Fake Smiles and Cut Wrists (a Chandler Riggs fan fiction)

Chapter 31

Third Person POV
The cops showed up at 3:24 am. They questioned Payton first, as she was the one who called the police.

"You are a very brave young girl." The officer told her as he was walking off.

Chandler stopped him before he left completely. "What's gonna happen to my dad?" He asked him.

"He's gonna do his time, nothing added unless he breaks out again." The cop answered. Chandler nodded.

He didn't want his dad to be in there any more than he has to be. Even after all the terrible things he's done to Chandler, he was still his dad.

Chandler's POV

From the corner of my eye, I see Laura walking over to us. She grabs my hand and leads me away from the cop, Andy and Payton.

"Hey, are you okay?" She asks me when we're out of earshot of everyone else.

"Y-yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I ask. "Come on, Chandler. I know that guy scared you. You never talk to us about anything. You know you can, right?" She explains.

"Y-Yeah. I-I know." I say quietly. she smiles sadly and links hands with mine. She looks into my eyes.

"No matter what anyone has ever done to you or me, let's promise to never lose each other. Ever." She says.

I nod. "Okay, I swear on my life that I'll never let anything happen to you ever anyways though. I love you Laura." I say. She smiles.

"I love you too." She says to me.

From the corner of my eye, I see the police escorting my dad to the police car. I decide to do something that I have been afraid to do for seven years.

"Dad, wait!" I let go of Laura's hand and run to him.

He looks at me sympathetically and I throw my arms around him, tears start to form in my eyes.

He hesitates for a moment, then hugs me back. "Dad?" I look up at him. "Yeah buddy?" He asks quietly, like he's ashamed.

"No matter how much you suck, I still love you." I say and bury my face back into his chest. He laughs slightly and pulls away.

"I love you too, so much. And I won't say I'm sorry because it isn't enough but I will say this, you're the bravest person I know, and don't let anyone ever tell you differently, okay?" He says.

I smiled and hugged him again.

"Don't ever hit me again, dad." I mumble. "Never." He whispered.

———————————

It was Monday morning, well kind of.

It's 3 am.

And of course, I had the same stupid dream again. Why won't it just go away? I can't stop shaking, and I try not to cry, to no prevail.

I try to be as quiet as I can as hot tears poured down my cheeks.  Suddenly I hear footsteps coming up the stairs.

I panic, and quickly get under the covers and pretend to sleep.

I hear my door creak open as I try to slow my breathing. "Chandler? I know you're awake, kid. But why?" He asks.

"I-I'm okay..." I choke out, but my voice breaks at the end and he knows that I've been crying. He walks in and sits on my bed and I sit up.