The not-so girl next door

Chapter eleven

"Did you run all the way here?" Trevor asks once he helps me up.

"Yeah, I wanted to get away from my house as fast as I could." I say with a forced laugh. The guys roll their eyes, other than Trevor. He gives me concerned look. I just shake my head and walk on to the court. We play a few round of two on two like usual before everyone heads home. I sigh knowing I should go home but I shoot some more hoops until the air started to get brisk. I walk home slower than usual, I know by the time I get there that my dad will be home. He will act like nothing happened the day before and so will my mom.

I open the front door with a long creak and curse the gods for making it so hard to sneak around. I hear my brothers playing in the living room and I could smell my mom making dad's favorite dinner. She always does that a day after a fight.

"I'm home," I yell before heading up to my room. I lock my door behind me. I lay on my bed and put my hands to my face. My nose and eyebrow had started to throb with pain. I try to push it aside and go to work on my homework. I sigh rubbing my forehead, pushing my work away. I sit there looking at my phone waiting for River to text me but she doesn't for a while. I hear my dad's car door slam shut. I knew he would be in the house soon with gifts for everyone but me. It distracts my mom and brothers from his abuse. I head down stairs and stand in the door way of the kitchen watching him give out the new toys to my brothers. Ryder got a new robot thing and Kyle got a new train. He squealed with happiness and ran over to me holding it up.

"That's cool buddy," I sign to him. Everyone looks at me, my mother gasps lightly while my dad just smirks.

"What happened to you James?" He says crossing his arms.

"I got hit during basketball practice," I mumble without hesitation. I turn away as Ryder walks up to me.

"Does it hurt?" he asks pointing at my face.

"Not really."

"Can I poke it?"

"No kiddo," I say with a laugh. I look my mom in the eyes before I go to head upstairs.

"Wait James! Dinner is almost ready," She says grabbing my hand. She was shaking. I take a deep breath and nod.

"Okay Mom," I go and sit on the couch by the window. I look out and watch River's house. She pulls into her drive way and I can see something is wrong as she gets out of her car. I run out of the house to her. "River! What's wrong?"

She turn to face me and wipes the tears from her face, "James? What are you..."

"I saw you get out of the car. You seemed upset so I had to check on you."

"You didn't have to," She says smiling as more tears fall down her face. I pull her into my arms.

"What happened at work that upset you so much?"

"I just saw someone I didn't want to see..." She says leaning her head into me. I hold her close, and don't push her for any more information. She looks up at me and holds my face, "Does it still hurt?"

"Yeah but that doesn't matter right now." She shakes her head with a small laugh.

"You should get home, I don't want you to get hurt again," She says pulling away from me. I nod and hold on to her hand deciding what to do. I pull her back to me and kiss her deeply. I let go and trudge off to my house. When I get in I see my brothers playing with their new toys, my dad is in his chair with a beer in hand and food in his lap, and my mom was looking at me with her arms crossed.

"Are you dating her now?" She says in a rough tone.

"Babe let the boy be. I like that River girl," My dad says waving my mom off. For once I was shocked he was helping me out. I stay silent and smirk at my mom. She stomps off to the kitchen. I look at my dad but he was watching the tv as if nothing happened. I headed up to my room and laid on my bed.

I was worried about River but I knew I couldn't push her. I sit there eating, thinking of the homework I also hadn't finished. I push myself off my bed to go back to my desk. I sit there forcing myself to do my work, but I soon finish and go to text River.

James- Hey

River- Hey there hot shot

I roll my eyes with a smile

James- I have a basketball game on Friday, Will you come?

River- Only if I get to wear your jersey

James- That was going to be my next question

River- It's a date then. I'm going to sleep tho. Night hun.

James- Sleep well

I look at the clock and see it is only 8:00 pm. I sigh worrying more but I just let it go. I go down stairs to get some dinner. It was already in the fridge so I put some on a plate and heated it up. My mom walks into the kitchen once the microwave dings.

"You know I don't approve of her."

"We aren't dating, mom."

"Then why did you kiss? Your father saw her working as some stripper in a coffee shop."

"Maybe you should question why your husband is at a lingerie coffee shop?" I throw back her and walk out with my plate. I realize that the person River didn't want to see could have been my dad, I understand now why she would be so upset. At that time I didn't realize how wrong I was.