The fake girlfriend deal. ||BEING HEAVILY EDITED||

Five| Money (edited)

                RIVEN POV

I didn't go straight to bed. My fingers linger over my lips where Yuna kissed me, I know she only did it as a distraction, to keep me from pummeling my brother's face in, but I couldn't deny that I liked it.

I wonder if she's okay. Clarissa ripped into her and said some nasty things tonight, racist things and overall treated Yuna like she wasn't even a human worthy of being looked at. She doesn't seem into kissing and she forced herself to do that for me. I hope it didn't make her uncomfortable.

I hope she liked it.

On nights I can't drink, working out is my vice, I'm hoping that one day it'll be my only vice. If I want to make it into the college's new training program for special agents, I need to have my crap together. Especially now that I'm going in disabled, I'll be doubted, I'll have to work three times as hard just to have the same opportunity as everyone else. People and places and organizations like to say they're accessible and don't discriminate, but I know first hand it's a load of crap. I have to put in 150% while everyone else puts in 90% just for me to get ACKNOWLEDGED.

If the remainder of my leg wasn't hurting earlier, it definitely was after the HIIT workout, and it was nearly unbearable after my shower when some water and soap got into the raw spot where my prosthetic had grown tight and started rubbing my skin.

I've gotta get a new fitting done. It's like a size nine foot wearing a size seven shoe.

Even after pain meds, sleep eludes me when I lay down at midnight. I can't lie and say I'm used to my family's hatred of me. I'm still not used to it after years. Everytime I go to see them, I hope it'll be different, that they'll care, hug me, and say they love me.

And it never happens.

They never defend me, not like Yuna did. She clearly isn't the type to create a scene and she did, for me. I didn't even deserve it. She helped me and I know no matter what she says, she didn't do it for the money, she's a good person.

I manage to knock out around five, but I'm up at eight with Madison poking my shoulder.

Her hair looks like a bird's nest, her face is puffy and she's rubbing her cheeks.

"What is it minnie?"

"Wanna cuddle with Rivvie fore' mom gets me."

I pull the covers back and move to the side of my bed, letting her climb in and cuddle up to my right side. Her foot brushes over the sensitive spot on my leg and I bite my tongue as hard as I can so I don't make a sound.

She doesn't need to know about my pain, she worries about me enough as is.

"Mom is mad at you." She mutters and sets her cheek on my shoulder, closing her eyes.

"I know." When is she not?

"She keeps trying to make me stay with Mark. I don't like Mark. Mark isn't my brother."

He was her brother by blood, but he gave up that right a long time ago when he left me and Madison here in the dust.

"I know, Minnie."

"I wanna stay with you."

"I wish you could too."

Sometimes I wonder if it's worth pressing charges against my parents and taking Madison in for myself.

At eight thirty mom's butler shows up and Madison is off, I had finally managed to comb all the tangles out of her hair, and she looked brand new.