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Chapter 51 : Mark

Chapter 51

Riker POV 

I could feel my legs shaking as we walked up to our front door. Rocky knocked on the door and Stormie opened it.

"Please don't hit me! I'm sorry! I won't ever sneak out ever again!" I said, panicking.

"Rocky, why don't you head up to bed? Riker, I want to talk to you in the living room," Stormie said.

I walked into the living room and sat down on the couch in the furthest spot possible and pulled my legs to my chest.

Stormie came in and sat down on the opposite end of the couch.

"Are you going to hit me now!?" I asked.

"No, Riker."

I was shaking so bad.

"Actually I think maybe Mark should talk to you," she said, getting up.

I buried my face in my knees. I don't want Mark.

When I heard footsteps walking closer, I covered my head with my arms, trying to protect myself.

"Riker."

I stayed frozen.

"Riker."

I wasn't moving. And I wasn't going to speak either.

I felt Mark try to take my arms off my head, but I just held them there tighter.

"Please stop! I don't want to get hit!" I screamed.

Mark was still trying to force my arms off and it was really hurting the burn on my arm.

"Ow, ow, ow!" I yelled.

He finally let go of my arms. I kept them over my head but my arm hurt really bad. I started crying but tried not to make any noise. My breaths were super shaky.

I felt Mark sit down next to me on the couch, which I hated.

"Riker, listen."

"Please don't hit me!" I screamed.

"Riker, I'm not going to hit you. Listen. You're not in trouble. But from now on, I want you coming to every meal and eating even if you feel sick. And I want you participating in family events. So if we have a movie night or game night or beach day, whatever it is, I want you participating. I don't want you hiding in your bedroom so much. Do you understand me?"

I stayed silent. No. I don't understand. That's not fair. I've only been here for like a week.

He got up and started trying to pry my arms away from my head again.

"Ow! Please stop!" I screamed, trying to pull my arms out of his grip.

"What are you doing?"

I looked up, seeing Rocky. Mark let go of my arms.

"What are you doing to him?" Rocky asked.

"Trying to have a conversation with him."

"Ok, look. Don't touch his arms, ok? Just don't. You can't treat him like this. He's never going to trust you. Can we go to bed now?"

"Yes."

Rocky took my hand and led me upstairs to our room. I sat with him on his bed and cried into my hands for a few minutes. Rocky put his arm around me and just waited for me to calm down again.

"My arm really hurts," I whispered.

Rocky pulled up my sleeve to look at my burn. My arm was bright red.

"Do you want me to put burn cream on it and wrap it up?" Rocky asked.

"Yes, please..."

Rocky got up and came back with the first aid kit. He put burn cream on my wrist and then wrapped it.

"Can I stay here tonight?" I asked, quietly.

"Yeah, of course, Riker."

I got under Rocky's covers and shut my eyes.

"What did dad say?"

"That he wants me to come to every meal and he doesn't care if I feel sick. I need to eat anyway. And he said I need to stop hiding in my room and participate in family events. Why is he being so mean to me!?" I said, starting to cry all over again.

"I don't know. If he really wants to get you to trust him, he wouldn't be doing this."

"My arm hurts."

I turned on my side so I was facing Rocky. And I buried my face in his shoulder. I reached my hand up and rested it on his chest. And I started crying harder and harder.

"Riker, calm down. Take some deep breaths. You're ok. He didn't hit you."

"This isn't fair!"

"Just try to get some sleep. We can talk about it more in the morning, ok?"

"Ok..."

Rocky rested his hand on my back and pulled the covers over us. I'm really scared for tomorrow now.