Текст книги "Unbreakable"
Автор книги: Adrienne Torrisi
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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 16 страниц)
“Senior Todd Hamilton is coming out to attempt a forty-two yard field goal,” the announcers voice interrupts us, and I freeze.
We both turn toward the field.
I guess the first quarter is over already. That was fast.
I notice the score is seven to three; we’re winning. Johnny must have scored. My eyes land on Todd in the center of the field. I see the release, his little jump, and the ball soaring through the air. Then it flies right through the uprights, and I squeeze my eyes shut and give a silent thank you.
“Your boy is good,” Casey whispers in my ear.
Yeah, tonight is going to be trouble.
***
Half-time takes on a new meaning this year now that I’m dating someone who was actually voted on the homecoming court. Of course, all of the boys made court, and this year since they are all seniors, they can be voted king. Seeing Ryan out there with Gretchen in her homecoming dress brings a smile to my face. All of the girls who were voted on the court left to change into their dresses for the announcement of the court during half-time. The boys who are on the team have to stay in their uniforms, though, since they are in the middle of a game.
They call Ryan and Gretchen’s names. Ryan really is handsome, even when his hair is matted down with sweat from wearing his helmet. Then they introduce Brian and his partner. Brian is truly in his element. He’s egging on the crowd, trying to get louder cheers. He’s paired with Nancy, another cheerleader from Gretch’s group. I look over at Blythe who is way more invested in the announcement of court than I thought she would be.
“Look at your boyfriend,” I say playfully.
“Yeah, yeah,” she says, falling back into her usual aloof self.
“Look at yours.” She gestures back out to the field as Todd is announced.
Of course he’s paired with RTS who is hanging all over him. Although I can tell he is uncomfortable, he’s putting up a good front. I hate that they have to hold hands, but beyond the hate for her, my stomach flips over with a thousand butterflies for him. Yup, he still has that effect on me.
I love how his sweaty hair is hanging in his eyes. I love how his spandex football pants hug his butt. Seeing him in his pads and uniform will never get old. I want to jump over the fence, onto the field, and into his arms right now. Instead, he’s holding RTS’s hand. Either way, he’s mine and he looks incredible. I could sit here forever, looking at him in the middle of the field.
When the announcer takes an envelope from Principal Marks—homecoming is very official at our school—the crowd starts to quiet down to hear who won.
The announcer opens the envelope. “And it is my distinct pleasure to announce this year’s Homecoming Queen … Gretchen Parker!”
A small flutter of joy fills my stomach, and both Blythe and Shane nudge me.
“Ryan’s got this,” Shane whispers. I think he might be right since Gretch won.
“And your Homecoming King is … Ryan Taylor!”
The crowd erupts in cheers, but Gretchen squeals the loudest. It resonates through all of the speakers since she’s standing next to the man holding the microphone.
Both Todd and Brian run up to Ry and bear hug him, lifting him off the ground, while a swarm of girls surround Gretchen. They are both engulfed with people until the announcer pulls them away from the crowd. He has Ryan and Gretch stand at the top of the podium, where they both get ridiculously oversized crowns placed on their heads to enormous cheers coming from the bleachers.
I glance down at my parents, and my mom looks so excited you would think she just won. My dad glances over at me and gives me a thumbs up.
Todd seems so genuinely happy. I know he couldn’t care less about winning. For some reason, however, RTS is still holding his hand.
God, I hate her.
***
“Tonight, we are drinking, boys,” Brian announces as we all walk into Mark Conner’s party.
His house is already packed with people since we waited for the boys to shower and meet with a few of the scouts who came to the game.
“We have a lot to celebrate,” Brian continues to shout over the noise of the party. “Notre Dame, Penn State, Bama. I mean, those are huge schools and they are interested in us.” He’s practically jumping up and down as he walks backward through the crowd. “Come on, Ryan, the Notre Dame scout was all over you. And the Penn scout was practically drooling over all of us.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Ryan says with a smile. “Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves.” He pats Brian on the back, but Brain’s excitement can’t be contained.
He runs up to MC and chest bumps him while they both shout “Bama, baby!”
Ry shakes his head as he and Gretchen make their way through the crowd. They are both still wearing their crowns, and every single person we pass is congratulating them as they walk by. It’s pretty ridiculous.
On the other side of the room, I notice Casey is already here, laughing with his group of friends. Of course, Viv is practically on top of him. I feel Todd’s fingers tighten their grip on mine, letting me know he saw Casey, too.
“Here we go,” he bends down and whispers to me.
I look up at him and smile as he guides me through the crowd to the backyard. There are still a lot of people back here since this is where the keg is, but it’s a lot less crowded. Todd grabs us both drinks. I don’t usually drink, but I figure just one would be good tonight, especially for the conversation I know we are about to have from the look on Todd’s face. He’s been really quiet since we left school.
His clear blue eyes lock on mine as he sits down next to me on the ground and hands me my cup. “What was that at the game? Why were you with him?”
“I was just saying hi. He was drunk, and I didn’t think he was going to be”—Think, Ash, what is the right word?—“as close as he was.”
“Yeah, he was pretty damn close.” Todd was hiding it before, but his anger is deep and fully on the surface now. I hate that we are here again because of Casey.
“I need you to trust me.”
Someone shouts out about winning the game and everyone cheers, but Todd’s eyes are focused on me, only me.
“I do.” His lips turn up into a smile. “I don’t trust him.”
“I know.” I brush away some of the hair hanging in his eyes. It’s still damp from his shower, so it’s falling into his eyes more than usual. As my fingers glide through it, I notice the light catching the sparkles embedded in it. “Hey, did the scouts like this glitter?”
He starts to laugh. “Way to change the subject, and yes, they did.” His fingers brush my cheek and run over the EHS from this morning that is now barely visible. “You had the right idea with minimal paint. I’ve washed my hair at least five times, and it still won’t come out.” He looks down. “Probably wasn’t the best idea. Coach wants to kill us.”
“But it was fun.” Now I’m the one smiling.
He leans in closer to me. “Oh, yeah? You liked that?” His grin is full of mischief.
It’s nice to be this close to him. Even though we are surrounded by people, I feel like it’s only us as he wraps his strong arms around me, and we just sit there on the grass while I lean back into him.
The stars are bright, filling the sky. I never really notice them unless I’m with Todd.
“Penn State gave me a verbal offer tonight,” he says so softly I almost don’t hear him. I did, though. I just wish I didn’t.
Stay calm, be happy, or at least act like you’re happy.
“Wow. That’s amazing.” I squeeze my eyes shut, grateful he can’t see my face since I’m leaning against his chest.
He runs his hands down my arms, and I delight in his touch.
“Yeah? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say too quickly, like a false reflex. “Really, I’m good. I’m happy for you.” Despite feeling tears welling up, I try to make my voice sound as normal as possible.
“I wanted to tell you first. We all had meetings with the Penn State scout. I think they are really interested in Brian and Ryan, too, as a package deal. Wouldn’t that be amazing if we all ended up at the same school, on the same team?”
“Yeah, amazing.” I continue to force my voice to sound steady, even though I’m feeling the exact opposite.
“A few scouts even asked to meet with Johnny after seeing him at state and then tonight. I guess our glitter stunt was good for something.” Todd gives a sarcastic laugh while I feel his fingers glide over the nape of my neck. I hear his voice, but he feels so far away already, like he’s not really here with me.
I glance around the party to avoid dealing with my reality, and I notice Shane and Johnny across Mark’s sprawling yard. The reflection of the moving pool water is bouncing off both of them as they talk, and it makes me think of the last time I was at a pool at night. It brings a smile to my face, even in this moment of deep distress.
Their conversation looks heated, though. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve never seen that look on either of their faces before. I don’t like it; however, I have my own issue at the moment.
“Ash? Ashley?” I hear Todd’s voice and zone back into our conversation. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I turn my body to look at him, and seeing his gorgeous eyes makes me miss him even more already. I can’t believe I won’t get to see him every day.
I press my lips together to compose myself before I say anything else. I need him to believe me, or I know he won’t be able to truly enjoy this news. I run my fingers over his cheekbones. He really could be a model.
“I am, really. I’m good. I’m excited for you. I know you’re going to be amazing, and I can’t wait to watch you on TV.” I muster the most genuine smile I can.
His eyes study me before he finally smiles, too. “Well, I’ll probably be red-shirted for the first year, so you’ll have to wait for TV.” He leans in, and his lips connect with mine. “But coming to games will be fun. Then you can come see my dorm room.” His smile fills in the blanks, and I know exactly what he’s thinking.
He leans back into me as his lips connect once again with mine. The electricity that soars through me whenever we kiss never ends. His lips belong on mine. I don’t care that we are surrounded by people at this party; all I want is him.
His hands run down my back as he pulls me in closer. Then I feel a tap on my shoulder. At first, I ignore it, but then I hear his voice.
“Um, I’m really sorry to interrupt; you guys look busy.” I know this sound, and I know this is Shane on the verge of losing it.
I turn to give him a WTF look, but as soon as my eyes land on his, I know something is wrong. Todd must read him perfectly because I feel his hands drop away.
“I’ll let you guys talk,” Todd says as he gets up, giving me an understanding nod.
“Hamilton! Where is T.H.? We need him in here.” Brian comes barreling out of the French doors that lead to the backyard.
“Bri, over here,” Todd shouts back. “Looks like I’m needed inside,” he says with a smile, squeezing my shoulders then patting Shane on the back as he walks away.
“Okay, Shaney.” I pat the grass next to me.
He looks back over at Johnny who is talking to a girl that is exuding I-want-you vibes as she twirls her light brown hair.
Shane looks back at me and shakes his head. “Not here. Let’s go to the front; less people.” He holds out his hand to help me up.
TODD
“You are going down, Hamilton!” Brian shouts as he gets ready to serve. “This is a drink pong rematch. You may have won last time, but this is my night. The true winners will reign.” Brian has a huge smile on his face as he pounds his chest. He leaves the table for a second to kiss Blythe who is leaning against the wall, poised to watch the game, already amused. “I’m winning this one for my girl, our little beer wench,” Brian says as he smacks her on the butt with a grin.
Blythe has four red Solo cups lined up in front of her and a crystal pitcher filled with beer, which I’m sure Mark’s mom would not be pleased to know about.
“It’s Ryan and Todd versus me and Mark,” Brian continues.
It’s clear he is already drunk, but he’s so damn happy it’s awesome. He loves competition; it doesn’t matter the sport.
“Just for those who haven’t played before, this is drink pong, not to be confused with beer pong. Drink pong is the drinking game where you actually play ping-pong.” He glances over at Blythe with a smile. This is definitely for her benefit since we have all been playing this for years.
“When your team scores a point, the other team takes a drink. It’s a win-win. And Blythe will refill.” He gestures to the crystal pitcher brimming with beer. “First team to eleven wins.” He leans over the table and shouts, “And you pansies are going down!”
“Just serve the damn ball!” Ryan shouts back with a smile.
“Oh, yeah? You ready for this?” Brian grabs onto Mark’s shoulder and gestures between the two of them.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Ryan, who was it that won the last time?” I mock confusion.
“Oh, why yes, Todd, I believe that was us.”
I stroke my chin. “Yes, that’s right. Thanks for the reminder.” I smile at Brian and Mark.
With that, Brian serves and we all immediately go into a play-to-win zone. Ryan and I are nailing shot after shot.
“Out!” Blythe shouts as her arm gestures to Brian and Mark’s side of the table. “Drink.” She hands them their glasses. We started with the glasses half full for each shot, but I can tell she’s eased up a bit on the portions, which I appreciate. Even though we are winning, I’m definitely feeling it.
Ryan has a perfect hit, which Brian goes for and misses.
“That’s eleven! And the first match goes to Todd and Ryan. Drink up, boys.” Blythe hands the cups to Bri and Mark.
I hear Gretch’s squeal before I see her as she runs up between me and Ry. “You won.” She drapes her arms around him, still wearing her crown, but it’s a bit lopsided now. She looks how I feel, and I know she’s pretty wasted. “I came to give you a good luck kiss,” she says as she attaches herself to him.
I shake my head, yet it makes me think of Ash. I scan the room, but I don’t see her. Where are they?
“All right, all right! Gretchen, remove yourself from my boy please. We’ve got a game to win this time!” Brian shouts over their impromptu make-out session. “Let’s go! Serve the ball, Ryan.”
Brian is clearly on a mission. For this next game, Ry and I have to drink almost every time. I keep squeezing my eyes open and closed to try to focus. Things are getting a little fuzzy, and I know we need to win a few, or I’m going to be in trouble.
I glance over at Ry, and when our eyes lock, I know he’s feeling the same way. Luckily, we win the next few and catch up.
“Gretch, come back over here!” Brian shouts out to the party. “You were a good luck charm for me and MC.” He’s smiling, though I know he’s serious; he’d truly do anything to win. He’s so damn superstitious he taped a four-leaf clover to the inside of his football helmet.
“Yeah, yeah. Serve the ball!” I shout back sarcastically.
“Oh, worried?” Mark says back as he prepares to serve. “Match point.”
MC slams the ball over the net, and Ryan and I both lunge and miss.
“It was in!” Blythe shouts with a smile. I know who she’s routing for.
“Yes!” Brian throws his hands up in the air and then jumps into Mark’s arms. “We won!” He saunters over to Blythe. “That was for you, baby.” He runs his finger down her arm.
I clear my throat. “Um, I believe we are now tied, so calm down over there.” I shake my head with a smile.
“Hey, you two. We’d like to play, so put your Johnson away, Johnson,” Ryan shouts over.
I fist bump him, impressed he could still come up with something that clever since we’re both nowhere close to sober.
“Hamilton.”
I turn to see Casey’s cocky grin as he comes over. I already want to punch it off his face.
“What do you want?” I raise my chin to him.
“I was just curious,” he shouts over the crowd, gathering some attention. Then he slowly looks around the room. “Which girl are you going to hook up with tonight? There’s a cute blonde in the corner over there,” he shouts over the music, he is so calm and casual with a bleach-blonde girl hanging on him and running her finger down his chest in support of this confrontation.
“What did you say?” I feel the hate bubbling up. I don’t know where he’s going with this, but I want him gone.
“Oh, please, I know what happened with Ashley because of one picture. Figured this time you’d do it right out in the open.”
I see red. I thought that was an expression, but it just really happened. I don’t think; I just lunge, needing to wipe that cocky smirk off his face more than anything.
Ryan is fast, pulling me back before my fist can connect with Casey’s face. The girl who was hanging on him screams and jumps back. Guess she’s not that supportive.
Casey’s grin grows even wider as I try to break free, but Ryan has an incredibly firm hold on me.
“What’s your problem, Casey?” Ryan shouts past me as he holds me back.
“Him. First my sister, now yours. He hurts everyone. I’m just looking out for your sister, man.”
“I think she’s good,” Ryan says as he squeezes my wrist out of his own anger now.
“Let me go, Ry. Someone needs to finally shut him up,” I shout back at him.
“Should I let him go?” Ryan asks Brian while I struggle to break free.
Brian looks back and forth between Casey and me, and then his eyes finally settle on Ryan. “Nah, it’s not worth it.” Brian comes up to me and places his elbows on my shoulders. Then he leans forward so only I can hear him. “He’s not worth it, Todd. Trust me. It’s not worth it.” I hear his words, but I can’t comprehend them, or maybe I don’t want to.
“He is. It really is,” I say back to just him.
Brian shakes his head. I know I’m not getting through to him or Ryan, so I shout out to the gathering crowd, “Look at him. He’s all talk. You want to go there, Casey? It’s not like you’re Mr. Faithful.” I look at the blonde who has resumed her position attached to his chest. “I’ve seen what he’s done to girlfriends in the past, so I’d be careful.” I see Casey’s cool façade slip for a second, making it clear I’ve got him, so I go for the jugular. “And what happened with your sister had nothing to do with me. You know that, she knows that, and your parents know that. You needed someone to blame, so you blamed me. Ashley doesn’t want you. Deal with it.”
On that, he lunges for me, and I can only hope Ryan lets go. Instead, Brian grabs Casey, so now we are both being restrained.
I see only Casey, and I want to kill him. That would solve everything. I have felt this way twice in my life, and both were because of him.
I shake my head to try to think clearly, but I can’t. I still want to kill him. I need to permanently wipe that cocky smirk off his face, permanently shut him up.
“Shit, Todd, stop,” I hear Ryan shout, and I know I’m almost free to pummel Casey.
“I need a little help here,” I hear Ryan’s voice again through the blood rushing in my ears.
ASHLEY
I’m outside on Mark’s front lawn with Shane. It’s much cooler out front; the night air is cutting through us now that the house isn’t blocking the breeze. The lawn is littered with people, but it’s far less crowded than the backyard.
I know Shane, and he’s about to lose it, so I grab his hand and start to stroke his back with my other hand.
“What happened?” I say with a small shiver as my body adjusts to the new temperature.
His eyes stay on the grass and scattered dirt in front of us. He’s quiet for a while, just staring straight ahead, but then he finally speaks. “He wants to cool things off.”
I tread lightly, feeling anger building up already. “What does that mean?”
“He wants to take a break. No, he wants to stop everything.”
“Why?”
Shane pulls his hand away from me and starts pulling at the grass that his eyes are still locked on. “Something some stupid scout said.”
“What?” I quickly try to piece everything together, but that doesn’t make any sense.
“One of the scouts he met with started talking about the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ mentality of the college sports system, and he said something like he didn’t want any fruits on his team. Then he looked at Johnny and said, ‘It’s not like I need to worry about that with you. I’m sure you are dripping with girls.’ Then he winked at him with a smile, but like a guy-to-guy smile, not an I-know-your-secret smile.”
“What did Johnny do?” I try to hide how appalled I am. Though I always knew with sports it was a double standard, hearing it makes me want to punch that scout in the face. A good player is a good player.
“He just smiled back, like the knowing one, like he was part of ‘the boys’ club’.”
“And then what?”
“The guy just patted him on the back and said something like, ‘Man, talent and looks, what I’d give to be young again.’ Then he told Johnny he’d be hearing from him. It was like Johnny signed up to live a lie.”
“Oh, Shane, I don’t think so. I mean, what’s he going to do, start dating girls? He wouldn’t do that.”
Shane merely shrugs, his eyes still locked on the grass in front of us as he picks at it, pulling it out piece by piece.
“He’s the one who wanted to come out,” I remind him.
“Well, not anymore. After tonight, he doesn’t think colleges will want to take on that hassle, and if it gets out, it will hurt his chances.”
“But that is insane. He can’t base that on the one guy he talked to tonight.”
“I know, but that doesn’t change how Johnny feels. He thinks they are all the same.”
I start to rub his back again. I have no idea what to say. “I’m sorry, Shaney.”
“Stop.” He pulls away from me. “Don’t say that. It just makes it even more real.” Shane kicks at the dirt in front of him and swipes his palms across his eyes.
“He’ll come around. It’s just fresh right now, what that guy said. You know he loves you.”
“Yeah, but he loves football more, and he needs a scholarship.”
“I don’t think that’s true, about loving football more.”
“You saw him with that girl.” His eyes finally meet mine, and I see the pain in them. I want to wipe it away, but I know I can’t. Then his gaze quickly shifts back to the pile of grass he picked that’s now in front of him.
“Ashley, you need to come with me.”
I look over to see Blythe. She’s out of breath and seems flustered, which is completely out of character for her. The look on her face instantly sends up my alarms. I didn’t notice the shouting inside, not until Blythe interrupted us.
“Ashley, now.” I hear the panic in her voice, and my stomach drops.
I glance at Shane, noticing he’s getting up, too.
“Go,” he says to me as he follows.
As soon as I walk into the house, I can tell the air is filled with tension. The music is still blaring, but it’s a much different vibe than when Shane and I left.
Todd is in Casey’s face, and Ryan is trying to hold him back. Brian has Casey pulled back with his arms behind his back. I step between them both without even thinking.
“What is going on?”
“Ask him!” Todd shouts, lunging forward and almost causing Ryan to lose his grip on him.
“I just came over to play a friendly game of ping-pong,” Casey says innocently.
Brian tightens his grip, and I see Casey flinch. He’s slurring his words, revealing how drunk he is. I have never really seen Casey like this before; he’s usually so in control.
“It’s true,” the girl from earlier—Viv, I think—speaks up. I can already tell I don’t like her. I know Todd, and I know that wouldn’t set him off like this.
Sure enough, at her words, he lunges again.
“Yeah, right,” Todd spits out. “Figures you’d hang out with liars,” Todd shouts to Casey, but there is no mistake it’s directed at his girlfriend or whatever she is. “Why are you even here, Casey? This isn’t your school; these aren’t your friends. You need to leave.”
Mark Conner steps in next to me. He walks up to Todd and rests his elbows on Todd’s shoulders so their foreheads are almost touching. “I invited him, but do you want him gone?”
Ryan is still holding tight. He knows as well as I do that if he lets go of Todd right now, Casey is in trouble.
“I want him gone. He won’t leave Ash alone. He’s an asshole, and he’s nothing but trouble.”
As some of Casey’s friends step forward, I squeeze my eyes shut. I know Todd has a lot of friends here, but Casey’s friends are making it known they are ready for a fight.
Mark turns to Casey. “What the fuck, Case? You said you’d back off and be cool.”
How does Mark even know Casey? Stupid sports again? Worse still, how could Mark know about me? Does he know what happened at the game?
Casey tries to break free. “I swear, Mark. It’s cool; we’re cool. We’re all cool.”
Mark looks back at Todd, and I can tell he’s never seen this side of him; most people haven’t. Then his eyes land back on Casey and his group of friends, who are still tense but have already visibly backed down.
“I think it’s best if you leave,” Mark says with a calm and authoritative tone.
“That’s bullshit, MC!” Casey shouts back.
I catch the exchange as Brian looks to Ryan to get the go-ahead to release Casey, and when Brian gets the signal, he loosens his grip on Casey. Casey is finally able to break free, but he’s still lunging forward with his full force, so he stumbles and almost falls.
“Sorry about that,” Brian says, but nothing in his tone is apologetic.
Todd is still struggling to break free, and Ryan has to tighten his grip.
“Go.” Mark pushes Casey square in the chest.
“This is bullshit!” Casey screams in Mark’s face. Then he gets in Todd’s face. “You’re an asshole, and you don’t deserve her.” He points to me, and I feel my cheeks flush red.
They are fighting about me? Still? Why?
I don’t even see it coming, but either Todd broke free, or Ryan let go. Either way, Todd slams his fist into Casey’s face.
Casey gets in a good hit or two, and I can see Todd is bleeding.
I start screaming, “Stop!”
Before I know it, Casey is on the ground, and Todd is on top of him, throwing and landing punch after punch.
“Stop him, Ryan!” I scream at my brother, but he just calmly smiles at me.
“In a minute. He needs this, and Casey deserves it.”
“Ryan! Please,” I plead.
All of Casey’s friends have stunned looks on their faces as they back away, even Viv. So much for being good friends. It’s as if it’s unspoken that this is just between the two of them, and no one gets involved.
My stomach is in knots. I don’t want either of them to get hurt, and now they both are.
Ryan gives Brian and Mark a glance, and then they all go over.
“All right, that’s enough!” Ryan shouts in Todd’s ear as they pull him off Casey.
Casey is a bloody mess as his friends come over to help him up while Ryan, Brian, and Mark surround Todd. I can see he has a pretty big gash above his eye.
“Oh great, just great.” I feel Sid’s hand on my shoulder.
Everything happening around me is in slow motion. It’s as though I’m watching a movie, and none of it is really happening to me.
“My dad is going to kill him.” Sid shakes her head as if this is a regular occurrence, which I guess it kind of is becoming one. I can’t think about that now, though.
I run up to him.
The boys are still holding him back, but his eyes lock with mine, and his bloody hand comes up to my cheek to wipe a tear away. I didn’t even realize I was crying. His touch is so gentle, which is crazy after seeing his fist slam into Casey’s face.
“I’m sorry, Ash. I couldn’t help it.”
“I know,” is all I can say.
“Ash, not now. You should go.” I hear Ryan’s voice and feel Blythe and Sid’s hands pull me back. Regardless, I want to be with him. He’s bleeding and he needs me.
“Come on, Ash. He’s fine. Let the guys take care of him,” Blythe says as she continues to guide me away from the commotion. “There’s nothing to see here, people,” she shouts out to the crowd that’s gathered, trying to clear the area.
“That’s right, people. Move it.” Shane takes one look at me and jumps right in to distract everyone. He signals to the guy who is DJ’ing to turn the music up.
I can’t believe I’m crying. I don’t know why exactly, but I can’t seem to stop.
I glance over to see Casey’s friends surrounding him. He is holding his head back and someone gave him a sweatshirt to use to stop the bleeding.
I don’t know exactly what happened with them, but I want to scream at him I’m so angry. Why did he come here tonight? Why can’t he just let it go?
I’m already dreading our next swim practice. Maybe Todd has been right all along. I don’t know anymore.
Still, a small part of me feels bad for Casey. He has shown me he’s good person, and I know he doesn’t have anyone else. Even though he’s surrounded by friends, I know he’s alone.
“He’s definitely going to have a black eye tomorrow for the dance,” Sid says. That’s the last thing on my mind, but once she says it, I can’t help laughing through my tears.
“Well, it should make for interesting pictures,” Blythe chimes in.
I’m not sure if it’s stress or nerves, but we all start laughing hysterically. I know I look insane because I’m laughing and crying at the same time. Not to mention, laughing probably isn’t something a sane person would do right after two boys almost killed each other because of her, but, oh well. I can’t help it. It’s the only way I can deal with everything at the moment so I just keep laughing.
