Brothers Best Friend (Vinnie Hacker)

Chapter 30

Upon arriving at the school, courtesy of Noen's ride, my eyes catch Vinnie and Ryland nearby. Just what I needed to kick off my day...

"OMG Riley, I missed you so much," Vinnie's voice reaches my ears.

"Get away from me," I rebuff, pushing him aside as I hasten into the principal's office.

"Riley Storms, what are you doing in here?" the principal's secretary inquires.

"Just got back from suspension," I reply tersely, prompting her to inform me that the principal is occupied at the moment. With a dismissive wave, she signals for me to leave. I quickly exit and head to my locker.

"Hey Riley," I hear Nick and Mac's voices behind me.

"Hi guys," I respond with a hug.

"You look good," Nick compliments, eyeing my attire.

"Thanks," I offer a grateful smile.

"How's life?" Mac inquires.

"Fine, I guess," I reply, noticing Vinnie approaching.

"I gotta go," I abruptly excuse myself and move away.

"Riley!" Vinnie's voice trails after me.

"Get away from me!" I assert, continuing to walk.

"Can you just wait a sec?" he pleads, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't touch me," I snap, turning to face him.

"Please, let me explain," Vinnie implores.

"NO VINNIE! THERE'S NO EXPLAINING. IT'S FINE IF YOU LIKE NAILEA. I JUST DON'T WANNA BE A PART OF YOUR LITTLE GAME ANYMORE, OKAY? I JUST WANT YOU TO BE HAPPY!" I vent, raising my voice before storming into my first class. I wasn't planning on crying today, so suck it up, Riley.

As I settle in my seat, I absentmindedly scroll through Instagram, only to stumble upon a post from TikTok Room. Could this day get any worse?

I hate this so much, especially seeing the picture of Vinnie and Nailea. I toss my phone into my pocket and rest my head on the desk. Before I know it, someone slaps my neck, jolting me from my thoughts.

"WTF?" I exclaim, turning to see Mac's older brother, Ryan.

"What are you doing here?" I inquire.

"Mac told me to come get you," he explains.

"Where's everybody else?" I ask.

"They went to their next class, but I actually wanna talk to you," Ryan reveals, taking a seat in front of me.

"About what?" I question, puzzled by his sudden interest.

"I was just wondering if you could help me with some homework after school," he requests.

"Sure, where?" I agree.

"Meet me at my bike," he replies, adding a wink before exiting. That was weird. Wait, does he mean a motorcycle? Oh, shit. If anybody sees us, it's gonna be so awkward. I think I'm just gonna skip the rest of the day and take Ryland's car to the beach.

Time skip to when I arrive at the beach

It's so calming down here, a perfect place to let all your feelings out. With nobody else around, it's even better. A single tear escapes as I gaze out at the tranquil sea.

Spotting a small turtle further down the beach, I hurry over to get a closer look.

"Hi, sweetie," I murmur, gently touching its shell. At first, it's startled, but soon it warms up to me.

"Are your family somewhere?" I wonder aloud.

"Turtles like to be alone," a deep voice responds from behind.

Startled, I turn to find Ryland.

"OMG, you scared me," I laugh, rushing into his embrace.

"Why did you steal my car?" Ryland questions.

"I just needed some time," I confess.

"It's okay. I come here sometimes to clear my mind," Ryland shares.

"How's it going at home?" I inquire.

"Fine, but Vinnie really misses you," Ryland reveals.

"It's his own fault," I retort.

"Please just let him explain," Ryland implores.

"There's nothing to explain," I insist.

"Please, Riley," he persists.

"Ugh, fine," I relent, rolling my eyes. But as I turn around, I spot Vinnie behind Ryland.

"Seriously, right now, Ryland?" I exclaim.

"Riley, it's not a question," Ryland asserts.

"Ugh, just explain as fast as possible so I can get away from you," I demand.

"Thanks, Riley. Listen, me and Nailea are just friends, okay? She wasn't feeling too good, and then she just laid her head in my lap right as you came in. Listen, Riley, I love you so freaking much, and I can't live without you. Please just come back," Vinnie pours his heart out.

"I'll think about it," I reply before darting back to Ryland's car.

Driving back to school, I realize that the last class has just ended. Spotting Ryan standing by his bike, I rush over.

"Hey, ready to go?" he asks.

"Yeah," I reply, chuckling.

"Here," he hands me a helmet.

"Thanks," I say, securing it in place.

"Get up," Ryan instructs, and I comply, climbing onto the back of his motorcycle. Gripping him tightly, we speed off, breaking a few speed limits along the way. After all, you only live once, right?

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hey peeeppsssssssss

thanks sooo muccchhhhh for 10kkkkk readsssssssssss, I'm so grateful and i just wanna thank everybody for helping me reaching this Crazyyyy goaaallll

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<Laura>