Growing Pains

Chapter Twenty-Six

Courtney

I decided to stop drinking after my second beer. I didn't drink enough to trust myself, and I felt a little woozy, but other than that I was fine.

I got up from the couch and told Justin, "I'm gonna get some water." He nodded at me with a slight frown, before being pulled back into his conversation with Scott.

I was on my way to the Kitchen, when I saw Gwen tear down a hallway. Cameron was following her quickly and her face was bright red.

I followed after her, forgetting the water entirely. She got to a bathroom and threw some couple out, using language I'd never heard her say before. I caught up to her and stopped the door before it could close.

"Leave me alone!" She shouted. I moved inside the bathroom anyways, Cameron followed and shut and locked the door behind him.

"Gwen, what's going on?" I asked quietly. My voice was small and quiet the same way I talked to my little cousins when they're upset.

"Trent, he, he kissed her," Her sobs blurred her words together. She sat down on the rim of the bathtub and sobbed.

I turned to Cameron, "What happened?"

Cameron eyed Gwen carefully and whispered to me, "Trent kissed Heather."

My mouth fell open. I had never thought of Trent as unfaithful. He was too good to Gwen, too in love with Gwen. The fact that he did such a thing was just appalling.

"I can't believe it," my voice was hushed with my astonishment.

"I can!" Gwen sobbed. I sat down on the bathtub and wrapped my arms around her. She buried her face into my shoulder and cried. I rubbed her back methodically. She pulled away, mascara ran down her face in smudgy lines, and whimpered, "I'm ruining your pretty coat."

I laughed, "I could care less about some coat. Hey, Cameron, can you get us a bottle of water?"

"Yeah, of course," he said before slipping out the bathroom. I stood up and locked the door.

I walked back over and crouched down by Gwen's feet. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. "You're worth so much more than this, I promise you."

She lifted her face from her hands, "Then why did he—why did he—" she broke off into a sob. I grabbed some toilet paper and handed it to here.

"I know. Trent royally sucks right now. I'll kick him where the sun doesn't shine the next time I see him. It'll be just for you," I smiled at her.

She let out a weak laugh as she blotted her tears with toilet paper. "Thanks, Courtney," her voice sounded so frail as she responded. I was worried that if she said anything more she'd break apart like a fragile porcelain doll.

While I was comforting a crying Gwen in the bathroom, I heard the heavy thrum of the bass cut out and loud shouts. I stood up from my crouched position next to her and said, "I'll be right back, I promise." She didn't stop me on my way out, just blew into her tissue.

I raced out of the bathroom to see a swarm of people chanting, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" My heart started to race, so I ducked through the crowd, murmuring apologies along the way. I crawled to the front of the crowd and felt my stomach flip at the sight.

Duncan was on top of Justin, beating the shit out of him.

"Holy shit," was all I said before trying to break up a fight with two boys I cared about. I started shouting, "Duncan, get off of him!" If he heard me, he didn't listen. He just continued to punch Justin in the face.