Distraction

29.

"Are you sure there aren't any other injuries I should know about?" I said after I finished taking care of his visible wounds.

"Just a few bruises but nothing else that needs treatment."

I nodded and put everything away.

When I came back to him he was lighting a cigarette. I sat back down next to him and he also gave me one.

"You're staying here right?" I said as I took a drag from the cigarette.

"I don't know if I will. As much as I hate to admit it my dad still needs me."

"I think you've reached a point were the both of you need professional help." I knocked on my cast. "Just like I reached that point."

"You know they're also gonna take me away if I let anyone know what's going on in my house right now. My dad and I are both fucking junkies."

Him admitting that he was also fucked up really made me hope that he would see that he needed some help.

"Yeah but atleast your not physically hurting people."

He put his cigarette out on the empty fruitbowl that was standing on the coffee table.

"Tell me honestly Riley. Do you feel any better now that your dad is in jail?"

There wasn't still any certainty that my dad would be going to jail but I would like not too think about that to much.

"No..mabye..I don't really know."

He gave me a look that said see I told you so.

"But i do know that I'm slowly getting better and that there's no longer someone in my life who hurts me for no reason. I feel a lot safer now."

He was about to say something but my phone rang, it was Micheal.

"Hey Micheal." I said while I did my best to hide the fact that i definitely didn't want to talk to him.

"Where the hell are you? I got a notification from your school that your mom called you in sick. And I know Damm well that your mom didn't call the school."  He said not even trying to hide his anger.

The worry behind his raised voice surprised me but not enough to immediately explain the situation to him.

"With Andy." I spoke bluntly.

"Why the hell are with Andy? Don't tell me your drinking again or whatever you did last time." He raised his voice when he said that.

This kinda made me angry, just because I fucked up one time didn't time I was doing it again. But maybe it was better this way. The more he would hate me the quicker he would distant himself and the sooner my mom would come home.

"What do you care?" I said slightly annoyed.

"What do I care! What do I care?!" Micheal yelled into the phone causing me to hold it further away from my face.

"I fucking care about you Riley whenever you like it or not. You know how fucking worried I am about you."

"You should calm down, focus on my mom. I'm fine, I'm not doing anything besides keeping Andy company." I said slowly feeling my anger slip away as I reminded myself what Micheal had said last night, he also needed a break from me.

"Please just tell me where you guys are so I can pick you up." He said also a bit calmer.

"No."

"What do you mean no?" He said clearly agitated.

I remained quiet.

"What the hell is going on Riley. I thought you finally trusted us, not even two days ago you asked me to always be there for you. "