Paxton's POV
"Reese and Reed!?″ I asked surprised seeing both of my cousins together when I called Kara for help.
"We thought you're in trouble. Thank god, you're OK." Reese patted my shoulder while Chris looked at both of them in between worry and amusement.
"Oh sorry, Chris, these two are my cousins. This is Reese Rivera-" I pointed at Reese who nodded, "And this is Reed Rivera." Reed looked at Chris from head to toe and then whistled.
"You've got some courage, kid. Most people run when Pax take them for a race." Chris reddened at the comment and then I remembered what I realized while racing.
I like Chris Wallace. I like this nerd whose heart I was supposed to break by the end of the month. A strange feeling I didn't felt in a while engulfed me and all I can do just stare at Chris as he talked with my cousins like they were long lost, friends.
"Hey, Pax. You OK?″ Reese asked me as Reed shouted at Rory to give more bandages.
"Yeah, I'm fine. But why you two are really here?″ I whispered walking away from Chris and Reed. One thing I knew about my cousins were; they will never come to see me if I'm not in a trouble and these days trouble just seemed not to leave me at all.
"Kara called. Your car had some problems?″ He questioned. I almost forgot that someone deliberately leaked my car's oil. I was in big trouble.
"Oh yeah, I found my car leaking oil and there was evidence that it was not a technical problem. My car was supposed to be blown up, with us in it...of course." I retorted to which he chuckled.
"Damn, kid! You really can't take a break."
I dropped my head before looking back at him. He looked shocked as he noticed I was shaking. I just can't take this anymore. I am tired of handling everything by myself so that no one can get hurt. And today the message...I could still feel the anger bubbled up inside of me.
"Pax...what happened?" Reese asked hesitating a little.
"I need your help. Someone is messaging me, well more like threatening me and it's a weird type cause it happens 4 times a month, not more or not less. Like, I've never heard of so coordinated mysterious stalker before."
"You're in big shit trouble, Cuz. Why didn't you go to the police?″ I gritted my teeth as I remembered the last time I did, what ended up happening.
"Polices can't help us, Cuz. Don't you remember?" I harshly let him remember. Slightly examining my face he sighed. He knew I was damn right.
"But if you're in that trouble, I'll recommend protection. And we have a lot of talks to do." He sternly crossed his arms and gave me a look that says agree or else...
"OK, but I'll talk about these things later. Remember Uncle John's house, not mine. I gotta talk to Chris first." Waving at him I walked ahead and he let me.
When Chris noticed me, he gave me a smile and I smiled back.
Yes, things were finally becoming real.
Too much real.
♡♡♡
"So where are your cousins?″ Chris asked blinking his eyes repeatedly. His glasses were broken so I had to send them to repairment and now here he was without his glasses looking as hot as ever. Ans as we both craved pizza so I brought him to the nearest food corner.
"They went home. I sent them away. I needed to talk with you anyway." His face fell immediately.
"Pax." He hesitated. "I don't want to talk about what happened earlier."
"But you need to!" Frustration crept to me like a disease and I took his hands in mine. This time there was no hesitation from both of our sides.
"I can't...I just can't." He looked away but his grip on my hands tightened.
"Look, you don't have to deliberate. Just tell me like...you want to clear your head. Like I'm here to listen whatever you want to say. You wanna yell? Yell at me. But please, don't shut me down." I never begged, period. But this time I held his eyes, refusing to let him turn away. His eyes flicked up.
The things I want to do for him...
Giving a deep sigh, he nodded. "OK...these all started in 9th grade. I guess...one day I was talking to this girl whose name I don't even care to remember now. That time I was asking for a note but obviously, some guys were asking for her number for days. So when they saw that, the girl was talking with a loser like me, they flipped."
"I tried to stop them... It started with painting my locker, ruining my reputation; they even crashed my brand new car at the sophomore. But one day it just got out of hand. In the junior year, they hung me from the ceiling in our biology lab and locked me in there."
"What the fuck!?″ I snapped. I can't believe this...who in their right mind will do that!?
His eyes were slate black, darker than a million secrets stacked on top of each other. He dropped his gaze to look at his cold pizza. "All because I fought back. I punched Damien in the face and complained to the principal. He was cut off from his chance of playing baseball in the national state. So he got his revenge on me. He and his baseball player friends did this to me. I was lucky that the janitor came only a half minutes later and saved me."
I didn't even notice when hot tears were rolling down from my face. He had a rough past too. And he was willing to let it go. But he was wrong in a way. His past still haunts him down. But he was in denial.
Just like we all are...
"After that?″
"I got this super awkward scar. Damien warned me that if I want to live, then I can't fight back or complain anyone. But by some miracle, they left me for a while." He shrugged and then one thing clicked.
"If they left you, then why now? Why bully you again?″
He chose not to answer that and just shrugged. But I understood.
"Because you talk to us. Isn't it? That's why you wanted me to stay away." His eyes got a deer caught in the headlight look and I mentally patted my shoulder.
At least it's not because he can't stand my face or personality...
"Eh...something like that. They saw me talking with you and threatened me to stay away or else...they might hurt you. I don't want you to get hurt just because I'm a pathetic loser."
I really hoped that this was some sick joke...
My eyes turned angry. "You're not a pathetic loser, Chris. Never think yourself as one."
He looked torn. "But because of me, you could be-"
I smiled. Yup, he at least cares. Grinning a bit I teased, "I'm not afraid of a bunch of losers. They think they are strong but they are wrong. You are the strong one cause you still got a hold in your life even when they tried to ruin it."
His face broke out a grin that made stupid things to my heart which I'm still in denial. Then one more thing came to my mind and my fists clenched.
"Wait a minute. You said that they bullied you cause you talked to a girl. Was this why you don't talk to girls?″ I waited for him to answer, but instead, his hold on me tightened.
"Maybe or maybe not." Then he gave a distracted nod.
I was silent. All of our theory went down to hill. I thought he didn't talk to girls cause he really didn't have time besides study or he was just plain shy. But this was huge. He could have got a crush on someone and I'd still be pinning after him unknown.
"So...I'm your friend right?″ I asked carefully taking my hands back. I instantly felt cold but stayed in my place.
He frowned. "Yeah, what about it?″
"Do you have...you know crush on someone?″ I teased even though I needed a damn answer. His whole face turned red and he looked away. Damn! He had.
"Oh wow...so who is the lucky one? Do I by any chance know her?″
"Hmm...Someone I'm starting to fall for." He answered curtly straight looking at me but that one sentence was enough to make my heart doing crazy thing that'll bring a shame in my player ego. It could be that he was saying about someone else. But as long as I think it's me, I'm happy. That's the thing about pretending, it could change the reality, altering it in a way that becomes real.
And this time I was hoping that I was right.
♡♡♡
"You came home late." Max calmly retorted looking at his watch and I rolled my eyes.
"And you all were drunk when I needed you."
"Fair enough. But we need to talk, all of us." He called everyone excluding Chris who just went to sleep after long chatting in his room.
"What's wrong?″ I asked confused. Kara and Myra shared a look, Reed and Reese had a frantic look and Alex looked like the girl I first met, vulnerable.
"Do you remember what's next Monday?″ Alex mumbled looking at me.
"Uh...it's English literature exam?″ I tried.
"It's our parents' death anniversary." Max and Alex both blurted out.
Oh shit!
Unknown POV
##PaxtonBitch
Great news on Paxton Rivera is we've got some photos when she was racing which was not only illegal but also reckless. And she also had Chris Wallace with her. Her rival on the race was none other than Nick Ellis, her previous ex-last boyfriend. Here's a link on their shouting curses at each other and you can share these photos. It only requires these photos, not previous ones.
They'll be shared soon. Until then-
XOXO.