It's Simple. I use you. You use me.

Chapter 24

"Good. That means you don't have to worry about your little scholarship getting stolen."

I shook my head in disagreement. 

"I'm leaving." I walked away. 

I was so angry at myself. I should have told Lucille the truth. Why did I say such mean things to her? Because I wanted to make sure  she wouldn't get hurt even more. I pulled my hair in frustration. It was too late now. She must hate me. 

At baseball practice

"You're up, Collins!" 

I walked up to the mat. The pitcher threw the ball and I missed both. I stretched my neck. C'mon Ethan. 

You're giving Lucille up for this. Just hit the damn ball, damn it. 

I tried again. 

"Strike!" Shit. 

"E, get your head in the game!" Coach yelled.

"Well, maybe if Ryan had better aim I would!" I blurted, unexpectedly. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Coach yelled back. He gave a shocked expression. 

"Nothing, coach!"

"Well, it better be nothing if you don't want to end what you worked for! Go home!" He pointed towards the lockers. 

"Coach..."

"Did you not hear me? Go cool off that hot head of yours! Go home!" 

I sighed in frustration. 

"I will not have you disrespecting your own teammates! Don't come back to practice again until you learn that!" he screamed over. 

I stormed off the field. What the hell was wrong with me today? 

I got to the locker rooms. I took off my shirt and slammed it against the locker. Shit. I shook my head. 

Lucille's POV

I did not go to school today. I stayed in bed with my eyes closed. I wasn't even sleeping. I just laid there. My mom did not go to work today. She called in and has been home all day with me. Occasionally, she would come in to check on me, but I told her I wanted to be alone. That was my life anyways. 

"Honey..." I hear my mom knock on my door. "Can  I come in again?"

I was silent. I was too weak to get up. She opened the door without my response. 

"Honey, you have to wake up. You can't lay in bed all day like this." 

I didn't respond. I stayed silent.

"Lucille, sweetie..." 

I ignored her calling. I heard a sigh. 

"This is it! I'm going to your school tomorrow. I'm going to report this--" 

As soon as I heard her say "going to your school", I pulled my blanket away from my face. 

"No, mom. You can't."

"What do you mean I can't? Bullying should be illegal. I can and I will... Tomorrow morning we will have a talk with the principal." She turned away towards the door. I quickly got up from the bed and yelled, "No, Mom!"

She turned back around. 

I was scared. I wanted to tell her the truth. 

"No one bullied me, mom."

"Honey, you don't have to lie..."

"It's Ethan..."

Her eyes widened and the wrinkles on her forehead scrunched up.