Sex and Radio (Book 2)Completed||

17

Callie's POV

I held tight to Bodhi’s hand like a lifeline. Cracking his fingers under the pressure of my insane grip. My legs shook with every step I tried to take. I wobbled like an unprepared sailor on a rocky ship. Drifting in the relentless ocean filled with angry waves, crashing against me, knocking me from side to side. Dizzying my overactive brain. I groaned, trying to right myself before the inevitable meeting I was about to face. The dizziness of my concussion and the faces of my parents were enough to send bile up my throat. If I puked, could I get out of telling them anything? A girl could dream....

My parents waited for us in the living room on pins and needles. I could practically taste the anticipation and anxiety in the tense air. They impatiently waited for us to come to them as they whisper-bickered with each other. They waited on me to open my mouth. They wanted me to spill the beans on what took place last night. They’d want to know what set it all off and what I told the cops. 

My parents deserved an explanation straight from me about everything. They deserved to know what Zane did to me when I was 17. But I wasn’t sure I was ready to open the dark box burning a hole in the back of my brain. I had held it down by heavy chains and straps for so long; it wasn’t easy to pry it open. Holding this horrific pain inside for so many years tied my tongue more often than not. Once you put your pain into a box in the back of your brain and tried to move on, it was hard to let go. For the sake of my parents, I needed to do it. I needed to break the chains and let my past of shadows spill out into the open. Only then would I set my pain and suffering-free. Only then would my soul soar free. 

We walked down the hallway at a slow pace. Bodhi hesitated beside me, but kept his hand in mine. What a difference a night could make in his attitude. One second we had so much animosity and anger towards each other and the next? The next he stripped away his anger and fear and proved himself a changed man. My heart soared with gratitude for his actions, symbolizing our fresh start. 

“You gonna be ok doing this?” He murmured in my ear as we entered the living room. My parents jumped to their feet. My mom forced me into a crying hug, holding tight like I might fly away. 

“I’ll be fine,” I muttered back straight into Bodhi’s eyes, and he nodded. 

“Baby--“ tears stained my mom’s cheeks already. Her glistening brown eyes examined every inch of my battered face. I winced, pulling back as she ran a finger over my eyebrow. “I don’t understand, baby. What happened?” She whispered.

I swallowed hard as she cupped my cheeks again. It was too hard to keep the burning tears in the back of my eyes at bay with her staring at me like a porcelain doll. But I wasn’t. I was like a tree. The wind could slam into me, break my branches, and ruffle my leaves. But my roots were strong, and I’d stand tall for an eternity. 

“I--" I closed my eyes again. My brain begged me to soften the blow to them. I didn’t want to hurt them too. I didn’t want them to think less of me or think they could have done something different. 

“Zane attacked me last night,” I whispered, keeping my eyes closed. I couldn’t look into the windows of their souls right now. Not now. I felt too fragile and way too vulnerable. 

My father took a deep, steadying breath beside me. Without looking over at him I could tell he was trying really hard to keep his shit together. 

“He did what now?” He growled, putting a gentle hand on my shoulder. 

“Keep it together, Cam.” My mom hissed at him. Her chest heaved in anger as she brought her focus back to me. 

“He hit me. He tried to…” I pulled my lips together. “He was going to force himself on me………. Again.” My heart palpated through my chest painfully. Pounding a steady beat against my ribs at the look in their bewildered eyes. They looked at each other with their slackened jaws and then back at me. The way I emphasized the word again made them pause all their movements. The world seemed to freeze around us as they processed my words.