My feet struck against the pavement as I ran. Each step was in sync with my heartbeat.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
I slowed to a stop as I heard some voices around the corner.
"Come on Ethan, just tell us what we want to know and we'll leave you alone," A voice sneered. Sam Mullins. Star football player. Oak Ridge High's resident asshole.
Ethan? God damn it this kid.
I peeked around the corner and to no surprise Ethan was trapped in the corner with a smirk on his face. I stayed hidden until something actually happened or I'd be the one in detention.
"Oh and I suppose you think a couple of punches will make me talk," He said. "No offense, bubs, but I've been through a lot worse."
That nickname angered Sam. That was Ethan's specialty. He knew how to get under someone's skin and royally piss them off.
Sam got one punch in before Ethan fought back hard. The other two guys, Tucker Hickman and Alex Kennedy, held Ethan back while Sam hit him repeatedly in the stomach.
I jumped in and grabbed Sam by the collar and pulled him off my brother. He reared his fist back to punch me.
"Your first punch better be good because it's the only one you're gonna get," I threatened in a low voice.
He swung and tried to hit me in the face, but I dodged it. I punched him in the stomach twice. I was pulled off by one of the boys. I snapped my elbow back and hit him in the nose.
I pinned Sam to the ground and punched him in the face.
"Hey!" I heard Coach Rowland call. I was pulled off of Sam and pushed in the other direction. "What is going on here?"
"We were just talking, Coach and Quincy came out of nowhere and started punching me," Sam defended.
"Likely story, Mullins," Coach said sarcastically. "Easton?"
"They held Ethan back while Sam punched him in the stomach. I jumped in to save my brother, Coach," I told him truthfully.
Coach nodded. "Mullins, Hickman, Kennedy, principal's office now. I'll meet you there. Quincy, take your brother to the nurse. Meet me in my office in twenty minutes."
I nodded. "Yes sir"
He walked off to the principal's office to meet Sam and his goons. Once he was out of hearing distance I turned to Ethan.
"What the hell is your problem, Ethan?" I yelled at him.
"You know how Sam is, East. He's a jackass."
"What did he want from you?" I pressed.
"He wanted me to spy on his girl and I found some things out and I wasn't about to let him know," he shrugged.
I smacked him on the back of the head. "That's for being a dumbass. You're lucky it was Mason who caught us or you'd be a deep shit right now."
Ethan insisted that he was fine and didn't need the nurse. I forced him to stay in the car when I went to talk to Mason. I didn't need him to be around for this lecture I was about to get.
Mason is the closest thing I've ever had to an actual father. He actually cares about me and I'm thankful for that.
"Coach, I'm sorry. You know how Ethan is. He's never out of trouble."
"Easton, you can't just go around fighting them. Use your head kid. One of these days someone else is gonna catch you and it'll be the end. No track, no school, no college."
"He was punching Ethan, Mason! They were teaming up on him. What did you want me to do? Watch them beat my brother and pick him up when he's lying on the floor?" I raised my voice.
"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying you should start thinking ahead for once in your life. You have a real shot at a good future for yourself. Don't mess that up because of some punks in high school," He said calmly.
He never lost his temper with me. No matter how many times I raised my voice and fought with him. He always kept a level head.
"I don't have the time to think ahead. I have to think about Ethan and keep him out of trouble. My future can go to hell for all I care as long as Ethan's doesn't."
Mason sighed. "Easton, go home and get some rest. We'll continue this another day."
I got up and walked out of his office. I made my way back to the car.
Ethan was staring out of the window. "Demi is gonna tear your head off when she sees that black eye."
He rolled his now blackened eyes at me. "Shut up," he mumbled under his breath.
I put the car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot.
"We need to talk," I told him as we approached a red light.
"Can we not?" he bit.
"No, Ethan, we can't not. You have got to get your shit together. I'm not going to be here to protect you after this year. You can't keep biting off more than you can chew."
"Well, maybe I don't need a protector. I'm old enough to take care of myself."
I rolled my eyes at him. "Yeah, you're old enough to get yourself in trouble, but I'm always there to bail your ass out."
"You're not my father. In case you don't remember, I've already had one of those and it didn't turn out so well," he snapped.
That comment felt like a slap to the face. I just stared at the kid in complete shock. A horn honked behind us, bringing me out of my trance. I turned to face the road and my jaw locked.
I drove to the house in silence. We walked in through the kitchen as always. Demi was in there cleaning.
She gasped as she saw Ethan's black eye.
"Ethan, what did you do?" She took his face in her hands and examined it.
I walked off in anger. I'm still not okay with the comment Ethan made in the car. He can't just bring that abusive, deadbeat, son of a bitch into a conversation like that.
"Easton!" Demi called after me. I ignored her.
I clenched and unclenched my hands repeatedly. I wanted to hit something.
When I couldn't control it anymore, I grabbed my headphones and armband and jogged downstairs and out of the door. Demi called after me again, but again I ignored her.
I broke into a run on the sidewalk. I ran until my legs burned and I ran some more. Eventually, everything was in sync again. I had control. I slowed to a jog and finished the route back to the house.
I got back to the house and headed straight for my room. My shirt was sweat-soaked so I ditched it. I hopped into the shower. I let the water pelt against my aching muscles. I stayed there until the water turned cold. I let the last of the anger drain with the water.
I dried off and wrapped a towel around my waist before stepping out of the bathroom and into my bedroom. It wasn't anything special. I had a king-sized bed in the middle of the room. A dresser with a flat-screen tv across from it. A desk, that I never use, is on the left wall. I had a few posters on the wall, but other than that my walls were blank and lifeless.
There was a soft knock on my door. "What Demi?" I asked a little too harshly.
"I just came to tell you that your dinner is ready," She spoke.
"Nick and Viki?" I asked about my adoptive parents. Though I doubt parents is the right word. I haven't seen them since August.
"Gone again. They said they'd be back next week if something doesn't come up," She answered.
Something always comes up. Last week they were working in Beijing, for one of Nick's Galas. Now they're probably in London for some sort of fashion show for Viki's entertainment. Which doesn't last long. I should know, that's the whole reason I'm here.
I realized I hadn't said anything to Demi.
"I'll be down in a minute," I informed her.
"Okay," She said and I could hear her footsteps receding down the hallway.
***
I had to force myself out of bed the next morning. My muscles ached in protest for me to stay in bed all day. I almost gave in. It wouldn't have been the first time. I went for a light jog before coming back in.
Demi had my protein shake ready to go like always. I really didn't deserve her.
"Thank you, Demi," I kissed her cheek.
"Always dear," She smiled. Ethan was eating his eggs and bacon.
I ran upstairs and decided against a quick shower because I hadn't sweated all that much. I quickly changed into faded black jeans, a white T-shirt, and a dark gray flannel. I threw on some black vans and grabbed my backpack and phone before heading back downstairs.
I sipped my protein shake. Demi always knew how to make them taste good.
"Let's go," I told Ethan. He handed his plate to Demi. "Thank you, Demi."
"No problem dear. It's my job to take care of you," she said with a sweet smile. She was one of the very few people who I'm close to, probably because she raised Ethan and me for the past eight years, almost. She took care of me more than my adoptive parents.
"You deserve a raise," I told her. I kissed her cheek and I walked out to the garage, Ethan in tow. I finished the last bit of my protein shake and tossed it into the trash can. I grabbed my keys off of the rack.
Ethan and I haven't talked since last night and the fight in the car. An awkward silence loomed over the car. I backed out of the long brick driveway. I turned out of our estate and started the ten-minute drive to school.
"I didn't mean to sound like a dick yesterday in the car. I was more than a little annoyed with Sam and I snapped," He said sincerely. That was the closest I've ever got to I'm sorry or I was wrong from Ethan since he was eight.
"Thank you for that. I guess I was sorta being a dick too. Sorry about that," I apologized.
"We good, Jackass?" He asked me with the ends of his lips twitching into a smirk.
"Yeah we're good, Asshole," I laughed and looked over at him.
I pulled into the school parking lot late as per usual. We tended to show up late ninety-three percent of the time. Unluckily for me, my first teacher is Ms. Wells, who hates my guts and liver. Not to mention she's a complete asshole.
I took my sweet time getting to class. It was AP English IV.
"Ah Mr. Quincy, so nice of you to finally join us," Ms. Wells bit sarcastically.
"Always a pleasure Ms. Wells," I smirked as I sat in my normal seat in the back of the classroom.
Ms. Wells continued her long boring lecture about The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. There's nothing about this book that she could teach me that I didn't already know.
Suddenly the door swung open, switching all of our attention to the door. More specifically the person who opened it.
It was a girl. She was Asian with long dark hair and brown eyes. She wore a blue tank top and denim shorts. I'm not gonna lie, she was absolutely gorgeous.
"Hi, I'm Ashtyn Briggs and I'm new here," She introduced herself. The look on Ms. Wells' face suggested she had no idea we were getting a new student today. "This is Ms. Wells's AP English four class, correct?" She asked as she read Ms. Wells' face.
Ms. Wells nodded with pursed lips. "Take a seat and try to be on time next time," she said authoritatively as she looked down at the poor girl.
The girl mumbled a yes ma'am and took a seat in the only empty seat in the room which just so happens to be in front of me.
"Great now she hates me," she mumbled to herself as she got her stuff out of her backpack.
"No she's just an asshole," I whispered to her. There wasn't anything better to do in this boring lecture.
She looked up at me with wide eyes. She clearly didn't expect anyone to say anything.
"Um, are you allowed to call a teacher an asshole in their classroom? Or in general?" She whispered back to me.
I shrugged. "It's only wrong if you get caught," I smirked. "I'm Easton Quincy"
"Ashtyn Briggs," she answered.
"Mr. Quincy, is there something more important to discuss instead of listening to my lesson?" Ms. Wells questioned me.
I just shrugged in response. "Probably," I admitted. "But I was just getting to know the new student, Miss Briggs, here," I flashed her a dazzling smile. I could see some of the girls swoon at the sight.
"Very well then. Pay attention. Miss Briggs turn around," She ordered.
Ashtyn quickly turned around and faced the front of the room.
I zoned out for the next few minutes of the class. The bell rang and I slowly got up and threw my backpack over my shoulder.