The Risk To Love

CH 8: Slaps & Soberness

Listen to Crzy by Kehlani
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Chapter 8

Oh sweet peas.
Oh sweet baby peas.
If there was ever a time where I wished I could have been covered by the invisible cloak from Harry Potter now would be the time.

I wanted to crawl under a rock and disappear from society. I can already see it. The news headline for tomorrow:

'Young teen dies immediately from overwhelming embarrassment.'

As if the situation wasn't bad enough, the disc jockey also decides to wrap up the music. Like literally. He stops the music cause clearly everyone knew drama was about to go down and wanted to hear every word.

Abbie was currently trying to look intimidating by giving me a menacing death stare. Even though I still towered over her short figure I sensed her anger. Hell, everyone in the room could.

"Why must you always be such a cockblocker?" She yelled at me while stumbling forward and holding on to Ryder for support.

Everyone in the room oo'ed knowing I just got burnt. I knew Abbie was wasted so I didn't want to start saying things that I'd regret later. Normally I'd avoid these kind of situations. But she definitely asked for it.

Risk #2. Don't walk away.

"Why would I want to stop the desperate man whore and lowlife slut from passing each other herpes? No one in this room could stop you both from doing what you do best."

The crowd jeered loudly.I rolled my eyes.
What did they think this was?
Some type of reality show?

Abbie slurred her words that I couldn't decipher but before she could react Ryder responded.

"So, I'm into sluts. Sounds to me like you're jealous. But before you waste your breath I'd have you know that I'm not into virgins."

It was too late. He'd already heard what had happened. I couldn't deny it now.

He stepped forward closing the distance between us. "You are a virgin,aren't you?"

The tears pricked my eyes. The crowd murmured amongst themselves. They all knew what Ryder was referring to. Just when everyone including myself had forgotten he had to bring it back up.

Why was he being so cruel?

I stayed silent knowing I couldn't deny or defend myself.

"I thought so," he whispered. His green eyes bore into mine. They were filled with so much hatred and pain. I instantly knew that whatever he had been through had caused him alot of grief and sorrow.

The only way he could deal with it was inflicting hatred towards others. No matter what the reason was, I couldn't think clearly and instantly the feelings and thoughts that I had facuated about him immediately dissipated.

But people weren't born cruel. Life made them that way.

I wanted to try and understand him.

But he really hit home with his words. I hated cruelty and callous behavior.

Anger simmered inside me. My face was hot from embarrassment, fury and disappointment. So I acted on my feelings.

I slapped Ryder.

The moment my palm hit his cheek, the sound echoed throughout the room. Everyone gasped. I heard a thud behind him and assumed that Abbie had passed out from either shock or being too drunk.

I made a blatant shift towards Ryder and held my head high. He clenched his jaw and was expressionless as if he had deserved my act of violence. His eyes turned into a deep forest green and all friendliness disappeared. We had a stare down competition neither one of us wanting to pull our eyes from each other.

The hard glare I shot him was more than any words could say. I broke our gaze distancing myself from him and ran away from the scene letting the tears free fall.

I didn't have to push past anyone this time. All the sympathetic looks and hushed voices surrounded me.

I needed to get out.

The music started up again and normalcy returned. I ran upstairs since it was the closest exit just trying to escape all the staring faces.

I was relieved when I found an empty room. I didn't bother switching on the light. I slid the doors open and walked out onto the balcony. The sea breeze whipped through my hair. I felt slightly better. Physically.

Mentally? Not so much.

Sniffling and wiping my tears from my cheeks I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. 10 messages 23 missed calls 5 voice mails. All from Jay.

She must be really concerned. But all I wanted was to be left alone right now.

I heard shuffling of feet behind me.

Couldn't fate just give me what I wanted for once.

Turning around to see who the stranger was I saw the boy from the corridor at school.

Sniffling and wiping the rest of the tears of my cheeks I turned around to retrieve my things.

"I was just leaving," I told him.

"No stay. You were here first. Just pretend I'm not here." He smiled politely.

I turned back uninterested.
One Breathe.
Two Breathe.

"Well its kind of hard to pretend that you don't exist when you're wheezing like an asthmatic gorilla."
I turned agitated and annoyed.

He chuckled loudly unfazed by my words.

"Situation that bad?" He asked curiously.

I shrugged and faced the sea again. I'd rather keep my feelings bottled up than sharing them with a complete stranger especially when I felt raw and vulnerable in that moment.

"Well...if it makes you feel better that Haynes guy is a real ass."

Burying my face in my hands and groaning inwardly, "You saw?"

He closed the distance between us and leaned against the railing. "Everyone did, you two are quite the entertainers. Its your loss that we weren't acquainted sooner. Would've definitely helped you make him look an idiot in public."

I scoffed. "How would you know so much about him? You only just arrived."

"The man whore is my brother," he blurted out emphasising the word whore.

Ugh. When I'd actually thought that the night couldn't get less interesting.

I quirked my eyebrows up at him, "Seriously?"

He pushed his hair back and out of his face.
"Unfortunately and before you think I'm also a spawn of the devil thats also related to him, he's my step brother so feel free to talk shit about him all you want."

"Define talking about him. If you mean with my foot and fists then I am all for it," I stated bluntly.

We laughed. Something that had cheered me up slightly.
Maybe all the Haynes weren't jerks.