The Bad Boy Hero

Chapter 4

Mattie drove me to school on Friday grinning like an idiot, since he was excited for the football game the next day, and the party that was sure to follow. “If Richards lets us down again I’m getting him kicked off the team,” he was telling me like he told me before every game day “He’s an alright guy,” he continued

“Totally,”

Mattie turned to me with a raised eyebrow “You’re not listening are you?”

“Of course I’m listening,” I laughed, we parked up in his usual place and Mattie climbed out, I took a deep breath before climbing out too. Mattie was instantly swarmed by everyone talking about tomorrow’s game so I made my way to my locker alone, I didn’t know where Tess was, she was probably already on her way to French.

“Morning Sweetheart,” I turned to see Jasper and raised an eyebrow “You said you liked that name,”

“I really can’t remember agreeing to that,” I laughed softly, aware of the weird looks we were receiving for even talking never mind laughing and joking with each other.

“Well I was going to drop a note in your locker but now I’ve got you,” he looked around and everyone looked away apart from AS student who received one of Jasper’s trade mark death glares until he turned back to his locker. “Are you on for tonight?” he continued in a quiet voice, I saw Mattie on his way to find me so quickly nodded to Jasper before moving passed him

“I thought they were going to eat you alive,” I grinned to Mattie who instantly snaked an arm around me as we continued down the hall.

“Were you just talking to Ryder?” he wondered with a slight frown

“No,” I huffed “He was just being a douche like usual,” I gave him a smile and kissed his cheek as we reached my locker “Why don’t you like him anyway?” I wondered lightly

“Apart from him being a dick?” Mattie said like that was enough reason, I knew that wasn’t just it most of his friends were as annoying as Jasper could be, I did my usual swap of books in my locker “Why do you care anyway?” Hidden by my locker door I composed my face into a smile

“I don’t,” I began closing my locker with my French books in hand “I was just wondering why you seem to hate him so much more than the others,” Mattie took my hand as we walked and didn’t seem to want to say anything else on the issue so I let it drop.

“You’re coming to the game tomorrow right?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I smiled kissing his cheek as he headed to his PE theory class and I headed to French. Tess was stood outside waiting for me as she text on her phone “Morning,”

She looked up and grinned flicking her pink hair from her eyes as she did “I can’t wait for tomorrow,”

“Well this is a first, I didn’t realise you had a new found interest in Football,” Our French teacher buzzed passed us to unlock the door and we filed in

“No, not for the game, for the after party,” this surprised me “Jamie will be there,” that didn’t. “You’re coming right?”

“No,” I sat at our table and took out my work from last lesson “I have work to do,”  I answered when she gave me a frown, I didn’t actually have work to do I just didn’t want to go. Drinking wasn’t my thing and people seemed to think this was hilarious or too cute like I was a kid amongst adults just because they liked getting wasted. Instead I’d have to deal with dad when he stumbled in at 12; he liked to stay out late on Saturday nights.

Once again I pulled up on the Ryder drive at 5 o’clock and paused taking in a long haggard breath, I had gone to the Library after school so I didn’t have to see Dad when he was barely sober, he was always more volatile at this time, sometimes even more than late at night. I slipped from my car not bothering to lock it behind me no one would want to steal it with Jasper’s car standing strongly next to it. I pulled my bag from the back and slipped up the stairs to find the front door ajar, “Jasper?” I called before pushing the door open a little more and slipping inside, there was a groan and I quickly followed the sound to the kitchen to find Jasper propped up against the island in the middle of the room an icepack pressed to his face, he was covered in dirt and he looked almost crumpled. “What happened?” I came to his aid helping him to sit on one of the stool, he removed the icepack and I winced at the bruise that was forming over his cheekbone under his eye.