We spent the next three days at the lakehouse and were now five minutes away from home and I was craving my bed after being seated in the car for so long. I sighed while climbing out before stretching.

Alex went to grab his bags along with mine while I leaned on the car. "Do you wanna come over?" he asked.

"Just let me shower and meet my parents, I'll come over in a bit," I kissed him quickly before we went to our houses. I walked in and my parents were sitting on the couch talking. "Hey, guys!" I set my bag down and got myself some water before going and meeting them.

"Hi, honey," my mom said. "Are you okay?" I knew what she was referring to. She wasn't able to come to see me after the incident at the beach because she was already at the airport but dad had to leave from work.

"I'm fine, mom," I smiled at her.

"What the hell happened?" she sighed.

"Everything just got out of hand. It's fine, the sheriff took him to the station, they sorted it out." I shook my head.

"No, they didn't. They let him off with a warning," she said.

"What?" I asked in confusion.

"They said since this is the first time they're hearing anything against him, they're obligated to just let him off with a warning," she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"That's not how it's supposed to work. A criminal isn't let off on their first crime."

She sighed, "I know," she nodded in agreement. I ran my hand through my hair in frustration before grabbing my phone and keys. "Where are you going?!" my parents called after me as I opened my front door.

"To the station." I ran over to Alex's first and rang the doorbell a few times.

He answered the door with a confused face.

"We're going to the station."

He grabbed his keys nonetheless but looked at me in confusion.

"They let him off with a warning because this is the first complaint they've gotten for him." I was fuming at this. How can they do that? It doesn't matter if it was the first or not, the point is that he hit me and that's classified as assault. Alex sped to the station and I stormed in immediately.

"Can I help you, Ms. Hughes?" the sheriff stood up.

"You let him off with a warning?" I looked at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

He sighed and told me to take a seat. "What's the problem?" he asked.

"The problem, sir, is that he assaulted me and you let him go without a single consequence being given." I glared.

"It's his first complaint, you all are kids, he'll grow out of it," he shrugged.

I am about to punch this bitch.

"Would you have let him off if he killed someone because it's his first crime?" I scoffed.

"A homicide murder is very different from your case, Ms. Hughes," he gave me a pointed look.

"It may be different but last I checked, assault is classified just as much as a crime as a homicide." I glared.

"I can't punish him the way I would a murder now, can I?" he arched an eyebrow at me.

"No, and I am not asking you to. All I'm asking is for him to have some sort of punishment," I explained.

"Punishment for what?" he sighed.

"For touching me! For hitting me!"

His expression didn't change one bit and it set a raging fire in me.

"In that case, Mr. Ryder hit Mr. Davis as well."

Is he fucking kidding?

"I was saving her!" Alex countered.

"You assaulted him, much worse than he did to Ms. Hughes. Had it been self-defense on her part, she wouldn't have gotten in trouble."

I scoffed, "You think I could have fought him off alone after he kissed me forcefully, threw me into the water where I choked, cut my arm, and he slapped me? You think I was aware and conscious enough to do that?" I screamed.

"You seemed conscious enough to go on a trip with your friends."

"I am conscious enough to punch you right now," I mumbled under my breath.

"After that incident, he hasn't committed a crime so what do you want me to do?" he sighed.

"Something, anything to tell him that he can't do what he did. He can't lay his hands on me, or anyone for that matter, he can't just show up to my house, or drag me into an isolated room at school." I huffed. "He can't touch me." I finished.

"I hope you know, Ms. Hughes, we can't physically keep him away from you." I groaned and slumped in my seat.

"Yes, you can," Alex said. I turned to him and he was glaring at the sheriff. "Give him a fucking restraining order if you have to. It's your job to keep us safe. How the hell can you say you can't do that?" he glared. "You're not the only station here."

He clicked his tongue, "No, but I am the only sheriff," he nodded. "We've let him off with a warning, if anything else is to happen, you call us immediately and we'll see if charges can be pressed or restraining order can be passed. For this time, please cooperate with us and let it go."

He definitely got paid off.

"Fine," I huffed before storming out of there. "What a nice warm welcome back home," I huffed while getting in the car with Alex. We sighed in sync while leaning our heads back.

"This is so fucked up," he scoffed.

"He got paid off," I stated.

"What the fuck is wrong with the people in this town?" he mumbled while backing the car out and driving home.

"You're the only sane one I've met so," I shrugged. "You're crazy sometimes but that's beside the point," I joked.

"Your place?" he asked while turning the corner to our street, smiling at me.

"Mm-mm," I shook my head. "Yours."

He pulled into his driveway and stepped out, getting the door for me. We stepped inside and his parents were nowhere to be seen. "They're getting some rest," he whispered before leading me up to his room.

I sat on the foot of his bed while he took his shoes off and put his phone out of his pocket.

He kneeled in front of me, snapping me out of it. "You okay?" he asked while tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I will be," I nodded while letting out a sigh. He nodded and then sat beside me. "Alex," I turned to him. "Thank you for coming with me to the station. We didn't plan to go and I just showed up at your door, asking you to come and you left everything to do that." I thanked him.

"I wasn't doing much, Faith," he chuckled slightly. "But even if I was," he began, "I would've left it then and there."

I smiled, "Thank you."

He held my hand in his. "Anytime," he smiled back.

I sniffed and cleared my scratchy throat. "I think there's a problem," I huffed. "I think I'm getting a cold." I lay back on his bed, resting my head on a pillow.

"Me too," he sniffed. "The freezing lake water?" he asked and I nodded.

"Definitely," I sneezed.

"Or the ice cream right after swimming in that freezing lake water?" He gave me a pointed look while plugging his phone on charge.

"Either way, we're sick." I huffed while hugging his pillow and pulling my legs up on the bed. I heard him click his tongue before he knocked my shoes off.

"Tired huh?" he asked while flopping down in bed beside me.

"Mm-hmm," I nodded with my eyes closed.

He caressed my face before giving me a chaste kiss. I hugged him while allowing myself to sleep.

x-X-x

"Well, isn't she going to be hungry?"

"I'll drive her to a drive-thru, mom. Go, have fun!" I heard faint whispers.

"Is she staying?"

"Yes, mom. She's staying." I heard Alex huff.

I sighed while sitting up, rubbing my eyes and brushing my hair out of my face.

"Morning," Alex sat beside me while kissing the side of my head. "Slept well?" he bumped my shoulder with his.

"My head hurts," I pouted.

"Thought it would," he said while gesturing to the nightstand with his eyes.

I turned to see an Advil with a glass of water there. "You should probably have lukewarm water but I know you hate it, so it's colder than it should be," he said.

I turned to face him. "I would like to kiss you right now but due to my cold, I can't," I scrunch my nose at him.

"Who says?" He kissed me.

I smiled and then pulled away. "We're only gonna get more sick," I nodded, "So let's not, till we're back to normal," I laughed.

"But I barely kissed you today," he whined while I grabbed the pill and ate it.

"And once we're back to normal we have all the time we want." I gave him a pointed look.

He sighed while I lied back down and stared at the ceiling while he ran his hand through my hair. "Hungry?" he asked.

"McDonald's," I grinned while he chuckled in response.

-

-

-

-

-