River of Lies by Sammy King

home, but at that moment it was nice being away from the chaos that had seemed to suddenly envelope my brief peaceful existence. We sat and watched the sun begin to come up over the ocean, the birds, flew against the pink and orange hews of the sky.
    “We better go face the music” Dylan said, as he fired the car to life.
    I sighed, and wished it didn’t have to come to an end.  We drove back in silence, but not an awkward silence, we were both at peace.  The house was quiet; Michael and Shelly’s car still was in the driveway.  When we went into the house, the place was dark, with the curtains pulled, the smell of dope and beer lingered in the air.  Beer can’s littered the lounge room floor, ash trays were filled with cigarette butts, and the bong looked like it had been knocked onto the floor.  Michael was sprawled ungracefully on the couch, with Shelly curled up in a ball next to him on the bean bag.
    I went into my room, and fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow, and I didn’t wake again, until I heard Tilly yelling.  I couldn’t make out what she was saying in my half asleep state, but I knew it had something to do with me when she swung open my door, near off its hinges.
    “Where the fuck were you last night? I nearly had to call the fucking police” she screamed into my face.
    “But you didn’t did you?” I said, terrified of the crazed look on her face.
    Her slap stung as it hit my cheek. I stared into her face and refused to let her see how much she hurt me. As she went in for the second slap, Dylan grabbed her arm.
    “Don’t you touch her” he snarled at her, his voice full of venom and anger, if I wasn’t so frightened I would have found it sexy.
    Shock took over her whole face, as she looked from me to Dylan.
    “So why are you protecting her Dylan, your meant to be my boyfriend” she pouted sulkily.
    He nodded. A look of repulsion filled his face.
    “I am, but I promised I would protect Mon, and that meant from you too” he said. 
    The vein in his neck pulsed and his face reddened. I could see the anger that was filled in his dark eyes. I pulled the blanket up to my chin; the air was thick with tension. She wrenched her arm out of Dylan’s hand, and pushed past him out the door.  Dylan looked at me and mouthed “you ok?” I nodded, and flopped back onto my pillow. I covered my eyes with the palms of my hands.  I felt someone sit on my bed next to me, and when I removed my hands from my eyes, I could see my dad.
    “Mon, do you love Dylan?” his face had softened, he had shaved the stubble and brushed down what was left of his hair, he was a different man there at that moment, not the man I had come to hate but a man that I longed to have as my father. I was confused by my feelings, I couldn’t understand how just in one moment, he could change repulsion into almost love for him.
    I looked at him, and remembered that he saw our shared kiss the night previous. My face said everything and I knew there was no point lying to him.
    “Yes” I said.
    Dad nodded, and patted my leg.
    “You’re a good girl Mon, and Dylan is a good guy. But it would tear your sister’s heart out if she knew”
    I looked away, and stared at my wall.
    “Well I’ve kept enough secrets for you, maybe once in your life you could keep one for me” I looked back over at dad, and stared into his eyes, my anger was overwhelming, as that love I felt, suddenly dissipated and turned back into disgust. 
    I noticed his eyes begin to well up and my heart suddenly softened once more.  I couldn’t keep up with the changes in my emotions and it made me want to scream. Dad nodded, as he ran his hand through what was left of his hair.
    “Your right, you have kept a lot of secrets for me, and that was wrong for me to expect you to do that, but what you’re asking me is to choose between the two girls I love.”
    I looked away again. Tears formed and threatened to overflow, I pushed my palms into my eyes, to