Hartley Winston

Chapter 27

Steve's POV

"Kasey!" I called out after my sister, "Kasey!"  She ignored me, "I know, Kase! I know about dad."

She angrily turned around, "what do you think you know!" She snapped at me.

"I know he's been beatin' ya!" I yelled at her in a whisper, "why didn't you tell me?"

"I'm not doing this Steve."  She told me.

I grabbed her elbow, "you just turned your back on everyone!  You told your two best friends in the world that they're dead to you!  I know you ain't been stayin' at home.  You cut the gang out of your life!  What the hell is going through your head?"

She yanked her arm away from me, "I am getting the hell outta here!  School and Basketball are my ticket out!  Everything and everyone else is a distraction, including you, Steven!!  and they'll just hold me back!" Damn she has my temper!

"Wow, Kase," I shot back with more than a hint of sarcasm in my voice, "I had no idea that the people that actually give a damn about you are a 'distraction'.  I hope you thought long and hard about this!"  I stormed off to the DX.  That girl is so beyond stubborn!

I stomped past Soda with out saying a word. He greeted me, but I ignored him and went straight to the garage.  I opened up the hood of the 56 corvette I was working on and lit a cigarette, "is it really a good idea to smoking over an engine?"

"Can it, Sodapop," I grumbled at him, as I looked closer at the carburetor.

I felt his hand grab my arm, "Steve, I get it. It's hard watching your sister fall apart."

"This is Quinn's and Hartley's fault!" I yelled in his face.

He shoved me, "don't you dare blame this on Quinn! She got raped! Yeah, she went off the deep end, but she's comin' back!"

"Kasey probably got tired of hanging out with low lives!" I shoved him back, harder than he shoved me.

"Guess what?" he glared at me, "she walked away from everyone! Even you..you fucking low life."

I saw red. I charged him, fists flying. He landed some good punches, but I overpowered him. I pounded his face over and over again. His foot connect with my ribs and when I stopped to catch my breath, he kneed me in the face.

We both were kneeling on the floor, panting and bleeding. I caught Soda's eye, well the one that wasn't completely swollen shut, "I'm sorry, man," I whispered hoarsely. I laid on the hard, cement floor. Pretty sure he cracked my ribs.

Soda laid next to me, "I think you cracked my cheek bone." his voice sounded funny.

"Yeah, well you deserved, low life,"

"Right back at ya, hood."

Kasey's POV

Basketball practice had ended, I packed up my stuff and walked out of the locker room with my team when I heard, "what's goin' on Kasey?"

I smirked.  I knew that voice anywhere, "Joe!" I hugged him hard.

"Heard you left the gang," he smiled gently, "can I ask why?"

"Just needed some distance.  I should be able to graduate in a year and a half.  I need to focus on school."  I hoisted my bag over my shoulder and started walking down the hall.

Joe fell in step with me, "heard about your old man too."  I stopped and glared at him, "Alec.  Look Kase, come stay at my house for awhile.  My mom don't care.  We got enough room.  Whaddya say?"

"Are you sure?" I asked, I adored Joe's mom, probably more than Joe.  She was a little rough around the edges, but had a good heart.

"Wouldn't of asked ya if I wasn't."

I rolled my eyes, typical Joe response, "ok.  Thanks, Joe."

He slung his arm around me, "let's go home."