More Than Just a Bad Boy

Chapter 15

I woke up at 2:30 am still leaning against Matt. Some random show was playing on TV. I turned it off and grabbed Matt's legs. I tried to moved them across the couch so he would be able to lay down, but with a guy as muscular as him, I did a pretty crappy job. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

Lifting the blanket off the top of the couch, I draped it over him and went upstairs to my bedroom. I hopped in bed and pulled the covers tightly around me.

I was in that weird twilight stage where I'm almost asleep, but not quite, when I was jolted awake by a thought.

Why didn't Matt leave to go hunt down Ryder? I know my brother, my very over-protective brother, who gets mad when I leave the house in leggings. He beat up a guy I didn't even go out with for a month (and only saw twice during that time), because he made Lani break up with me. If Matt beat up that kid right then and there just because I was only mad he didn't have the balls to do it himself, you would think he would do something about this. This one stupid thought kept me up for a little while longer but eventually I fell back to into a peaceful sleep. I guess crying for hours does help. A lot.

I woke up to a bunch of yelling. What the... I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I switched my shirt for a sports bra and slid a sweatshirt over my head. I glanced in the mirror. Good Lord, I look terrible. My eyes were red and puffy and my face looked slightly swollen.

Figuring it was just Matt and Taylor yelling, it didn't really matter what I looked like. I opened my door and walked down the stairs.

"Lani's bringing her to school!" Matt yelled.

"No, I am. I'm her ride! I already talked to Lani, she's not coming."

That voice... Why would Matt even let him in this house!?

I turned to go back to my room when I heard Ryder say, "Look, I saw what I did to her. I can't believed she thinks that about herself. I can't believe how hard she cried. I saw the pictures you sent. I didn't get a minute of sleep last night." What pictures? What is he talking about?

Matt laughed cruelly. "Good. I'm glad. Do you know how much misery you caused her!? And if it wasn't for her sobbing all night, I would have hunt you down and beat your ass. But I thought this might have caused you more pain. Pain that you can never get rid of. See, I sent you those pictures of her curled up next to me with tear after tear dripping from her eyes to show you what kind of a monster you are-"

"I don't need any pictures to know that I'm a monster," Ryder growled.

"And I don't really care. But if you dare show those to Brooke or anyone else, I can and will make your life a living hell," Matt said.

"What pictures?" I croaked.

Both boys jumped and looked at me with wide eyes. "Nothing, just um, uh..." Matt struggled but I was pretty sure I already had it figured out. I ran up the stairs and slammed my door shut. I'm so not going to school today.

Part of me was glad that no one made an effort to come after me, and the other part of me naturally wanted someone to.

I grabbed a pair if skinny jeans, a flowy black shirt, my undergarments, and a towel and walked into the bathroom. I turned the shower and striped out of my clothes while waiting for the water to warm to up.

I was glad the mirror already started to fog up because I couldn't stand to look at myself. I stepped into the shower. Honestly, I don't know why I have friends. I feel so comfortable around Lani, KD, and Michelle. I love them so much and I'm sure they love me, but why? Why would they want to spend time with me? There are so many negative traits about me that it overpowers the few good. I just don't get it.