Home Run

8| Hero Duties

I couldn't sleep last night; even though Audrey and Stella volunteered to sleep on the floor while I slept on the bed. I thought of Trevor all night, and during the few hours I got of sleep, I had a dream of him and me.

We were at school. A baseball game had just finished, resulting in a victory for the Riverdale ravens. Everyone was leaving the field and bleachers. When it was just Trevor and me left, I leaned in to give him a kiss to congratulate him. But that's when the dream ends. I never got to kiss him.

I admit I was a bit disappointed. Ever since that dream, I couldn't fall asleep. So I left the room and slipped into a bathing suit in the bathroom, making my way down to the lake. The sun was on the verge of rising, the colours peeked out from the horizon, waiting to be seen. The water was cold but relaxing. I tilted my head back, letting the water reach my ears.

No one was out; it was so quiet and peaceful. I've always wanted to go skinny dipping alone just so I can say that I have. Plus, the thrill of trying it seemed fun. So I started untying my bikini, throwing it on the deck.

I swam back and forth, floating on my back when I got tired. When I left the house, it wasn't six o'clock yet. I thought no one would be awake at this time until I saw a figure approaching me. He held his phone next to his ear. He looked mad. When Bryan realized I was swimming in the lake, he hung up. The anger on his face quickly disappeared.

"What are you doing out so early?" He asked from the shoreline. I didn't dare swim closer to him. I was in the middle of the lake; my bikini was at least fifteen metres away.

"I could ask you the same question. Who were you talking to?" I asked, curious. I took him as the carefree guy. I've never even witnessed him raise his voice at someone.

"Doesn't matter," he started walking towards the dock, where my bikini helplessly lay there. I started swimming closer, but it was too late, a smile played across his lips as soon as he 

saw it.

"What do we have here?" He chided, holding up the bikini. "Seems like Natalia isn't a good girl after all."

I was still swimming towards the dock as I answered, "alright you caught me."

"Let me join you."

I was closer to the dock now. "I don't think that's a good idea." I looked towards the lake house. Even if my parents weren't here, even if we were alone, I didn't want him to join me. But Bryan was the type of guy who never took no as an answer. Just like the anger on his face earlier, his smile disappeared just as fast. I was getting nervous.

"If you say so," he started walking away, with my bikini in his hand. Getting caught outside like this would be embarrassing, but that was the least of my worries. It was cold, and I don't know when they'll wake up.

I swam closer to shore, "Bryan I'm not kidding, give it back."

He stopped in his tracks, "what's in it for me?"

"I don't know."

"I'll give it back after I join you."

He was blackmailing me. If this happened when I was clothed, I would have slapped him by now. I could feel the tears starting to form in my eyes. "Bryan, I'm not fucking around," I swallowed, my voice threatening to crack.

"I think she wants what you took from her back buddy," Trevor appeared out on the shore. I didn't even see him coming out of the house. His eyes held the type of rage that made hellfire look kind.

"Chill the fuck out Trevor. We were playing around." Bryan threw me my bikini. Once I got my bikini on, Trevor handed me a towel as Bryan watched us.

"Thanks," I said in a soft voice. If it weren't for Trevor, I wouldn't know if Bryan would have actually given it back.

"No problem," he said. He started walking back to the house when I heard him mutter. "Asshole."

I wasn't the only one who heard because Bryan started stomping towards him. I ran after them. By the time I got into the house, Bryan had Trevor's shirt in his fists. Trevor's expression told me everything; he wasn't fazed at all. In fact, he looked bored.

"I said I called you an asshole, didn't know you were fucking deaf too," Trevor said. Without hesitation, Bryan punched him across the face, causing him to land on the floor.

"Stop," I ran toward Trevor who was wiping away the blood that was gushing out from his mouth. I reached forward to help him to his feet. Fortunately, Bryan was done with Trevor. Unfortunately, Trevor wasn't.

He swung at Bryan after I moved away from between them. Audrey came out of the room, distressed and confused. She immediately rushed over to her brother, who was getting beat up by Bryan. She tried to intervene, but I knew it wouldn't work, Bryan was in the midst of a punch when she approached. He pushed her into the wall, causing a painting and a vase to collapse on the floor, shards of glass flying everywhere. Now Audrey's arm was bleeding, and Bryan was getting punched by Trevor.

I didn't know when they arrived, but Curtis and Owen were suddenly in this too. I couldn't tell if they were helping or fighting Bryan. My parents finally emerged from the front door to break them up, Giuseppe behind them. Based on my parents' attire, it looked like they went out for a jog. Giuseppe and my dad finally broke up the fight that was now between Curtis and Bryan. Trevor was being held back by Owen, who also had blood on him.

There was blood, glass and bruised knuckled everywhere. Trevor and Bryan took the most hits; I felt responsible for this. I didn't want anyone to get hurt. I comforted myself by rubbing my thumb in a circle on my towel. They were taking everyone to the nearby clinic.

"I'm staying. I need space to think," I said. Everyone looked at me. I had no cuts anywhere, no blood, just regrets. I didn't need to go; I didn't want to. I knew all they would do was interrogate me. That could wait until later.

"I'll stay with her," Trevor volunteered. I looked up at him. He had bruised knuckles, his mouth was bleeding, and he took a couple of punches in the jaw and arms. He needed to go to the clinic.

"You can't stay Trevor," Audrey said. Her arm was bleeding, probably from the vase and painting that fell earlier. "I mean, look at you."

"She's right," my mom said.

"It doesn't hurt, it's nothing urgent. I can stay here with Natalia."

"Trevor-" Audrey protested.

"I'll be fine; I can go later. If it hurt, I would go."

With one last look, Audrey left with the others. I was going to cry the tears I was holding back earlier, but I couldn't now that he was here. But nevertheless, just like the vase and painting, I'm threatening to shatter. 

a/n Okay this chapter is by far the hardest for me to write because it included a fight scene that was hard to describe. Anyways, what was your favourite part of this chapter? And what do you think will happen to Natalia and Trevor now that they're all alone?

Also, I'm going to release the synopsis of my new book tomorrow, it's a fan fiction based on the vampire diaries called Isadora. Go check it out!