"So you're done with Tyler? Like done? Like chop of a limb done?" I asked, staring at the stars. "Yup he was a totally different person E he just totally disrespected Mack. No one fucks with my sister," he replied, "Or you", he kissed my cheek.
"Damn Tyler really. He seemed so quiet and sweet" I swatted away a gnat. "Yeah, well," he shrugged. "How was court?"
"Finally came to terms with the fact that my cousin is a rapist and I haven't talked to my parents yet", I sighed. "Total shit fest", he snorted. "Tell me about it," I laughed. "I mean it could be a good thing maybe them having sex is them making up."
"I know, but we don't even know if the baby is his yet and he's being an ass already", I groaned. He turned my head and kissed my forehead. "Stop stressing yourself out", he mumbled, lips pressed against my skin. "Everything is exhausting", I complained.
"Don't let it bother you", he said, rubbing his hand on my stomach. I opened my mouth to reply, "Don't say anything", he said quickly. I closed my mouth.
"You kids want anything?" I heard his dad. "No thanks we're fine", Cy replied. "Don't stay out too late might catch a cold," his dad told us. "Yup night."
"Goodnight."
Cyrus pulled the blanket over me. "Don't fall asleep E. I'm not carrying your thick ass inside," he joked, stroking my cheek. "I will push you off this roof", I giggled playfully. "You won't you love me too much" he pinched my nose, squeezing me closer to him.
Next morning
"Mack's talking to that loser again," someone said. We walked over to the two teens. "Mack!" Cyrus called. "Cyrus I'm talking to Tyler." She replied, annoyed. "Come on. The Coke machine at the commons is giving out doubles again." He coaxed her. I heard loud, boisterous cheering. "Seems as though they're happy", I nudged him.
"Jesus, I would love to end those motherfuckers." He smirked, wrapping his arm around me. "Right?" Toby chimed in. "Then let's do it," Tyler spoke up. "Nah. We wouldn't want you to get a bloody nose or anything." Cyrus replied rudely while Toby laughed. We walked off, leaving Tyler. I saw Justin approach the rowdy group. "Oh shit", I mumbled, walking over quickly.
"You're a goddamn liar!" Justin yelled in Bryce's face. "You never hooked up with Hannah. You would've told me."
"Why? Because we were best friends and I told you everything?" Bryce mocked him. "Justin, don't do this please", I pleaded with him.
"I should kill you", Justin threatened him getting closer. "Hey, chill out" Monty tried to touch Justin, but he brushed him off. "Still gonna hide behind your boys, Bryce?" Justin asked. Bryce pushed Monty back and dropped his bag. "I'm not hiding. You wanna go?" He got up in Justin's face.
Justin shoved him into the locker. "Ella get back," Scott said, pushing me. I watched Monty pull Justin off Bryce, and Bryce began punching him in the stomach repeatedly. "Stop!" I yelled at them. Tony pulled Monty off. "I don't want to fight you. Just breathe," Tony said to him.
"Faggot. You fucking coward faggot." Monty taunted him, causing Tony to socker punch him square in the face.
Yes, go short people!
But everyone was ganging up on Justin.
"Let's go, motherfuckers!" I heard Cyrus yell.
Before I knew it, many guys were fighting, Clay was on Bryce's back, but he threw him off and started punching Justin again. Zach came out of nowhere and tackled Bryce, so I took my bag and hit the guy restraining Justin. "What you gonna do hit a girl?" I glared at him when he turned to me.
Distracted, Justin punched him in the face, and I kicked him hard. "Piece of shit!" I yelled in his face. "You okay?" I asked Justin worriedly. "Yeah, yeah, am fine."
"Ella move" he pulled me behind him and started fighting Bryce again. I turned to see Monty shove Alex on the ground and move through the rowdy crowd.
"Alex!" I helped him up. "He didn't hit me. I'm just exhausted," he said, leaning against the locker. "Me too" I leaned my head on his shoulder. "Me too" I grabbed his hand.
Someone pulled the fire alarm, and people started dispersing. "Standall. Walker. Detention." The Dean pointed at us. I rolled my eyes. "Let's go."
Detention
I sat with my head down in my arms, waiting till this crap was over.
"Bryce", I raised my head to the lawyer "Ella too"
"No, thank you" Bryce stared at me. "Ella let's go."
"I said I'm good" I glared at him. "Ella. You and Bryce have to leave" is no one listening right now?
"No!" I placed my head back down. "Leave her, let's go", I heard Bryce say.
After being in there for hours, they released us.
"Finally", I groaned, grabbing my phone walking out the room. "Hey, you okay?" Cyrus asked me. "Yeah, I just wanna shower and go to bed", I yawned. "Oh, okay. Want me to come over?" He asked.
"No it's fine I'll probably pass out as soon as I hit my bed. I'll text you okay?"
"Yeah, sure. Drive safely," he kissed me. "I know bye Cy" I hugged him then walked through the double doors.
Later that night
"When all your lies catch up with you, it's a horrifying, eye-opening moment," I said. He jumps in his skin, turning around. "Shit! Ella!" I walked closer to him. "Your hard", I cringed. "Yeah, I was thinking about something. Why are you here?" He asked.
"I want to know why you lied. Don't! Say you did it to protect me, I will stab you. I'm so serious" I glared at him. "I...I can't help myself. Ella. I love women and sex. I lose control." He explained himself to me.
"Bryce, you could have anyone you want. Why hurt people? Why rape people?" I asked, exasperated. "I say I like it rough, hard and fast they're okay with it until they realise how it feels then they want me to stop or slow down but I..." he trailed off there was shouting coming from outside.
He opened the front door, and I saw Clay with a gun to his head crying and a frantic Justin.
"What the fuck?" Bryce said, looking at them.
"The fuck are you two doing?" He asked again.
"Just hold on," Justin said calmly, staring at Clay.
"He's gonna keep doing it. We have to stop him." Clay rambled, his hand trembling with the dangerous weapon in it.
"Not like this," Justin replied.
"I'm calling the cops." Bryce stately.
"Just shut the fuck up and hold on. Bryce!" Justin yelled, annoyed.
"It's never gonna get any better. You were right to run away," Clay cried. I glanced around at everyone nervously due to the gun on Clay's side clenched in his hand.
"Guys, what is this? Is Clay having a breakdown?" I asked, concerned. "It's okay Ella" Justin looked at me before turning to Clay.
"No, I wasn't. That's why you came and got me, remember?" Justin walked closer to him. "For Jess, for Hannah."
"Hannah wants him dead," Clay said.
"No, I don't think she does", I spoke up.
"Yeah, I don't think she wants to keep seeing people get hurt. I don't okay?" Justin slowly leaned in and took the gun from a distraught Clay.
"This is fucking ridiculous!" Bryce blurted out. I pushed him, "Are you serious right now? He was gonna-" I heard the gun cock.
"You're gonna go back inside, and you're gonna pour yourself another glass of whiskey, and you're gonna forget that we were ever here, got it?" I never thought Justin would ever threaten Bryce. Wow. He wrapped his arm around Clay's shoulder, guiding him into the car. "Ella, you want a lift?"
"Thanks" I didn't live far from Bryce, so I walked over. I quickly shuffled towards the car.
"I heard they just filed for another additional witness. That wouldn't be you by any chance, would it?" Bryce asked. Justin opened the door for me. "You should be more scared than you are, Justin."
"Bryce, I've got nothing left to lose. That makes me the dangerous one."
••••
"Thanks for the ride, Justin. Hope you feel better, Clay."
"No problem. Bye Ellie"
"Bye"
I opened the front door to my house.
"Oh my god! Ella! We were worried about you. Where were you?" My mom suffocated me. "At Bryce's", I sighed. You could've sworn I was dead or really missing.
"Ella, you can't just leave when you want and not sleep in your bed", My dad butted in. I-
You know what? I'm tired.
"Okay."
"Okay? That's it?" He asked, confused. Of course, he cares about everything now.
"Yep. Can I please go to bed? I want to attend Justin's trial tomorrow."
"That-"
My mom cut him off. "Sure sweetie. Goodnight," I gave her a thinned lip smile "Goodnight", I jogged to my room, shrugging off my jacket and taking off my sweatpants cuddling into my blanket.