Once Upon A Rodeo

12: Real Talk

Real Talk

River looked as handsome as ever. He held me close to him the whole night. Like I was the only girl in the world. The only one that mattered.

I knew I should still be mad at him. I had all the right in the world to be. He kissed my cousin, for God's sake, I should be angry as hell.

But I couldn't be. This right here, right now, is perfect. I can't ruin it with anger. And I knew he was sorry. I knew he never intended for it to happen. Kylie Sue forced herself on him, I was mad at her not him. She intentionally took advantage of River when, he was weak, in order to break us up.

I don't know why I didn't see this coming. I knew Kylie Sue kind of liked River and she's always been my personal bully. Even back when we were in elementary school, she was my source of torture and suffering. She knew my weak spots. Knew exactly where to hit me. And she did. She did in the most painful way possible.

I caught River and Kylie Sue locking lips two weeks ago. I still remember it like it was yesterday.

I was practically running to the courtyard. I was so excited to show River the 'A' I got on my chemistry test that he helped me study for. The courtyard was full and I found it hard to find River in the crowd. He wasn't in the normal spot where I meet him. I stood up on top of one of the tables and looked out. Then I saw him.

He was leaning up against the wall, arms crossed, a frown on his face. But that wasn't surprising, he always looks sullen ever since the accident. What was surprising was that Kylie Sue was standing incredibly close to him, her talon like fingers gripping his hip, batting her eyes, and leaned in to whisper in his ear. She pulled away and gave him a flirtatious smile. He stood frozen.

I wanted him to turn away and run. I willed him with all my might. I sent a silent prayer that he won't do anything unfaithful to me. I prayed that he could hear my thoughts and leave my whore of a cousin's company.

I waited for what felt like too long. They stood completely unmoving and I had to go break it up. I looked down to step off the table, looked back up to see that in a flash, Kylie Sue had her hands in my boyfriends hair, was kissing him furiously, and he stood there taking it. He didn't break away. He let her penetrate her tongue in his mouth.

I stood in shock until they broke away. Kylie Sue pulled back smiled seductively at him, turned her head and smiled maliciously at me.

I couldn't hold back anymore. I let out an extremely loud sob. And even with my tears clouding my vision, I could see that I caught everyone's attention, and all eyes were on me, including River's.

He took a step towards me but I quickly turned around and ran. Everyone in the courtyard immediately moved to give me a straight exit, like I was Moses and they were the Red Sea.

I hid myself in a bathroom stall, not even checking to see if the restroom was empty. I threw my backpack on the ground and sat down on the toilet. My head in my hands, shoulders shaking. Sobs escaped my mouth. I struggled to breathe. Soon enough I was hyperventilating.

There was a loud crash then the sound of frantic footsteps. "Annie! Annabelle!"

Jenna wretched the door open, pulled me out of the stall, and wrapped me up in a hug. We sank down to the ground leaning against the wall. She held me tight as I shook with heart wrenching sobs and screams. My head was on her shoulder. Tears dripped off my face and down her neck and t-shirt. She rocked me back and forth, stroked my hair, and kept me tightly in her arms.

She stayed there with me, even after the bell rang for class to start, listening to my heart break painfully slow in to a million tiny pieces. She even stayed with me when my exhaustion and hyperventilating caught up with me, causing me to crawl back to the toilet, regurgitated that mornings breakfast, and cry even harder as the bile burned my esophagus. She held my hair away from my face and rubbed my back encouragingly. She even stayed when I was all out of tears to cry and too weak to get back up.