Why me? (C.W) | Ackley Bridge

n i n e

I eagerly knocked on the Wilson's door, the freezing cold air getting to me causing me to shiver. Only moments later, Cory opened the front door.
"Bloody hell its freezing." I said to him while running my hand up and down my arms. He let out a chuckle and opened the door wider for me to enter. I quickly walked in and took a quick look around, it was exactly the same set out as my house.
"The boilers broke, tell me if you get cold." Cory spoke while leading me up the stairs presumably to his room. Once we were sat on his bed he started speaking again. "How was the station?"
"Brilliant, I'm thinking of visiting again tomorrow." I said sarcastically. "The charged him, he has his sentencing next week." I replied seriously this time.
"I can come with you if you want?" He suggested looking me in the eyes.
"I haven't even decided if I'm going to go." I sighed. "I know he's going to prison and that's the important thing."
"I guess." The room fell silent. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"I just needed to get out of that house."
"That bad?"
"They're all really nice, apart from Alya obviously, but Riz just tried it on with me. That's what we were doing when you phoned."
"Oh, erm sorry."
"I should be thanking you, it was all going great until he started touching me, then it just all came back and I didn't have the nerve to tell him the truth."
"If I would've known he was going to try it on I would've stopped him." Cory spoke sorrowfully.
"It's not your fault, I don't know why I came here, I guess I just wanted someone to tell me that I'm being stupid for letting my step-dad affect me this much. I knew that Missy and Nas wouldn't understand."
"What's makes you think I understand?" He questioned curiously then I realised I had let my words slip.
"I know." Was all I said.
"Know what?" He questioned a look of horror on his face.
"About your dad, I saw how Jordan reacted to mine this morning, I saw something in his eyes. I know that he's abusive."
"I don't know what you're on about." He spoke stressfully standing up and running a hand threw his hair.
"Cory it's ok, no ones going to think any less of you if you admit it, especially me." I said standing up and walking in front of him, putting my hand on his arm and rubbing it with my thumb. He let out a deep sigh.
"He does nothing to me."
"Only to Jordan." I stated with a sigh. Jordan was definitely a wind up which was probably why their father targeted him rather than Cory.
"You're not going to say anything, right?" He questioned while looking me in the eyes. I shook my head, how could I after he had kept all of else secrets for me. Cory and I were a lot similar than I was originally willing to admit. I pulled hi into a hug knowing how hard it must be on both brothers, Cory wasn't the bad person for not sticking up for Jordan, their dad was the only bad person involved in this. After his stature became less tense I let go of him and reached into my pocket and pulled out a key before handing it to him.
"The spare key to my house, you or Jordan can stay there whenever." I smiled at him. "There's no food or owt but at least if Jordan gets kicked out again he has somewhere to sleep."
"Thank you." He smiled genuinely before hugging me again.
"Do me a favour and tell Jord that Pete got arrested you can say for assault but please don't mention me." I spoke while pulling away.
"Yeah, I'll tell home when he gets home, but dad's convinced he's got this job in the bag, so things could be turning around for us so I don't reckon he'll be kicking Jordan out again."
"Well that's good then." I smiled, Jordan really didn't deserve to be getting kicked out every week. "Anyway I should get going." I said looking at the clock on Cory's wall. "I told Sadiq I'd only be an hour."
"Ok, let me put my shoes on and I'll walk you back." He said while pulling on a pair of black trainers.
"Riz thinks I met up with Missy. God knows what he'll think if he sees you."
"I'll walk you half way then." He said standing up and walking down the stairs, grabbing his coat. "Come on its dark out." He said turning to face me, still stood on the stairs.
"Fine but if you get mugged then it's not my fault." I chuckled, putting my hands in my pocket.
"What are you going to say to Riz then?" Cory asked once we were outside of his house.
"No clue, guess I'll just pretend like it didn't happen." I sighed.
"That's probably best and try to not get yourself into that position again, literally." He laughed at his little joke at the end.
"Hilarious, you could be a bloody comedian with that." I rolled my eyes.
"Come on you found it funny really." He joked while poking at my sides with his fingers.
"Cory." I laughed while putting my hands in his shoulders to stop him, he stopped prodding my hips and rested his hands in them.
"I can go from here, you should go home." I whispered while looking into his eyes which were about a foot away from mine.
"Yeah." He breathed out shakily.
"See you tomorrow." I smiled while standing on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek, before turning around and walking up the road which ended at the Nawaz household. Once I was a few meters away from Cory I heard him mumble a goodbye.