Love You To Life ✓

This Means War

The first night back home, I couldn't seem to find any sleep.

I tossed and turned, but nothing seemed to work for me.

Taking my cell-phone with me, I creeped out of my room and entered the guest room.

"Ruth?" I whispered, standing at the doorframe.

Unlike me, she was a heavy-sleeper.

"Cory? You cannot sleep either?" she asked and I grinned happily, even though she couldn't see it in the dark.

"Nah, I think I got used to some worm tossing around and kicking me every half an hour in her sleep," I mumbled.

"A worm you say?" she chuckled, keeping her voice down. "Your mother does not-"

"Want us to share a bed," I finished her sentence. "I know. That's why we're gonna lay on the floor."

"That sounds awfully uncomfortable," Ruth replied and I felt the disappointment wash over me. "Let's do it!"

I smirked happily.

And as we layed there, I played the recording of Ethan's snoring and put it next to my head. Then I hugged Ruth closer to me.

"Ah, perfect," I closed my eyes peacefully.

She put both her hands on my chest. I opened one eye and looked down at her, to see her staring up at me.

"I can't sleep without that dork's snoring," I explained with a shrug, holding her a little tighter now.

She giggled, "I believe you are the dork."

I grinned, eyes closed.

Giving her a kiss on the forehead, I said, "Goodnight, Ruth."

That's when I felt her soft lips on my cheek. "Goodnight."

I had found my peace and was the happiest guy alive.

The time I had woken up, it was a whole different story.

I felt super sore -  not the good kind of sore, if you know what I mean - and Ruth wasn't in my arms anymore.

I remembered Seth's stupid threat and it stressed me out.

Washing my face and brushing my teeth, I went downstairs. Sure enough there were Ruth and my mom, sitting at the table with pancakes in front of them.

"What you're saying is you're an orphan?" mom gasped, before rubbing Ruth's arm comfortingly. "Your parents would be proud of the lovely young lady you've become."

There was only silence in the room after that.

I decided to walk in and make my presence known.

"You woke up," mom noted. "I was getting to know your girlfriend a little better," she then added, smiling.

I nodded, before exchanging looks with Ruth, who gave me a smile to assure me that everything was okay.

"Want some pancakes? Ruth made them and they're absolutely fantastic!" mom offered.

I didn't feel hungry. I felt sick. All I could think about was that fucking note.

Shaking my head, I told them that I'm not hungry and that I would be in my room.

I sat down on my bed and went insane inside my head.

Feeling restless, I decided that I had to know what Seth wanted in order to shut his mouth.

Good thing that idiot's mother was my mom's neighbor. Only two minutes later, I was standing in front of him.

"Hi, neighbor," His sly smirk made me want to punch it right off his face. "Wanna be my guest and come in for some coffee?"

"What do you want?"

He crossed his arms and played stupid. "You're standing in front of my door and asking me what I want? Whadda you want?"

"I want you to stop being such a pain in the ass, but fat chance," I shrugged with a stone-hard expression.

"You're on thin fucking ice," he hissed, his facial expression getting angrier.

"Then tell me what you want for us to be even," I answered, getting louder.

A dark grin appeared on his face. "I'm going to tell you when we're back at college," he told me. "I want it to terrorize you. And I can see that it's working."

I felt the frustration and anger rise inside me. A blind rage, where you smash something, before you do something you'd regret later on.

"But, I can tell you this much," he leaned in, his grin widening. "Ruth is going to pay the biggest price."

That's when my limit was reached. Ruth was a no no. 

I punched him right in the face, then gave him another hook. The blood was gushing out of his nose.

"Go to the police then! What the fuck do I care?" I screamed, as he held his nose, his eyes widening with dangerous realization. "But if you harm her in any way, I'm gonna make you wish you were never born. That's a promise."

He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand, his eyes still big, grinning widely.

"You don't know what you've just started."