Playbook

Chapter 23: Sean

The old man peered at me once more. He had stared at me for a very long time, pondering something. I turned away from him and tried to rest again. I had twenty minutes to wait before I could call anyone of my choice to come bail me out. Like anyone would. It's too expensive, and I'm pretty worthless.

I could call Ethan, Aury's brother, but I'm sure he'd never bail me out because I was such a jerk when he refused to have any contact with his sister. But he's super rich.

. . . That means Aurelia is, too. And she probably knows I'm here. I know I've hurt her lately --on accident-- but I just saved her butt, so she better help me.

After deciding to call Eli, I looked back over to the cell next to mine with a grin. The old man scowled at me, squinting his eyes. "She ain't your sister, is she?"

I leaned closer, grinning. "Nah, I'm her fiancé."

He sneered. "Oh, then who was that other boy?"

"Jealous."

The man snorted, turning away. "I'm sorry."

My eyes went wide, my heart beating faster. "Sorry?" He was apologizing. Why would he apologize?

"I didn't know she was engaged. She seemed so young. Like, only sixteen or something. I'm sorry." The man ran his hands down his face slowly.

I twisted my lips to the side. Aurelia was only sixteen, and we weren't officially engaged, especially since she had called it off. I ran a hand through my hair awkwardly. "Wow . . . I didn't expect that you would be so apologetic."

The man nodded his head. "Well, you love each other, right?" I felt my heart drop into my stomach. No, but I love her. "And you had to witness --ugh-- and now you're here. She probably is crying on her bed, wondering where you are. And if she does know you're here . . . It's probably worse." He pursed his lips and turned around. "I'm sorry, kid."

I brushed my hand against one of my scars on my shoulder and grimaced. This man actually cared about someone, and that was difficult to think about. I had given him that black eye and those disjointed fingers, and now I actually felt super bad.

Maybe this is why Aury refuses to fight anyone. You never truly know anyone if you don't let them tell you anything. And throwing this guy in jail was probably the worst decision if I were trying to impress her. But I wasn't trying to impress anybody; I just needed to save her. And I was really mad at Savannah, who better have gotten out of my house.

"Sean Porter?" One of the guards came and stood in front of my cell, holding a key. He gestured over his shoulder, to the door that leads to the room where I'd get to call Eli. I stood up anxiously and fidgety. "Time for your call."

I followed him down the hall, and watched him open the door with a certain restlessness. "You only get one call," he said, unlocking my cuffs. He nodded his head toward the phone on the wall. "Go ahead, kid."

I reached the phone and dialed Aurelia's number faster than I'd ever done anything. It rang and rang and rang. I rocked back and forth on my heels, pleading silently for her to pick up.

"Um, hello?"

"Aury!"

She gasped, and I heard fumbling around. "Sean? Where are you? Are you in court? At jail--"

"Aury, I'm stuck in jail. They're calling me an instigator since I threw the first punch. I need you to bail me out."

She seemed taken aback when she spoke. "But I threw the first punch, Sean."