As Long As I Have You.

As Long As I Have You. CH.4.

CH.4

I woke up still cradled in Rivers arms, and smiled as I saw that he had fallen asleep as well. Then I realized it was dark, and the storm had gotten worse. A powerful wind swept through the trees making an eerie howling sound, and lightning crashed against the earth causing it growl with thunder in complaint.

I sat up and gently shook River awake. He smiled up at me with joy and rubbed his tired eyes. Looking around a concerned look appeared on his face.

"Oh my God, Jak, it's dark!" He stated the obvious, standing us both up quickly, and putting his shirt and jacket on.

"It's probably late, my mom is gonna be so worried!" I shouted as more lightning and thunder filled the windy forest with the sound of Thor's anger. Zues as well, I guess, he's the cause of the lightning, while Thor would just be the thunder.

Anyway, enough of Mythology. I grabbed his hand and leaned out the opening of the tree house. River pulled me back as the force of the wind almost caused me to fall.

"Jaklynn, It's really bad out there, maybe it's not a good idea to leave yet" he said worried. He pushed me away from the opening so he could take a look.

He abruptly leaned back in and grabbed me to pull me against the wall.

"What was that about?" I whispered loud enough for him to hear me. Just in case someone was out there.

"My dad, and a couple of his beer buddies. They look pretty drunk."

Then we heard them. "River, come out, here and get what you deserve for murdering your mom. You know you deserve a good beating." his dad yelled and his friends giggled. "Come on son, I won't get you that hard, this time." 

"What do we do, what if he comes up here?" I asked River.

"Just stay quite, he is too drunk to climb up here."

His dad shouted again. "Fine then, I didn't want you're company anyway, I'll just go eat dinner myself!" His friends laugh drunkenly.

"What the Hell." River whispered, trying to get a glimpse of them. I almost shrieked when one of them threw an empty liquor bottle and it shatter against the back wall of the tree house.

River pulled me closer to him protectively. A few minutes passed and he looked out to see that they left.

"They left. Sorry about that." he apologized to me sincerely.

"You don't have to be sorry River, I'm just glad you're safe, but I can't let you go home." I told him, entwining my fingers with his.

He looked down at our hands tangled together, and smiled as he leaned back up and kissed my forehead.

"I will come back here after I walk you home." he told me.

"It's to cold, you'll get sick, you can stay with me." I said as we climbed down the ladder.

The wind has died down and the lightning and thunder has stopped, but it's still pouring rain out here. We walked to my house holding hands and silently making our way out of the dark forest.

When we got to the house we walked inside after taking off our muddy shoes, to see my mother pacing back and forth crying hysterically.

"Oh my God, Jaklynn! I've been worried sick! Mr.Lyman called and then I got home and you where nowhere to be found!" Mom said pulling me into a tight hug, and caressing my face motherly.

"I'm so sorry, mommy, we missed the bus and hung out in the tree house and fell asleep, I'm so sorry to worry you like that!" I apologize sincerely looking at her swollen puffy eyes and red wet cheeks.

"I'm just glad you're safe baby, but who is this?" she directed towards River.

"Mom this is River, he lives down the road. I was with him." I introduced him to her.

"Nice to meet you ma'am, I'm sorry to have you worried like this." He said shaking my mom's hand.

She replied sweetly, "Its nice to meet you."

"Mom, since its raining so hard, I was hoping he could spend the night here." 

"Of course, he can sleep on the couch." She smiled at him and walked into her bedroom.

She cam back with a pair of black sweat pants, and a white t-shirt, a towel, toothbrush, and a pair of boxers. All for men. I curiously looked at her.

"They are comfy!" she defended herself. "Now I'm gonna make dinner and then go to bed, you can shower when it's finished." She told us and walked into the kitchen.

River set down his stuff and followed me into the kitchen. "You're making dinner?" I asked  her.

"Just Ramen noodles, but yes. It will be better tomorrow." She said and smiled.

"Mom, how did you afford all this?" I asked as I looked around full kitchen that was once empty.

"Your father sent a letter and check, it was enough money to pay off the house, so without having to pay that, we have money for groceries."

My father. I didn't even want to know what the letter said. I walked over and hugged River, then we sat down at the table. Mom served us the ramen, and went to bed.

when we were done eating, I washed the dishes and got us both a glass of milk and a package of cookies to share for dessert. I stopped eating when I ran out of milk and realized, that the whole package was more than have way gone.

"Oh my God, how many cookies did you eat?" I asked River with wide eyes.

"I ate five." he responded.

"Oh my God, I'm such a pig!" I whispered loudly and I blushed.

"Jak, you are not, you haven't had a proper meal in a long time." he smiled at me in reassurance.

I smiled back and led him upstairs after cleaning the mess, and got myself sweat pants and a t-shirt to match his, and we went back downstairs.

"You can shower first" I told him.

"Ladies first, I insist." he replied with a silly grin.

"Alright, you can wait upstairs or in the living room."

I shut the door behind me and took off my wet clothes. I looked in the mirror to study my thin figure. At least I have nice breasts, and a size seven butt. I brushed and glossed my teeth using Listerine afterwards, to ensure my mouth was clean, and I had fresh breath.

Once we were both clean, we went upstairs and snuggled up in my warm bed. I layed my head down on his chest and grew tired listening to the sound of his beating heart.

"I love you Jaklynn." River said to me.

"I love you too, River."

That was the first night in a long time that I didn't cry myself to sleep.

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