Joe-
It was finally Halloween. Chris was in her sister's room helping her get ready for a Halloween party. I was waiting and handing out candy. Chris walked up to me, wrapping her arms around my waist.
"Is she ready?", I asked.
"Yeah, I don't think my dad's going to like it though", she said.
I looked at her confused. Seeing Cora come out, she was in a Tinker Bell outfit.
"Oh hell no", I said.
I shook my head.
"Nope, change", I said.
Cora groaned and rolled her eyes. Chris laughed.
"You look like a hooker", I said, hands on my hips.
"Joe", Chris swatted my chest.
"I'm serious, go change, now. You're fifteen", I said, crossing my arms over my chest.
"No, you're not my dad. You can't tell me what to do", she said, crossing her arms over her chest looking up at me.
"Babe you're not gonna win", Chris said.
"Yes I will", I said determined.
Chris leaned into her sister and whispered something in her ear.
"Hey no scheming", I said.
Cora smiled and then looked at me with puppy eyes and pouted. I growled.
"Fine", I said.
I glared at both of them.
"You have to take a jacket", I said.
"What? No way", she said.
She stopped when Chris cleared her throat.
"Fine", she said.
She went to get her jacket. I went over to kiss Chris.
"I'll be back soon", I said.
She nodded, Cora came back with a sweater.
"Is this ok dad?", Cora asked.
Chris laughed. I rolled my eyes. Opening the front door, Cora hugged Chris. Getting in the car with Cora, I drove her to the party.
"Please be careful tonight Cora", I said.
"I know", she said.
"Where's your dad? I haven't seen him all day", I said.
"He's um, looking for my mom. She left early this morning after Chris and my dad told her they're getting her help. I'm thinking she went for one last drink", she said.
"Does your sister know?", I asked.
She nodded and I gripped the steering wheel. Why wouldn't she tell me? Pulling up to the house, I grabbed her arm before she could get off. Handing her my phone. Remembering that her mom took hers from her.
"What's this?", she asked.
"My phone. Your house number is in it. If you need me, you call me, got it", I said.
She nodded.
"Curfew's ten, Cora", I said.
"I know", she got off the car.
I watched until she disappeared into the sea of people. Driving back home, sitting down next to Chris.
"Why didn't you tell me about your mom?", I asked.
"Joe, please don't start", she said.
"I'm not starting anything, I just asked a simple question", I said.
"It has nothing to do with you", she said angry.
"Babe, if this involves you, it is my business. Talk to me", I said.
She took a deep breath.
"Christina, look at me", I said.
She bit her lip.
"Talk to me damn it, what's got you so pissed off", I said a little louder.
"Fine", she yelled.
She turned to me.
"It pisses me off that my mom would rather drink her stress and pain away than be with her family. It pisses me off that I can't leave this house to help my dad find her. It pisses me off that you can't mind your damn business. It pisses me off that you, being able to choose to be somewhere else, your choice is to be here, watching me die slowly", she yelled.
Tears streaming down her face. She took another deep breath. I reached over to take her hand, but she pulled it away.
"Keeping all that bottled up isn't good for you. The reason I can't and won't mind my own business is because I love you. I worry about you and I chose to stay here with you, there's no where else I'd rather be. I want to spend every second of my life right here with you and you aren't dying, so kick that thought right out of your head now", I said.
"I want you to stay with me but that's selfish. If I let you stay you're going to resent me. You're going to hate me by the end of this", she said.
"I could never hate you", I said.
"Why do you think my mom drinks? That is my fault. I drove her to that", she said in tears.
"What? No baby, she made that choice on her own", I said.
I bent down in front of her, cupping her face.
"Look at me. Hey", I said.
Her eyes met mine and I wiped her tears.
"There's something I need to tell you. I wanted to wait till you really needed to hear it", I said.
"What?", she asked.
"I've been in love with you since middle school, seventh grade to be exact. You were just so pretty", I said.
"That's when you started picking on me", she said.
I laughed softly, she did too.
"Then you disappeared on me. I saw your brothers, but you stopped going to school, broke my heart a little. Then when you came back, I made sure I had atleast one class with you. This year I had none, pissed me off. So I went and got my last class changed. I wish I could have just told you how I felt. I wasted so much time, I beat myself up for it, but now I have you and I'm not letting you go", I said.
"Joe", she said.
"Don't say you're gonna die. You're not, it pisses me off when you think like that", I said.
She kissed me. Sitting down next to her, we watched tv for a while. She fell asleep in my arms. The phone started ringing.
"Hello", I answered.
"Joe, I need your help. Please help me", Cora said, I could hear music in the background.
"Cora what's wrong?", I asked.
"I'm locked in the bathroom, he won't leave me alone", she was crying.
"Ok stay there, don't move", I said, getting up.
"What's wrong with Cora?", Chris asked.
"I don't know, she sounded scared", I said.
"I'm coming", Chris said standing.
"No I'll bring her home. I'll be back soon baby", I said.
I ran to my car and got in. Driving fast to get to the party. Slamming on the brakes when I got there and rushing passed all the people. Finding the bathroom, there was a guy banging on the door yelling things. Anger burned inside me.
Cora was like a sister to me and if this guy hurt her. I was going to hurt him.