a girl, a girl like that one! You don't shut her out of your life, she'd accept you no matter what. And if she doesn't accept you for who your family is then that's too bad but you move on." I nodded then realized Paige and I aren't even like that, "well lucky for all of us we're not like that, she got drugged so I helped her out." My mom gasped, "poor girl, and yet she still seemed so comfortable and kind with your sister. I can't help it but I really like this girl James.." I couldn't help but let a smile curl up on the sides of my lip, "Me too Mom, me too.." she winked at me then moved to the sink to do dishes.

My mom and I were not that close, she was always upset about how much I fought, it drove a wedge between us. I heard a knock at the door, it was starting to get dark so it wasn't any of the kids. My mom stood there looking at the closed door as though she'd seen a ghost. I clenched my fists ready for whatever was behind the piece of wood.

"Go upstairs now!" Allison bear climbed the stairs. Once I saw she was out of sight I opened the door. I let out the breath I was holding, "Paige what the hell are you doing here? And where's your car? Gosh please stop walking at night!" My mom walked up behind me and swatted me in the back of the head, "that's no way to talk to a young lady! Come in dear. And excuse his manners!" She gave me a look of death. Paige let out a nervous laugh, "oh thank you! And looked with an I'm sorry smile on her face.

Allison ran down the stairs like a crazy person and latched onto Paige's leg in excitement of her being her. "Will you be staying for dinner?" My mom asked while she nodded yes as though to persuade Paige's answer to a yes, "mom leave the girl alone quit pestering." I sounded like a child, Paige rolled her eyes at me then answered my mother politely, "I would love to, but I'm suppose to be hosting everyone coming over tonight for a movie night. Definitely another night though?" My mom nodded, not seeming disappointed at all.

"James can I talk to you for a moment?" She seemed worried. I didn't say anything and just started walking for the stairs. We got into my small room that just held a bed and a dresser, it's always a mess clothes were all over the ground. Despite the mess I always knew where everything was. I turn around to see Paige picking at her nails, she did this when she woke up from after her incident last night and when I saw her in the hospital.

"Are you okay??? What's going on?" I didn't mean to sound so panicked. "Oh yes I'm fine!Sorry I didn't mean to scare you I just was home alone and I heard a truck engine, I have to tell you something." She seemed like she was about to boil over, "I have to tell you something because if I don't tell someone I'm going to live my life a sad, miserable, feeble person!"

Then the door creaked open it was Allison, she made eye contact with Paige. Paige turned around her back facing her, wiped her tears to make herself look like she's completely okay, "Hey pretty girl, what's up?" She put a smile on her face that looked so real, she genuinely wanted to make everyone around her happy and not worried. "Will you come play hide-and-go-seek with me?" So innocent like a 4 year old. Paige giggles, "Of course I will. Do you want to hide or count first?" She beamed with a smile, "I'll count you all hide!"

I grabbed her arm trying to pull her back to me, but she already put her wall back up. I let her go and we hide like little kids again acting like we are in this simple world, when we both know there are disasters all around us.