“Milk should be this way,” I point towards the right, while reading off the grocery list my mother gave me. The hardware store went by fine, as Emery was the only one who went inside. “So let’s head over…” I look up, only to see Emery walking in the opposite direction. “Hey, where are you going?”

He strolls away, hands in his pockets, and I trudge after him. He doesn’t stop when I catch up, begging him to just cooperate for five minutes.

“Emery,” I whine. “Can you please not make this harder than it is? I’m sick of-“ I stop when Emery stops walking. With his right hand, he points to a glass door that contains the cold items. When I notice what he’s pointing at, I feel embarrassed. “Oh,” I mumble, opening the door and pulling out the bag of milk. I put it in the red basket I’m carrying and close the door. “Thanks. But is it really that hard for you to talk to me?” He shrugs, and starts walking mindlessly away. Catching up to him again, I continue talking. “I mean, couldn’t have you just said I was wrong?” My answer is only a shrug again, so I sigh. At least this is an improvement.

I bite my tongue the rest of the time we shop to prevent me from whining to Emery. After his threat, I was worried that he was actually going to rip my head off, but so far, he was keeping to himself. More than usual.

I’m piling the groceries under the cover for the trunk of the truck when I notice the clouds. There still very far away, but it worries me anyways. I hurry as fast as I can, while Emery smokes a cigarette. He’s leaning against the front of the truck, staring at the wall of the grocery store in front of him. It’s almost six, so there are no other cars except for our truck. Everyone was either eating dinner, or didn’t need to stock up on food.

“What’s up, Hastings?” My head snaps up at the sound of Emery’s name. To the right, a guy in his thirties is strolling over. He has on a light beige jacket and simple blue jeans. His head is shaved, and his face looks tired. Emery seemed to be quite the popular guy in Redwood.

However, Emery doesn’t look pleased. Once his eyes land on the approaching man, he takes a long drag. By the time the man is a foot away, Emery blows the smoke between them carelessly.

“What? You don’t have anything to say to your old man’s best friend?” He slumps his shoulders, not looking impressed.

“Get out of here, Keith,” Emery snaps, throwing his half smoked cigarette onto the ground. He grinds it into the ground with his shoe as he stops leaning on the truck. I watch carefully from my spot behind the trunk, as Emery’s hands clench into fists. I don’t think Keith notices me, and in the back of my mind, I have the feeling that it’s a good thing.

“I’m afraid I can’t do that,” Keith grins. He pivots from foot to foot like he’s anticipating a fight or flight moment. “Your daddy won’t be too pleased.”

I can’t see Emery’s face, but I do notice for a second the way his body trembles with the mention of his dad. “What are you talking about?” His voice is low and angry; nothing like the way he’s ever talked to me when ready to rip my throat out.

“I think you know, kid,” laughs Keith darkly. Emery’s shoulders become tense, as I begin to realize this Keith guy isn’t such a good person. “He’s still not too happy about your whore of a mother and what you did to her.”

My mouth falls open, as I watch Emery’s body start to shake. I can’t tell if it’s from anger, or if he’s about to collapse. A million questions float through my mind. What did he do or not to do his mother? Why is she a whore? Emery has a dad?

“I didn’t do anything!” yells Emery, shaking as much as I would be later tonight from the storm. I glance up at the sky, and take a deep breath. We really needed to get on our way home.

“Tell that to your old man,” barks Keith, taking a step towards Emery. “Now let’s not repeat last time. Come nicely, and I won’t have to use force.”

Emery takes a step back, and I realize that I have to do something. This weird man is trying to take my jerk of a farmhand away, and my ride.

“Leave nicely,” I snap, walking out of my hiding place and stopping beside Emery. “And I won’t have to call the cops.” Okay, maybe I didn’t have a way of calling the police right now. But Keith doesn’t know, and he doesn’t need to.

“Show me the phone,” grins Keith, looking smug. When I don’t reply, he just laughs. “Nice try.” He moves from my gaze into Emery’s. “Does little Emery Hastings have a girlfriend now?” When Emery doesn’t reply to the joke and mocking tone of Keith’s voice, he continues. “Come on, let’s go. Now.”

“He’s not going anywhere!” I yell as I grab onto Emery’s left arm. I hold him tightly, not wanting him to go with this scary guy.

“Stop wasting my time, you little bitch,” Keith takes another step towards us as Emery shoves me off of him. He doesn’t let his eyes leave Keith’s as he pushes me backwards, and steps in front of me.

“Stay there,” he mumbles, so that only I can hear. Keith strides towards Emery, and grabs his arm where I had only seconds ago. He yanks him, but Emery doesn’t move. At least, his feet don’t. His right arm pulls back and I scream as his fist comes into contact with Keith’s face.

Keith wastes no time as he punches back, hitting Emery in the eye. He winces, but I watch as he doesn’t waste time paying attention the pain. Anyone could easily tell that he’s done this many time before. His fist hits Keith’s stomach, hard. As soon as contact is made, Keith collapses on the ground.

Emery kicks him in the stomach, making him grunt. I avert my eyes as they continue to fight, right in front of me, with no other witnesses. It’s the back parking lot of the grocery store, where there’s no windows inside, or houses around.

“Emery!” I call, still now looking.

“Stay there, River!” He yells at me, and I do what I’m told. It’s the first time Emery’s said anything to me in a month. As much as I hated to admit it, I missed the way he said my name.

When I finally do brave a peek, I gasp. Emery’s on top of Keith, respectively hitting him in the face. His face is twisted in anger and hatred, as Keith’s is covered in his own blood.

“Emery!” I scream, as I run towards them. He’s completely unfazed by me, as I grab his shoulders with my shaking hands. Blood is everywhere, and I feel like I’m going to pass out, but the adrenaline that courses through my veins fights it off. “Stop!”

I pull as hard as I can, feeling tears stream from my eyes. Emery doesn’t move an inch, but he does stop hitting Keith for a moment so he can address me. He grabs my shoulders, the opposite way I had done to him. With full force, he throws me away onto the pavement. I feel skin scrape off my elbows and legs as I land in a heap, watching the scene play out before me. If I didn’t stop Emery somehow really soon, I would end up watching him kill Keith.