Chapter 18: Chapter 18

River

"You're tripping, that's--damn." Daimen stopped as we entered my house. We'd ran into each other at the campus and decided to hang out some.

I looked around the mess.

What. The. Fuck.

The place was trashed.

"Looks like a tornado hit." Daimen observed and I groaned. He stepped over debris and sat on the couch.

Uncle Dan; there was no other person that would've done this. I thought he was out of town.

"I fucking hate him." I grumbled as I snatched a beer can off the ground.

"You're uncle?" Daimen asked and I looked over at him suddenly remembering he was there. I only gave a nod.

"I thought he was gone?" He said questioningly and I shrugged.

"Apparently not." I grunted.

I huffed and started picking up the trash thrown about and straightened furniture.

"I'll help." Daimen said and I gave him a look.

"Don't play." I huffed and he frowned.

"I'm not. You didn't make the mess, besides I'm just sitting here, it's only fair I help." The young man said standing and looking around.

"Okay then." I said and he have a nod...

We'd cleaned the entire house and I marveled at its spick and span look. Hopefully it would last. I lounged on the couch while Daimen was in the kitchen throwing away the wrapper for a bag of Famous Amos chocolate and pecan cookies.

"Wanna hear a scary story?" Daimen asked coming back into the living room and I gave him a long look.

"No, not really." I said and Daimen smirked.

"Oh, don't be such a baby River. Listen," he sat beside me on the couch and put up his feet against the coffee table.

"You get home, its late night and you're really tired..." he began and I shook my head.

"Daimen stop." I said and he smirked a bit and chuckled. I wasn't necessarily afraid to hear it, I was just tired and wanted to relax.

"You walk down the hallway and to your room. You live alone and part of you thinks to call your parents to wish them goodnight, but its late so you settle on calling in the morning." Daimen continues and I sigh. Maybe it was how he was speaking or the fact that it sounded like he was describing my situation, but I was beginning to feel a little frightened.

"You pause in your dark doorway, staring into the blackness of your room and for a second you get a twinge in your gut. For a moment you think to leave your house and run, but that's a stupid idea. Why would you leave your home? So you reach your hand into the room and slide it against the wall to your light-switch. You jump slightly as your hand touches something wet against the wall and you frantically switch on the light. Light bathes your room and nothing seems out of the ordinary... except the water on your light-switch and the wet muddy clothes laying by your bed. But... Those aren't your clothes. Terror fills you and you back up... right into whoever it is standing behind you." Daimen finished and gave me a smirk as a chill ran down my spine.

"And then what?" I asked softly.

"That's it." He said and I nodded slowly.

"Thanks for that, now I won't be able to sleep tonight." I said and looked away from him. I glanced outside and saw the sun was setting. Did I leave any lights on in my room?

"Would me sleeping with you help?" Daimen asked and I squinted my eyes at him.

"What are you getting at?" I asked and he laid back on the couch with a sigh.

"Do you want me to sleep with you?" Daimen asked me and I rolled my eyes.

"No." I said and the young man smiled softly.

He suddenly looked at his phone and let out a breath.

"I've gotta go check up on something. I'll be back." Daimen said giving me a soft smile. He stood and ran a hand through his hair before stretching.

"Okay." I said simply and leaned into the couch before turning on the television.

"Are you safe?" He asked and I turned to him and frowned softly.

"Yes?" I said wondering why he asked so suddenly.

"I mean, are you okay to stay here? You can come along with me if you have to." He said and I shook my head realizing what he meant.

"I'm fine. He'd probably just left something here, got it, and left." I said and the young man look unconvinced but gave a nod.

"See ya later." He said going to the door and I nodded as he left.

I was watching tv when I jumped at an abrupt pounding at the door.

"River." A voice said and my heart sank.

What in the devil?

The door opened and it was then I had a clarity moment. Daimen had left, so the door hadn't been locked.

Daimen had left, so I was alone with my uncle.

It all happened so fast. One moment I'm standing up as my uncle barges into the room the next, he's kneeing me in the stomach.

"The fuck?" I wheezed holding my abdomen. He just glared at me. I gasped as he quickly punched me in the ribs.

Okay, Mike Tyson, we get it.

I yelped as he punched me in the side of the head and I quickly backed off. My head throbbed as I looked at him with blurred vision before blinking away the haziness.

My lip quivered as I stared at him and he lunged at me but this time I was ready. I ducked under his swing and grabbed his arm before wrenching it downward and putting all my weight into it. The momentum caused him to fall.

"I hate you! I hate you! I fucking hate you!" I yelled as I kicked him and he managed to grab my ankle and swipe my standing foot from under me. I landed on my back with a groan, the back of my head hitting the floor. How I landed my feet were beside his head. I laid there dazed and in pain as my uncle sat up and hovered over me. I scowled as one of his hands touched my leg.

He gave a wicked smile and said, "Now be a good girl." His hand went up my leg an inch, it probably would've went higher, but I stopped it. My leg reared up and I kicked him in the face.

"God dammit!" He yelled and stumbled back.

"Fuck you!" I said attempting to kick him again, but he was out of range so I didn't do anymore damage. I hurriedly got up.

I quickly went running for my parents' room. I knew how to get him out.

I made it into my parents' room and made a dive for the closet. My hand wrapped around the steel and I marched out of the room.

I went back into the living room and blocked my uncle's path.

"Get the fuck out!" I screamed holding up the gun and my uncle's eyes widened.

"Woah Rivy baby let's calm down now." He said and I shook my head.

I knew I couldn't actually shoot him, even then the idea made me feel sick, but he didn't need to know that; I just needed him to think I had the guts to pull the trigger.

"Leave." I said stepping closer and aiming it at his head. He backed up and I inwardly smiled.

"Okay. Okay, I'm gone." He said walking backwards nervously.

"If you come back, I'll kill you." I said and he gave a nod and left with a slam of the door. I numbly walked over to the door and locked it. The gun fell from my unfeeling hands and clattered on the floor.

Tears fell from my eyes and I couldn't help the relieved smile that came to my face. I grabbed the gun and put it away before returning to the living room. I let out a shaky sigh and collapsed against the couch.

A knock at the door made me jump up. I peeked out the window and sighed. It was only him. My hand grasped the door handle and I opened it. He gave me a soft, shy smile.

He walked inside and soon we were sitting on the couch.

I got up to check the door and locked it. I went to sit back down and he looked at me with a playful smirk.

"What?" I asked him still kind of shaken up.

"Nothing. You just locked the door and I thought of something." He stared at me and his smile faded some until it was gone. He now held a serious look in his eyes.

"River did something happen to you? You're acting weird." He said stepping to me and brushing the hair out of my face apparently revealing a bruise because he cursed under his breath.

"Nothing Daimen... It's not a big deal." I said and tried to push his hands away, but he only grabbed my wrists. It wasn't a rough hold, it was gentle yet firm.

"Not a big deal? Who did this?" He said through clenched teeth and I blinked and looked away. "What the fuck Riv? I was only gone for two hours; who the fuck did this?" My heart began hammering in my chest. I couldn't speak. He let go of one of my wrist and caressed my chin turning my head back to look at him.

His stormy eyes met with mine and he frowned slightly, "Was it him; your uncle?" He said and I just looked at the ground.

"Why do you put up with that shit?" Daimen said and I didn't know what to say.

"I-I..." I couldn't get anything else out. He sighed and ran his hands down my back softly.

"You pity him?" He asked and I tensed. I could only shrug. How could I answer that? I didn't even know.

"Hey it's okay. We always do stuff for people who aren't good for us." He said and I managed a scoff.

"I'm not leaving my house because of him." I said sharply and Daimen blinked.

"I don't pity him, this is my home and I'm not going to be run out of it just because of him." I huffed in annoyance.

His eyes locked with mine again and he shrugged saying, "Okay then."

"You told me you were safe." He said.

"I didn't know he was gonna come back!" I snapped rather loudly. Daimen let out a long breath.

"You got anymore bruises?" He asked and I nodded softly. He sighed and led me through the house looking in the rooms. Once he found the bathroom he switched on the light and led me inside. He studied me with a frown. He turned to me and sat on the counter.

"Where?" He asked and I motioned to my ribcage, thats where it was hurting the most.

"You're gonna have to lift your shirt so I can see." He said and I frowned at him. He gave an exasperated sigh.

"I'm trying to make sure it isn't too bad. For all I know you might have to go to the hospital." He said and I sighed and reluctantly pulled up my shirt. For a second one of my bra straps began to fall, but I put it back. I could see myself in the mirror behind Daimen and the large green and purple bruise covered a lot of my stomach and torso. He sucked in a breath and leaped from the counter.

His hands gingerly touched my ribs and I flinched. He gave a sympathetic look and ran his hands over my ribs. He pressed every so often and muttered, "Does that hurt too much? Feel anything shift?" I shook my head and he looked up into my eyes. His cool fingers brushed against my breast and I gasped. Daimen snatched his hand away.

His face looked mortified and Daimen stammered, "Shit-I'm sorry-I... Sorry." I couldn't help the laugh that escaped my lips and relief washed over his features.

"It's okay, it was an accident." I said and he smiled. He looked me over once more his eyes slightly lingering before he cleared his throat and looked back up at my face.

"I doubt he'll be back." I said softly.

"Why?" Daimen asked.

"My dad has a gun in his closet. I got it out and told him I'd kill him if he came back." I sighed.

"That's good. Surprising, but good." Daimen said after a pause.

"Well I don't think anything's broken so I'll go to the living room?" He said in a questioning manner and I nodded.

"Okay. I'll be there in a bit. I'm gonna shower." I sighed and he nodded before hurrying out of the bathroom and shutting the door behind him.

Daimen

I sat against the couch, my legs propped on the coffee table. I stared at the television.

Some show, that I didn't care about, was on.

I suddenly was very hot and pulled off my shirt. With a huff I laid it on the side of the couch.

I shook my head and ran a hand down my face before focusing back on the television.

She'd turned a gun on her uncle. I know it sounds bad, but the thought of River doing that made pride flow through me.

He was a dead man. That was another man I'd happily kill. Just wait... I'd get him.

I was starting to get into the show when a sound caught my attention. I frowned and turned down the volume. I heard it again and as I listened a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

I got up from the couch and made my way back towards the bathroom trying to be as quiet as possible. My feet paused outside the door and I couldn't hold back my smile as I listened to River's singing.

It was downright horrible, but it was adorable. Beautiful...

I sucked on my teeth and leaned against the door listening to her cracking, out-of-tune singing.

Okay, she wasn't that bad.

But Simon would say, "It's a no from me."

A chuckle slipped past my lips as I gave a shake of my head.

This girl was something else.

I turned as her song came to an end and crept back to the living room.

River

After I was done showering I slipped on my night shirt and underwear and shorts. I stretched and left the bathroom. It was now night time and the dark sky was visible through my open blinds. I went over to the window and shut them.

My feet occasionally squeaked the floor as I made my way to the living room. I walked into the room to see Daimen sitting on the couch twirling a pen in his fingers. He looked up as I walked in and his eyes trained on me and they darkened a little. Nerves jumbled up inside of me as I stopped my walk and stood there awkwardly.

He cleared his throat and I saw him swallow before he said, "Hey." His voice had a twinge to it. I nodded softly and he gave a boyish grin.

I tried to ignore the fluttering in my stomach. It suddenly dawned on me that he didn't have a shirt on. What the hell? Where is his shirt? I looked around and located it on the arm of the couch. My eyes went back to him and I found my gaze locked on his body. His pecks were sculpted well as was his ripped six pack. My throat dried a bit as he chuckled and one of his pecks pumped. The action caught me off guard and it was so weird that I giggled.

"What the hell? Put your shirt on." I said between laughing. I clutched my abdomen as I fought to stop laughing.

"You know you like the view. So nope it's gonna stay off." He said with a playful smirk. I felt heat rising to my cheeks.

I sat on the opposite side of the couch from him and he chuckled. I rolled my eyes and grabbed the tv remote. I turned it on and flipped through the channels; settling on some movie.

The movie was good but it got a little awkward when the two main characters decided to get a little steamy in a closet. I covered my eyes embarrassed about what was happening on the tv and the fact I couldn't find the damned remote to get it off. The moans and noises they were making were disgusting yet at the same time I felt yearning rush through me.

I knocked the pillow next to me and frowned when I saw something shiny between the cushions. The remote!

I grabbed it and quickly changed the channel.

"That's enough of that." I said and Daimen gave an objective huff.

"It was just getting good." He countered and I shook my head.