Page 18 of Carter

I didn’t get into trouble, but Carter was suspended for two weeks.

Honestly, I don’t know how he didn’t get expelled.

*

Russell had received a phone call from the school about the incident, and the second I stepped foot inside the trailer, he lost it with me. My body seized up as he came bounding to me, that stark look of anger on his face.

“You think you can just assault someone because they hurt your fucking feelings?!” he shouted, grabbing me roughly by the arm and leading me to the bedroom. “Do you have any fucking idea what could have been at risk?! They could be suspicious of us, Leah! They might send people around just to make sure you’re not learning this shit from somebody at home! How the fuck could you be so selfish?”

He shoved me inside and I landed on my single bed. I sat up and looked away from him as he paced the small space, his hands on his hips.

“It’s that fucking kid again, isn’t it?” he went on, pointing to the window. “You don’t fucking think I know you spend every minute with him? You think I’m unaware of your sneaking out of here when you think I’m passed out? I’m not a fucking idiot, Leah!”

I didn’t say a word. I stared down at the floor and tried to breathe calmly. He was frightening when he got angry. It was like waiting for thunder during a storm; you knew it was coming,you knew it would make you jump, but you couldn’t know when it was going to erupt.

That was Russell in a nutshell. He was angry, and he exploded at random moments, causing you to jump and clench your chest as your heart raced inside of it. My anxiety was through the roof and an apology was at the tip of my tongue, but I couldn’t push it out.

I didn’t regret standing up to James. I wasn’t going to apologize for grabbing his balls. He deserved to have them ripped out if it had been up to me. I couldn’t lie to Russell right now and tell him I wouldn’t do it again. I’d do it a thousand times if I had to.

“You learning that violence from him?” he questioned, but I had no time to answer because he was a freight train, moving through the conversation without waiting for a response. “He’s a fucking nobody! A kid with mommy issues and a piece of shit father that can’t even control his own son!”

The second he started talking trash about Carter, I felt my body go rigid. My anger returned and I glared up at him.

“You’re the last person to preach about parenting!” I shouted back so suddenly, I hadn’t even thought of saying it.

He went still, his face looking down at me with pure disbelief. I sat, rattled and afraid. He took a quick step to me, and it happened too fast to see it coming. He backhanded me across the face and my head thrashed to the left. My brain felt like it’d been shaken, and the muscle along the left side of my neck was sore. My cheek stung badly, and I had to blink back tears.

“How’s that for parenting?” he growled out. “You’re done with that boy. I ever see you around him, and that hit will be hell of a lot worse!”

He left the room and slammed the door shut.

I stretched open my mouth, trying to work my jaw. The hit felt like it’d stunned my entire head and I didn’t know what was working and what wasn’t.

I’d never been struck before by Russell, and I realized I wasn’t so immune to his punishments after all.

Still, I didn’t regret anything.

Not even a minute later and he had turned his aggression on Cheryl. I heard her cries, and I closed my eyes and covered my ears to muffle it out.

Seven

The first day of Carter’s suspension came after a weekend. I was walking to the bus stop early morning and found him there, sitting on the bench, looking down at his hands. While my heart did its usual squeeze, I frowned. I hadn’t spoken to him since the incident. In fact, I was purposely dodging him. It wasn’t just because of Russell.

He looked up as I neared, and immediately his flat face turned serious as he haughtily said, “You haven’t been at my window, Leah.”

I stopped beside him, not bothering to sit down even though there was enough space to fill two more people. I just shrugged and neared the bus sign, looking out into the streets.

“Why are you mad at me?” he demanded suddenly. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Why are you here?” I returned with instead. “You’re suspended from school.”

“Who says I’m going to school?”

I looked over my shoulder and at his sudden mischievous grin. “Where are you going?”

“How about you skip class and come see?”

“I don’t want to.”

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