Unbreakable (Accidental Crush #3)

by Adrienne Torrisi

  I give Todd a nervous glance, which I hope he reads as “don’t say anything,” but he doesn’t.

  “One night that happens to be my senior homecoming dance.” Todd raises his voice to match his dad’s.

  I grab his hand and squeeze it.

  “You should have thought about that last night.” The look his dad gives him completes the rest of his sentence.

  Todd looks down at our hands locked together, his still bruised from the fight, and he takes a deep breath to calm down.

  “I’m sorry, Dad. I know it was wrong. All of it,” he says more to the ground.

  My dad reenters the conversation, this one directed at me. “Do you know what time it is?”

  “Late,” I answer, digging my fingernails into Todd’s hand.

  “Well, you can say that again, considering I picked you up at school at ten o’clock and thought you were in your room. To find out not only were you not in your room, you were not in this house … I had no idea where you were. Do you know how scary that was for me and your mom?” He looks over at my mom who won’t even make eye contact with me.

  “No,” I say to the ground.

  “You’re damn right you don’t!” he screams, losing all form of control.

  With no idea what to say, I say nothing.

  “This is my fault, sir. I’m sorry. Please don’t blame Ashley. This is all my fault, not hers.”

  “Oh, I know,” my dad says with venom. “Ashley’s been making a lot of bad decisions lately, and there is one person to blame.” My dad doesn’t need to say who it is; his glare says it all.

  “Dad,” Ry and I both cut in at the same time.

  When Ryan eyes me, I make it clear I have this one as I step forward.

  “Dad,” I repeat, “that’s not true. I made the choice to go. This is not Todd’s fault. It’s mine. Mr. H., Todd is an amazing person, and I know you know that. He was sticking up for me, and that’s why he got into a fight last night. So, if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine. Mine,” I repeat, staring down my dad.

  Todd’s dad gives me a small smile, but it’s filled with sorrow. He seems to be hiding something. Then Dad and Mr. H. exchange glances while my mom grabs the sleeve of my dad’s sweater, as if she needs it for support to stand.

  “No.” My dad shakes his head. “It’s been decided. It’s done.” He looks back and forth at both of us, and then his gaze locks with mine. “It’s over. You two are good kids who make bad decisions together.”

  I squeeze Todd’s hand so tightly I must be drawing blood with my nails, while I feel him stiffen next to me. I look at Ryan whose face must mirror mine, because it’s draped with shock. I need his help, someone’s help.

  “This is crazy.” Todd is the first one to speak up. “You can’t make us break up.” He looks at me, his expression filled with disbelief, and then he quickly goes back to our parents. “We love each other.”

  “That is precisely the problem,” my dad says as he clears his throat then looks to Todd’s dad for reassurance. Mr. H. nods his head, but there is some reservation. Maybe this is more my parents than his.

  “What does that mean?” I finally find my voice. “It’s a problem that we love each other?” I look up at Todd. “He is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. He protects me; he saved my life at the pool; he was the one person who helped me through Brian and Gretchen’s accident; and he got into a fight to defend me.”

  Ryan is motioning for me to stop from behind my parents. “You are not helping,” he mouths to me.

  With that, I lose whatever strength I have, and I feel my tears start to well up. Todd pulls me in closer to both comfort me and give our parents a sign that we are unbreakable. Then I feel his hand slide down my arm, and my dad’s eyes zero in on that action.

  “Maybe we were unclear the first time. This is not a question; this is a command,” my dad says through gritted teeth.

  “Dad, don’t you think you’re being unreasonable?” Ryan speaks up, and in this moment, I couldn’t love him more. Please, listen to Ryan.

  Dad slowly turns to face Ryan. “Excuse me? This does not concern you, Ryan.”

  “It does, Dad. She’s my sister, and he’s my best friend. I know she broke curfew and rules tonight, and I know Todd shouldn’t have gotten into a fight with Casey last night.”

  At that name, Mr. H. stiffens, and my mom gasps. She loves Casey.

  “You didn’t tell me that’s who it was. Have you lost your mind? You know what his family tried to do the last time.”

  My mom and dad glance at each other with questioning looks. They don’t know much about the Casey situation. To them, he’s the boy who got me to swim again, and that’s it.

  Todd notices my parents’ reaction and immediately shuts down the conversation. It took him forever to tell me the whole story; therefore, I know he doesn’t want to get into it with my parents, especially since they are currently not his biggest fans.

  “Not now, Dad. It doesn’t matter. It’s not important.”

  Mr. H. reads his son perfectly and stops the questioning, for which I am grateful.

  “My point is,” Ryan jumps back in, “I hated the idea of them together, but they are good together. Great even. They are better together. And trust me; it pains me to say this.” He smiles.

  I quickly try to wipe my tears away while all eyes are on Ryan.

  “They are teenagers; they are going to make ‘bad decisions’,” Ryan quotes our parents, “but they protect each other and love each other, and that’s hard to find”—his smile deepens—“especially in high school.” I can tell he’s proud of himself. I half expect him to jump up on our coffee table to add extra emphasis to his speech.

  I give him a head nod and a smile.

  “Thank you for that, but…” my dad says, and the parents all glance at each other. Todd’s dad shrugs and nods, my mom turns away, and my dad turns his full attention back to us. “…that doesn’t change our decision. I’m sorry, but it’s over. Todd needs to concentrate on colleges and scholarships, and you need to concentrate on school and swimming. Ashley, you are too young for this relationship, to be this serious with a boy. It’s done.”

  I feel my heart literally break. My chest feels like it’s caving in. Todd’s hand skims my arm, and then he pulls it away without saying anything. He doesn’t look at me, his dad, my parents, or even Ryan. He only turns and walks away, pushing through my front door and slamming it harder than I think anyone ever has, rattling all the pictures on the wall.

  I can’t make eye contact with anyone. My eyes are so filled with tears I can barely see through them. I don’t know what to say, what to do. I want to run after Todd, but I know that won’t solve anything; just get us in more trouble.

  I push past my parents, and I’m almost to the stairs when Ryan grabs my arm.

  “Ashley …”

  I pull away. “Don’t!” I scream at him for no reason other than he’s the only person in the room I actually can scream at.

  I hate everyone.

  I hear Ryan shout at my parents, “What do you think I was doing when I was fifteen? This is crazy!” Then the front door slams again.

  TODD

  I’m so mad I can’t see straight. I feel blindsided. Sure, I knew I would get in trouble, maybe grounded, but to force us to break up? That thought never even crossed my mind.

  I’m in my car, unaware of how I got here. I can’t look at my father without punching or screaming at him, so my car is probably the safest place right now.

  I slam my fist into the steering wheel since I can’t slam it into my dad’s face, but I instantly regret it as searing pain slices through my hand. It’s still bruised and scabbed from last night, and I’m pretty sure I just re-opened the wounds. I see my blood, but it doesn’t register; I don’t feel it. I can’t feel anything. I vowed I would never hurt Ashley again, would never leave her, and now I’m being forced to do just that. It doesn’t make sense. Nothing makes sense.

&nbs
p; Every time I close my eyes, I see Ashley’s face and the tears in her eyes. I knew I had to get out of there, or I was going to lose it. I wish I held her, kissed her, did something to prove they can’t separate us. They won’t separate us, no matter what stupid rules they put in place.

  This is all my fault. I should have never come here tonight, never helped her sneak out. I can’t believe we are back here again, with me causing her pain.

  I slam my fist back into my steering wheel over and over again. I don’t even feel the pain this time. The bloody fist prints I’m leaving behind make me smile. Good. I should be bleeding. I deserve it.

  “Dude?” Ryan opens the passenger door and slides in, his eyes landing on my fist and the blood on the steering wheel. “So I see it’s going well in here.”

  “How’s Ashley?” I ask, ignoring his sarcasm.

  “About as good as you, I’m sure, but I don’t really know. She ran upstairs, but not before she screamed at me.”

  “At you? Why? What did she say?”

  “I tried to stop her, and she screamed, ‘Don’t,’ and pulled away. That was the extent of our conversation.” Ryan smiles.

  I know he’s trying to help lighten the mood, but how can he smile right now? Just seeing it turns my stomach.

  Ryan drops his smile and his lighthearted tone. “What were you thinking tonight?”

  I rest my head back on my headrest and move my gaze to the street in front of us. “I wasn’t, I guess.” I shrug. “I’m in so much trouble. I can’t believe my dad drove over here tonight.”

  “Yeah, the scene was not a good one when they found out Ash snuck out, but I’m sorry. I had no idea they called your dad.”

  “It’s not your fault. Thanks for the warning, though. At least we had an idea of what we were coming back to.” I take a deep breath as I continue to stare out the front window. “Do you think they’ll change their minds?”

  “Not tonight.”

  “What are we going to do?” I turn back to Ryan. “I mean, we’re not breaking up.”

  ASHLEY

  The next thing I know, I’m on my bathroom floor. I’m not even sure how I got here. I don’t think I have ever felt this much anger toward anyone, not RTS, not Casey. I feel so betrayed by my own parents. How could they destroy the most important thing in my life?

  I fluctuate between being nauseous and filling with rage. Then I grab my sweatshirt and instantly remember it’s Todd’s. I look down to see the peeling letters of EHS Football and completely lose it. Whatever tears were masked by anger start to pour out of me, so I run the water to cover the sound of my hysterics.

  The next thing I know, I’m in the shower and steaming hot water is raining down on me. I feel a small glimmer of happiness. The water feels so good, so refreshing. I just need to stay here forever and pretend like nothing happened: the fight with my parents, the insane command. I don’t think I have ever heard my dad use that word before in my entire life.

  I need the water to wash away what happened: seeing Todd walk out the door, all of it. I watch as the water goes down the drain and wish it was that simple to erase everything, to let it just float away down the drain.

  Then I hear someone open the door. I must not have locked it.

  “Ashley?” Ryan knocks as he says my name cautiously.

  I don’t say anything. I’m not even sure I can speak. Normally, I would scream for him to get out, but I can’t bring myself to muster up the energy.

  “I know you’re in there.”

  I still don’t answer him.

  “You’ve been in there for over an hour.”

  At his words, I notice for the first time that the water is freezing. At some point, it changed from warm luxury to freezing drops of misery, but I’m so numb I barely feel it.

  “Mom and Dad were afraid to come in, so they wanted me to check on you.” I hear him sit down and lean against the cabinet. “You okay?”

  I laugh because that question couldn’t be more absurd.

  “Well, at least you’re laughing,” he says, and then I hear him start to get up.

  “I’m laughing because your question is ridiculous. What do you think? I’m totally fine. It’s great that Mom and Dad are making me break up with Todd.”

  “I know, Ash. I just have no idea what to say to either of you. I can’t believe what just happened.” He slightly shouts over the pounding water. Part of me wants to get out because the water is freezing, and now that I’ve noticed, I can’t stop thinking about it. However, part of me doesn’t want to face reality. As soon as I get out, that’s what it will be—real. Plus, I don’t want Ryan to leave. I need to hear his voice to hold on to some sanity, but there is no way in hell I’m getting out of the shower with him in here. Thankfully, there is a shower curtain separating us.

  “Todd is a mess,” Ryan says after a few minutes of silence.

  Hearing those words makes me perk up a little, and I peek my head around the curtain. “You talked to him?”

  “Yeah, I went after him when he left. He was outside in his car. He’s so pissed at his dad. Who knows what’s going to happen when they get home?”

  “Sidney!” I say enthusiastically without even thinking as I slip back into the shower to shut the water off.

  “What?”

  “Sidney will know. I need to talk to her. Toss me a towel, please,” I shout over the curtain.

  “Here you go, crazy,” Ryan says as my towel flies over the shower curtain and lands in my hands. “Why don’t you just talk to Todd?”

  “Because he won’t tell me what’s happening with his dad, but Sid will. He’ll try to hide it from me, pretend everything is okay.”

  “Yeah, that sounds like him. You really do know him, Ash.” I barely hear that last part; he says it so low.

  “Duh. Now get out.” I need to talk to Sid. I’m not sure why this revelation has given me the boost I need to get out of the shower, but it does.

  After a frantic search, I finally find my phone in the front pouch of Todd’s sweatshirt, and see there are twelve texts from Sid, all some variation of What happened? and Call me. The last one is from five minutes ago, so I’m sure she’s still up.

  The phone doesn’t even ring before I hear Sid shout-whisper into the phone, “What happened?”

  “It’s bad, Sid. How’s Todd?”

  “Not good; hence, all of my texts. He came storming into the house, screaming at my dad. They were so loud they woke me up.”

  “How about now?”

  “Silence. Well, except I hear him on his guitar, and every once in a while, I hear something slam against the wall in his room.”

  I take a deep breath. “Did you hear what they were saying when they were screaming at each other?”

  “Not really. It was pretty muffled, but there were a lot of ‘how could yous?’ and I heard my mom down there, too. I figured it was best to pretend I was still asleep and call you for information since my brother is generally useless when it comes to stuff like this. I mean, he didn’t even tell me when you guys broke up last year.”

  “Yeah, I know,” I whisper back.

  “I think they took his phone.”

  “Good to know.” My heart sinks. That was our only lifeline, but it explains why I only have texts from Sid.

  Once I tell Sid what happened, she can’t believe it, either. She vows to get Todd any message I need, which I appreciate. Then again, it will be a little awkward to say what I really want to say to Todd through Sid.

  Oh, well. I’ll take what I can get.

  Chapter 11: The Aftermath

  ASHLEY

  It’s Monday morning, and I haven’t said one word to my parents since Saturday night.

  I don’t think I have ever been this excited to go to school. I can’t wait to see Todd. Sid texted me and said he still doesn’t have his phone back, although his parents went out yesterday, so I got to talk to him on Sid’s phone. Just in case they are checking call histories, it would make sense if Sid cal
led me. I wouldn’t put anything past our parents at this point, but luckily, I still have my phone.

  Hearing Todd’s voice was incredible, but seeing him today is really what I need.

  “Somebody is anxious to get to school,” Ryan says as he opens his car door.

  “Yeah, yeah, just drive,” I answer as if he’s crazy, but it’s true. I have been sitting in his car for the last twenty minutes.

  “Yeah, yeah,” he mocks as he pulls out of our driveway. “You talk to him this morning?”

  “No. You?”

  “No. Guess still no phone.”

  “Mr. and Mrs. H. suck even worse than Mom and Dad. I can’t believe how much I hate them right now.”

  Ryan doesn’t make a joke, only glances over with a sympathetic look. Then he takes a deep breath as his eyes meet the road again.

  When we pull into the SL, I see Todd. He’s already here, leaning against his car and talking to Mark.

  I swear, if it wasn’t for my seat belt or my brother sitting next to me, I would open the door and jump out while the car is still moving. But my parents would probably just blame Todd for any broken bones, and then we would never be able to see each other again.

  As soon as Todd sees us, he comes over to Ryan’s car. Before I know it, I’m in his arms again and can finally breathe. Everything feels right with the world when his hands meet mine.

  “I love you,” he whispers in my ear and then kisses me with so much passion I forget we are standing in the middle of the SL, surrounded by people. This kiss is full of everything I am feeling: hurt, pain, love, longing.

  “Our parents made them break up,” I hear Ryan say, explaining the fact that neither of us are coming up for air. “Nothing to see here, folks,” I hear him say to passing students as he tries to block us with his body. Then MC joins in, and luckily, he’s a giant of a person, so he’s more successful than Ryan. Normally, Ryan would walk away, so he must really feel bad for us.