by Hart, Rebel
I needed to focus my efforts on getting Clint healed and graduated.
Mom sighed. “D.J. just wants to see you, that’s all.”
I nodded. “Well, I don’t want to see him.”
“Come on, Raelynn. Just give him a chance.”
“A chance?”
“Yes.”
“A chance!”
“Rae, don’t raise your voice like—”
I scoffed. “I’ve given him plenty of chances, Mom. Plenty. I gave him a chance after you came home with your first black eye. I gave him a chance after he stormed out of here one night after calling you a ‘useless bitch.’ I gave him a chance after he tried choking you out in the middle of the kitchen and I had to elbow him in his fucking lower back in order to get him to let go.”
Mom’s face hardened. “Raelynn Cleaver.”
“I’ve given him plenty of chances. He doesn’t get any more from me. I’m not you, Mom. I don’t have to give him chances like you apparently feel like you need to. I don’t want to have breakfast with him. I don’t want to have coffee with him. I don’t want a ride to school from him. And I don’t want to see him. Ever.”
“Raelynn!”
I shoved past my mother, feeling my satchel weighing me down. I flounced down the steps, listening as D.J.’s footsteps stormed down the hallway.
“The hell’s all that ruckus in this house?”
And his question made me whip around to face him.
“You don’t get to make demands in this house.”
Mom paused in the middle of the steps. “Raelynn Cleaver. You shut that attitude down right now.”
But I glared at D.J. “This isn’t your home, this isn’t your space, and that isn’t your girlfriend. Because if you loved her, you wouldn't do half the things to her that you do.”
“Rae! Stop!”
I took a step toward D.J. “I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to hear from you. And I sure as hell don’t want you making demands in this house. And if my mother ever comes home with another bruise on her face? On her skin? I’m calling the damn police myself.”
D.J. leveled me with a stare that could kill, but I didn’t give a shit about it. I stormed out of the house, slamming the front door behind me as I made my way for the driveway. Already, I heard them fighting this morning. D.J. yelling in that house like he owned it. And Mom crying and trying to subdue him. The only good thing that might ever come from him striking Mom again is the fact that I’d live up to my promise. If Mom ever had another bruise on her skin I caught, the police would be at the house.
Getting my side of the story, despite what Mom wanted.
Sweat already trickled down the nape of my neck as I made my way for the edge of the neighborhood. I focused my mind on school. On the new week. On the excitement of the day. I smiled as Allison came into view, hopping out of Michael’s car. She came rushing for me as Michael’s trunk slowly eased itself open, her arms throwing themselves around me.
“Are you ready? I mean, really ready? You’ve probably been waiting for this for a while.”
I smiled. “I’m ready for this, yes. I need to thank Michael for driving, too.”
Michael leaned out his window. “You’re welcome! Now, get your stuff in the back. We gotta go!”
Allison squealed as she helped me get my satchel from around my shoulder. We both grunted and groaned, heaving it into the trunk before the door closed automatically. I rushed around, watching Allison climb into the front seat. And as I slipped into the back seat, I set my eyes toward Clint’s house.
Michael looked at me through the rearview mirror. “Ready?”
I nodded. “Ready, Freddy.”
Allison giggled. “Let’s do this.”
Michael inched away from the curb and we took off down the road. We turned into Clint’s neighborhood as I fed Michael directions. Down one street. Up another. A small U-turn because we took a left turn much too early. I smiled to myself as I saw Clint’s house coming into view. My heart sang with delight when I saw him standing on his porch. Michael pulled into his roundabout driveway and I opened the door, watching as Clint lumbered over to the car.
It was his first day back at school, and I was ecstatic to have him there.
He smiled. “Morning, Rae.”
And I smiled back. “Morning, Clint.”
“Aly. Mike.”
Allison rolled her window down. “Hey there, Brick. How you feeling?”
Clint paused. “Brick?”
She shrugged. “You’re practically a brick wall to have survived what you did.”
Michael chuckled. “She’s not wrong.”
Clint grinned. “Brick. I could get used to that.”
Michael smiled. “All right. Hop in. Time for us to get to school.”
I held out my hand. “Here, let me help.”
I eased him into the car, thankful that Michael and Allison were willing to give Clint the support he needed. And the fact that they had agreed to help me almost immediately warmed my heart. It seemed as if they had accepted him. Drawn him into our little fold. I couldn't have been happier about it, too. I wanted the rest of the school year to be this way. Us, walking together to school hand in hand, with my two best friends who had come to accept Clint for who he was, what he was, and who he’d become.
Things finally felt as if they were falling into place.
I saw Michael peeking through his rearview mirror at Clint. And while I wasn’t sure why, I had a feeling. I knew he was struggling to warm up to Clint. After all, Michael was the king of holding grudges. Still, I held Clint’s hand tightly as we all rode to school, with Allison chattering her head off at us.
Then Michael pulled us into the back parking lot as he spoke up.
“You guys want to be dropped off at the curb?”
I looked over at Clint. “What do you want?”
He sighed. “While I don’t like the idea of being catered to like that, it might help.”
Michael nodded. “Say no more.”
Allison turned around. “You need any help getting out?”
Clint shook his head. “You guys have done enough just picking me up. Thank you.”
Michael shrugged. “Not a problem. Everyone needs help sometimes, you know?”
Clint nodded. “More than ever before, I know.”
I leaned my cheek against his shoulder as Michael eased us up to the curb. I hopped out of the car, then wrapped around to Clint’s side as his door opened. He was slow to get out of the car with his injuries. The bruises on his face were still a bit evident. Faded, but there. The bruise on his jawline had dissipated. His ribs still hurt him. That much I knew. But he was steadier on his hip. And his arm was finally out of that sling.
Though he still couldn't lift his arm beyond parallel with the ground.
I took his hand. “Easy does it. Take your time. We’ve got plenty of it.”
Clint snickered. “I feel people staring.”
“Fuck them. They got an issue with it, they can take it up with me.”
“Oh, my hero.”
I giggled and shook my head as Clint finally got himself out of the car. I wrapped my arm around his waist, feeling him inch his arm around my neck. I liked having him there. Wrapped around me. Claiming me in front of the entire school. However, I also felt him leaning against me a bit too much.
Which meant he was already tired from the moving he had to do.
“Come on, Brick. Let’s get you to homeroom.”
He chuckled. “I don’t know if I’ll get used to that kind of a nickname.”
I shrugged. “Kinda suits you, though. With how big you are.”
“You calling me fat, sweet cheeks?”
I grinned. “Maybe just a little.”
“That’s what happens when you’re bedridden, I guess.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll whip you right back into shape.”
He growled softly. “That a promise, beautiful?”
And as I gazed up into
his eyes, the world faded away for a split second.
“That’s a definite promise, handsome.”
22
Clinton
All morning, I’d been apprehensive about going back to school. Because for once, I didn’t want all the attention to be on me. I didn't want people asking me tons of questions and coming up to me wanting stories. I didn’t want girls staring at me with their big doe eyes. I didn’t want to tell them how I saved some girl’s life by forcing drunk, bullshit assholes to chase me down. All I wanted to do was forget about everything that had happened, press the reset button, and try that entire night again.
Hell, try this entire year again so I could do right by Rae.
Dad came home for a short time this past week, making my life an absolute nightmare. I heard him and Cecilia fighting more than usual. Mostly because she kept standing up for me. Which, in my father’s eyes, meant standing against him. I didn't understand that. I never would understand it. And though I was thankful for the times Rae came to visit, I hated the fact that things never quite felt like that dinner we’d shared. Just the three of us. Her, myself, and my stepfather.
Fucking hell, that man ruined everything good around him.
Through it all, though, I kept up with my physical therapy. Cecilia stayed at my side for every appointment, taking me to and from them like a parent should have. Hell, she stepped up to the plate more this past week than my father ever had in the entirety of my life! It felt great, to be honest. Having an adult in my corner for once. She cheered me on and worked me through my frustrations. She helped me stretch in the mornings, trying to work that bruised stiffness out of my muscles. After throwing down that beautiful lasagna dinner meal over a week ago, she got me back onto a strict diet. No overdoing it on the sodium, cutting back on the fatty foods, and getting rid of all the sodas in the house so I was forced to drink more water than I ever had in my entire life.
There were parts of me that didn’t want to leave her care and come back to school.
But I knew I had to. Even though Rae had been a doll and come over every night she wasn’t working to help me with schoolwork, it still wasn’t enough. She was still doing about half of my work because I kept falling asleep. Or she kept jumping my bones. Or I kept jumping her bones.
Mmph, I want to take her home and jump her bones.
“Clint?”
Rae’s voice ripped me from my trance and I found myself still looking down at her. She had this worried look on her face. How long had I zoned out? I knew I shouldn't have taken those damn painkillers before I left the house.
I cleared my throat. “Yeah, gorgeous?”
Rae blushed. “Are you sure you’re okay to be at school today?”
I nodded. “I’m sure. Yep.”
“You guys need anything?”
“Clint, you okay?”
Mike and Aly’s voices pulled my head over to look at them. They were still at the curb, peering out of Aly’s rolled-down window. Despite the fact that I knew Mike still had issues with me, I was thankful I’d had their support this morning. I nodded at them, hoping they understood how thankful I was for their support. Even with the way I’d treated them in the past.
Rae’s hand slipped to my hip.
“We can do this, Clint. Okay?”
My eyes fell back to hers. “You sure about that?”
She smiled. “You’ve got the three of us. You’ll be good.”
Aly giggled. “Yep! The four amigos.”
Mike snickered. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet.”
I rolled my eyes. “We need a much better nickname than that.”
Rae grinned. “Brick and the gang?”
Mike scoffed. “Why does he get to be the frontrunner?”
Aly smiled brightly. “Because the three of us have to hold him up until he recuperates.”
I paused. “That’s… painfully accurate. Ouch. Thanks for the dose of reality.”
Rae nudged me softly. “Don’t worry. She’s really good for that sometimes.”
Mike nodded toward the school. “You two go inside. We’ll meet you at Rae’s locker.”
And with that, he pulled away from the curb.
I walked into the school, leaning against Rae more than I wanted to. More than I wished I were. She held me against her with a firmness and a strength I’d come to admire. We walked into the school’s back doors and I tried ignoring the looks. The gasps. The whispers and the attention. I hated it, which was something I never thought in a million years I’d hate. A month ago, I’d been strutting my shit. Playing up the bruises and the limping just to get the attention of the girls. And now? All I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and get away from their glances. Their whispers. Their unasked questions.
Rae kissed my chest. “Don’t worry. They’ll get over it.”
I wasn’t as hopeful about that as she sounded.
We finally got to Rae’s locker and I leaned against it. I felt myself huffing for air, which was yet another thing I didn’t like. Walking was still a chore, and I had no fucking clue how the hell I’d lug my books to my classes. I watched as Rae opened her locker. Her eyes scanned it quickly before they fell to her body. She groaned and rolled her eyes, then closed her locker with a bang.
My brow furrowed. “What is it?”
Aly yelled down the hallway. “She left this!”
I looked up, watching Mike and Aly walk down the hallway. And the two of them were clutching Rae’s shoulder backpack thing she always had with her at school. The straps looked as if they were crying out for mercy. The bottom of the bag looked as if it were about to give way. I watched Rae as she scurried for it, allowing it to fall to the floor. She dragged it over to her locker and started sifting through things, pulling out not only her books, but mine as well.
And all I wanted to do was help her.
“Uh-uh-uh, not so fast.”
Rae pressed her hand into my chest. She pushed me upright, abandoning her bag on the floor in front of her locker. She leveled me with a look as her hand slid down my torso. And when her fingertips rumbled over my ribs, my eye twitched.
Aly sighed. “We can help her. You need to rest when you can.”
Mike nodded. “Trust me, the girls have it.”
I bit down onto the inside of my cheek to keep from firing back. I didn’t like this. Not one bit. I didn’t like the sweat forming on Rae’s brow. Or the soft groans falling from Aly’s lips. I didn’t like how hard they were working for me, because I had no idea how I’d repay them for their efforts. I mean, I could hardly bend the fuck over. How the hell was I supposed to repay their generosity to them when I was beat up like this?
I felt all eyes on me as we stood there, waiting for the morning bell to toll. We’d made it to school a little too early for my liking. Usually, I rode up on my bike just as the homeroom bell sounded. I never got here before that damn bell. And if I did, I was usually in the cafeteria, shooting the shit with Roy and the gang.
Speaking of, where the hell were those guys?
I sighed. “Thank you guys.”
Rae gathered both my books and her books in her arms. “You’re welcome. It’s really not an issue.”
Mike shrugged. “I mean, what were you going to do? Walk to school? Ride a bike?”
Aly nudged him. “Michael, be nice.”
I snickered. “He is being nice.”
Mike held out his hand. “See? Brick gets it.”
I paused. “You guys are really gonna make that stick, aren’t you?”
Aly giggled. “We really are.”
Mike shrugged. “I mean, it fits. Brick walls don’t cave easily. Simple as that.”
I was taken aback by the compliment. Because that was what that was. A compliment. From Mike. The guy who, only a few weeks back, I’d punched directly in the face because of a comment I made about the very nice girl at his side. Thankfulness rushed through my veins. I grinned at him as I nodded my head. I reached my hand out, holding it
there for him to shake.
And when Mike clapped his hand against mine, I smiled.
“Really. Thank you.”
Mike nodded. “Whatever you need, dude. Just let us know.”
Aly clapped her hands. “Finally! Yes. It’s about time the two of you put things to rest.”
Mike snickered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I chuckled. “Not a damn clue.”
The four of us stood by Rae’s locker, shooting the shit and having a grand old time. I used to think that getting here before that homeroom bell was for losers and idiots. But this was a lot of fun. We stood around, making jokes and venting about classes. They put a smile on my face, and a few of my jokes put smiles on theirs. It felt nice, being around good people. Genuine people. People who didn’t stand around, picking on those that walked by. People who minded their own damn business and had things to talk about other than the pussy they got over the weekend.
Fucking Roy.
Things felt different. In a good way. Laughing with Mike and Aly felt more carefree and less skeezy than it did with Roy and Marina. The past few weekends that I’d spent at home and in the hospital were actually better than the weekends I spent drinking and partying. Despite the pain and despite the hospital stay and despite the medication, I’d had more fun with Rae at my side than I did in a hot tub full of girls pouring shots down my damn throat.
Who the hell are you becoming?
Someone I wanted to become.
Aly laughed. “Oh, my gosh. Clint, you really missed it last week. Wedne—no, Thursday. Thursday morning, the principal came into his office with his robe still on. His robe, Clint.”
My brow furrowed. “Why the hell did the principal come with—?”
Mike grinned. “He’d been out all day chasing down this new puppy they’ve gotten. His youngest let it out of the backyard, and he had to chase it down before he came into school.”
Rae snickered. “Didn’t have enough time to clean himself up much before he had to be in his office.”