The Project

Chapter 18

Benny's Point of View

"So you're in love with Kate."

"What? I never said that," I interrupt my baseball teammate, Josh, pausing from warm-ups to give him my full attention.

He raises an eyebrow. "You strongly implied it."

"How?" I wonder, kicking the dirt off the ground.

"You literally said you wanted to beat Johnny up and he didn't even do anything except date your best friend," he explained.

That was true, but I didn't need the whole world knowing that I was in love with my best friend of many years.

"Okay well, I'm just looking out for her," I defend innocently. "I'm not in love with her."

"Then why do you wanna beat him up if he didn't do anything to hurt her?" He questions, a sly smirk making way onto his face. I frown. "Whatever. I'll do it."

"Do what?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll beat Johnny up," he responded. "For money of course."

"I wasn't serious," I mumble.

Then I think about it. Maybe if Johnny got a subtle hint, getting pushed around a little bit, he'd get the message that Kate is off limits. 

No, what am I thinking? If Kate found out Johnny got beat up because of me, she would hate me. Sure, Johnny would know to back off but beating up seems a little twisted and uncalled for.

"Whatever," Josh says, shrugging before walking away to go warm-up with some of the other players.

-

Johnny showed up late to 5th hour the next day, and had a newly bruised, beat up looking face.

My heart started racing the second he entered the classroom and I saw him looking like that. It couldn't have been from Josh, I told him I didn't want him beating Johnny up and he heard me.

The whole class stared at Johnny as he walked through the desks with his head down, to get his own seat.

Kate gasped upon seeing her boyfriend, even standing up and forcing Johnny to look up and at her.

"Oh my God," she starts, apparently forgetting that she was in the middle of class. "What the hell happened?"

This wasn't the first time Johnny had walked into class with some type of injury, but the first time was nothing compared to this.

Last time, he played it off that he fell off his bike, but this time, there was no denying the truth. It was obvious he got beat up pretty badly, and I really hope it wasn't my fault.

"Kate, Johnny, go to the office," Mrs. Peters, instructs, looking as concerned as everyone else in class, including me, surprisingly.

Johnny is going to defend, but Kate doesn't let him and instead practically drags him out of the classroom, disappearing down the hallway.

Johnny's Point of View

"Tell me what happened," Kate demands the second we're out of the classroom, standing in front of me and blocking the direction of the office.