Everlasting Solice

I had to get out of there. As far away as possible.

"Jess. Come back!" His voice echoed down the corridoor.
"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"I can't deal with you stressing out the moment the topic enters our conversation!" I spun on my heel as he finished his sentence.
He looked at me with sad eyes, I glared back in response.
"Well you won't have to anymore. I'm leaving, tonight!"
It took him a moment to process my words.
"Oh, okay," He shuffled his feet "But where will you go?"
"I'll go to Richard's!" I grinned.
"No you won't young lady! I'm not having you sleep with that dick!"
Oh, how I hated the stupid jokes about his unfortunate name!
“URGH!” Sighing, I turned away from my father and ran up the stairs.
“Jessica Charlotte Reese! Get back down these stairs, now!”

I slammed my door.

When I came back down carrying my bag, he was standing in front of the door.
“Oh, for god sake! Don’t be so ridiculously childish!” I glared at him.
He was so annoying…
Twat!

I turned around and ran for the kitchen. He realized my plan and followed.
I grabbed my key from the side and flew out the back door.

The rain fell softly. The air was fresh, a relief from my dad’s overpowering aftershave.

The lock on the gate was slippery and wet but I opened it easily and pulled it shut behind me.
I could hear my dad running up the garden towards the gate.

Sighing, I ran down the road and out of sight of my house. My dad knew he’d never catch me up, I don’t know why he bothered!

“Hey. Are you okay baby?” Rich asked me when he opened the door.
“I’m fine.” I said, reaching out for him.
He kissed me gently, running his fingers through my damp hair.
He pulled away from me.

“Babe, what’s with the big bag?” He looked at me, concerned.
“Well actually, that’s why I’m here.” He continued looking at me his head tilted to one side.
“I wanted to ask if I can stay at yours for a bit?” He straightened his head.
“Sure,” He grinned at me. “Maybe I ought to ask my mum first, but I don’t think she’ll mind.”
He took hold of my hand and pulled me in, out of the rain.
He led me over to the sofa and gestured for me to sit.
I collapsed, closing my eyes.

“Mum?” He turned away.
“Is it okay if Jess sleeps here for a bit?” He lowered his voice “I think she’s had another argument with her dad.”
I could almost hear his mum’s mind working.
“Well. I’m sure it’ll be fine. As long as you’re careful.”
He sighed.
“Thanks.” I heard him walking back.
He sat down next to me and kissed my neck.
It tickled.
I giggled and pushed him off.
He stood up and pulled me off the sofa. Why does he have so much more energy than me?

He threw one of his hoodies on my head and kept pulling me towards the door.
“Where are we going?” I asked him.
“You’ll see.” He said opening the car door for me.
I moved his cap that was on the chair and stuck it on my head.
When he got in the car he laughed at me.
“You look cute.” He smiled.
We sat in silence as he drove to wherever it was he was taking me.
He stopped at the top of the road.
I sighed.
“Richard, where are we?”
“Let’s go for a walk.”
He came round to my side of the car and opened the door.
I kept his hat on and grinned at him stupidly.

“Which way do you fancy?” He asked.
“This way.” I said pointing to the car.

He only managed to drag me around the counrtyside for about half an hour, before I managed to cause enough of a fuss that he would take me back to the car.
I had pouted most of the time we were walking and everytime he spoke to me I would turn my head away.

"Happy now?" He asked, hopefully.
I grinned and hugged him.
"Let's go shopping." He pulled a stupid face.
"Oh, so you'll walk round the shops but not round the..."
"Nope." I tugged on his sleeve and he walked slowly behind me as I dragged him along.

When we'd been in a few shops we went to the cafe to get milkshakes.
We saw Lizzie and spoke to her for about ten minutes.
I got a new top and some shoes, from Richard. He really was too good to me.
I thanked him endlessy the rest of the way around untill he got bored and decided to take me back to his car.
"Come on." He said, frowning.
"But I want to..." I said reaching out for the shop.
"No. We should be getting back. School in the morning."
"But.."
And then he threw me onto his back. It didn't hurt at all, just shocked me.
"No!" I protested, hitting his back a few times.
I gave up eventually, he is so strong.

When we got in his mum was standing in the kitching, tapping the work top loudly.

"Hi mum. You okay?" He asked her.
"Mmmm." She mumbled.
"We'll order in for tonight," She said, suddenly cheery again."To celebrate Jess' arrival."
"Thanks." I smiled.
"Got any homework I can help with Jess?" Rich said, changing the subject.
"I think I have some biology."
"Cool. I'll give you a hand." He grabbed my arm and pulled me up stairs.
How did I know we weren't going to be doing homework?
He flopped onto his bed.
"So, what's happening with your dad then?" He asked, looking me straight in the eye.
"Oh, you know." I said.
He frowned but didn't ask anything else about our argument.
"How long do you think you'll be here then?" He grinned.
"Aslong as you want me."
"Looks like you be here for a long time."
Man, he's cheesy sometimes, but I do love him.
Hours passed and we just lay on his bed in silence.
After a while his mum called up the stairs.
"Jess,honey, your bag is down here and would you two like to come a pick a topping for pizza?"
Richard jumped up and pulled me up with him.
We ran down stairs picked a pepperoni pizza and grabbed my bag.
"You can unpack now if you like."
"Okay." I grinned. "I haven't got much with me though."
Richard filled up one half filled shoe box with the contents of another half filled one.
In the empty box he put my converse and new shoes.
Then he pushed all the clothes in his wardrobe up to one side of the rail and hung my 3 pairs of jeans and 7 t-shirts at the other end. With way to much space.
Then he took out my pyjamas and socks and underwear and put them all on a neat pile at the end of his bed.
He went to his bedside drawers and took out three books, he put my things in there.
"Finished." He said from on the floor.
"Thank you." I smiled.

"Pizza's here!" She shouted up the stairs.
"Cool." We ran down the stairs.

I forgot how good pizza is. Haven't had it in so long. I normally have dad's dodgey home cooking.
Probably why I'm so skinny.

"Where you sleeping then sexy?" Rich asked.
"Wherever." I groaned. "I just need to sleep."
"Right you decide: my bed or my floor."
"I'll go in your bed."
"Okay baby." He said cheerily.
He started to get the sleeping bag out.
"Aren't you going to join me?"
He grinned.
"Sure."

He laughed.
"Look at your hair!"
I sat up and looked in the mirrored front of his wardrobe.
"Eew. I'm a mess." I sighed.
"You're beautiful." He said, kissing my forehead.
"Breakfast?" He asked.
"Sure." Before I'd even finished saying it, he was on his feet pulling me off the bed.
We ran down the stairs.

His mum wasn't up yet.
I sat at one end of the kitchen table.
"What would you like?" His voice muffled because his head was stuffed in a cupboard.
"I don't mind. Whatever you're having. I'm not big on breakfasts."
"Coco-pops good for you?" He asked grinning.
"Okay."

School went by quickly. First lesson was boring. And second.
Break time was a laugh and lunch.
A pretty un-eventful day if I'm honest.
When we got home I found a message from dad on the phone.

"Jess please call me?"
I deleted it.

"What would you like to do tonight baby?" Richard asked trying to brighten my mood.
"I don't know. Anything you fancy."
"Would you like to go and see a movie?" He looked at me.
"Okay."
"What would you like to see?"
"Mrmms." I mumbled.
"Huh?"
"I don't mind."
"Are you okay, Jessica?"
"Yeah. Sure. Why wouldn't I be?" I answered a little too urgently.
"Come on. What's wrong?"
"Don't worry." I avoided his eyes.

When Richard's mother arrived home she was as anxious as she had been the other night.
Richard went upstairs to shower and I got a chance to talk to her.
"Erm... Rachel? What's up?"
"Nothing." She sang, attempting to show me that she was perfect.
"Mmm."
"This is bad." She put her head in her hands.
"What's bad? What's wrong?" I asked.
"NO! DON'T! Don't go there! Please don't go!" She shouted.
"Is everything okay?" Richard called down the stairs as startled by his mothers shouting as me.
"Just fine Rich." I yelled back. "What are you talking about?" I whispered.
"Please don't go! Don't! DON'T!" She screamed and started to cry.
She sat in the corner and started to bang her head against the wall.
What the hell?
"No! You can't! Don't go there! Please!" She begged.
"Erm... Richard?"
He ran down the stairs and appeared in the doorway wearing boxers and a grey t-shirt.
"Mum? Are you okay?" He touched her shoulder.
"DON'T! Don't run! Please? Just don't do it." She looked straight in to his eyes. She was now talking to him.
But what about? Where was he going?
"Mum, how about I get you some coffee?"
"Don't. Whatever you do. Don't go there. This is all wrong! You can't! DON'T!"
"Okay, no coffee."
"Please. Don't." She walked into the living room, we followed.
She lay right in the middle of the floor. I looked at Richard, he stared back. His eyes were scared.
"DON'T! PLEASE! NO! DON'T DO IT!!"
"Shh mum." He said looking round at me.
Did he know something I didn't?
"Why don't you sit there?" He pointed to the sofa.
"Mmm. Yeah." She said sitting up and looking around.
"It's okay." She said brushing herself off. "Fine, fine. He doesn't mind. Yes. I get it. But I don't think it's a good idea. I'd really rather you... Oh. Fine."