Reputation: Book One

Autumn

Beth- KISS

All I Ask- Adele

Because of You- Kelly Clarkson

I was just dozing off on the couch next to Talitha when Qrow forcefully came through the front door, startling the both of us awake. I looked up, our eyes locking. His big blue eyes widened and he quickly turned away. His hands were shaking and his chest was slowly rising and falling with deep, quaking breaths. Before I could ask how it went, he shook his head and ran upstairs to his room. Talitha and I exchange glances. She nods her head towards the stairs. "You need to go check on him."

My face relaxed as I stood up to follow him. I quickly and quietly make my way up the stairs, following him to his bathroom. Before I could reach him, he slammed it shut. I flinched, slowly turning the doorknob and pushing the door back open.

"Qrow?" I ask softly as I crack open his bathroom door. He sighs, putting both hands on the white marble counter and staring away from me.

"I'm fine," He responds, his voice cracking. He's been crying.

"Qrow, look at me," I whisper, reaching forward and running my hand down his sweaty back. "What happened?"

"Nothing," He mutters. "I'm just stressed out... about my dance choreography and sorting things out."

I knew him better than that. We dated for seven months. We had a kid together. He wasn't going to fool me.

"Nothing with Tripp, specifically?" I ask softly. He shakes his head quickly. I frown, sighing. "Qrow, I'm not going to judge you."

He slowly and visibly relaxes, taking a deep breath. "I don't know," He whimpers. "W-we went out to go swimming and were just talking and then... and then-" A weak sob cut him off as he moved to sit on the toilet. I kneeled in front of him, searching his face for his eyes.

"And then what?" I press. He was quiet. "If he hurt you then tell me," I whisper.

"He kissed me," He says loudly, snapping his head to me and taking in a frustrated breath. My stomach leaps.

"H-he kissed me and then I went along with it and then he pulled me into him a-and next thing I know is that I'm on his lap shirtless and then Jerzei called-"

I place my hand on his shoulder to calm him and he cuts himself off. His shoulder tenses as he sucks in a sharp breath, snapping away from me again. My eyes slightly widened as I let my eyes wander down his face to his neck. I had my eyes locked on his multiple rookie marks sprinkled along his neck and collarbone for a beat too long.

"Why are you so upset?" I ask, confused. Talitha suddenly appeared in the bathroom doorway, her legs crossed at her ankles and her shoulder leaned against the doorframe to keep her upright. She gave me a look, cocking her head.

"Because he's using me, Autumn!" He cries, covering his mouth with his left hand as he hunches over, gasping to catch his breath.

"He's just turning to me when Jerzei isn't there and makes me feel so special and that he actually cares about me and then backstabs me by kissing her right in front of me and talking about her while we are out," He rants, tossing a hand to the door. "And then after he tells me it's over with her, she calls his phone tonight in the middle of what could've been the real spark of our relationship." He turned his shoulder to me, scoffing. "I know this is stupidly childish and petty for me to be acting as such, but I just don't get it." He murmurs, balling his fists and tucking his chin to his neck in the opposing direction so I wouldn't see him cry. "It hurts." He says quietly as his voice shatters.