The Rossi boy

Chapter 22

Like every time this happened, he was dead drunk. I knew what was coming when Jason called. He never does unless he is so wasted, he can't get through to him.

I parked the car and took a deep breath. This was gonna be hell. With the fight we just had, him leaving the dance and me ditching Jasper to go cry myself to sleep, there was no way around but to face the mess.

I squared my shoulders and got going.

He was sorrounded by people in the front lawn, picking a fight with whoever he thought looked at him wrong. It was funny how he could get away with this kind of asshole behavior towards every human being on his way on a friday night, and still be king of Highschool on monday.

Something is very wrong with this generation...

I took another deep breath, preparing for battle, and resumed my walking as confidently as I could. The relief on Jason's face when he spotted me was a clear indication of how bad the situation had been.

Everybody turned around when I got close enough. The silence was like a thick fog upon the group. This was a picture widely spread. Every now and then I was called to tame the beast, so no one was shocked to see me there. The spectacle was something they refused to miss, though. No one would want to be out of the gossip on monday, either.

Finally, I reached to Lucas and placed my hand softly in his shoulder. He turned around surprised someone could get so close without him noticing and ripping their heads off in the process.

When he faced me, I confirmed my premonition: eyes blood-shot, messy hair and disheveled clothes, a cruel smile spreading on his lips. His glare fixed on me as I heard a communitarian gasp.

"And here she is, ladies and gentlemen! The heroine to our story, the saviour of the night: Miss goody-goody- two-shoes, the one and only, Isabelle Jhones!"

The crowd laughed, some of them even aplauded. I was so embarrassed I could've died then and there. I swollow the lump in my throat and stepped closer to him, so only he could hear me.

"Come on, Lucas..." I asked in a trembling whisper. "Lets go home..."

Jason got behind me, shielding himself -my hero- and reminded him:

"Go, man. It's the third time this week. We barely made it out of the party. If Coach finds out, you'll be off the team. Scouts are coming these next few games..."

"Back off, Jason. We don't need another superhero. Belle is here!" He retorted sarcastically, his eyes never leaving my pleading ones. "Even if she hates my fucking guts, she's the designated driver. The one to bear and deal with the obnoxious kid next door, just 'cause his older brother asked her to..."

I felt the colours drain from my face.

Yeah... I knew where this was going, alright. Lucas could be a cruel bastard when he was drunk.

I felt my heart clench at the expectation in the crowd's silence.

"All she cares about is leaving this god forsaken town and run after the guy she wants. 'Cause she's been in love with him since she was a little girl in pigtails..."

I closed my eyes at the sucker punch. I was trembling so hard I didn't think I could stand straight.

How could he do this to me? How could he talk about things he had no idea about? How could he talk about his own brother and I in such hateful tone? How could he expose something that he should've kept private, like my feelings? Now the whole school would gossip about it for weeks, maybe even when he got back on his break from college...