If Only

Chapter 15

Austin's POV

I finally manage to somehowget Garrett into my dorm room as he staggers into the room. "This doesn't looklike the frat house or my bedroom." He slurs as he leans against the kitchen tableto keep him from falling. I close the front door locking it making sure thatGarrett can't leave in his current condition. "That is because you are not wellenough to be wandering around campus alone." I say turning around to face himand I am met with Garrett's his glossy bloodshot eyes stare at me. "Why are youhelping me?" He asks in a serious tone of voice almost like he is kind ofsurprised that someone would be helping him. "Because I am the kind of personthat always wants to do right thing and please everyone around him." Garrettlets out of scoff but from where I am standing it almost sounds like a laugh. "Yourone of those annoying people that blames themselves for being who they are, youcan't say no to anyone even when deep down you want to, and you of course go toextreme lengths to avoid conflict." I look at Garrett in shock at his unable toform any words at the moment.

"Iam not your burden Bookworm, and I think it is time for me to head back to mydorm room." Garrett pushes off the table and slammed into me as the smell ofboozes redacts off of him. "For the last time Garrett, you are not goinganywhere to tonight, if something happened to you I would feel like it was my fault."I say steadying him as he lets out a loud groan, "Fine, but if you tell asingle soul that I stayed here tonight I will knock all your teeth down your throat."He threats me as he manages to kick off his shoes and starts stumbling towardsthe living room. Garrett shrugs off his red and black checkered shirt leavinghim shirtless and I can see the lion with a dragon and a diamond in the middletattoo on his back. "What are you doing?" I ask him making him turn around toface me. "If I am going to be staying the night, then I might as well getcomfortable." He smiles as I check out his other tattoos. He has an infinitysymbol with a EKG heart beat lines in the middle of it on his chest directlyover his heart, and an hourglass with skulls around it on his lower abdomen.Garrett sits down on the couch before unbuttoning and unzipping his black jeans."Not expecting this." I say quickly turning around so that my back is facing Garrett."Oh, come on now, you are going tell me that you get embarrassed this easily."I take a deep breath as I turn back around just as Garrett takes off his jeansand throws them behind the couch leaving him in only a pair of Black AmericanEagle boxers and his tree tattoo on the left side of rib cage catches myattention as I can see more clearly but I still can't see the start of it.

"Iwas actually going to talk to you about something." I say sitting down in chairas Garrett stretches out and seems to relax a little on the couch. "About what?"He asks closing his eyes sounding like he is already bored with talking to me alongwith just bored with me in general. "I was going to talk about tutoring." Iknew that was a sore subject to bring up and as soon as Garrett's eyes shotopen and he sits up I right away start regretting my choice of bringing it up. "WETALKED ABOUT IT ALREADY, NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! I HAVE BEEN DOING JUST FINE INTHAT CLASS ON MY OWN, AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE ARE PLENTY OF PEOPLE INTHAT CLASS THAT NEED A TUTOR!" Garrett roars as he stumbles off the couch andstands in front of me, "No one would have to know what is going on, we couldcome up with plan that works for you, and we could meet off some place offcampus." I say not sure why I am fighting for this so hard because I shouldfeel relived over the fact that I am not going to be tutoring him but another partof me thinks that maybe Garrett does need a little extra help but he is toomuch of a man to admit it.

"Youlisten to me and you listen good." Garrett stands over me placing both hishands on either side of the chair trapping me as he lowers his head making melook into his eyes. "Don't ever mention this again to me, because if you dothen I will hurt you, and I really don't want to hurt you." My attention isdrawn to the way chest tattoo moves as his chest goes up and down. "Alright,you win." I say giving in to him as he smiles a cruel smile at me before placinghimself back on the couch. I stay in the living room not wanting Garrett to bealone in case something serious happens to him, and every now and then I willcall out his name really loudly to make sure stirs. I am watching TV as Garrettsleeps when all of a sudden there is pounding on the door. I look at the clockon the cable box to see that it is {12:05 am} which means that Katie andJonathan couldn't be home this early and that is the only two people that Icould think of. "Coming!" I yell as I look over at Garrett to see him slightlystir on the couch. 

Ipause my show before walking to the front door and opening it to see a strange athleticallybuilt man that I have never seen before with light brown hair and hazel eyes whichhave a hint of red in them. He is wearing a black hoodie with the hood up buthis light brown hair is sticking out of the hood, gold chain around his neck, blueripped jeans, and white sneakers. "Can I help you?" I ask the guy and he startslooking around frantically almost in a panic. "I need some money." He saysholding out his hand. I look at him like he lost his mind and without saying aword I start closing the door but the guy puts his foot in the doorway stoppingthe door. "I said I need money." He growls putting his hand on the door and forcingit open. "You need to leave before I call campus security." I say backing awayfrom him a little bit. The guy tilts his head to side before grabbing me by myshirt and pulling into the hallway and pinning me against the wall.

"I have tried to be nice but it looks like we are going to have to do things the hard way." He hisses in my ear as he reaches into the pocket of his hoodie and pulls something out. With a flick of his thumb a steel blade jumps out from the handle like a snake on the attack of what I know now is a knife. "Now let's try this one more time." The guy says pressing the blade against my neck