Taken By The Bad Boy

04 How Am I The Asshole?

+Liam's POV+

After Raleigh leaves, I head back under the bleachers and start vaping. She needs to stop being everywhere that I am. I go somewhere and she just pops up! It's like she's stalking me or something. I shake my head. She doesn't seem like the stalking type. I need to get her out of my head though. The way she reacted to me was unlike any girl. Except Zoey. She doesn't fall for my charm either. But Raleigh is different than Zoey. From anyone else.

"Long day?" Randy asks walking over to me and I nod my head.

"I saw you with my sister..." He starts, staring at me.

       "I saw you shake her and how she screamed at you. I was so close to knocking you out but then I saw her slap you. I was shocked. Yeah she broke your nose, but she slapped you too. It wasn't a one and done thing. I'm actually surprised that you were...scared of her." Randy explains and I shake my head. I wasn't scared of her. I was scared for her.

"I wasn't scared of her. I was more concerned with the situation. The last woman to slap me was my...mother." I lie. Well it's not technically a lie. My mother was the last woman to hit me. I don't like sharing about my home life. But Randy, Ethan and Cody are my family. So I fill them in. We all have deep dark secrets that we share with only each other.

"Liam...she doesn't know. I didn't tell her anything."

"I know and I'm glad you didn't. I don't want her pity." I tell him and he scoffs.

      "She wouldn't show you pity."

       "Yeah, okay."

      "Your sarcasm isn't needed or wanted." Randy reminds me.

      "Just stay away from her." Randy tells me after a moment of silence and I turn to look at him. Why tell me to stay away? Why not Ethan? Or Cody?

      "Tell Cody and Ethan that."

      "Cody doesn't have a chance with her and Ethan is a good choice for her."

       "So I'm not a good enough for her?"

       "Liam, you are one of my best friends but Raleigh doesn't need to be involved in your family drama or dragged into the gang world. You have too much that I try to keep away from her. If you start hanging around her, she'll find things she wasn't supposed to find. She's curious and that curiosity could and will get her killed. I just don't think that you could care for her the way that she wants, the way that she needs." Randy explains.

"Did you tell her about Ethan's problems? Or are you going to ignore that he has messed up shit going on to? Why do you favor Ethan over the rest of us?" I ask, getting pissed off at him.

"It's not my place to tell her about what Ethan goes through or what any of you go through. If you want her to know, you guys can tell her. You know that. That's one of our most important rules. I'm not ignoring it. I never have and I never will. Raleigh seems to of taken a liking to him and he obviously likes her so I'm just letting them go at it. I don't favor Ethan or any of you. To me, all of you are equal. As my brothers."

      "All siblings have a favorite sibling." I remind him and he narrows his eyes at me. It's a fact. I know it is. Even if I don't have siblings, everyone knows that each sibling has a favorite sibling.

"What has gotten into you? Why do you care so much? Are you jealous?"

"No. She's just...in my head." I admit with a sigh. Randy stares at me then blinks.