WHITE LIAR

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

    

All Justin could think about was how upset John’s sister sounded when she called him.  Why him?  Why in the hell did something like this have to happen to him of all people?  John was an overall nice guy.  He had good grades; he kept his nose clean and was always the first to lend a helping hand to someone in need.  This wasn't fair.

After Justin told her of all people what happened, he angrily brushed by Chloe’s shoulder and headed straight for his car.  The way that he saw it, this was all Chloe's fault to begin with and when the time was right, they would have their come-to-Jesus moment, but right now his destination was the hospital to check on his best friend. 

The anger rose and swelled within Justin with every extra step that he took.  The more and more that he thought about what had happened, the more the rage simmered in his blood. His biggest problem with the situation at hand was that it should have never happened in the first place.  If Chloe hadn't been so hell bent on getting one up on him, then this would have never happened, John wouldn't be in the hospital and that was the clincher.

Justin raced out of the house, the chill of the night air hit hitting him smack in the face but it did nothing to cool his temper.  All he could see in his mind was the image of her and that smug smile of satisfaction that she gave him on the field when he had finally put two and two together, realizing what she had done.

When he finally reached his car, Justin fumbled for his keys and didn’t even know how badly he was physically shaking until he had the keys in his hand and tried to stick them in the door to unlock it.  Frustrated with his own clumsiness, he ended up completely missing the key hole and with the excessive force that he used trying to jam the key in, it went sideways leaving one hell of a of scratch along the side of the door. 

“Fuck!” he exclaimed, balling his hand into a tight fist and slamming it against the top of the car.  Why is this happening?

Pressing his forehead against the top of the car, Justin took in slow measured breaths.  It wasn’t supposed to be like this.  They had won the game.  He was offered a full ride to Alabama.  This was supposed to be a night of celebration, a night of fun with his friends and now his best friend was laid up in a hospital fighting for his life.

“Justin?”

The sound of her voice only pissed him off more.  He blamed Chloe.  She was the very reason that John was where he was right now.

“I suggest,” he started, keeping his forehead up against the car and struggling to reign in his out-of-control emotions. “That you turn around right now and just walk away.”

For the span of several heart stopping seconds there was nothing but silence.  Stone, cold steely silence.  All that Justin could hear was the sound of his own labored breaths.  He swallowed past the tight knot that had settled in his throat and finally lifted up his head.  He had to pull himself together.  He knew that there was no way he could show up at the hospital like this.  Rubbing his hands over his face, he straightened his spine and steadied himself. 

With the keys in his hand, Justin took a step back and felt a soft hand pressing on his shoulder.  “Justin, please?  Let me go with you.”

If she hadn’t been a girl then at that moment, he would have had no objections with drawing a fist back and letting her have it.  In fact, opening up a big ole can of whoop ass is precisely what he was aching for right about now.  Unfortunately, she was a girl and his momma had raised him better than that, so he wouldn't touch her.