Treat You Better

29.

I slept all the way to Tyler's house, sitting in Holden's car after another one of our little talks. He nudged me awake when we got to his street; I didn't want anyone to question me if they saw me getting out of his car. I sleepily climbed out and walked the rest of the way to the house. We were having a 'movie night' which means my presence is required.

I opened the door up and amble inside, towards where I could hear everyone talking in the den, I grab a slice of pizza and sit down on the sofa where everyone is conversing about one topic only.

The race.

I sigh and chew on the food, attempting to ignore everyone. When they realise I have entered the room, Ashley and Tyler greet me with hugs and kisses and then they went back to their conversation with Luke.

"So how is this race different?" Tyler asked, seemingly interested in his brother's antics.

"They want to move the venue, I am test running this venue to see if it's good enough." I held back a laugh from Lucas' response, I can't believe they are referring to that make shift, warn field as a 'venue'.

"How much are you getting paid?" Ashley asked.

"Double what I got in the last race because it's a trial, plus forty per cent of the earnings." Lucas smiled, like he was getting his lucky Christmas bonus. I honestly can't believe what I'm hearing; I laughed.

"What's so funny?" Lucas asked.

"Nothing." I giggled back eating my pizza, I'm still buzzed from being with Holden so I don't want to say too much.

"No seriously." Ashley said turning her body to face me. I feel like a deer in headlights, with all these eyes on me. I shrugged my shoulders and took a bite out of my pizza.

"I just think it's funny how you're talking about this as if it's not teenagers getting drunk in the middle of nowhere, betting to see which idiot wins." I rambled.

"Here we go..." Tyler mumbled.

"What?" I laughed.

"You always do this." He argued back.

"Yeah Riles, can't you just support it?" Ashley asked, giving me puppy dog eyes. I laughed again looking at them like they were both completely insane, Lucas just sat next to Ashley, watching me intensely.

"You know I don't understand you guys, asking me why I can't support it but I don't know why you do support his little hobby." I fired back.

"Because he's my brother and Ashley's boyfriend." Tyler said, getting visibly irritated.

"That's a pretty bullshit reason if you ask me." I remarked.

"Why do you care so much?" Tyler snapped.

"Tyler calm down." Ashley said. I laughed and stood up to get another slice of pizza.

"Don't worry Ash, he's just pissed at me because I wouldn't fuck him the other night." I admitted, I watched Tyler's eyes immediately fill with anger, while Ashley's and Lucas' were full of shock.

"Riley, what's wrong with you?" Ashley said, in disbelief. In all honesty the only reason I am saying all this is because I am buzzed, if I wasn't I probably would have kept quiet.

"What's wrong with you?" I laughed back. "If he dies on the track it will break the both of you. You'll sit around moping and crying about how you could have done something, about how you wished you would have stopped him and goddamn it, I won't let that happen. Someone has to be the adult here and it sure as shit isn't going to be any of you three so it may as well be me."

They all just sat there for a second thinking, in utter shock at my words. I think they were more surprised of my demeanour, I said the whole spiel while a smile on my face and laughing between words- that's the weed.

"Why are you even here then?" Tyler said standing up, getting a little height advantage.

"Aww babe." I cooed. "Did I bruise your ego." Tyler and I have never fought like this before, he was evidently astounded by my sudden confidence.

"I don't know what's going on with you and I don't care. I'm going to bed." He muttered, stomping out of the room and slamming the door. I scoffed and began to eat my other slice of pizza while Ashley and Lucas stared at me.

"Look, if you two want to run after him, don't mind me." I smiled, I watched Ashley shake her head and go after Tyler, Lucas following her like a puppy.

Finally, alone, I took the remote and put on Netflix, chomping up the pizza as the screen flickered over my eyes. The silence was nice for once, I could actually concentrate on what I was watching instead of the others talking over it- what's the point of a 'movie night' if you don't actually watch the movie.

My phone buzzed with a message from Holden that I just disregarded, I glanced at the time and realised it was nearly three in the morning. I turned off the TV and exited the den. Going outside to get some fresh air- there was no point going up to Tyler's room and there was no point trying to sleep anyway since I'd just be lying there. So instead I did what I have been doing since the night of my surprise birthday party. I opened the door to the garden and sat on one of the deck chairs, watching over the world as the night went on.

My high had gone now but I still meant what I said to all them, even Tyler, I don't care if I have upset him it wasn't fair for them to call me out like that. They support Lucas with no real reason to and yet I am in the wrong. This childish bullshit is really starting to piss me off.

"I thought I'd find you here." Lucas said walking past me and standing in front of me like a scolding parent. "You went too far earlier."

"Aww, did I bruise your ego too?" I responded.

"No but Tyler is pretty hurt." I sighed and shuffled in my seat.

"I don't deny that what I said hurt Tyler because it did. But I won't apologise for it because it was the truth and the truth fucking hurts sometimes." I defended. Lucas didn't say anything, just looked at me.

"Don't give me that fucking look. You've blinded those two, I remember Tyler telling me stories of the kind of shit you used to put him through and I watched him blame it on the fact that you are siblings, you can't possibly defend him now."

"This isn't about that." He responded.

"Then what's it about?" I asked.

Silence.

"See you can't answer me because you know I'm right. I just couldn't deal with their childish bullshit anymore...or yours." I snapped.

"You can be a real bitch sometimes you know that?" Luke retorted. I scoffed and looked away from him. we were both silent for a while. Letting the weight of the argument melt away- it seems like I am fighting with everyone nowadays. I got up, not wanting to be in this house anymore and began walking towards the door.

"Are you still coming tomorrow, it wouldn't be the same without you lecturing me beforehand?" Lucas asked.

"Fuck you, of course I'm coming." I sneered. "I need to make sure your dumbass doesn't do anything stupid."

"Why's that?" He asked.

"I always look after my friends." I responded.

"So we are friends?" Lucas teased.

"Just friends."

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A/N

Here is another chapter. I've got a busy couple of days coming up so just in case I don't upload I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thanks.

~Jadey66688