Summer Love - James Worpel

Chapter 20

I wake up to the sound of my phone buzzing. I sit up, a little too fast which makes everything around me blurry. I rub my eyes as I reach over to grab my phone that's sitting on the bedside table. 

I answer it, seeing that it's James who is calling me. 

"Morning. You better have a great excuse to why you woke me up." I joke and James chuckles. 

"Sorry bubs, but morning." He says then he sighs. "I have some fucking bad news." 

"Oh what? You can't make Saturday? It's fine we can just chill at one of our houses Friday night, no big deal." I say jumping to conclusions and James chuckles. 

"I wish it was that, but it's not, it's worse." 

"Okay.. so stop beating around the bush and tell me what's wrong." 

"I told the club what happened with Daniel and how I beat him up." 

"JAMES! Why would you do that?" I ask then I get up. 

"Hold that thought, I'm coming over so you can explain it to me in person." I say and I hear James sigh, but I know either way he wants to see me. 

I chuck on a pair of jeans and a jumper, before running downstairs where I grab my car keys off the hook, and also grab an up and go to drink on the way. 

I get to James' house in no time, parking in his driveway, then walking up to the front door, pressing the doorbell. 

"We could've had this conversation over the phone you know." 

"I know, just wanted to see you." I say and he chuckles. 

"I'm not complaining." He says shutting the door behind me before we both walk into the living room, taking a seat on the couch. 

"Don't worry, I didn't tell them that it was you, I left your name out of it." 

"Thank you. But why did you hand yourself in?" 

"Cause I know how Daniel does things, sooner or later he would've gone to the police and said that I assaulted him, so this way, the club and AFL know about it and they can deal with it, before the police get involved." 

"Okay, but are you fine?" 

"I'm fine, just that I have to miss the first three weeks of the season." 

"YOU'RE JOKING RIGHT?" 

"I wish I was Tahls, but this is the punishment tribunal is going to give me. It's either that or the police, they gave me an ultimatum and obviously I chose to miss the first few weeks." 

"Shit James, I am so sorry. This is all my fault if I never dated Daniel then this..." I start but he cuts me off by placing a hand over my mouth to silence me. 

"Stop. Just stop." He says, removing his hand from my mouth then continuing. "Please do not blame yourself for what happened with Daniel. It is NOT your fault." 

I look into his gorgeous eyes and sigh. He's right, I shouldn't be blaming myself when it's not my fault what happened. But sometimes it's just easier to blame yourself for things. 

"Okay." I say and he sighs, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. 

"Have you eaten?" 

"I had an up and go on the way here." 

"So you haven't eaten." He says getting up and walking over the fridge, pulling out some bacon and eggs. 

"You don't have to make anything, I'm not hungry."