The Outsiders: Paisley Randle

Chapter 23

~~~Two Months Later~~~ 

First Semester Finals

Bethany's POV

I woke up to someone gently shaking my shoulder. When I opened my eyes, I saw dad. "C'mon Beth. You gotta get to school." he said. I sat up in bed and he left me to get ready. It's the last day of finals for the first semester. I don't think I'm gonna pass any of my tests, but I have to at least have some faith.

If I don't pass the first semester of school, my dad is gonna kill me. I got out of bed and started getting ready for the day. I got dressed in skinny jeans, a green shirt and black converse. I decided to put on a full face of makeup today. I put on foundation, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, and lip gloss. 

I brushed my hair and decided to leave it down today. I grabbed my bag and books and headed down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apple. "I'm walking to school this morning." I said and started to walk out the door before dad stopped me. "Bethany is that all you're eating for breakfast?" He asked and I rolled my eyes. 

"I'll be fine dad." I said and turned around. "That attitude better be gone before you get back home young lady." he said and I walked out of the house and down the street. I walked to school thinking about Gen's letter. She said that she would be here for the second half of the school year.

I can't wait to have my best friend back. I miss her more than anything. As I approached the school, I saw Austin standing outside by a tree. I walked over to him and smiled. "Hey baby." I said and kissed his cheek. He looked at me like he was upset. 

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Why didn't you sneak out last night like you said you would?" he asked and I looked at him confused. "Baby, I told you that I couldn't sneak out. My parents are watching my every move right now." I told him and he rolled his eyes.

"Let's just get to class." he said and grabbed my upper arm. "Ow! Austin, that hurts." I said and tried to get out of his grasp. He pulled me around in front of him and took my face in his free hand. "You think your parents are watching your every mood? Well now so am I. You're gonna do what I say, when I say. Am I clear Bethany?" he said angrily and that's when I realized, there was alcohol on his breath. 

"Austin, you're drunk. Come and find me when you're not." I said, trying to walk away. He grabbed me by my hair as I turned around and pulled me back to him. "You try and walk away from me like that again, and I will hurt you." he said in a threatening voice. I was really scared. All I could do was nod my head. 

Austin slapped my butt really hard and told me to start walking to first period. I didn't argue with him. I had never been afraid of Austin ever. But today I was. Today, I was terrified of him.

~~~~

Throughout the day Austin slowly got out of his drunken stage, but he was still being really possessive and angry towards me. He had asked me to do something while we were in the library and I told him I didn't want to. Big mistake. He slapped me so hard that I fell to the ground. But we were the only ones in the library so no one saw it.

I had a free period this period. Austin was taking his last test of the day. I walked into the girls bathroom and ignored the other girls that were in there. I walked over to the mirrors and saw the huge bruise that was forming on my cheek. 

"Oh my god, Bethany what happened to you?" I turned and saw the girls looking at me. "I can't talk about it. Before you ask, no it wasn't my dad, he would never lay a finger on me. It was someone else." I said and searched my bag for any makeup that could be in there so I could cover the bruise before I got home. 

"Here, let me help you." I looked to my side and saw Trinity standing there with her makeup bag in her hand. I smiled thankfully and she gave me a sympathetic smile. She began covering the bruise on my cheek with the makeup as we all talked. 

After Trinity finished, I looked down at my watch. "Shit! Thanks girls, but I gotta meet someone." I said and ran out of the bathroom. I ran down the hall to my locker and saw that Austin was already there. "I'm sorry, I was in the bathroom." I said out of breath. He rolled his eyes and took my arm in his hand. I winced in pain. 

"Let's go." he said and started dragging me towards the field house. "Where are we going? Isn't track practice on hold for the holidays?" I asked and he turned and looked at me. "Shut up and follow me Bethany." he said and I obeyed. I didn't want him to hit me again. 

When we got to the field house, he looked around to make sure that no one else was in there. When he was done, he walked over to me and pushed me roughly against the wall. "Who the hell were you talking to in that bathroom and what did you tell them?" he said angrily. "I was just talking to Trinity and the girls. I didn't tell them anything, I swear." I said as tears slid down my cheeks. 

He turned me around against the wall and stood close behind me, running his hand up my leg to the button of my jeans. I felt my heart speed up. "You better hope I don't find out different Bethany. Because if you tell anyone, then I will hurt you in a way that you never have been before. I'll make sure you bleed." he whispered roughly in my ear.

The door opened and he quickly got off of me. One of his friends was standing in the doorway. "Hey man, sorry didn't mean to interrupt." he laughed. "Oh it's fine man, we almost got a little too carried away." Austin laughed with him. I didn't say anything. Austin pulled me to him and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. 

"You should get headed home Beth. You don't want your parents to think something bad happened to you." he said as if he were suddenly the caring boyfriend he was a few months ago. I nodded my head and he kissed my cheek and slapped my butt hard. "I'll see you at the hangout tomorrow." he said and I nodded my head and hurried out of the field house.

I rushed to the front of the school and saw my dad waiting for me in his car. I rushed over and got in quickly. I didn't say anything. I just put my seat belt on and leaned my head against the window. 

"Beth what took you so long? I was starting to get worried." he said and I sighed. "I'm sorry dad. I got caught up talking to some girls in my class." I said and he didn't say anything else. The car ride home was quiet. That was perfectly fine with me. 

When we got home, I quickly got out of the car and ran into the house. I think my mom tried to say something to me, but I ran past her and up to my bedroom, slamming and locking the door behind me.

Paisley's POV

"What's up with Beth?" I asked Dally as he came in the house. "I don't know. She was late getting outside to my car I asked her where she was and that I was starting to get worried. She told me she got caught up talking to some girls in her class and didn't say anything else. When we got home, she jumped out of the car and ran in the house." he said and I looked at him worriedly. 

"Do you think we should go talk to her?" I asked and he shook his head. "I think maybe she should stay in her room and calm down from whatever is upsetting her right now. Let's start  dinner." he said and I nodded. 

I can't help but feel like Bethany isn't telling us something. She's been acting differently for the past couple of months. She barely eats, barely talks. But maybe Dally is right, maybe she just needs some time to herself for a little bit.

A/N: So, let me know how you think the whole Austin and Bethany thing is gonna go down. Let me know if you think Dally and Paisley are gonna start getting suspicious of her behavior. 

Also, I know that the gang isn't really in the book as much as they were before Beth was born, so I'm gonna try and make a couple of chapters with the other characters of the gang having a chapter with their point of view only. That way you can kind of get an idea of what they're doing.

~Bella