Eastwood Academy

Chapter 25: Fuck Up (River's POV)

"Hey ass face." I'm prodded roughly awake by a jab to the ribs. My very sore ribs which seem to be covered in bruises, judging from the pain that's now coursing through me.

I groan and turn over, away from the voice above me.

"River." The person speaks again, and I recognize Tyler's voice. "Get the fuck up. I'm not kidding. I'll come back with a pitcher of water and dump it over your fucking head."

Cursing softly, I manage to open my eyes, squinting against the light coming in from the east window. It takes me a second to place my surroundings. I'm in a small rustic bedroom in Connell's cabin. Tyler stands next to the bed I'm lying on, his arms crossed and expression thunderous.

"Get up," Tyler says again. I'm taking your sorry ass back to Eastwood. If you aren't ready in five minutes I'm leaving, you can find your own way there." With that, he tosses my coat that I discarded somewhere last night onto the bed, turns on his heel, and stalks out of the room, slamming the door on the way out for good measure.

It takes all of my willpower to pull myself out of bed. My entire body is killing me, especially my head. My neck hurts like a bitch too. The only reason I'm able to make myself get up is because I know Tyler is serious about leaving me behind. Normally, he would never do something like that, but I can tell he's really angry with me.

Stumbling down the stairs, I pull my coat on, profanity spewing from my lips with every step I take due to the pain I'm in. Great. Just fucking great. Soccer practice is going to hurt like a bitch this week.

Intense physical activity has been the only form of relief I have every time a certain girl with long brown hair and hazel eyes pops into my head. Which is pretty much every waking second of the day. Even as I limp over to Tyler's Volvo in my head, I'm back in the library with Brooklyn, remembering the way it felt to kiss her full lips and have her long legs wrapped around me. Maybe I should have let Tyler throw that pitcher of water over my head.

I wince as I open the passenger door and bend down to get in. As soon as the door is closed, Tyler puts the car in gear and peels out of the driveway.

For several minutes, we sit in silence. Tyler is practically fuming next to me. It's a wonder smoke isn't coming out of his ears. I know he wants an explanation for my actions last night, but the last thing I want to do is talk. I stare ahead, not seeing the road, instead picturing the hurt and confusion in Brooklyn's wide brown eyes after I shut her down when we ran into Imeria's parents and then the anger and disappointment after I attacked Aaron. Finally, Tyler breaks the silence.

"I just have one question for you," he tells me angrily. "Mind telling me what the fuck you were thinking last night?"

"He was taking advantage of a drunk girl_" I defend myself, returning his aggressive tone, but Tyler cuts me off before I can finish my sentence.

"Bullshit River," he snaps.

"You didn't see Aaron with her_" I'm cut off again.

"I didn't need to," he tells me scathingly. "I talked to Brooklyn, and she told me Aaron didn't do anything to her. She said that he was nothing but polite."

Hearing that should make me feel better. It doesn't. While I'm glad that Aaron didn't try anything with her (which I already knew, I just don't want to admit it), I don't want him to be "nothing but polite" to her. I don't want him talking to her, period. Or looking at her. As far as I'm concerned, he can stay the fuck away from Brooklyn.

But if it's not him, it's going to be someone else. Gavin or another guy, it's only a matter of time. Someone will come along and see how intelligent, down to earth and compassionate Brooklyn is, not to mention how stunningly beautiful she is. It feels like half the guys in our senior class already like her. She's just too insecure or inexperienced to realize how alluring she is. Aaron wasn't the first to be interested and won't be the last.