It all started with a game

Chapter 6.2

I didn't bother defending myself. There was no point, no one would believe me anyway.

My mother crossed her arms, finally gaining Beatrice's attention. "So this was all over a girl?" I wasn't given a chance to answer. "I can't believe you, Ryder! What were you thinking? All over a girl?"

This isn't over a girl, it's never been over a girl.

Kavinski shrugged. "I tried to tell him, mom." He rubbed the word in my face. "I was just trying to have a simple conversation, discuss the topic like mature men but the second I brought up her name he was practically ready to kill me. I was only fighting for my life." He acted like he was the innocent one here.

He would always be the innocent one. He copies off my homework and gets caught, it's my fault; he steals my phone and throws it into a river, it's my fault; he jumps me in the park and beats me until I can't move and it's my fault.

And yet here I'm sitting, feeling sorry for myself when I clearly deserve this. I deserve this, I'm not a saint, I sleep with a new girl every week, I treat people like trash. It's what I do. I deserve this.

"I don't know what's gotten into you, Ryder. I mean did you stop to think what this could mean for the company. Why can't you be more like Kavinski?"

Beatrice's fingers were subtle as they brushed against my skin as she pretended to keep her attention on her book. She rested her hand on my ankle, hidden from sight of the rest of the bystanders in the room. I had no clue what she was doing and I was trying hard not to think about it but I couldn't help from moving just a bit closer to her.

My mother paced around the room, yelling various complaints about me which I had learned to tune out over the years. "I don't want you seeing this girl anymore!" She finally finished.

My head shot up. "What?" I finally dared to look her in the eyes.

"You are not to see this girl anymore. She is not good for you."

Kavinski smiled, gloating out in broad daylight without a care in the world.

I lept to my feet, Beatrice's hand still safely wrapped around my ankle as if to say she didn't quite hate me, not yet, not like everyone else in this sucky town. "Leave her out of this!" She had nothing to do with this. This was between me and Kavinski.

My mother didn't back down. "Ever since this girl showed up, you've been lashing out more."

Like she would even know, she never paid attention to me unless it meant something for the company. I threw my hand up in the air. "Oh bull!" I shouted. "I've always lashed out like this, long before she showed up!"

"This is not a discussion, Ryder!" Her volume matched mine.

"It never is." And with that, I walked right past her and out the door. Let her tend to her golden child for all I care.

I made it halfway down the street before a second set of footsteps were following behind me. Beatrice popped up at my side without a word. She fell into step with me. "Do you want to talk about it?" She questioned.

"No."

She nodded, not pushing any further. "Well, if you do, I'm here." She paused. "And if you don't, I'm still here."

I sucked in a deep breath, not knowing what to say and resorting to ignoring her statement. She didn't mind as she walked patiently beside me like she promised.

"That's not what happened; what Kavinski said, it wasn't true," I tried to tell her.

"I know."