FORBIDDEN

CHAPTER 13: VALERIE

Even without looking at myself I could tell the color had drained from my face.

Chase looked exactly the same except that he had grown taller. He smirked at me, that same evil smirk from years ago. "What, your not gonna greet an old friend, Valerie?". He started moving towards me and I felt my feet start moving backwards on their own accord.

Just as he was in front of me his hand moved to grab hold of my arm but Tom beat him to it, grabbing hold of Chase in a vice like grip, turning his fat wrist a vivid red. "Don't touch her!" He snapped speaking the words between his teeth his face the same color as Chase's wrist.

"What are you her bodyguard, let go pretty boy" hissed Chase pulling his wrist from Tom's hold and rubbing. "You seriously don't know who your messing with"

"Do I look like I care?" Retorted Tom staring daggers at Chase.
Chase burst out laughing his gigantic belly shaking with each laughter, his entourage looked confused for a moment but decided to follow Chase and they too erupted in laughter, cutting Chase's laugh short and earning them a glare from him.

"I like you, pretty boy. Why don't you ditch the reused trash and come join us.".

Tom glared at him for a moment and I seemed to notice the way he slowly moved in front of me. "Why would I ever follow the equivalent of a talking pig".

Everyone gasped including Andy who was still standing on the porch listening to our conversation.

Everyone knew for a fact that Chase hated any insults involving his weight, but I guess Tom wasn't informed.

Chase simply grinned and turned to his friends - who flinched back a bit - shaking his head and pointing at Tom while chuckling. "Can you believe this guy?". It was mid chuckle when Chase pounced surprising Tom by connecting his fist hard to Toms jaw. I watched with horror as his head snapped back. Tom immediately jumped back almost knocking into me. For a moment i was sure Tom was done  for that a repeat of my brother would happen again. I was just about to grab hold of Toms arm and pull him out of there when he lunged.

Chase swung at him but he ducked just in time and landed a punch on the stomach before bringing his open palm up hard on Chase's noise, even from far I heard a resounding crack. That seemed to break Chase's entourage from their gawking, they lunged at Tom who was outmatched one to four. But he was surprisingly holding up pretty well.

As I watched one of the guys land a punch straight on Toms stomach, I saw red and launched myself at the guy, fist hitting him hard on the cheek his face snapped back as he fell on the lawn. Tom stared at me shocked holding one of the guys under his arm.

There was a sudden curdling war cry as Andy jumped from the porch and landed on a guy - who had been approaching Tom from behind- pushing him to the ground and landing a punch to his face before pushing himself off. Tom grabbed hold of the guy he was holding and kicked him towards Andy,  who stretched out his arm at the approaching man who collided on his arm and flipped onto the ground.

We were both panting by the time Chase and his gang stood up and ran away, stumbling into each other.

Tom slowly stood up from his crouched position a bruise already starting to form on his jaw. "Are you okay?" I asked. He slowly nodded his head, disheveled blonde falling onto his eyes.
I slowly turned to face Andy who was also forming a bruise on his right eye and sporting a large Cheshire grin. He looked like he  enjoyed it, part of me wanted to smile and laugh with him, let the sudden adrenaline work its way through my body, but the other part still wanted to kill him. I was still able to say "thanks".

"Hey, no problem cousin" he replied, his eyes suddenly widened and his mouth formed an O.

"What did u say?" I questioned turning my full attention on him.