Take Me Home

Chapter:11

I sat on my best friend's tailgate in my swimsuit as we sat playing at the river. The bed was dry for the most part. "Hey Addi you going four wheeling?" Callie asked. "Yeah." I said jumping down. I got onto the atv before going down the river a bit before getting into mud. As I was on my way back the girls were screaming for me to come back quicker.

As I got to the bridge our vehicles were under the guys came up. They were mostly riding double. "We've got to get out of here." One said. "Our phones have been going off for us to take cover now." Maria said. "Addi. You ok?" Knox asked coming up behind me. I nodded. My mind froze. The greenish gray clouds made me freeze staring at them.

"We've got to take cover now. One could come down any minute." Ansley said. Knox had his arms wrapped around me. "We have nothing to take cover with. That debris will injure us as it's going through the bridge." Alan told her. "Doesn't Georgia usually pack a huge tarp to dip in the river so we can relax in the river?" Maria asked.

I tried backing up more. "Your fine baby girl." Knox whispered in my ear. "You two had to bring it up. What good is it going to do?" Georgia asked. "It can keep glass and sharp objects from getting into our skin and hurting us." Max said. "Fine." She said grabbing it. Two guys took it and quickly spread it out. "Use the smallest space we can. Limited debris will be able to get us." Alan said. "Addi." I let Knox lead me to where we were hunkering down.

He put his back to the wind pulling my head to his chest. "I've got you." He said. My back was right against his. His arm around my neck. He pulled me closer. I kept my head against his chest listening to his heartbeat. It was steady even though I knew he was nervous. Our phones went off once again signaling a tornado warning to take shelter now.

I moved closer to the ground. Knox and the others followed. I was clinging to him as the wind swirled. He pulled me even more closer. Two of the guys poked their heads out. "If we're going we gotta go now." Jake said. Knox picked me up going quickly to an atv. I noticed Callie wouldn't budge from her truck. "Your life is more important than your truck." Jake said picking her up.

"I spent too much money making it my own I'm not leaving it!" She said. "Your life is worth more than that truck." Jake said getting on behind Knox. He took off. We pulled up to three trucks. Knox took me straight to his. "Good thing we parked in a safe spot." He mumbled. He got in with me right beside him. He pulled the radar up checking before turning his truck on.

"The national weather team has advised a tornado warning for the counties of... Please stay off the roads until given the all clear. The strong thunderstorm is making a turn going back towards the river. Any river goers are to seek shelter immediately." The radio chimed as Knox raced down the highway. He pulled me closer. "Get the blanket from under the seat and wrap up in it. The ac needs to be fixed and has been freezing cold." He said.

I wrapped up in the blanket. I couldn't feel anything. It was either my nerves or the fact that the cab is freezing cold. "If you want you may lay down sweetheart." He said. I actually wanted to. I set my head on his thigh facing the dash and keeping my body close to me. His free hand took my hair out of its hair tie and ran his fingers through my hair.

He kept running his fingers through my hair knowing it was calming me down. "We're almost to your house Addi." He said. I noticed for the first time there was a walkie talkie radio in his truck. "Hey Knox. Where are we heading for shelter, this thing is close to riding my bumper." Alan said. "We're going to the closest house. Just follow close behind me." He said before setting it back in the side of the door.

Knox turned right. A few minutes later he turned left. After a few more left and right turns he stopped cutting the engine. "Come here baby." He said picking me up. My phone and his went off again. I saw my dad holding the cellar door open. He let all of us in. Knox sat down in the floor with me on his lap. Dad also had a change of clothes for us girls.

"I knew I should have checked the weather before letting you girls go." He said. "It's fine Mr. Mays. We should have checked ourselves before even going." Maria said. "I'd change out of those wet clothes into some dry ones." Dad said. "Addison go first. Your soaked." Callie said. "I'll hold the blanket up for you to change behind." Knox said.

He kissed my cheek before letting me stand. I got my clothes while he stood up. As he said he held the blanket up as I changed into dry clothes. I used a towel to get dry better beforehand. One by one all of us girls changed. I cuddled into Knox as the storm blew on. He ran his fingers through my hair. Between him doing that and his heartbeat, I fell asleep.

Knox

Once I knew she was asleep I relaxed myself. Her 'mom' and sister were sitting over there talking about her in a bad way. Her dad I knew was listening to them. They then glanced over at me then to her. I was about to speak my mind. She told me that woman and girl try to put her down. A few times she said that her and I shouldn't be a thing because her 'mom' wants her to marry a city boy.

That city boy will want her to be a stay at home mom and treat her miserably. After her sister looked at me once more I had to say something even if I get into trouble for it later. "You know, if you don't like it here, you can always move and quit talking about your daughter behind her back. Don't you even think that she hasn't told me how you've treated her. She tells me when you put her down and say things you want for her and not support her in what she wants and needs." I said.

Her mother glared at me. "If you care so much why don't you leave and get back to your pathetic life." She told me. "My life isn't as pathetic as yours is right now. I've still got time to get out of the pathetic state. You don't. You lost that chance after years of discriminating your oldest daughter." I told her. "Looks like she doesn't deserve a boy that can't hold his tongue." She said.

"Oh I've been holding my tongue my whole life. You have no idea why either because you don't care." I told her. I left her shell shocked as I scooted closer into the corner with Addi tucked up against me.