Captains

Chapter 5

The party is in full swing. You would think there were only parties like once a year. But there was one YESTERDAY, and people were just as excited tonight. I haven't seen Rider for over 45 minutes, and Brooklyn hasn't showed up yet. Cali won't show up, because she's working.

When I'm almost fed up, I head outside to the beach to try and get some air before I completely give up on this party. I get outside, and I find Rider alone too. I walk up and sit down next to him.

"You're not being a very good host. They're trashing your house. That's not going to be fun in the morning."

"I'll have the team clean it up with me tomorrow before my parents get home." He refuses to look anywhere but at the ocean. I notice that his jaw is clenched.

"Hey, what's wrong? And don't try that 'I'm fine' shit, because clearly you're not."

He almost laughs, cracking a small smile. "Kayla is here, alongside the guy she cheated on me with. It's a real make out fest in the dining room."

I mock disgust. "Oh my god. There are boys kissing girls in there. Don't they know boys have cooties?" I say like a toddler.

I see a genuine smile on his face. He finally looks away from the ocean and locks eyes with me. "I know right? Girls have the worst cooties of all. They're so weak, they laugh even if you tickle them just a little bit." He mirrors my voice.

I get serious, fast. "Not are girls are ticklish! I'm not."

He gets a look of pure joy on his face, and it quickly turns into a smirk. "Wanna bet?"

"Yeah I will." Before I even get a chance to give my hand to him to shake, he has me pinned down, and is tickling the crap out of me. At first, I'm not laughing, I'm fighting. Hard.

"Damn, Sterling. Maybe you're not ticklish."

"Rider! I swear to you, as soon as I get you off me, I'm kicking your ass!" I struggle. In just a minute, I'm laughing. Not️ long after that, I'm out of breath. "I. Can't. Breathe."

He immediately stops. "Oh shit. Are you okay?" He leans close with concern etched all over his face. I feel my heart starting to race.

"Get off me! I'm fine." I start struggling again. His smirk is back.

"Maybe I won't." All of a sudden, I hear a click, like a picture is being taken. He looks up, and I think run my head to look behind us. One of Kayla's friends, Avery took a picture, then took off running inside the house.

"Shit. I'm sorry, Sterling."

"For what?"

"That picture. It's going to Kayla, and then to anybody who's anyone. She probably going label you a whore."

"And?"

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Rider, I don't give a shit what hardly anyone thinks of me. Only some family, the volleyball team, Cali, and Brooklyn can give me an opinion I care about. Everyone else can kiss my ass."

He laughs. "Only you could make something good of someone calling you a whore." He helps me up. As soon as I put weight on my right foot, pain shoots from my ankle to my hip.

"Oh shit. My ankle." Rider quickly puts his left arm around my waist, and forces my right arm over his shoulder.

"I'm taking you to the hospital." He escorts me through the house. Some people are staring, mostly trying to make it discreet. Kayla sees us and smirks.

"Oh look! The whore hurt ankle! Probably from all the beach sex!"

Rider stiffens, and I look up at him. He clears his throat. "Sterling," he says loudly, "ignore her. She's just jealous that I didn't care about the fact that she cheated on me."

She scoffs. "Yeah right. You're just pissed because I called out the fact that your new girlfriend is a whore."

I can't take it. I let go of Rider, and calmly walk over to Kayla. I see fear flash across her face.

"Kayla, if you could kindly take your lying, cheating, trashy, whorish ways away from me, and my friends, that would be great."

"As if. Whether he knows it not. Rider. Is. Mine."

"Alright. You don't want to stay away from my friends? Here's a taste of your punishment." And I punch the shit out if her. Hard. She hits the floor, and she unconscious.

I smile and limo to Rider. "Let's go. "

He laughs and wraps his arm around my waist and we walk out the door. "I swear, you keep getting more and more attractive. To be honest, that was really hot back there."

I roll my eyes and laugh. "You know what isn't attractive? Telling a girl what you think is attractive."

We walk up to his truck, and he lifts me into it.

"Such a gentlemen." I say, trying and failing to keep a straight face.

"Hardy har har." He smiles anyway, and walks around to get into the drivers side. He revs up the engine, and squeals out of the driveway.

"Who's going to watch your house?"

"The team always has my back when it comes to parties." He plugs his iPhone into the stereo. "Luke Bryan?" He smirks.

"Luke Bryan." I laugh. He blasts my very favorite song by him, and starts singing, his voice filling my head.

"She had a cross around her neck, and a flower in her hand, that I picked from the side of Thomas Drive on our way to the sand. We found an old wooden chair, still warm from the sun. Pushed it back, gave me a kiss, with Bacardi on her lips, and I was done."

I let my eyes drift shut, and the next thing I know, I'm slamming forward, and Rider has his arm across my chest. He loses control of the truck, because he only has one hand in the wheel. I don't remember anything else, except that once we stop, Rider unbuckles, put his console up, and scoots over to me. He was unbuckles me, and pulls me into his arms.

"I'm so sorry Sterling. I'm so so so so sorry."

I kiss his cheek, and black out on his shoulder.