"The Cut"

Chapter 14- An Ounce of Pretension Per Pound of Manure!

CHAPTER 14- AN OUNCE OF PRETENSION PER POUND OF MANURE!

Several sodas and numerous nachos later, Chase was a little less drunk and lot more crushed on the inside than he appeared at the bonfire. Evan remained the voice of reason at the Indian Trail park n' ride and continued to talk him down from his emotional hysteria.

 Bailey and Grace hardly kept him at bay, yet somehow having them there beside him was better than being alone. Chase teetered from thundering roars to rueful tears regarding his ex, so they felt it was best to just let him get it out.

 Every last bit.

 Grace learned more than she ever cared to about their relationship, but knew it wasn't Chase's fault. He was merely venting; he needed a shoulder to cry on- they provided three.

 Chase still remained in the dark as to who the culprit was. He was too fragile to hear more bad news on top of what he'd already discovered. Also, he was still tipsy. He was unpredictable. To avoid further conflict, no one breathed a word about Coach Fullman, and Chase never asked. 

 On this particular occasion, his ignorance was semi-blissful.  He clearly needed time to heal.

"I keep trying to wrap my head around this whole thing and it just doesn't make any sense." He shook his head and looked at each of them. "Why not just break it off with me, ya know? She insists that it was a prank, that someone is jealous and trying to get back at us in some way. Why would anyone do that?" Chase asked.

"They wouldn't." answered Evan. "Throwing innocent, nameless people under the bus doesn't clean Carson's slate; she is deflecting out of guilt. Don't fall for that shit, man." He rolled his eyes.

"For real, Chase. Carson thinks she's better than everyone. Her Barbie bobble head can't fit through the entrance to FHS. Mommy and Daddy created a mega-monster and now they're going to be sorry. They should have paid more attention to her while this was still under control. THEY are the root of the problem. The epitome of uppity. Have you met them before, Evan?" Bailey posed the question while Grace just sat on the back of her Jeep processing.

"Nope. Can't say I have had the displeasure. Don't care to, either. My parents were just being nice by inviting them to the house next week. We knew they'd never actually show up." He said.

 Chase grew angry again. He squashed his soda can and through it at a tree.

"Son of a bitch! What is everyone going to think on Monday? What will people say? What will my parents say? Or your parents, Evan? Hell, I'm practically the brother you never had." His expression was one of pure disgust.

"I know, Man. I know. Trust me, no one is going to judge you. My folks know you. You are family. They also know the Pierce's. They don't do squat for Carson, except throw credit cards and Prada purses in her direction. You can't put a price tag on happiness and Carson is living proof. She is a sad, little girl who thought that driving a Lexus and sporting her rocks would make people love her and is learning the hard way that it won't. I blame her for cheating. It's low. But I blame her douchebag parents for being gone all the time and ignoring her. It's a lonely life. They should have never even had a kid. Selfish pricks." Evan added to wrap up his feelings of disdain.

"Totally", Bailey chimed in. She'd known the Pierce's long enough and Evan had summed them up accurately. There was no love loss between Bailey and Carson's parents, Kathryn and Mitch.

"You guys, I never knew that Carson was so miserable!" Grace considered. "I have to admit, I was a little jealous of all the money before. I thought she had it all. Including happiness! I guess she has nothing now. It's her loss, Chase. You're the better man in the end. She'll be the butt of every joke until she graduates. She'd be wise to choose a college on the West Coast or up north. Where does she plan to attend?"