Chapter 20: Chapter 20

River

I sat in the living room, Rocky and Daimen beside me. Some action movie was playing on tv and we sat in silence. The hours had slipped by and it was falling into a rather calm afternoon.

I jumped as someone pounded on the front door.

Police. I thought. That was a cop knock.

"Police department; open up." A voice said. Knew it.

Daimen muttered a curse and turned down the television before going to the door. I turned and stood up following behind him a bit.

I watched as he looked out of the peephole and frowned then opened the door. I walked over to see a policeman with dark blonde hair scowling at Daimen.

"What do you want?" Daimen snapped and the policeman frowned.

"Our department got a call that you may be connected to Trace Holland's death." The cop said and I felt my heart jump.

"So you're here to arrest me?" Daimen said coolly and I couldn't comprehend why he was so calm.

"Yes." The policeman said and I couldn't help butting in.

"Under what grounds?" I asked and the policeman seemed to notice me for the first time. His eyes locked with mine before he studied my body. His eyes lingered a little too long and I crossed my arms over my chest. The hell?

"Probable cause." He said plainly and I frowned.

"What probable cause?" I asked and Daimen shot me a look.

"He's Daimen Princeston. What other information do I need?" The cop said and I scoffed.

"That's not right. Where's your proof?" I asked and Daimen sighed.

"River, it's okay. I'm not going to jail. Get out of here Hulling. Come back with some actual proof and a warrant. I didn't do shit to Trace and whoever told you that is just trying to set me up. He was in a gang; maybe go question some of his people." Daimen said camly and a bored look stayed on his face.

"His friends told us-"

"Oh really? And what did they say?... Trace died in a car accident; I had nothing to do with it." Daimen cut the policeman's words off and crossed his arms.

"Besides the Double Jeopardy clause exists, so even if I did do it, and I did not, y'all can't try me again. I beat that case in Criminal and in Civil Court, there's no new evidence, now piss off." Daimen added with a glare and the cop scowled.

"I know you did it." Officer Hulling spat and Daimen chuckled humorlessly.

"Get off my property." The man huffed, an annoyed twinge in his voice.

"Does your little girlfriend know about you?" The officer said glancing at me and I scowled.

"She has nothing to do with this. Now leave." Daimen spat instantly growing angry and the cop only huffed.

"One of these days, you're going to slip up in that fake cocky shit you've got going on." The officer spat and Daimen took in a sharp breath.

"Leave dammit." Daimen snapped and moved toward the officer but I grabbed his hand.

The cop looked at our hands before frowning. Daimen sighed and moved back closer to me.

"Watch yourself." Officer Hulling said before turning and leaving down the path to his car. He gave us one last look before getting into his car and driving away.

We watched him go and Daimen took his hand from mine.

He shut and locked the door with an angry grunt. I gulped as he punched the door.

"Dai--" I started.

"Don't. Go to the other room." Daimen snapped and I was going to object.

"Now!" He yelled and I scrambled into the living room. I hopped onto the couch.

Next thing I know the sound of breaking glass and such was thundering through the house. I gulped and was about to cover my face before Rocky came charging into the living room with a flurry of deep, attack-dog barks. He glanced at me before going around the corner to where Daimen was.

Rocky's barks abruptly cut off and in seconds he was creeping around the corner back to where I was. His tail was between his legs as he hopped up on the cushion next to me. He let out a whining grumble.

I pat his head and he looked over the back of the couch and let out a low bark at another crash. After a few minutes of continuous breaking noises I stood up.

I crept over and peeked around the corner to see Daimen swiping things off the counters and standing in a wreck. His eyes were dark and he looked over me like I wasn't there. He looked dazed, like he was in a trance. He turned away from me and went back to throwing things.

"Daimen stop!" I shouted as he ripped through the kitchen. I hurried to him and hugged him from behind trying to get him to calm down, my face buried into his shirt. I felt like I was holding on to some crazed animal as he jerked and tugged against me fiercely.

He continued to move and for some moments I was dragged along before he came to a stop. His chest heaved as he took in ragged breaths and his body was rigid.

"Daimen?" I asked softly and he panted hoarsely.

"I'm fine Princess." He rasped.

"Look at me." I breathed.

He turned to me and I looked up into his chaotic eyes.

He huffed and pulled me into a hug, his arms wrapping around my waist. I let out a yelp of shock. He leaned down and buried his face in my neck.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" He asked against my skin and I tensed at his warm breaths.

"No." I whispered and he sighed.

"Good." He said, his lips brushing my skin, and pulled away.

We stood there silently for a while before something caught my eye.

I looked down at his hand and saw it littered with glass shards embedded in his skin and blood dripping from the torn skin.

"Oh my--your hand." I said looking at the bloody mess of his hand. Daimen let out a breath and studied his glass and blood decorated hand.

"Why is it always this hand?" He grumbled. "Wait here."

He walked away turning the corner and disappearing from my view. He returned after some time, holding a towel, tweezers and a bottle of hydrogen peroxide.

I laid the supplies on the counter and took his hand and held it gently while my free hand grabbed the tweezers and I began the task of removing the shards. Daimen was quiet as I got all that I could see out, I'm pretty sure there was none left. I led him to the sink and washed his hand before pouring on some hydrogen peroxide and Daimen hissed softly.

"Sorry." I breathed as I dabbed at it with the towel.

"Do you have any--" I started.

Daimen took the towel with his good hand and gave it a shake and out fell a package of gauzes.

"Oh. Good." I said and opened it before dressing his hand. After I was done I cleaned up and put the shards in the trash.

"Thanks." Daimen said flexing his bandaged hand. I nodded softly.

He let out a shaking breath and eyed the sink.

I watched as he opened a jar beside the sink and pulled out a blunt. A frown creased my brows as he drew a lighter from his pocket and flicked it furiously, it seemed as though he was having some trouble but soon he lit it and took a puff.

"What's the point in that?" I asked him.

His eyes drifted over to me and he sighed, smoke billowing out of his mouth. "It's medicinal. Calms me down. Doctor said when I need it, smoke. It works, but sometimes I gotta get an edible too." Daimen said dragging in a long breath before letting loose another cloud.

"Oh, I thought--"

"That I smoked to look like a badass? Ha, nope. I smoke so I don't lose myself." Daimen said with a soft smile.

He sighed and leaned against the counter. His eyes flickered around.

"Damn I made a mess." He huffed and shook his head softly. I nodded in agreement and he chuckled.

"Want a hit?" He asked motioning to the blunt. I shook my head.

"No." I said and he frowned before shrugging.

"Hey can you get me something from my bathroom? I need to take some pills." He said and I scowled.

"Medication, in the cabinet by the mirror." He continued and I gave a shrug before starting off to his room.

I made it to his room and went to his bathroom. I switched on the light and opened his cabinet.

I eyed the assortment of pill bottles and grabbed the closest one.

I was shutting the cabinet when something caught my eye. There were words written on his mirror.

I felt my eyebrows screw up in a frown. I looked at the words written on the boy's mirror. They'd been underlined and seemed to have been written over to make it darker; maybe it had begun to fade at one time. I read the small sentence and felt something stir in me.

You are NOT a monster.

I glanced back toward the bathroom door.

I let out a breath, feeling something stir inside me once again.

"What're you doing in there?" Daimen called and I jumped slightly.

I left the bathroom to find Daimen sprawled out on his bed. He glanced over at me.

"You wanna ask me something?" He questioned and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

"Err the mirror..." I said awkwardly.

"It kinda speaks for itself. It's just a reminder for me. Everyone thinks I'm a devil or something--but I'm not." Daimen huffed looking at the ceiling.

"Sometimes I wish I was normal, ya know?" Daimen whispered and I didn't know what to say.

"There's something I wanna tell you, but not right now." He said blowing out a long breath. He looked over at me, his eyes studying my face as he lay there.

"Um here." I said walking over and giving him the bottle. He took it and studied the label for a bit, twisted off the cap then was popping one into his mouth. I took the pill-bottle and put it back in the bathroom.

I came out of the restroom and Daimen have me a long look.

"Wanna go for a drive?" Daimen asked and I paused before nodding. He stood, walking over to me, and threw an arm over my shoulder as we made our way outside.

I closed my eyes as we drove along. The wind whisked back my hair from the open window, as Daimen drove.

Memories can haunt you. They can plague your mind with taunting flashbacks and remnants of the past. They can tear you up inside and hack on all of your happiness. They can drive you mad.

I looked over at my uncle. His eyes were red from anger and his lip was drawn up in a snarl. An empty beer can was tossed to the side.

His hand flew out and hit me on the side of the head. I yelped as I went sprawling to the floor.

"Get up." He spat snatching me up to my feet. I cried as he gripped my arm.

"Mommy I want Mommy." I whined and he sneered.

I was in sixth grade at the time.

"Your mom's at work sweet pie." He said and tossed me to the side. It was torturous.

I closed my eyes as he brought his foot hard against my stomach. The pain blinded me for a second and I screamed.

"Shut up." He growled and kicked me again. I cried louder and he leaned down and pressed a hand against my mouth squeezing my jaw. I let out a muffled cry and he placed his thumb over my nose as well and squeezed so I couldn't breathe through it.

I began panicking as I realized I couldn't get any air in or out and I clawed at his arm. He glared at me with dark eyes and smirked at my muffled pleas.

I snapped out of it as Daimen parked his car and got out. I followed and went inside with him. He didn't say anything just walked ahead of me. His stance was stiff like someone who was terribly sore, but trying to walk it off.

I followed Daimen to his room and stepped over a glass shard on the ground. I looked over at the empty desk. Wasn't a lamp there last time?

I thought about picking the shard up but Daimen stopped me before I could, "Leave it." He grumbled and pulled me toward his room. My heart pounded in my chest and I tried to pause but he just pulled me along.

His room was dark and gloomy as we entered and he let me go and shut the door. Part of me wondered why because we were the only two in the house.

He was silent for a while before I noticed his breathing had become ragged, "I'll tell you about what really happened... with Trace." He said looking at me before back to the ground. This dark room made him look menacing yet dim light peeked in past the blinds of his window.

"It all happened in a blur... well some of it." He started, sitting on the side of his bed. It croaked softly under his weight.

"I went out. Told my mom I was going to be gone a while. I just was walking around town. My mom had called a few times but I ignored her... After a while I decided to go home... I didn't know she'd called because of something important... I thought she was just trying to nag me." He looked at the ground in turmoil. His hands gripped his knees as he spoke.

"My ma, when I got home there was a truck parked in our driveway... I went inside and heard screaming and crying. That bastard waited for me to leave then raped her..." Daimen gave a chocking sigh. My chest tightened.

"I got him off her and I was so angry I wasn't thinking straight. My mom was crying... he left... I wasn't going to let him get away, not after that. So I got in my car and followed him. It'd started to rain so I ran him off the road. Then I got out and finished him myself." Daimen's voice hitched and he ran his hands through his hair. I didn't know what to do. My heart hung heavy.

"Then I went back home." I stood there trying to take it all in everything he was saying. He was responsible for Trace's death.

"I acted like nothing happened, but Mom knew... After that everything went downhill; I had another breakdown, Mom started using more... I could've killed you that day in school. The trial took place but given the circumstances that it seemed I had nothing to do with it and the biases of this town against me, the judge let me off scot-free." Daimen groaned giving me a long look. His chest heaved and his eyes were red and tearful.

I honestly didn't even want to move; I was petrified. Caught in between wanting to comfort him and wanting to run away in fear that he might snap and attack me. He killed someone. He actually killed someone.

I had a right to be fearful. After all this boy had beat me. He'd been more or less intimate with me lately which was weird and I couldn't comprehend it.

"Hug? Please?" He said softly and I looked at him in shock. He looked so venerable and innocent and it took my breath away.

I walked hesitantly over and stopped in front of him. He stood and towered over me and I shivered as his hands slid along my back before wrapping around my waist. I sighed and hugged him back after a pause. He shook softly and I tensed as he put his head against my shoulder and cried into my hair and neck. I rubbed his back awkwardly.

We weren't friends. Sure he'd said it, but how could we be?We were both just two broken people living out our shitty lives.

"River..." He said pulling away and stepping back. He blinked the tears from his eyes.

"I've got to go." I sighed looking at the ground. Daimen was quiet for a while.

"You can't." He said before tugging me back to him.

Okay, admittedly I was shocked.

"Just stay with me a little while." Daimen said.

He suddenly had me cornered against the wall.

"No, Daimen." I said feeling my heart banging against my ribcage.

"Why?" He asked and the words flooded out of me.

"You killed a man! You really killed someone... What is wrong with you?!" I yelled and pushed against him. Daimen paused and ran his fingers through his hair, blinking rapidly. His rigid body relaxed a bit.

"I-I..." He said and frowned while looking at the ceiling.

"You lied Daimen. You looked that cop in the eyes and lied like it wasn't anything at all. You killed someone." Tears flowed down my cheeks. He looked down at me and groaned.

"I killed the man that raped my mother." He spat and I shrinked away from him.

"Don't cry." He said laying a hand on my shoulder. I flinched and scurried away.

"I'm not gonna hurt you." He said softly.

"I find that very hard to believe." I grumbled and cowered as he stepped closer.

"I won't, I promise." He said and I let out a sob.

"How do I know that?" I breathed and Daimen looked at me with softening eyes.

"You don't, you just gotta have a little faith... I'm sorry." He groaned and I shook my head.

"Stay away from me." I hissed and slunk toward the door.

"Riv please... I said I'm sorry." Daimen sighed and I glared up at him. I shook my head and wiped the tears that were dripping down my chin.

"Well take your sorry and shove it up your ass." I said in annoyance and anger and walked toward the door.

"You know what? I like this side of you." Daimen said coming towards me with a smirk. I felt my breath hitch in my throat for a second.

"You're insane." I gasped as he grew closer. I had to get out of here.

I gulped as Daimen reached out and grabbed my shoulders. His hands ran down my arms and I couldn't suppress a shiver. He leaned closer.

"I'm not... Forgive me?" He asked in a soft voice.

"Screw you." I hissed and wrenched away from him before bolting towards the door. My hand grasped the knob and I turned it quickly and shot out of his room. He called after me, but I ignored him. I ran through his house and out the front door in a hurry.