Knockout Boys

Chapter 12: Took My Chances

A/N: Amazing fan art of River by @featherheart4248 !!!! ^__^

I walked out of the doctor's office after another checkup. At least the symptoms were not getting worse, and my doctor estimated I should stay out of school for the next three weeks at least. It was irritating, but better be safe than sorry, I thought as I made my way to the parking lot. I looked around for my Mom, but was no where to be found. Shielding my eyes from the sun, I peered over parked cars, but I could not see her white SUV anywhere. "What the hell, Mom," I muttered. Did she forget me here?

"Hey loser!" a girl's voice yelled. I looked around and noticed a purple haired girl sitting atop an old pickup truck and strumming an electric guitar. It took me a few moments before I recognized the girl was River, and she dyed her hair, and shaved off about half of it to reveal several ear piercings on one side. I rolled my eyes. She thought she was so cool.

"You in a band or something?" I asked sarcastically, walking up to her.

"Yeah, actually," she retorted. "It's called 'Kick Rocky's Face Until He Shuts Up.'"

"You must be the town's favorite then."

River flipped me off. "Shut up, dork. Get in the car."

"Why?"

"Your Mom told my Mom to make me pick you up. Basically, they want us to get married." She put her guitar in the back of the pickup truck, which I noticed was packed full with a drum set, two more guitars, and speakers. River hopped off the truck and into the front seat. "Get in loser," she said, starting the engine. "We're going shopping."

"I just want to go home," I grumbled.

River sighed dramatically. "We're not actually going shopping, Rocky. God, it was just a reference. You're so weird."

I made a face but got in the passenger's seat. I was hoping for a quiet ride, but River somehow found noise rock on a radio station. "You know, I'm actually trying to start a band," she said. "You like this kind of music?"

"Yes, I absolutely love it," I muttered through the throbbing in my skull. I leaned forward and turned down the volume. "Do you mind? I have a concussion."

"Oh, sorry," River said and switched off the radio. "My girlfriend and I have been working on some tunes. I'm the vocals. She's the drummer. Thing is, we need a guitarist. You play?" She looked at me hopefully.

"Nope," I said.

"Ugh," River groaned. "It's so hard to find a decent guitarist in this town. It's all stupid country songs on acoustic guitar." She flipped her purple streaked hair out of her eyes. "I need to get out of here."

"Amen, sister," I agreed.

We drove for a little while in silence, passing corn field after corn field, cottage after cottage. "You really going to fight him at the maze, Rocky?" she said suddenly.

"I guess," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "Um, what's the maze?"

"You don't know?" she gasped. "Didn't your boyfriend tell you?"

"Why does everyone thinking Kevin and I are dating?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe it's 'cause you're practically glued to each other. I mean, at the barbecue you were literally clinging to him!"

"That's cause I was terrified for my life!"

"So you really aren't together?"

"No!" I shook my head. "He... he doesn't think of me like that."