Down to the Riptide

| F I V E |

"I thought I've been hurt before, but no one's ever left me quite this sore.
       Your words cut deeper than a knife,
       Now I need someone to breath me back to life."
                -Stitches, Shawn Mendes

      He was at home. He had just gotten back. Greg was asleep. Sarah was snoring on the couch. It was late. He headed to bed, hoping that sleep would come to him.

     It rarely did.

   He dreamt of her. Hot cocoa, a stormy ocean, and a memory of a home he once knew. And then he woke up. Rather suddenly, probably because Greg was banging on the bedroom door.

     "Get up you little shit!!!"

     He rolled out of bed, shaking as he pulled open the door. It was barely open an inch before Greg had pushed himself in, baseball bat in hand.

     "You're going to get it this time brat!!!"  Greg yelled at him, the words Greg spoke, reminded him how useless he was.

      The wooden bat pounded against his frail body. He vaguely heard Sarah laugh drunkenly before a blow to his head knocked him out.

       Thank god it had been a Saturday, it was only on Monday morning that he would wake up. He could still make it to school.

      Something was different. Twelve missed calls, twelve voice mails, fourteen new messages from, Angela.

   The first messages and voice mails, asked if he'd like to meet up and if he was doing okay, The rest asked where he was, if he was hurt, if he was a l i v e.

      He wished he wasn't.

     He showered, it was painful. But he had to get over it.

   Trey. The captain of the football team was waiting for him at school. He spent all of lunch and free period unconscious in the bathroom.

      He was in pain. He had broken bones. He needed help.

           So he called A n g e l a.

   "David! I'm so glad you called! Are you okay?!?"

     "Can you do me a favor?"

   "Anything."

     "Can you take me to the hospital?"

    "I'm on my way."

     He wasn't sure how to feel. He had called her. Damn. He had promised he wouldn't get close to her. Yet, he couldn't seem to stay away. And she was the fourth person on his contact list. And he definitely wasn't calling, Sarah, Greg, or Jacob.

    That's why. He reasoned. That's the only reason he called her. Because he didn't have anyone else, but this was a one time thing only, and he definitely wasn't getting closer to A n g e l a, at all.