Off the Rails

Chapter Nineteen

Drake
It all happened very quickly.

One minute, I was laying in bed with the girl of my dreams. She looked beautiful and stunning and, most importantly, happy as my arm was wrapped around her.

The next minute, my best friend had just punched me in the jaw. Fucking hard.

Dakota had opened the door, and Liam was standing there. The first thing he did was march over to me and punch me.

My first reaction was to groan and put my head down in pure pain. I had been hit plenty on times before in hockey, but somehow, this pain was a thousand times worse. Maybe it was because of the pure velocity and firmness of the punch. Or maybe it was because they guy who had just hit me was my best friend.

I heard Dakota scream with shock, and glanced over at her. Her hands covered her mouth. I wished she hadn't seen that. I knew she was just going to feel bad about it. She didn't need anymore guilt in her life.

"What the hell, Liam?!" She said, voice shaky. "Get our of my house! Get the fuck out! What is wrong with you?!"

I didn't look at Dakota again. I couldn't. All my focus was on the guy who had just come swinging at me. The guy who used to be my brother.

After the initial shock wore off, I glared at him in confusion and anger. "Yeah, what the fuck, Liam?!" I yelled.

"You know what, Drake!" He bitterly yelled back, pushing both of my shoulders with the palms of his hands. It took every ounce of strength I had not to fight back. "I was driving past last night coming home from a party at 3 am last night and see your car out front? And then I drive past right now and see it's still there?"

"You're pissed I parked my car outside?! What the fuck?" I screamed. I tasted the metallic taste of iron in my mouth, and wondered how bloody it really was. I guessed that on the outside, I just had a bruise.

"No, I'm pissed that you spent the fucking night at my ex-girlfriend's house! You stayed here all night. What kinda dick does that, huh?" His voice was full of venom. He looked enraged, and took a step closer to me. I could smell the alcohol in his breath, which disgusted me. It was barely eight in the morning, and he was already drunk, or most likely, he never sobered up from that party last night. And now he was going crazy with rage and lashing out.

Dakota stepped in between us, which was, in that moment, the only think that stopped me from tackling him to the ground. She placed a hand on my chest, and I used her touch to keep me steady. I tried to control my temper, which was causing my arms to shake. I took a shaky breath.

"Liam, I said get the fuck out of my house!" Dakota screamed, voice firm. She faced him with a straight posture and vicious stare. I was amazed, because she wore the same clothes she slept in, and had her hair pulled up into a messy bun, but her voice, posture, and stare demanded so much respect and authority. No matter what she wore, or who she was facing, Dakota Brooks was always fierce. "You do not get to come in here and pull this shit!"

He ignored her completely, still keeping stern eye contact with me. "What, Drake? You have nothing to say? You just fucking betray me and have no words?"

"Dakota told you to leave," I said, trying to keep my voice even. "I'm sorry all this shit happened between us, but you and Dakota are broken up. It's over. We're free to do what we want. Get out. I'm not fucking doing this here."

"You know what? Go ahead. Fuck the slut all you want. You two deserve each other." Liam spat.

I felt a new wave of anger rise in my chest. I understood Liam was mad. But insulting Brooks was where I drew the line.