Corrie takes a seat on his couch with a content sigh. He's never be so at ease, even if him and Bradley are in a sort of Cold War. He's not even sure what they're fighting about.

He turns on ESPN and eats a handful of buttery, delicious popcorn. He checks his phone, scrolls through Instagram and watches Snapchat stories. Of course, his inner peace never lasts that long.

He still has a choice to make.

Tell his dad about Ophelia or let his dad keep going as he is.

He'll be risking everything by telling his dad, but his dad is risking everything the way he's going. Who the fuck knows what his father is letting her know, letting her have?

Ophelia cheating on his dad is one thing, but Graham cheating on Cassandra is another. He doesn't want to ruin their marriage, but isn't Graham already doing that himself?

Corrie finishes his popcorn and thinks about his choices. He knows what he has to do, the right choice. But he also knows the easy way out.

As everyone has come to discover, Corrie likes easy. But he's not letting his father be ruined over a skank who's obviously after more than his love. So what does he do?

Does he do the right thing or the easy thing? That's always the hardest part of life. What do you do? How do you live your life? What is your choice?

•••

"Dad! Please listen to me!" Corrie yells. His dad takes a long swig of his whiskey before throwing the cup at the living room TV. It crashes and breaks.

"You little lying bitch. You little life ruining bitch!" His dad paces through the living room, eyes red and puffy, hair a wreck.

"You fucking know it. You know I'm not lying! You fucking know!" Corrie shouts furiously. "Stop running from your problems and fucking face them, goddamn it!"

"You little bastard! Stop fucking lying!" His dad pushes the coffee table over, making the vase shatter in to tiny little pieces on the rug.

"Why would I lie about this? Why?" Corrie throws his hands up in exasperation. "I wouldn't and you know that bitch is trying to ruin your life!"

"Why the fuck are you giving me lectures on my choice of lover?" His dad accuses, finger pointed out. "Last I remember you chose a boyfriend who got locked up for killing his own mother!"

"Oh my fucking god! Don't you dare bring him up! You little bitch! You promised you wouldn't bring him up!" Corrie hisses. He walks to the kitchen. He pulls a glass cup out of the upper cabinet and picking up a bottle of vodka off the counter. He empties the bottle and throws it at the walls. It shatters into millions of pieces.

Corrie can hear his dad's footsteps behind him. Corrie drinks his vodka and looks out the window over the sink. He leans on the sink with one arm, the other holding his cup.

"Get out." His dad's stern voice says behind him. Corrie smiles, before taking the last swig of his vodka. He turns around laughing, hands clapping.

"Wonderful, we're having this goddamn fight again." He's laughing so hard he can't breathe, his chest is tightening. "God, are you going to kick me out every time one of your little sluts cheats on you and I tell you?"

"One of my sluts? Really? If there are any sluts in this house it's you, for God sake."

"Oh c'mon, you can't be a little more original?" Corrie rolls his eyes. "You want me gone, I'm gone. But don't try that shit on me. Not again." Corrie plays with the rim of his cup after picking it back up.

"Pack your stuff. You have fifteen minutes and I don't want to see you until you either have proof she's cheating or you're a better goddamn child. One that doesn't make their mothers run off." His dad pulls the cup out of Corrie's hand and throws it aimlessly. Corrie hears it crash somewhere in the living room.

Corrie walks upstairs to his room and pulls a suitcase from his closet. He pulls a drawer of his dresser so aggressively it falls out. He takes the dresser and throws it and all it's glory at his grey walls, leaving a small dent.

He picks clothes out randomly and shoves them in his bag. He takes his PS4, his Xbox 1, and the rest of his shit and shoves it in an backpack. Once he's done he kicks his nightstand over so his lamp and alarm clock fall over with it. He messes up his couch cushions, pulls his covers off his bed, knocks his mattress off his the base, pulls his curtains off his windows, and knocks photos off his walls.

He walks out of his room and down the stairs. When he makes it to the front door, his dad is waiting for him.

"I'm letting you have your cars. I need room for Ophelia's when I get her one, so you can have them. Come get them tomorrow. Don't talk to me or Ophelia or I swear I might literally kill you."

"Glad to see you're sad to see me go." Corrie rolls his eyes and grabs his lanyard with keys out of the glass key dish they laid in. "Hope you and you're cheating fiancée have tons of fun. Can't wait until you're begging me to come back because you found out the truth."

Corrie struts out of the house, his father slamming the door behind him. Corrie gets in his yellow Porsche and pulls out of the drive way. The gates to the house open and he pulls out.

"Damn it, fuck, damn it," Corrie mutters. He starts to feel this anger build up inside of him. His hands grip the wheel so hard that they start to turn white. His foot presses down on the gas pedal and the car starts to speed up.

He reaches 50 miles an hour in 30 mile speed limit. He's high on adrenaline. He has this rush, like he knows he could crash. He knows he could turn over; that he could die, but he just wants to go faster.

He just wants to keep going.

But he doesn't. He snaps out of it. His left foot pushes the brake. He stops almost immediately.

He's not that person, not anymore. He won't endanger anymore people than he already has. He won't be that person anymore. Maybe people don't change, but Corrie knows that fucking around like that isn't going to let him have the people he has now. He won't have Bradley, the jock guys, and Devon. God, losing Devon would ruin him, wouldn't it?

Corrie feels the frustration again, the rage, the pain. He flexes his fingers, pulls them into a fist. He needs a drink, he needs a good lay, he needs some fucking drugs.

He needs to feel something other than this hurt and anger, this rage inside him—burning him. All he knows is this feeling, because his whole life has been centered around this feeling. He doesn't know anything else.

He pulls over and gets out. He paces on the road, he screams, he cries. He doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know where to go.

He screams. It comes from a deep place within him. Then he finally snaps. It's been a long time coming. Corrie's fists punch his car door with fury. When Corrie hits the door, he feels nothing. Not the slightest bit of hurt. He doesn't feel the pain in the aftermath either. His hand swells but Corrie is oblivious to it.

Corrie opens his car door with the hand he probably just broke and then drives. He drives anywhere and everywhere. He drives in long circles and places he didn't know existed in the middle of nowhere town in Michigan.

In the end, he's not surprised where he found himself. Standing on Devon's porch, on the mat that reads "WELCOME", with a fucked up hand, a shit ton of stuff from his bedroom, and a bouquet of daisies. The daisies have a wonderful smell, something soothing about them. It's no wonder they're Devon's favorite.

•••

"The guest room is all set up when you're ready, uh, if you need more blankets or pillows, or you're hungry—"

"I've been here before, Devon, stop acting so weird." Corrie chides. He takes a sip of water, pushing the liquid down his throat. Devon holds a bag of ice to his hand, said it there were probably a couple of broken fingers, and they should go see a doctor.

"I know, I know," Devon laughs. "It's just you usually don't come to me in times of crisis. And I know you and Bradley are fighting but, he's your best friend. I—"

"Please stop talking," Devon rolls his eyes. "Thanks for the place to stay, I'm going to bed now. I'll see you in the morning or whatever." Corrie places his cup in Devon's kitchen sink and walks to his bedroom. Corrie looks at his rough reflection in the mirror. His fingertips run across the cold mirror, leaving marks. He still doesn't feel anything. He feels like he should be concerned, but he's not.

No butterflies, no fear, no anger, no hate. He's numb.

He turns the shower on and gets undressed. Once the waters warm he gets in and shivers. He feels the goosebumps raise on his arms.

Then he sits on the floor of the tub and lets the water wash away all his sins. He thinks long and hard about it, about the way he's lived his life. His choices.

He wants to cry and sob, wants to make himself feel something. But the tears don't ever come.

Regret always finds a place in him. There's always something to regret. Because he's the kid with mommy and daddy issues and a shitty past. He's done things he regrets, hasn't everyone?

He gets out of the shower and wraps a towel around his waist. He opens the bathroom door and something takes him by surprise, scaring the living shit about him.

"Oh my God! Devon what the fuck are you doing?" Corrie holds a hand over his heart as he pants.

It's quite obvious what Devon's doing, lying on the guest bed with a phone to his face.

"I was worried. I came up here and heard the water running. I figured I would just wait for you. You can't run from me forever. Hell, you're in my house." Devon locks his phone and throws it somewhere on the bed.

Corrie hums and goes over to his suitcase to get some clothes out. "Privacy?" He coughs.

Devon fumbles with his words before saying that he turned away. Corrie gets dressed in suitable clothing and walks over to where Devon lays.

"I'm not running, I'm avoiding. Big difference." Corrie takes Devon's hand and intertwines their fingers. Devon smiles his big dopey smile and Corrie musters up the best smile he can.

"You don't tell me a lot, and I get that. I'm a fuck up," Corrie goes to correct Devon but Devon keeps talking. "And you don't open up easily. The only person who truly knows you, understands what you deal with is Bradley. I want to understand it, help you deal with it all. But I can't do that if you don't talk to me, and I'm not going to push you.

But you're in pain, and I can't stand to watch it. So talk to Bradley, please. I'm begging you." Devon draws circles on Corrie's hand who sighs.

"I can't talk to Bradley. We're not on the same page at this moment."

"Why not? Corrie, if you don't want to talk to Bradley please talk to someone else. I'll literally get on my knees right now—"

"Will you?" Corrie smirks his signature Corrie smirk and Devon rolls his eyes.

"Shut up, idiot." Devon sighs heavily, and Corrie notices the dark circles under his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Corrie asks, running his hands through Devon's hair. Devon laid his head in Corrie's lap as Corrie sat with his back against the headboard.

"Just tired, school and whatever. When I'm not with you, I'm doing homework or sports, and when I'm not doing that I'm worrying about everything."

Devon closes his eyes and starts to snore quietly. It's just loud enough for Corrie to hear.

He continues to run his fingers through Devon's hair. He could do this forever, everyday for the rest of his life.

And that scares him shitless.

__________

☒ - unedited

Wow wow wow. Are you surprised about Corrie's dad reaction? And the "mystery guy"? Did you expect Corrie to snap like that? What the actual fuck is going on with Bradley and Corrie? Why do you think they're on the outs?What do you think is going on with Devon? Do you like Devon?

Please tell me if you see any mistakes, I'm the queen of typos.

Read, vote, comment, and please, please share! Tell me what you liked/disliked. Constructive criticism is very, very welcome!

Rant of the chapter: still sick...but i've watched two seasons of how to get away with murder in like two days omg...i love the show so much and really recommend it.

Dedicated to: @everyone who tells me their thought on this book :)

Next update: soon i really hope...

Teaser: Corrie needs to decide how to play nice with Bradley when arguments beat up...

Quick notes:
[ 1 ] comment your thoughts on this chapter. what you liked, disliked, could've been better, what was good, etc
[ 2 ] i hope i portrayed corrie's anger correctly.
[ 3 ] my pm's are always open for a chat if you guys are in need of advice/help! unfortunately, there are many things such as rape/abusive relationships i'm not an expert in. if those are the cases, please please see a specialist.
[ 4 ] i'm losing inspo (i literally have a radar for it) so if i don't update for a little while i'll tell you in an authors note update.
[ 5 ] chapter 15 is lowkey gonna be a filler chapter i'm sorry.
[ 6 ] i love you and i'll see you soon. ❤️️

SOCIALS

twit/ @_dreamfloats
tumblr/ @dreamfloats
archive of our own/ @stylescove
we heart it/ @dreamfloats
pinterest/ @dreamfloats