Small Town Southern Charm

Chapter Twenty-Four

Taralyn’s POV:

The whole time Josh was hitting Johnny I was screaming at him to stop but he never heard me. Maybe it was everyone else cheering him on going over my voice or it was that he blacked out when he seen Johnny. I hated seeing him hit his brother like that but there was nothing that I could do to stop it. When I touched his shoulder he turned around, red in the face and breathing very heavily. The look in Josh’s eyes was kind of scary if you were to ask me, I had never seen him like that.

Of course after the party I just had to have another break down. I don’t know what was wrong with me, it felt like everything was falling apart. Everything was supposed to be better since I finally had Johnny back in my life. I guess I didn’t think things would be this complicated with Johnny being back.

Josh was trying to soothe me once again and I fell asleep in his arms like I had done so many nights while Johnny was gone. I was on the verge of opening my eyes when I heard Josh mumbling something to what he thought was a sleeping me.

“I love you so much, Tara. I just wish you would stop being so depressed. I want that happy girl back in my life, I want you to be care-free again. Before you were worried about guys and loving them. I want my best friend back. I want that girl that loved fishin’ and huntin’.”

I stirred a little bit to make him think that I was just waking up, he stopped as soon as I moved. He smiled down at me as I opened my eyes, I felt so bad for what he had just said to me.

“Hey.” I smiled weakly.

“Sleep good?”

“Yeah.”

All I could think about all day was the party last night and what Josh had said to me while I was sleeping. I wanted to tell Josh that I had heard him but I didn’t want him to feel embarrassed. I wanted to talk to him about the fight last night but I didn’t want to get him all angry again. There was so much I was holding back that I never had to do before Johnny came. I use to be able to talk to Josh about anything in this world and not have a second thought about it but now I was scared of hitting a nerve or something.

“Well, I hate to leave so soon but Momma called me and wants me to come tell her what happened between me and Johnny last night.” Josh told me quietly.

“Okay, I’ll see you later. Thanks for staying with me last night.”

“No problem, Tara. I’ll talk to you later.”

With that he left me in my room alone, to get eaten up by my own thoughts. After I sat in the bed for a while, Thomas peeked his head around the corner. I knew by the look on his face he had heard about last night.

“So…” He trailed, obviously waiting for me to explain everything.

“I don’t know, Thomas.”

“What went down last night?”

“I don’t know, I was in the kitchen at the party getting a drink when I heard someone yell stop Josh. I ran over to where the yelling was coming from and Josh had Johnny pinned up against the wall hitting him over and over again. He must have blacked out when he seen Johnny because I yelled over and over for him to stop but he wouldn’t. I finally gained enough courage to touch him and when he turned around, it wasn’t Josh looking at me. He was scary Thomas, terrifying even. He was red in the face, a face of rage.”

“That’s what I heard, I was just coming to make sure it was the truth. You’ve been hanging around Johnny again, I know you have.”

“No, I haven’t. Last night was the first time that I have seen him in months.”

He looked at me like ‘bullshit’ but didn’t say anything. He left the room without another word. About that time my phone vibrated and it was a text from Johnny.

Johnny: Hey, thanks for stopping Josh last night. Can I see you later?

Me: Yeah, no problem. Sure, meet me at the park in 30.

I got out of bed and grabbed some clothes, I took a quick shower. When I got out I practically threw my clothes on. I grabbed my keys and was out of the house. When I got out at the park, Johnny was sitting on the bench beside the sliding board. I wasn’t that close to him but I could clearly see the bruises all over his face. He looked kind of ashamed when he seen me walking closer to him.

“Hey.” I greeted weakly when I sat down beside him.

“Hi.”

We both sat there quietly, waiting for the other to talk. We had both came such a long way with each other since he had been back but one night had taken it all away. Josh had taken it all away again.

“I wanted to talk to you about the other night.” Johnny finally spoke.

“What about it?”

“I wanted to tell you that I’m sorry that I caused you all of that pain. I wish that I had never left. I get glares everywhere I go now because of what I did to you. I can’t go to the car wash without getting a glare. It’s a horrible feeling knowing that I had everything right in the palm of my hand and I just threw it all away just because I thought I was helping you. Deep down, I didn’t want to leave here. I loved it here, I used to be able to call this place home. I can’t now though because everyone hates me so damn much. I can’t blame ‘em though, if anyone hurt you that way I’d be furious too.”

“You have to fight for what you want, Johnny. You can’t just expect everyone…shit, there’s Thomas!”

Thomas was walking into the park with some girl and a little boy. I grabbed Johnny’s hand and pulled him quickly over behind a huge tree. After we stood behind the tree for a few minutes, I peeked around the tree and seen the Thomas’ back was turned the other way as he played with the little boy.

“Okay, we can make it to the cars as long as he doesn’t turn around.”

“I don’t see you fighting for what you want.” Johnny said before walking over to his car.

“Meet me at the diner.” I told him before getting into my car.

I pulled into the diner and Johnny was leaning against his car, smoking a cigarette. I got out of my car and walked over to him. He looked over at me and flicked his cigarette in the other direction. He didn’t move from his spot though.

“I want to fight for what I want.” I mumbled.

“Then fight, stop worrying about what other people are going to think when they see you with me. Quit running away when someone comes near us. Kiss me.”

“What?”

“Kiss me.”

Before I could say anything else, Johnny’s lips were on mine. I knew that I’d be in some deep shit if Dad or Thomas seen me with him but his lips were like a drug to me right now. I couldn’t seem to pull away from those luscious lips. Johnny lifted his hands onto my waist and pulled me closer to him but making sure not to break the kiss. When the kiss finally ended, his hands remained around my waist.

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Anyone see that coming? I know, I’m horrible I haven’t had a chapter up in over a month. I just haven’t had any ideas coming to me. But I’ve been listening to music and it has inspired me! I promise, I won’t be gone that long again.

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Xoxo:)