Synthetic Love

Ricky had been very protective of me the past week. He watched me closely, always stayed near and he was definitely proving what he said about being here for me to be true.

I had never gotten this much attention from anybody and I kind of liked it, to be honest. Knowing someone else cared and would be there for me was an overwhelming experience.

He also finished the project. He told me all about it then turned it in early to Mr. Bender.

Right now though, he wasn't here. I was sitting with Vannah at the park on a day we were released early from School. On days like this, I never tell my dad. I can have around two hours of freedom from him and school without getting yelled at or other things...

Vannah picked at a plate of fries she bought at the snack truck and she groaned. "This is disgusting."

"Why do you always buy something from it then?"

"I'm hungry. I mean, we got out before lunch. We should've just ate somewhere. We both deserve a good meal."

"I wanted to talk to you-"

"Wait, you got some good home cooked food when you went to Ricky's the other day. I'm sorry." She said with a smirk.

"He's what I wanted to talk to you about."

"What did you do?"

"It's not like that!" I yelled, throwing my hands in the air. "He wouldn't. I wouldn't. At least not now."

"Then what?"

"He knows. That's why he has been acting like he has."

"Like, he knows about your dad?"

"Yeah. I...trust him. A lot. Plus, he kind of found out. I just told him the details." I leaned my head into my hand. "I wanted to know if you thought it was a mistake. You know, to tell him."

She bit her lip. "He seems nice and he seems to care about you. A lot. I just don't know him well enough to really tell you. You know the guys better than I do. Mainly because I spend most of my time talking to Balz. You know Ricky better than me. You shouldn't ask me. You know him and you are good judge when it comes to people's character. You told him because you thought he was trustworthy so obviously you made the right choice."

"That's probably the most intelligent thing you've ever said. Unless your wrong." I said with a laugh.

She scoffed. "I love you, too, Clara."

"So, you and Balz?"

"I don't even know. I like him. He...gets me. Plus he is really good lookin' and he plays the keyboard, like me. But he would never go for me. It seems like this is gonna a just friends thing."

"Why?"

"Because guys don't like me."

"And they like me? Besides, you and Balz are exactly alike. You have so much in common."

"Ricky likes you and shut up."

"No he doesn't."

He smirked. "You'd be surprised."

"And so will you." I looked down at my phone to see it lit up with Ricky's name.

0o0o0

"I only have forty-five minutes. I can't be home late." I said reluctantly.

"I know." Ricky replied. I wish you could stay longer."

"Me too."

"You should move out when you turn eighteen. It's legal and you can move out one day when he's not there. Plus, since the house means so much to you, you'll get it back when he dies or something because your his child. "

I scoffed. "And where would I go?"

"You could stay with me. My mom wouldn't mind. Neither would I. You may think I'm kidding but I'm serious. I don't like you living there. You're in danger. If he does that stuff when he's sober, what If he gets shitfaced one day? Bad shitfaced. And he comes home and does something worse to you. Like sends you to the hospital or... to the morgue? I don't want to go to school one day and hear one of those sympathy announcements over the loudspeaker about how you passed away but you'll be in our hearts. I guess I've just grown to care so much about you." By the time he had finished, he was looking down at the ground.

"I don't know what to say."

"Please, let me help. I can't sleep at night because I don't know what's going on at your house. I don't know if he's beating your or if your sleeping and okay. I don't mean to be so blunt but I need you to know this. Vannah wants the same thing. I can tell. She obviously knows you better and she doesn't want to pry you but I will because I don't have a lot of friends and I want to the keep the few I have. So, please. Tell me something that I can do to get you out of there. To stop him."

His words touched my heart. No one had ever cared about me this much and it gave me hope. He was right, though. Unbelievably right about my dad and how I needed to get away from him. I was being to sentimental and I was letting fear get the best of me. Living like this wasn't good for me and it was only a matter of time before it escalated to something worse.

Could I really do this? Would I regret it? I mentally chided myself. This time I was gonna do something for myself. I was going to do what my heart and head told me to do.

I grabbed one of Ricky's hands, he looked up at me. I sighed. "Ricky, tell someone. I want you to. Police, your mom, a teacher from school. I don't care. Tell them my secret." I squeezed his hand. "Save me, Ricky. Set me free."