Bertinelli Family

Chapter 24- Vallmo

Riley's POV

After the girls 'argument,' I walked away to find some peace and quiet and I guess to get ready for my next class. Walking down the hallways there is no one else inside with me. Every kid is at lunch, most are outside. 

I walk down the hall avoiding going back outside to all the idiots of this place. A noise draws my attention down a corridor. 

"Please." A terrified voice calls as laughs echo back. 

"The poor little boy. What are you gonna do cry for your mommy? Oh, wait I forgot she's dead." I walk closer to them seeing a group of four kids, two boys, and two girls, all standing around a cowering boy. 

"What are you gonna do cry about it?" One of the boy's remarks caused all four of them to laugh. I roll my eyes. 

I get closer seeing one of the girls is the one that gave us our tours. What is her name? C something, C something. Oh Clara, yeah Clara. Damn, she's a bitch. 

The other three I don't recognize them, I've seen them around school but don't know their names. The other girl gets closer to him and kicks his foot as he sits on the ground trying to make himself smaller. 

One of the boys gets closer to him and grips his hair making him face them. Now I have had enough of them. 

"Hey, knock it off." I slightly raise my voice but not enough to yell. I'm trying to only gain their attention. 

"What's it to you bitch." The unnamed girl looks at me and smiles like she had the best comeback in the world. 

"Well, this doesn't seem like a very fair fight."

"What do you want to take his place?" One of the boys asks me. 

"No, I don't. But I'm sure my brothers would be really interested to learn that someone was threatening their precious little sister." I smirk and widen my eyes letting the innocent girl act play. "Oh and I'm pretty good at faking tears. So how bout you four all leave and I won't tell my brothers about this little incident." Despite me not knowing who they are both sets of twins made it clear who we are. 

The girls are the first to leave. The boy with brown hair and eyes looks at me studying me almost challenging my threat. The other boy grabs him and drags him away. Before they disappear around the corner he looks at me and smirks. 

Psycho. I turn back towards the boy. I move closer to him slowly trying not to scare him any more than he already is. I bend down and look at him studying him. His messy brown curls fall on his forehead and cover some of his hands. 

"You okay?" He looks up slowly only peeking one eye open and showing me a pretty green eye. 

"Hi, I'm Riley. What's your name?" He looks back down burying his head in his arms. 

"Ashton." He mumbles but I can make it out.

"Ashton, can you look up at me?" He brings his head up showing me his eyes first. His right eye is pale green with half of it deep blue. His eyes are red and bloodshot, and he has a pink mark on the bridge of his nose. 

"See not so hard. How bout you stand up and I can take you to the nurse,"  I suggest holding out my hand for him. He reaches out his hand for me and stands up with my hand locked in his. Standing up fully I have to tilt my head back to see him. He's taller than Jake and Blake, definitely around 6 ft. 

I hold his hand still and walk to the nurse's office. I tell her what happened and she takes him with her to clean up his nose. 

"Oh, dear Ashton. This is the fifth time this month. Where are your glasses?" Glasses he didn't have any glasses.

"Bradley took them I think he broke them." He mumbled only looking up since her hand was under her chin. He winced and tried to move his head away from her as she pressed an alcohol wipe against the small cut. 

"Who are you, young lady?"

"Riley Bertinelli."

"What's your part in all of this."

"I found them around him and decided to help him out."

"That true?" She looked at Ashton who nodded. 

"Well, your all done Ashton. Unfortunately without your glasses, I can't let you go to class so I can call your dad and have him pick you up."

"No, I don't want to bother him. I'll just walk home. Thanks, Mrs. J." He hops off her bed thing and walks past me. Texting my dad I ask if I can skip the rest of the day. 

Me: Hey can I skip the rest of the day

Dad: Why?

Me: Cause

Dad: Fine

 Hell yeah. I follow behind Ashton running a little to catch up with him. 

"So where are we going?"

"What?"

"Are you deaf too?"

"No."

"Good so you heard me the first time."

"Yeah, but why are you walking with me?"

"Why not?"

"Did you not see me just get beat up in the hallway? I'm not too popular around here."

"So I don't care. I'm just trying to make sure you don't wander into traffic."

"I'm not that blind."

"Okay relax Ashley."

"Ashton. It's Ashton."

"I like Ashley better."