“Get the fuck off my property!” Josh yelled as he struggled to break free from Shawn’s grip. He had been hit and he was ready to make them pay for it
“Josh, stop!” Shelby pleaded with him to calm down, but he was too pissed to listen. “Please, sweetie. Not tonight.”
“What are you going to do about it? Huh?” The guy who hit Josh approached Luke. “Huh? Whatcha gonna do?” He lifted his chin, egging him on. These guys obviously wanted a fight.
“Look, man,” Luke held up his hands, “we don’t want any trouble.”
“Just get your shit and leave.” I pointed to the mound of fireworks. “Like my friend said, this is private property. You need to pop that elsewhere.”
One of the guys started gathering the fireworks but before we could claim victory, his friend turned around jammed his finger into the middle of my chest. “Fuck that. You can’t make us leave.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Gabe, leave our shit there. We’re not going anywhere.” The guy was about the size of Cage, but it looked like he did more eating than working out. I’d be able to take him — no problem.
“You need to take your finger off of me before I break it,” I warned him.
The guy sneered and then retrieved his finger. We entered into a stare down, neither of us flinching. I straightened, extending to my full height, and fat ass stuck out his stomach. The dude had no idea what was about to hit him.
“Yeah, we’re not going anywhere.” Gabe dropped the fireworks in his hands. Fatty turned around and gave him an approving nod. “So take your punk asses and go back inside.” Gabe crossed his arms over his body, taking a defensive stance. These assholes were the ones being punks, not us.
Kyle darted toward Gabe. “You need to go. Now.”
Gabe threw his head back and let out a deep cackle. “You jocks think you’re tough shit with your fancy houses and fancy cars. But you ain’t shit without Daddy’s money.”
“Fuck you.” Josh twisted and turned, struggling to get free from Shawn’s grip.
“Screw you, man.” Kyle shook his head. “You don’t know shit.”
“I know enough.” Gabe stepped in Kyle’s space. Even though he was a head shorter than Kyle, he didn’t back down. His hands curled into tight fists and the muscles in his arms twitched, ready to spring into action.
“You need to get the fuck out of my face.” Kyle shoved the guy.
Gabe stumbled back, returning with a hit to Kyle’s face. Kyle’s head snapped to the side and he staggered, trying to catch his footing in the thick sand. Shawn released Josh and they rushed forward, barreling the guy who had punched Josh. Shelby screamed, but Josh ignored her.
“No! Stop!” Lexi reached for me, but I pushed her out of the way.
Using my shoulder, I barreled into fatty, but flung back when I hit his solid mass. I retracted my arm and shoved my fist in his jaw. He returned with a solid punch to my gut and I coughed. We were in an arm-to-arm battle, blocking each other’s hits and blows as our legs sunk deeper into the sand.
I caught a quick glance of Delaney punching one of the guys and Lexi scrambling after her. I tried to break away from fatty so I could get her to safety, but stopped when Luke and Delaney unleashed on the guy, punching and kicking him. I landed a hard punch to fatty’s throat and he fell on his back, coughing and gasping for air. I looked up to see Shelby straddled on the back of one of the guys. She had him in a chokehold as Josh delivered blow after blow to his stomach. I whirled around and caught Shawn and Kyle pounding on Gabe’s face.
We outnumbered these idiots, seven to four, and they were getting their asses beat by the girls too — except for Lexi. She scurried around the beach as though in search of something. I wasn’t sure what she was doing, but I was glad she was away from the fighting ring. Just as I was about to deliver another punch to fatty, I heard the siren and stopped mid-air. I was totally fucked.
Σ
Chapter 44
Experience: that most brutal of teachers.
But you learn, my God do you learn.
~C.S. Lewis
I felt like I was drowning. Water covered my face, entering my mouth and lungs until I couldn’t breathe any longer. And then slowly, I drifted away, as wave after wave washed over me, carrying me into the sea, never to return again. I’d ruined everything — all because of two beers and a group of idiots. And the sad part, I wanted a beer so damn bad, but no amount of alcohol could take away the torment I felt.
Spring Break had started out great. It was sad how something so wonderful quickly turned into something so horrible. I didn’t regret going or taking Lexi — just regretted the fight on the beach. But it happened and there was no reversing it. I had to deal with the consequences, ready or not.
“Time to go, dude.” Josh stuck his head in my room, pointing to his watch.
“Alright.” I got up from the bed and stood in front of the mirror, adjusting my tie. The week had zipped by and my hearing was in thirty minutes. It felt like déjà vu, except this time, my gut told me the results wouldn’t be the same. After we returned from South Padre Island, I called Coach and told him what happened. There was no hiding it, and Mr. Marshall advised I tell him I received a ticket for disorderly conduct and public intoxication.
Mr. Marshall said he’d work on getting the tickets dismissed, but it didn’t help that everyone else got a ticket, too. He also told me I should’ve never agreed to a Breathalyzer test, but Lexi argued with the cops, telling them I wasn’t drunk and to give me one. We had no idea it would come back showing a blood alcohol level of .09. Just .01 over the legal limit. Who knew two beers in thirty minutes would do that to me? I didn’t feel drunk. The more I thought about it, the more the entire situation pissed me off. Lexi should’ve never told the cops to test me, but she was only trying to help get me out of the ticket I ended up receiving anyway. A ticket that could result in the end of my football career.
Idiot.
“Here’s your jacket.” Lexi held up my coat and I shoved my arms through it. I adjusted the collar and rolled my shoulders a few times, trying to shake off the tension. Nothing helped. “You look really good in a suit.” She eyed me and smiled.
“Lexi, now is not the time.” I put on my championship ring and took a deep breath.
“Sorry, just trying to lighten the load.”
She was trying to be positive and supportive, but right now, I wanted to be left alone. Nothing she or anyone else said would help me. I fucked up and now I was going to pay for it. I grabbed my phone, shoved it inside of my jacket, and walked out of the room.
“Ready?” Josh asked, slipping on his jacket.
“I guess.” Mr. Marshall advised my friends to attend the hearing and give a testimony about what happened, since they received tickets too. I honestly didn’t give a shit whether they went or not. They weren’t the ones with their football career on the line. If anything, they’d get a warning about the ticket and continue taking classes so they could graduate. I, on the other hand, would probably not be as lucky.
I trudged down the stairs and as soon as I cleared the building, I saw my mom’s car. She rolled down the window. “Get in. Now.”
Fuck.
“I’ll see you there,” I told Josh and got in my mom’s car. Lexi got in the back seat, but Mom didn’t bother saying hello. She peeled out of the parking lot, tires spinning and rubber burning.
“Mom, aren’t you supposed to be at work? You didn’t have to come. I would have called you.” I grabbed the handlebar above the window as she sped down the street.
“Yes, I am supposed to be at work,” she gave me a quick glance, “but since you decided to be irresponsible, I had to take off. Tell me, Raven, did you and Lexi have a good time in Padre? Was it worth it?”
“Mom—”
“Don’t Mom me. This is serious, Raven. What the hell were you two thinking?” The light turned red and she slammed on the breaks. My body flung forward, but the seatbelt locked, keeping me in place. Lexi gripped the
back of my seat, obviously trying to keep steady.
“Trish, Raven only had two beers that night. Everything was fine until those idiots started popping fireworks by the house. You should actually be proud of him. With the exception of that night, he didn’t drink the entire week we were there. We even went to a club and he drank soda. He was our designated driver.”
Mom looked over her shoulder, her eyebrows pulled together tightly. “You want me to be proud?” she bit the words out sharply. Never had I heard her talk that way to Lexi. The light turned green and she gunned it, plowing through the busy intersection as she headed toward campus. “Raven might lose his one and only chance of ever being picked up by a national football team. And all for two beers. I hope those beers were damn good.”
“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. Raven promised to take me for my birthday. I knew we shouldn’t have gone, but I wanted to.”
Hearing Lexi take the rap for what happened wasn’t right. She was hesitant to go and I assured her it would be okay. I was the one to blame, not her. I turned around and stared at her for a moment. “Don’t listen to her, Mom. She told me we shouldn’t go and I talked her into it.”
“That’s why I’m pissed at both of you.” Mom stopped at the light. “Where the hell am I going?” She threw her hands up in the air.
“Turn right and then pull into that first parking lot.” I pointed down the street.
Mom found a parking spot in front of the building where the hearing was scheduled. We got out of the car and headed inside. Everything felt like it was rushing past me, blurring along the way as it pulled me into a state where only numbness existed. This couldn’t be happening. But it was and there was no turning back the hands of time.
Lexi tried to hold my hand, but I refused. I didn’t need her support or comfort. I didn’t need anyone’s help. I made my choices and now I had to face them. Mom continued lecturing us, reminding me how I really screwed up this time. She didn’t let up either, pointing out all my faults, mistakes, and letdowns. As if I didn’t already know. All it did was unleash the demons already dying to come out. And they took over with a vengeance. I tried some of the techniques Dr. Galen taught me, but nothing worked. The demons were right. I was the biggest loser and fuck up ever.
Mr. Marshall and Steve arrived and Mom finally shut up. Shortly after that, Josh and Shelby walked in, followed by Shawn and Kyle. Luke and Delaney were the last to arrive, looking like they had just rolled out of bed or had a quickie somewhere.
“Ready, Raven?” Mr. Marshall asked. Even his demeanor had changed. Long gone were the hearty chuckles, pats on the back, and calling me son. He had stuck his neck out for me one too many times and I had burned him. I couldn’t expect him to do it again. I’d screwed up.
“Yeah.” I nodded and followed him to the chamber of torture.
“Y’all wait out here. Steve will come to get you when it’s time,” Mr. Marshall instructed as he held the door open for me.
“Good luck, baby.” Lexi reached for my hand and I turned around. Her lips turned up in a small smile and her eyes glossed over. She always had the glass-half-full mentality, but I wasn’t in the right state of mind to agree with her. The negativity had consumed me, leaving no room for optimism. Maybe because I knew what the verdict would be.
“Thanks.” I gave her a quick kiss on the lips and went inside.
The same committee members were sitting at the front of the room. Coach sat at the end of the table, his hands clasped and his head low. He shot me a quick glance and then lowered his eyes. With blank stares and non-welcoming smiles, I already knew what they were going to say.
I walked to the table positioned in front of them. With each step I took, my legs became heavier, barely allowing my feet to move. The sullen feeling of the room seemed to suck me further into oblivion of hopelessness. I stumbled to the chair and fell into it. The door shut, like a dungeon closing, and I jumped. It took me a few seconds to pull myself together. I unbuttoned my suit jacket, grabbed the bottle of water to the right of me, and took a drink.
Mr. Marshall released a heavy sigh as he sat next to me. His stiff posture and lack of words revealed his disappointment. He pulled a folder from his briefcase and slid it to me. He and Steve had prepared another statement for me, like last time. I opened it, trying to recall what we’d discussed, but the conversation was fuzzy. The words blurred, and my eyes and nose stung with the threat of tears. I wasn’t the crying type, but an overwhelming amount of sadness hit me. Crying and begging wouldn’t do any good, so I took a hard swallow and pushed the pity pleas aside.
“Mr. Marshall, Raven,” Mr. Flores, Director of Admissions, acknowledged us. “Thank you for coming today.”
As if I had a choice.
“Thank you for reviewing my case,” I announced, sounding weak and pitiful instead of confident and bold, like I normally did.
Mr. Flores glanced at a stack of papers in front of him and folded his hands. Leaning forward, he said, “I wish we didn’t have to, Raven. Especially since we were here three months ago.” His voice was raw and cold, causing a shiver to hit the back of my neck.
“I know,” I responded in a low voice, staring at the paperwork indicating my charges from South Padre Island Police Department.
“Raven,” Mr. Tucker, Director of the Board of Ethics, spoke up, “the Ethics Committee is responsible for overseeing the conduct of students and ensuring they comply with university standards. When the Code of Conduct has been violated, it is our responsibility…”
He rambled on and on, as if I needed reminding.
“In reviewing the charges resulting from the altercation that took place the night of March eighteenth, we have found it is a clear violation of PHU’s Code of Conduct. You were also involved in one other altercation on campus, your freshman year, which resulted in a warning.”
It took me a second to recall the situation that happened near the beginning of the semester at a frat party. If taking up for your teammates was wrong, then fuck them. I wanted to remind them I didn’t start the fight, but that hearing was in the past. It was pointless to argue. “Correct,” I reluctantly admitted.
“You were also dismissed last spring for possession of marijuana. You successfully completed the drug rehabilitation program and were allowed to return for the summer semester. In January of this year, you were placed on probation due to an overconsumption of alcohol and incidental intake of prescription drugs. You were required to attend counseling with Dr. Galen, which you are currently doing…”
Did this asshole have to recount all my mishaps?
I tried to focus on what he was saying, but the toxic thoughts flooded my mind. Using every tactic in my toolbox, I worked to extinguish them, but they burned right through my thin level of defense. I was no match for them. Balling my hand in a fist, I pressed it against my mouth, holding back the scream dying to escape. Why wouldn’t they leave me the fuck alone? Hadn’t they already took enough from me?
“Yes, correct,” Mr. Marshall spoke up and I returned my attention to the conversation. “But, as indicated, the level was .09, which is only .01 over the legal limit. The Breathalyzer is not an accurate tool, even though it is widely used and accepted by law enforcement.”
“We understand that, Mr. Marshall,” Mr. Turner acknowledged his plea. “But the validity of the test stands. Therefore, PHU does consider it when making decisions. Raven’s instructions were not to consume alcohol and to submit to random drug and alcohol urine tests.”
“Guys, he only had two beers, come on.” Mr. Marshall lifted his hands.
“Regardless, he did not follow the conditions we set forth. We clearly stated no alcohol. Aside from the drinking, he was involved in another altercation resulting in a ticket for disorderly conduct.” Mr. Turner removed his glasses. “PHU has standards it must abide by, and we have been extremely generous with giving Raven several chances to prove he is worthy of being a student and participating in the athletics program.”
“Yes, you have, and we appreciate it,” Coach Anderson spoke up, giving me a weary look.
Mr. Turner set down his glasses and folded his arms. “At what point do we say enough is enough? Raven has not—”
“The Athletics Department wants to reiterate that we uphold PHU’s Code of Conduct and expect our athletes to adhere to the rules,” Mr. Kenny, Director of Athletics, broke in. “Raven has been given several chances, but has shown dedication not only in his academic work, but in the football program. His teammates look up to him, despite his misfortunes,” his voice lilted, “and they do consider him a leader. He has led this school to two winning victories and if it weren’t for him, PHU wouldn’t be receiving the support or funds from it’s alumni, fans, and sponsors.”
Mr. Turner uncrossed his arms and pressed his hands on the table. “So, what are you saying, Mr. Kenney? That PHU athletics is more important than academics and student conduct? That we should just overlook his poor decisions and accept them?”
“Yeah,” Mr. Marshall whispered under his breath.
That comment almost had me smiling, but the growing tension in the room told me where this conversation was headed.
Mr. Flores stood up. “Gentleman, we are not here to argue about the importance of our athletics program. No doubt, it has provided funding and support we have never received. And yes, Raven has directly contributed to these results. At the same time, we have rules to abide by and although exceptions can be made, there comes a point when we have to draw a line in the sand.”
Mr. Flores took a few steps in my direction. “Raven…” his voice deepened and my heart stopped. He made eye contact with me and I broke out in a cold sweat. The demon voices echoed loudly in my ear, reminding me my football days were over. Lexi wouldn’t want to be with a guy without a future. She deserved someone better than that — that someone like Collin. The room narrowed and all I saw were his lips moving.
A Different Side (University Park #4) Page 54