by Sara Hess
I gasped in shock and horror. I’d never heard anything so awful. Why would someone be saying something so malicious about me? No wonder all those guys had been especially nasty and forward, I’d been labeled an epic slut.
Both Nic and Blake looked my way. The retribution and sorrow in both their gazes hit me in two different ways. It soothed me but also had me concerned about what they might do, because I recognized that rumor. Nic walked over putting his hand on my shoulder and I was grateful he finally broke the distance barrier.
“You said it was a reliable rumor. How can you be so sure?” Nic growled swinging his eyes back to April.
She actually took a step back at the expression on his face looking a lot less relaxed. “I heard it from a friend of mine; Tammy.” April looked toward Blake. “Blake, you remember her. She was seeing one of your teammates for a little while; a Curt Dorr. He told Tammy that he’d been there the night she was with all those guys.”
“What the fuck, I’m going to kill that motherfunckin’ asshole!” Blake shouted, speaking for the first time since entering the room. Both April and I jumped at the loud expletive.
“Blake, what—“
“Stop!” Blake cut off whatever April was about to say with a furious swipe of his hand through the air. “So let me get this straight. Curt told Tammy and Tammy informed you. Is this where the rumor ends or have the three of you been busy little rumor bees around campus?”
April backed up in alarm at the hard fury in Blake’s tone. “Uhm…” Her eyes flickered away from him to Nic, maybe looking for some support, but she wasn’t getting any sympathy from that corner because he was looking at her with the same expression.
Blake took a step toward her and my heart jumped in apprehension. “Blake.” I protested softly. I didn’t think he’d really hurt her, but he was looking extraordinarily incensed.
He seemed to pull himself back with effort. “You will make a list of everyone you told this lie to as will Tammy, and then the both of you will go to each and every one of them to correct this lie you’ve been spreading around.” April’s eyes widened, perhaps in horror at the thought of admitting to people she’d lied, or possibly because the list was too long to contemplate, or maybe just from the look on Blake’s face.
“But…there’s no possible way…” She stammered.
Blake interrupted her. “If you don’t then thirty teammates of mine will have some vicious rumors of our own we won’t hesitate to spread. So you can either be known as spiteful story tellers who are trying to clear a girl’s good name or both of you can join her and be known as even bigger sluts.”
April gasped and her eyes teared up. “But Blake, I didn’t know it was a lie. It came from one of your own teammates.”
“I don’t give a shit who it came from. Curt lied. If you had come to me I would have told you it was a lie. That you didn’t come to me tells me you probably had some doubts about the story being true but couldn’t pass up repeating what you heard to whoever would listen.” Blake was yelling at the end of his tirade.
Tears flowed down April’s cheeks and I was actually starting to feel sorry for her even though she’d had a front row seat in ruining my reputation. I shifted to stand up but Nic held me down and gave a shake of his head.
“But…” I began to say.
“Let him handle it, okay baby?” Nic squeezed my shoulder and gave me a grave, yet tender look.
I sighed looking at April’s tear-filled face again. She glanced my way, resentment in her gaze, and that had me relaxing easier under Nic’s directive. Was she really blaming me for the predicament she was in? I was the one wronged!
April sobbed. “I don’t know how you can blame me Blake. It was Curt who started all this. You should be having this conversation with him and make him fix the lies he’s started.”
“Oh, don’t worry; Curt will be doing his part, but if you think that you can leave it up to him to fix the whole thing…don’t. The team is going to be backing Carrie and letting everyone know you’ve all been lying, so if you keep your mouths shut than it will only make you both look worse.”
“This isn’t fair.” April cried.
Blake looked at her in disgust. “What’s not fair is what you’ve done to Carrie. She didn’t deserve any of this shit, but do you see her crying. You’re first thought should have been to apologize to her but instead all your worried about is yourself. Maybe after this you’ll keep your fucking mouth shut instead of spewing ugly rumors about people. Now I suggest you get out of Nic’s house, I doubt he still wants you here.”
“Hold up, Blake.” Nic broke in. Blake looked at Nic in angry confusion while April looked hopeful. “If she goes down stairs looking this upset Curt might get suspicious and light out fast. I don’t want him leaving just yet.”
April’s hopeful expression fell.
I didn’t think Blake’s expression could get any angrier but I was wrong.
“I take it you have a plan, because I tell you I have several myself.” Blake growled.
Apprehension flooded me. I didn’t want either one of them getting in a fight. What if Curt brought charges against them? I jumped up clutching at Nic’s arm. “Nic, Blake, please don’t beat him up. He could file charges and have you guys arrested or get you kicked off the team.”
Nic wrapped his arm around me. “Shhh, Carrie. I’m not going to beat him up.” He kissed my nose tenderly; however, the look in his eyes was utterly unholy. “But I am going to make his life fucking miserable.”
My eyes widened at his expression and words. Jeez Louis, what was he going to do!?
Nic took his phone out of his pocket and text something. Ten seconds later he got a reply. “The boys should have him in a minute and then she can leave.” Nic stated coolly.
“Blake, I came with you. How am I supposed to get home?” April sniffed.
“Ask your friend Tammy. You and her need to get together to compare lists anyway, the sooner the better.” Blake’s voice held no sympathy at all.
She stepped closer and said under her breath. “We’ve been together for six months. Are you really going to throw that away because of one mistake I made?” Nic and I could still hear her though. It was a relatively small room for a private conversation.
“That one mistake tells me what kind of person you are and I’m not liking it. If you had appeared even slightly remorseful about what you did I might have shown some sympathy, I’d have still broken up with you, but I would have been nicer about it.”
Blake’s voice finally showed some emotion beside anger and my heart hurt thinking he might be breaking up with someone he loved.
“She can go now.” Nic spoke up after receiving another text.
“Blake,” April pleaded.
“Go, April. We’re done.” Blake said in a hard voice.
April rushed out the door crying.
I watched her go with mixed emotions. I did not like what she’d done, but if Blake loved her than I would try to get past it. I stepped in front of him and took his hands in mine. “Blake, if you really love her you should try to forgive her. Love is precious; don’t let it go in anger and over one mistake.”
Blake looked at me in astonishment. “Carrie, after everything she did how can you want me to forgive her?”
“Don’t break up with her because of me. I can let it go if you truly love her, and if she helps to fix it than everything will okay.”
Blake shook his head and looked at Nic. “Is she for real?”
I frowned and looked at Nic as well. What did Blake mean, ‘Am I for real’? I was trying to be altruistic here in circumstances that would probably have other women screaming.
Nic smiled and stepped up behind me to wrap his arm around my waist. “Completely and perfectly.”
I scowled at him. I was not perfect. Being unselfish about this was really difficult, but all I could think about was what if Nic hadn’t forgiven me for something I did? I would be heartbroken.
Blake switche
d up our hands so he was holding mine. “Carrie, I really appreciate that you would do that for me, but I’m still coping with my mother’s deception. I can’t deal with the duplicity of someone else close to me.”
My heart pinched at being the cause of strife between him and his mother, and now his girlfriend. Things were happening just like I thought; the people around me were having to deal with repercussions revolving around my problems.
Blake squeezed my hands. “I see that look of guilt in your eyes, but it’s not your fault. It’s entirely my mother’s, and April’s. Do you really believe I would want to be with someone that would do what she did to you? Even if you weren’t my cousin I would find her actions reprehensible.”
I wasn’t prepared to let this go yet. “But do you love her?”
Blake sighed. “I cared for her, but with how easy it was to let her go I know I didn’t love her. I’ve known you for less time than her and I care for you more than I do her after six months of dating. So, please, don’t worry about her anymore.”
Well, that was just too…I had to swallow the lump in my throat. “I wasn’t worried about her, I was worried about you.”
Blake’s eyes warmed and he leaned down to kiss my forehead. Nic’s arm tightened around me and I think I heard a growl come from him. Amusement crossed Blake’s face. “Thanks, but don’t worry about me either. We have something else we need to focus on tonight.”
I had almost forgotten about that…which would have improved my night tenfold.
Blake looked over my head at Nic wearing a smirk. “Dude, she’s my cousin.”
“The hugs are sometimes too much for me. Seeing anyone else’s lips on her just doesn’t work for me.” Nic growled.
Blake laughed and shook his head. “If you two are the example for love than I’m confident I’ve never come close to experiencing it. It makes me feel envious, terrified, and sick to my stomach at the same time.”
I smiled at Blake’s analogies; love was both amazing and scary at the same time, and it was something everyone should strive for.
Nic turned me to face him. “Carrie, I’m pissed that you have to deal with any of this crap, you don’t deserve it, but we’re going to start fixing it right now. Seth and Landon have Curt in their sights, he’s not going anywhere. I’m going to out his lies tonight in front of everyone. Most of the team is here and I want them aware of what he did, and the rest of the people here tonight will hear about his lies and correct what’s being said about you.” He rubbed my shoulders and his gaze was hesitant. “Do you want to stay up here or do you want to come down and watch the show?”
I had to think about that for a minute. It was bound to be uncomfortable, but I’d been dealing with uncomfortable all week. Actually, uncomfortable had been my role for a lot longer than a week given that I had to live with my mother all those years. However, it wasn’t just my discomfort I was going to have to watch. This Curt guy was going to have his lies exposed to a whole house full of people and I wasn’t one to find glee in other’s pain and humiliation no matter how much they deserved it.
Hiding in Nic’s room just seemed weak though, and I was done being weak. “I don’t want to hide in your room.” I declared.
Nic gave me a smile filled with approval and pride. “Have I told you recently how awesome you are? Seeing you stand up to three guys today and now this. You’re my hero.”
I smiled and shook my head.
“What three guys? Shit, has she been dealing with the backlash of these rumors all week since that article came out?” Blake asked.
“Uhm…” I hesitated still not pleased about sharing my problems that I thought I was handling satisfactorily.
“Yes, she has.” Nic confirmed for me. “I came upon her today surrounded by three guys harassing her.” I groaned inwardly at being outted.
Blake’s gray eyes turned stormy. “No fucking way. Did you take care of them?” He looked over my head at Nic.
“Regrettably, Carrie latched onto me so all I could do was threaten them with bodily harm the next time I saw them.”
“Well, tonight should send a message that Carrie’s under the protection of the whole team. That should put fear in a lot of people’s heart’s making them think twice about messing with her.” Blake grumbled angrily.
That feeling of contentment that had been slowly growing in me deepened with Blake’s words, and emotions nearly choked me. I had to admit that it felt great knowing so many people would be backing me.
“Let’s go get this taken care of. I promised Carrie a fun night which has tanked big time, now I just want to get it over with.” Nic took my hand and I walked side by side with him out the door with Blake on my other side.
It was one of the best feelings in the world.
Chapter Forty-two
Nic
Eyes flying open I sat up fists clenched in fury my gaze winging around the room searching for the danger my mind was telling me was there. However, as my eyes focused and fixed on each familiar item in the room I slowly became aware that I’d woken from a dream and the danger was residues of anger from last night.
I looked to the left of me to see Carrie sleeping peacefully. Thankfully, I hadn’t woken her with my abrupt movements. Easing back down I stayed to my side of the bed even though I ached to curl up against her, but my heart was beating a mile a minute and I was actually a little clammy which would only transfer to her making her restless. Taking even breaths I laid there trying to get my heart rate back under control.
I couldn’t remember the dream that had woken me, just the emotion behind it…tremendous anger. Last night Seth and Landon had positioned Curt at the bottom of the stairs clueless to what was going to happen. Even Seth and Landon hadn’t known why I’d asked them to collect Curt. They’d just done it because I’d asked. When Carrie, Blake, and I had walked down those stairs Curt’s expression had flared in alarm displaying an ‘oh shit’ expression.
Blake had stepped to the side with Carrie as I’d faced off with Curt. He’d grudgingly allowed me to be the one to confront him. Curt’s face had already been sweating bullets in the ten seconds it taken us to reach the bottom. I’d called the room to silence which had taken a couple minutes because I’d wanted as many people listening as possible. Other rooms around the house had gone comparatively quiet as people on the fringes spread the word. I had then proceeded to enlighten the entire house of Curt’s lies and the resulting consequences to Carrie.
Curt’s face was white by the time I’d finished and the atmosphere in the house had been thick with a multitude of emotions, the main ones fury and outrage. Looking around the room I’d seen on every teammates face the same desire I had, to beat the ever living shit out of him.
Curt hadn’t said a word in his own defense; either realizing that he had none, or that I and everyone else would have jumped him if he’d made one utterance of justification. He’d just stood there looking scared as fuck hoping he would make it out of the house in one piece. I knew he wouldn’t be showing up for the game on Sunday, or any other game, because the team would kill him if he did. And if he stayed to finish the school year it was going to be a long miserable road for him, because even though I might…and that was a big fucking might…be able to restrain myself for Carrie’s sake, the rest of the team wouldn’t. They’d be looking for blood.
Curt had broken a cardinal rule; don’t fuck with another teammate. By spreading those lies about Carrie he’d fucked with me and to all intents and purposes the entire team.
So I’d allowed Curt to leave the house unmolested, even though it had chafed my ass to do so. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the other guys had caught up with him last night though. If Curt was smart he wouldn’t have headed back to his dorm or anywhere else they’d know to look for him, because he had a definite target on his back.
Blake’s handling of his girlfriend, now ex, made me glad that Carrie had him in her life. Since finding out about her he’d made a concerted effort to build
a relationship with her and now I knew he would do almost as much as me to protect her. When he’d threatened that chick with the same rumors she’d spread about Carrie I had almost clapped in approval. It would have deserved the bitch right to go through what Carrie had.
And thinking about that just got the rivers of my anger flowing again. What hadn’t she been telling me? I hoped like hell she was telling me the truth about no one touching her because it would send me into a vortex of rage that everyone at this school would feel. Nevertheless, I was damn sure she’d been subjected to verbal abuse, and now I was convinced some of it had been sexual.
Fuck! I hated that she had to deal with any of this shit. My girl had one of the purest souls I knew and didn’t deserve any of the crap being thrown her way.
I had been as proud as fuck of her last night. She’d stood tall and unflinching in the face of everyone’s stares even though I could tell she had been uncomfortable. Her face had been slightly pale and she’d had her arms wrapped around her waist as if to give herself support. Blake had stood behind her with both his hands on her shoulders giving her his as well. And after Curt had high-tailed it out the door I’d immediately walked over and enfolded her in my arms letting her know that she could now lean on me.
I would have liked nothing better than to whisk her out of there and get her alone where she could unravel if she needed to, but a large number of my teammates had come forward to say that they’d be correcting any and all misunderstandings if they came across them, and that they’d be reporting Curt’s dishonesty far and wide. They’d also all told Carrie she had the support of the team if anyone dared mess with her.
Carrie’s expression had been one of shocked wonder, and I knew her thoughts had been filled with how she’d gone from no friends to a team load of people who wanted to help her.
After the crowd around us had dispersed somewhat I’d asked Carrie if she wanted to leave, but Landon had overheard and he’d called out a ‘Fuck no, she’s not leaving. She’s owes me a rematch’. An actual smile, if small, had curved Carrie’s mouth and she’d teased Landon about still playing that child’s game. After having a tizzy at her continued reference to poker being a child’s game they’d bantered back and forth a couple more times eliciting more smiles out of Carrie and I’d had to restrain myself from hugging Landon. Seeing her smile after all that had been fucking tremendous.