Trophy Child (On Hold)

Chapter 20

When I found him, Phil was leaning against his locker, texting with one hand. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone.

"What do you want?" Dylan snarled.

Phil glanced up from his phone, looking conflicted.

"I need to talk to Phil about something. Screw off, Dylan," I said. I'd just gotten there, and I was already sick of his face.

Dylan smirked and took a step closer. "Who's gonna make me, Casey?"

"I could kick your ass, and you know it."

That might not have been true.

"I'd like to see you try."

Phil pushed off of the locker and stood between us, which I guess meant he thought that I couldn't handle things on my own. He was probably right, but my pride still took a hit.

"Lay off, Dylan. He doesn't need your shit right now."

"Since when do you defend him?" Dylan asked, disgust curling his lip.

"Since when do I need to answer to you?"

Dylan narrowed his eyes at Phil, but he must have decided that I wasn't worth it, because instead of putting up a fight, he stomped off with an annoyed huff. Once he was gone, Phil turned his attention to me.

"So what happened?" He asked, hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets.

"Huh?"

"You know, what happened with Josh. What happened over the weekend that freaked you out like that?"

"Oh. Right. I don't know, it wasn't anything too major, it's just... I couldn't handle it right then."

"You listened to me, right? About not starting anything else?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Good."

"I wasn't even just Josh. It was everything piling up. I just don't know what to do, Phil. About any of it," I vented, glad to finally release some of the pent up emotion I'd been carrying around with me.

"For now, let's focus on Josh. How long's he been giving you problems for?"

"I don't know, since the talent show, I guess. It was pretty much all verbal, up until I punched him in the face and got him suspended."

Saying it out loud, maybe it was kind of my fault after all. Kind of.

"Well, far as I can tell, you've got two options. I'm not really sure how much you'll like either of them though."

"What are they?"

"Try telling your mom."

He saw the look on my face and was quick to continue before I could protest.

"You have the video for proof, she can hardly deny it anymore."

"What's my other option?" I asked stubbornly. 

Phil shrugged. "Don't do anything."

"Why did I even bother coming to you for help at all?"

"Nah man, I'm serious. He's got a big scholarship on the line, and he's got his coach breathing down his neck after you guys got into it last time," he explained, "so just don't do anything. Avoid him, don't talk to him. Threaten him with the video if he tries to come after you, but don't start anything yourself."

Phil made it all sound so easy.

"What if he comes after me because I have it though? To get it off of my phone or make me delete it. "