Stoneycove (Book One: Stoneycove Series)

Harder to Breathe: Chapter Ninety-Five

Chapter Ninety-Five

Stoneycove, Kansas: Tuesday, September 21st, 1999. Midnight.

          Chase got out of the driver’s side of the car and Amy climbed out of the passenger's. She was still wearing her cheerleading outfit and had Chase’s letterhead jacket on. Her hands were stuffed deep in the pockets and she stopped on the side of field with the rest of the students as Chase walked right into the middle of the circle. The students moved in tightly around Chase blocking any chance of a quick escape.

          Brad jumped down off the hood of his truck and passed his almost empty beer bottle to Aaron. He walked towards Chase meeting him right in the middle of the circle of students. Everyone was dead silent trying to hear what the two boys were saying to each other.

          “Brad... Are we really going to do this?” Chase asked.

          Brad looked at him seriously for a few seconds as though he was processing his words. Then he slowly nodded his head and wound up and punched Chase squarely in the jaw. Chase’s head flew back and there were screams and cheers from the crowd.

          Chase straightened his head out and spit on the ground and then looked back up at Brad.

          “I guess so,” Chase said as Brad’s fist came down across the side of his face again.

          “Dude, I’m not going to fight you,” Chase said putting up his hands in surrender. Brad ignored him and hit him again.

          “Is this really what you want?” This time Brad’s fist connected with Chase’s eye and Chase knew he wouldn’t be seeing out of it tomorrow.

          “Stop hitting me,” Chase yelled.

          “No,” Brad said and his next blow knocked Chase to his knees. He put his head down for a second and then looked up at Brad who had a satisfied look on his face. Chase looked over his shoulder at Amy who had an expression a fear on her face. Her hands were up by her mouth as she watched the scene in front of her.

          Chase turned his attention back to Brad just as his foot came up and hit Chase on the forehead knocking him backwards on the ground. Chase rolled over and pushed himself up.

          “Fine,” he said and ran at Brad, catching him off guard and knocking him to the ground. Chase hit Brad three times on the face before Brad could get his hands up to flip Chase over. Brad, having the advantage began hitting Chase again and Chase eventually got back on top and continued hitting Brad.

          “Oh my God,” Blake said covering her eyes. “I can’t watch this.”

          “You can’t watch this? You caused this,” Piper said. “So tell me, which one are you actually cheering for?”

          “Stop being such a bitch Piper.”

          “Do you think we should stop this?” Tristan asked Aaron, both of which were still standing beside Brad’s truck.

          “I think they need to get it out of their systems,” Aaron responded.

          “Yeah but I mean... Brad’s going to kill him.”

          “Nah. I think he’s going to make him wish he killed him.”

          “This is kind of brutal,” Tristan said with a disgusted look on his face.

          “What? Kids don’t fight in L.A.?” Aaron asked mockingly.

          “Not like this,” Tristan said. “Usually they are either too preppy to actually go through with it, most are all talk. Or, they have weapons.”

          “So one extreme or the other?” Aaron said.

          “Yeah something like that.”

          “OK THAT’S ENOUGH!!!!” Piper suddenly screamed in a voice so loud that it overpowered the whole crowd. Everyone fell silent and Brad stopped his fist midway in the air.

          “Come on guys, stop it,” Piper said walking over to them. “Look at him Brad... Just look at him.” Brad looked down at Chase and realized that he was almost unconscious. There was blood everywhere and Chase was laying with both arms straight out on the ground beside him, not even attempting to defend himself anymore. Brad had Chase’s shirt bunched up in his hand and he immediately released him. Chase’s head bounced off the ground and he just sort of laid there.

          “Is that the girl they are fighting over?” Tristan asked Aaron.

          “No, that’s the girl I want,” Aaron said with a smile. “The brunette over there holding the mug, that’s Blake. That’s Brad’s girlfriend... was Brad’s girlfriend.”

          “Oh Ok.”

          “Piper, what are you doing?” Blake asked running up to her and grabbing her arm pulling back a couple steps.

          “Look at them Blake, I mean come on, this is insanity.”

          “But they have to finish. They’re fighting over me,” Blake said confused.

          “What?” Brad said looking down at Chase. Chase looked back up at him and then they both looked at her.

          “We aren’t fighting over you Blake,” Chase said between coughs. “We’re fighting because of you.”

          “There is a difference,” Brad pointed out. Brad moved away from Chase and sat on the ground balancing his arms on his knees. Aaron strolled over and handed Brad a fresh beer. He drank it back in three sips.

          “I’m not fighting over you Blake. He can have you,” Brad said.

          “I don’t want her,” Chase said pushing himself up and accepting a beer from Aaron. “You can have her.”

          “No thanks.”

          “What... Wait... What?” Blake said angrily. “So neither of you want me?”

          “She’s quick on the uptake,” Kandi whispered to Piper.

          “Whatever, screw you both,” Blake said as she turned to storm away.

          “Think you already did,” Chase yelled after her. Brad laughed. Blake was walking towards her car, pushing people out of the way as she went. Some of the students were trying to keep her trapped in the circle as they mocked her and laughed at her. But Blake pushed harder and broke through the circle.

          “So, are you two still going to kill each other?” Amy asked as she approached them. Piper turned and looked at her.

          “Hey Amy,” Piper said in a nice voice. Amy knelt down on the ground beside Chase and took his head into her lap but ignored Piper all together.

          “Nah, I think the fight is over,” Brad said.

          “Ah man,” one of the bystanders said. Once word got out that the fight was over, people started dispersing.

          “But, I do need to talk to Chase, so if you guys have somewhere else you need to be?”

          “That will be a nice heart to heart I’m sure,” Kandi said sarcastically.

          “I think we could find something,” Aaron said looking at Piper and smiling.

          “Actually... Amy, could I talk to you?” Piper asked.

          “Sure,” Amy agreed. Tristan and Aaron stood awkwardly for a moment.

          “Want a drink?” Aaron said to Tristan.

           “Absolutely.” Aaron and Tristan turned and left the field leaving the two boys exhausted, laying on the ground beside each other.