Fighting to go on

Chapter 13

           

           By the time we were all packed up and ready to go, everyone was tired. We all piled into the two vehicles and the drive home was fairly silent. Ryan held my hand with one of his and I found myself drifting off a couple of times.

            When the car came to a stop, I jerked awake. We must have been at Chase’s house, because I didn’t recognize it. Ryan got out and helped Chase carry his stuff to the front door. When he came back, Sarah and I were both wide-awake.

            He drove Sarah home next and then we went to my place. I was surprised to find the driveway empty, because Jason was almost always home on Sunday nights. I had an uneasy feeling as I got out of the car. Ryan grabbed my bag with one hand and took my hand with the other. He kept me slightly behind him as we went into the house.

            It was silent when we walked through the front door. “Charlie?” I called out.

            No answer.

            I looked at Ryan uneasily as we went up the stairs. I stopped and knocked on Charlie’s door, but he didn’t answer. I opened the door and didn’t see him in there. I was starting to get worried as I hurried to my room with Ryan following close behind. I opened my door and let out a little screech when I saw someone spread across my bed.

            The person on the bed let out a yell and jumped up. Ryan grabbed me and was about to pull me behind him when I saw who it was. “Charlie, what the hell!” I yelled.

            He held a hand to his heart. “Jesus, you nearly gave me a heart attack Sammy!”

            “Why are you in my room?” I asked as I flipped the light on so I could see him better. I gasped when I saw him clearly. “What the hell happened to your face?” I rushed over to examine him closer.

            His right eye had an impressive shiner on it and his lower lip was split open. I ran my fingers lightly over his black eye and he winced, but didn’t say anything.

            Ryan came into the room fully. “Charlie, what happened?”

            Charlie sighed. “Jason came home last night and he was pissed that Sam wasn’t here to cook. He said some unpleasant things and one thing led to another.”

            Guilt washed over me. He was hurt because he had stood up for me. “Where’s Jason now?”

            Charlie shrugged. “I haven’t seen him since I knocked him out.”

            I stared at him, dumbfounded. “You knocked him out?”

            Charlie grinned, then winced when it caused his lip to bleed again. “Yeah, I knocked the bastard out. He was drunk at the time, so it wasn’t that hard. I just wish he hadn’t hit me in the face. How am I supposed to get the girls when I look like a punching bag?”

            “Easy,” Ryan said. “You tell them you were defending a girl from an attacker. They don’t need to know that the girl is your sister and that the attack was verbal.”

            Charlie’s eyes lit up. “Hey, that might work!”

            I glared at both of them. “You guys are both idiots,” I snapped before walking away and going back down the stairs. I went into the living room and sat on the couch, dropping my head into my hands.

            A moment later, the couch sank beside me and I knew it was Ryan because of the current in the air. He put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. “It’s not your fault, you know,” he said quietly.