Staying Afloat

Chapter 15

!TW- ED CONTENT IN THIS CHAPTER!

"You seriously won't give me my phone back? I almost had to walk home in the dark!" I yelled to August, exasperated.

"Frankly, I wish you had. Maybe it would've given you time to reflect on your attitude problem." He shouted back.

"Oh, I didn't think an attitude problem would bother you considering who you're dating." I scoffed, and he shoved me backwards.

"Don't fucking talk about her." He grunted and I screamed out in rage before pushing him back. He very quickly punched me near my right eye. Great, that'll probably bruise. I tackled him to the ground and tried to pin him down and hit him at the same time. He tried to gain the upper hand but I was somehow holding my ground

"Guys, what's with all the noise?" Benny asked as he came down the stairs. Upon seeing us, he came over and pried me off of August.

"He won't give me my phone back."

"She won't respect me or my girlfriend!"

"Because your girlfriend sucks!" August lunged toward me again, but Benny quickly spun me behind him.

"HEY! Let's calm down! August, give her her phone back, we don't need her getting hurt walking home. And Cece, try to be nicer to him. And Riley." We both rolled our eyes, but much to my surprise, August pulled my phone out of his pocket before silently walking away. I turned to walk away too, but Benny stopped me.

"What is going on between you two?" He asked me.

"It's none of your business." I turned away again.

"Cece, I'm just trying to help." He sighed

"Well, thank you, but I can fight my own battles."

---

School was a lot less lonely now that Payton and I were okay again. After eating lunch with my friends, I stopped by my locker. Once I gathered my things, I began walking to Biology, but on the way I was pushed into the wall of lockers, causing me to fall to the ground and drop all of my books everywhere. I looked over my shoulder to see August walking away, with Riley snickering by his side. He's never given me problems at school before now.

I began picking my books up off the floor, when a hand was offered in front of me to help me up. I looked up and was surprised to see Caleb. He hadn't spoken to me since before homecoming, which was weeks ago. I took his hand and he pulled me to my feet.

"Are you okay?" He asked me, and I nodded. "That's your brother, right?" He nodded in August's general direction.

"Yeah..."

"Did he do that to you?" He asked pointing to my bruised eye.

"Yeah, but it's fine. He's just mad at me. I thought you were too." I stated, regretting being so blunt a second after the words left my mouth.

"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry. I was upset for no reason, and then I didn't know how to fix things. I had been such a dick that talking to you seemed like it would make things worse. So, I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too, I could've talked to you too. Friends?" I asked

"Friends." He agreed.

"Good, I've missed you. Biology isn't the same without you." I smiled.

---

"Where do you think you're going?" Riley called out to me as I left the gym after cheer practice.

"Oh, well I was just going to change and go home." I said, turning around to face her.

"I don't think so. See, a little birdie told me that you were running around and telling your brothers you hate me."