Two hours had passed without me noticing, my fingers sore from strumming on my guitar nonstop. I wasn't sure how I had let so much time pass, but I did know I couldn't stop thinking about Kaylee. Her blonde hair and bright eyes kept swimming through my head, effectively driving me insane.
I jumped, startled when the phone started ringing. I slipped my guitar off my shoulders, sighing heavily as I made my way over to the phone. "Hello?"
"Luke, it's your mother."
"Hello." I repeated, rolling my eyes slightly. I mean, we had caller I.D.
"Your father and I are going out to dinner and then we might go downtown for a little so we won't be back until late. Will you be alright to fend for yourself?"
"Yes mum, I can handle myself."
"Are you sure? Cause we can come get you if you want to come with us."
"No mum, I'll be fine."
I heard her sigh heavily through the phone, my eyes rolling again as was already predicting her next words before she said them. "I don't want you sitting at home by yourself, we are going to come back and get first. We'll be back in about fifteen minutes."
"No mum, I'll be fine." I repeated myself, my hands tightening into fists at my side. Ever since we moved here she acted as though I was incapable of taking care of myself and I was quickly getting sick of it. I was seventeen, not six.
"Luke, all you're going to do is sit home and feel sorry for yourself, you aren't fooling anyone."
"No I'm not-"
"Maybe if you stopped moping around in self-pity you'd actually make a friend or two. It's really not that hard."
"Don't come get me." I groaned, ignoring her comment about me having no friends- as if I didn't already know.
"We'll be there soon, love you honey."
"Mum!"
"Don't you yell me."
"Mum, I have plans tonight, don't come get me."
An immense amount of frustration was coursing through me as she chuckled across the line, clearly not believing me. "Oh sure you do. Plans for what? Sitting in your room acting all sad and depressed? You aren't going to fool me."
"I'm going to the football game." I hissed, gripping the phone tightly.
"Oh... with who?"
"A friend." The words came out before I could stop them, my mind immediately flashing back to the girl who had taken over my thoughts for the past few hours. I wasn't sure if I could really consider her a friend, but it was going to have to do to get my mum off my case.
"You finally have a friend!?" She exclaimed, a low groan leaving me at her shocked expression. I needed to get her off the phone before I went positively mad.
"Yeah, goodbye mum."
"Okay, have fun! Love you, bye."
I groaned loudly as I hung up the phone, setting it back down. I debated with myself whether or not I should actually go to the game. Even if I went there was no guarantee that I would even get to see Kaylee- I mean I would get to see her cheering down on the field but that was portal it. I would have to stand there by myself for a solid two hours before making my way home... where I could go back to sitting in my room drowning myself in self-pity. My parents would never know if I never actually went to the game, and I could always come up with a cover story.
Even if I went I highly doubted she would try to find me and everyone would just continue to think that I'm loser that they think I am, and the last thing I wanted to do was watch the asshat of a quarterback run across the field. The very last thing I wanted to think about was everyone cheering for him- Kaylee cheering for him.
I plop back down onto my bed, unlocking my phone to scroll through twitter. My heart constricts painfully as I noticed the lads had posted a picture- opening it to see Michael with bright red hair, Calum with some girl latched onto his arm, and Ashton with that fedora on his head and a haircut desperately needed. I thought about the party they were probably at, possibly even playing without me.
I didn't get to talk to them nearly as much as I had wanted to. The time difference, and the fact that they had actual lives, meant that I only got to talk to them about once a month. I was hoping desperately that my parents would let me go back over winter break, get a little vacation back home before I could go back after graduation.
My body seemed to move without my permission after seeing the picture, my feet carrying me to my closet to throw on my vans and grab a sweatshirt off a hanger. My phone was shoved in my back pocket as I made my way downstairs, grabbing my keys and making my way out the door.
I could leave at halftime if it was really that bad.
***
The walk to the school had gone by way too quickly, the cold air making my feet move faster so I made it in about ten minutes. I handed the man at the entrance the two dollar entry fee before making my way into the stadium. I stood off to the side awkwardly, not entirely sure where to go from here. I was not going to sit in the student section- one because they didn't like me, but two because I didn't like them.
I was once again stuck debating with myself, both parents and students giving me odd looks as they walked around me. I groaned to myself before deciding to just stand behind the parents, pulling my hood over my head so hopefully no one would give me a second glance.
My eyes scanned the field, the clock saying we still had five minutes until the game was actually going to start. I glanced at all the cheerleaders huddled in a circle on the track, but I couldn't see the head of blonde hair I was looking for. I could see Kaylee's friend, Grace I do believe, in the middle but there was no sign of the only reason I had decided to come to this stupid game.
"That's that guy that threatened Aaron." My eyes snapped over to look at the girls passing me, both of their eyes flickering between each other and me. My eyebrows furrowed as I eavesdropped on their conversation, anger coursing through me.
"I heard he was trying to take Kaylee from him."
"Like Kaylee would ever go for a nerd like him. She's the captain of the cheer squad and he's the QB, she and Aaron were meant to be." I had to force myself to keep my breathing even, and I had to try even harder to not snap at the girls as they made their way down to the student section. High school was fucking ridiculous.
I leaned back against the fence behind me, my eyes once again searching for Kaylee. I still didn't see her and debating leaving, this clearly wasn't worth it. But right before I was about to walk away her head of bright blonde hair caught my attention. She was running out of the stadium entrance, her feet carrying her quickly to her coach before she joined the rest of her teammates.
My eyes stayed glued to her as they formed two lines, Kaylee in the dead center of the front line with her friend right next to her. They all stood the same way- their elbows bent by their waists with their hands behind their backs. It didn't matter that the game had started and everyone was cheering on our football team, my eyes stayed locked on the small blonde. Something about her was just so enticing, hypnotizing even. And even though she was like sixty feet away from where I was, clearly see the upset look on her face.
I watched as her head snapped to the side, her eyes narrowing at her friend. I couldn't help but recall from earlier the way her friend was trying to push her towards Aaron and started wondering if whatever they still fighting about had to do with him. I noticed her take a deep breath as she looked back towards the student section, her eyes burning with anger even as she started a cheer.
"Hey, hey you, you know what to do you've got to rock with gold and roll with the red."
Her hips moved slightly, rolling around as she started the cheer before the rest of the cheer squad joined. I let my eyes roam over her body, and even from such a far distance I couldn't deny she was attractive. Her hair was curled past her shoulders, the skirt of their uniforms falling a couple inches above mid thigh, about an inch of skin on her stomach showing from the gap between the cheer top and skirt. Her legs looked incredibly long as she continued to lead the student section in cheers. I just hated the fact everyone was cheering for him.
Halftime rolled around quicker than I had thought it was going to, even though I paid absolutely no attention to the players on the field. Kaylee and Grace had not even looked at each other since the beginning of the game, my curiosity skyrocketing as I watched both the football team and the cheer squad running back into the locker rooms, the marching band taking over the field.
Instead of watching the train wreck that was our marching band, I pulled out my phone to check my notifications. I knew I wouldn't have any, but it prevented me from noticing everyone looking at me as they walked over towards the concession stand.
"Why is he even here?"
"I heard he's been stalking Kaylee."
"No way."
"Yeah, like he even told Aaron to get lost because she was his."
I sucked in a deep breath, my body trembling slightly with anger. Of fucking course he would tell people I was the one who was going after Kaylee. God forbid people know she was rejecting him. Instead of telling people she just didn't want him, he had to throw in another variable and unfortunately that just so happened to be me. All I did was make the mistake of running into him.
I'm pulled from my thoughts when I hear everyone start cheering, my eyes glancing back down to the field to see the marching band running off as the football players come back. The cheer squad follows behind the football team, my eyes searching them once again for the girl who was no where to be seen. Her friend catches my eye though, as she takes Kaylee's place front and center in the first line.
A weird feeling settles in the pit of my stomach, but I ignore it. She probably just didn't feel good. Although a couple moments pass by before I realize Aaron is definitely not out there either. I look back at Grace, a self-satisfied smirk plastered there. A knot turns in my stomach, I mean the star of the football team should definitely be back out on the field with thirty seconds to go before the third quarter starts.
My feet carry me before I'm even realizing I'm moving, people throwing me weird looks over their shoulders as I pass by. I make it to the doors in no time, pushing my way through and trying to navigate through the locker rooms. Every single door seemed to be closed and I had no idea where to even start.
I was just about to say fuck it and leave, I mean I was probably overreacting and this gut feeling that something was wrong was just me being paranoid. But as soon as my hand landed on the handle, I heard her.
"Stop!" Again my feet were moving faster than I could process, her voice echoing through my ears. "Get the fuck off of me!"
I was suddenly sprinting down the wide hallway, trying my best to pinpoint where her voice was coming from. I had looked through a few doors without any luck before I finally found them, the last door on the left wide open. Immediately anger boiled inside of me at the scene unfolding in front of me.
Aaron had Kaylee pinned against the far wall of the room, tears rolling steadily down her cheeks. My body froze momentarily as I looked at the broken girl, her body visibly shaking as she continued to whisper for him to stop. It wasn't until I noticed her skirt fall to the floor, his hand immediately playing with the lace floss she called underwear, did I finally regain function of my body, rushing forward to grip his shoulders and shove him back.
Kaylee let out a strangle sound as her body fell to the floor, Aaron stumbling back a couple steps with a stunned looked on his face. My eyes were narrowed at the football player, his eyes flickering around the room before they landed on me. Anger flashes across his features, his shoulders heaving as his breathing picks up pace.
"Stay. The fuck. Away from her." I seethed, my jaw clenched as I looked down at the football player. My own body was shaking from anger, the soft sounds of Kaylee crying echoing in my ears.
"Oh yeah? Or what, loser?" He chuckled, puffing up his chest as he started to make his way over to me. I grit my teeth as he stalked up to me, my hand balling into a fist at my side.
I wasn't sure what it was about tonight, but my mind and my body were just not on the same page.
Without me even realizing what I was doing my fist was making contact with his cheek. I groan as an immediate pain shoots up my arm, huffing out a deep breath as I watch him stumble to the ground. When he finally looks back up at me, eyes wide, I had the sudden urge to hit him again.
"You're gonna regret that, nerd." He spits out as he rises from the ground before practically running out of the door.
My eyes stayed on the door for a moment, just making sure he wasn't going to come back and try to blind side me. When I was sure he was gone I rushed to Kaylee's side, tears still falling down her cheeks. The blue in her eyes is magnified by the red surrounding them, and even though she was a complete mess she still somehow managed to take my breath away.
"Are you okay?"
She lets out a weird, high-pitched noise before she lunges forward to wrap her arms around me. She stutters out a 'thank you', her arms tightening around me. Again my body moves without my permission, holding her tightly enough that her body was as close to mine as possible. My heart broke a little as she began trembling in my arms, the poor girl did absolutely nothing to deserve this.
I let her cry in my arms for a couple more minutes, my mind racing. I needed to get her out of here. Aaron may have run off but there was no guarantee he wasn't going to come back, and this time with buddies of his own to jump me. I just wasn't entirely sure where I could take her. I had no idea where she lived and if anyone was even home to take care of her, and I refused to leave her alone. Aaron might even know where she lives and try to go find her there... but he had no idea where I lived.
"I'm going to get you out of here, okay? Where are your keys?" I questioned lightly, my grip loosening around her so I could see her. She reluctantly dropped her arms from around me before pointing towards a bag in the corner.
I practically sprint to the bag, picking it up before going back to her. I snake one arm under her knee, the other behind her back before lifting her off the floor. Her arms immediately wrap around my neck, squeezing me as though she were afraid I was going to let go.
"You don't have-"
"Shh." I shushed her, her head resting against my shoulder lightly. I could feel my shoulder getting wet, a quick glance at her letting me know she was once again crying. She was trying to keep her breathing even, but it wasn't working very well, and her body was still trembling uncontrollably.
She looked so utterly broken, so completely weak. My heart felt for the girl, anger coursing through me as I thought about the reason she was completely shattered. I was going to rip his god damned throat out.
I quickly unlocked her car, setting her down in the passenger seat before running to the drivers side. My mind was reeling- what kind of person would try to do that to another human being? The only picture going through my head was him holding her against her will, her back against the wall as he tried to have his way with her. My blood was boiling, heavy pants pushing through my lips as I replayed tonight over and over.
There was no doubt in my mind that Grace had something to do with it. That smirk she had on her face when she had taken Kaylee's spot with the cheer team was a smirk of self-satisfaction. What kind of a friend would force someone onto you?
I tried to calm my breathing as I parked her car in my driveway- my parents car still missing. I once again hooked one arm under her knee, the other behind her back before making my way through my house and up to my room. Her head was in the crook of my neck, her breath fanning across the flesh there and causing goosebumps to rise.
I set her on my bed, her arms hugging her knees to her chest. I could still see her shaking as I took a seat on my desk chair, anger still working its way through me.
"Are you okay?" I ask, she nods her head once. "Are you sure?" Another quick nod of her head. "Kaylee... did he do anything?" I whispered, not even sure if I wanted to know the answer myself. I wasn't sure how long they had been there before I had found them. Her eyes burned a hole through me, staring intently into my eyes before she shook her head slowly. I sighed, a sense of relief washing over me.
"Do you-uh," She starts, clearing her throat as her cheeks start to tinge a light pink. "Do you have a shirt I could borrow?" I furrowed my eyebrows for a moment before it suddenly hit me- she was still in only her skimpy little cheer top and those lace panties.
My face begins to burn red at the realization- my mind starting to run off on a fantasy of its own. I quickly shake it out of my mind before walking towards my closet. "Are you cold?" I glance back at her, her head only nodding once again in response.
I grab a sweatshirt before walking over to give it to her. She takes is hesitantly, giving my a thankful smile even though it doesn't reach her eyes. She surprises me when she suddenly moves to rip that damned cheer top off, leaving her in her matching undergarments. I quickly turn my body away from her, my mind once again running off to a place it shouldn't.
A minuter later I felt her hand reach out for mine. I hesitantly glanced back at her, taking a deep breath as I notice she has my sweatshirt on and is once again covered. "You should get some sleep. Do you want any water?" She shakes her head, her hand still gripping onto mine. "Do you want me to leave?"
She surprises me when she immediately starts shaking her head, choking out a 'no' as her grip on my hand tightened. "No. Please stay." Her voice cracked on her last word, a small piece of my heart chipping away as well.
I give her an assuring smile before taking my hand out of her grip. I make my way back towards my closet, quickly changing into a pair of sweatpants and t-shirt. When I walk back over, her eyes watching me intently, I offer to sleep on the floor. To my surprise, she says 'no'.
"Lay with me." The words come out on her breath, barely even audible. Nerves begin to take over my body as I nod, situating myself under my comforter.
I stayed on my back, staring at the ceiling, not entirely sure what she wanted me to do. Part of me wanted to hold her, wanting her to know that she was safe with me. But another part of me thought that would be the last thing she wanted. Someone just tried to force themselves on her and I highly doubted she wanted some stranger hanging onto her.
My heart skipped a beat when she suddenly reached over me, grabbing my hand before pulling it around her. She braids our fingers together before scooting her body closer to mine. Her body was still shaking, my arms tightening around her to pull her into my body completely. Her back was flush against my chest, her hand gripping mine as though her life depended on it.
I hold her body tightly, trying to stop her body shaking as best as I can. It may take a few minutes, but eventually she lays still, her breaths coming out much more even than they had over the past hour. Her body relaxed into mine, her head pushing back into my chest lightly.
"Goodnight, Kaylee." I muttered, not entirely sure if she heard me or if she was asleep.
Her body stirs lightly in my hold, a heavy sigh pushing from her lungs as she resettles herself in my arms. My eyes close as my mind runs through every scenario possible for tomorrow. For one, my parents are going to wonder why the fuck I have a girl in my bed. Two, Kaylee will have to go home and probably face her own parents. And third, at some point she's going to have to face both Grace and Aaron.
But all I wanted to think about was the girl in my arms. Sleep slowly starts to invade my senses, my anxiety high as I worried about what might happen if Aaron gets whole of her again.