Loving The Devil's Son ( #Wattys2017 )

Chapter 31: It'll Change The Color Of His White Ass Cheeks!

Song: Weak (With Lyrics)

Artist(s): AJR

By now, just after this mess, the booming music has quieted down a lot. My eyes fall to the floor and I lightly scoff, unimpressed. Jasper leads me out of the hallway, one arm around my shoulder for support and comfort, giving even me the impression we've known each other forever. I don't understand the sudden change in his demeanor — from shy and basically speechless to effortlessly pummeling Rodney and openly expressing his sorry's, as though it was  on his hands; I'm not complaining but... it's odd.

"It's... It's not your fault," I tell him honestly.

He says nothing but lowers his head and clenches his jaw.

I sigh, it instead coming out as a raggedy breath. My throat is uncomfortably dry so I clear it before speaking up again. "Hey." He stays looking down, avoiding direct eye contact. "You don't have to apologize."

He halts in the middle of the hallway, me along with him. "I was," he murmurs, the end of his sentence inaudible. "I was too late," he says quietly.

"You took me out  when I thought I wasn't until the worst would pass."

"Lau-"

"I could've gotten hurt badly... even pregnant." I say quietly, my pitch at the end of my sentence raising to a little squeak. I'm surprised I'm able to finish the sentence without utterly breaking down or momentarily forgetting how to use my tongue.

He stays quiet.

"Jasper, you..." I tighten my grip on his coat. "You came for me. You took me out and I can't be more thankful to you."

He opens his mouth to say something, but then stops himself. He bites down on his lip and lightly gives me a little inch forward to continue down the hall. Before we descend down the stairs, I fix my hair and try my best to eliminate any remaining vulnerable comportment. When my friends come into view, I almost break down right there on the stairs, but I put all my strength into holding it together. It takes a few seconds but, as soon as Caroline's smiling face meets with mine, it transmogrifies into that of a worried and confused one. She immediately gets up from her seat and rushes over to me, tripping along the way. I'm instantly filled with guilt.

"Is-Are-What happe — Are you okay?" she gushes, looking around my body. Her eyes shoot up to Jasper and she furrows her eyebrows. "You?"

He says nothing so I shake my head. "No, he helped me, Caroline. Don't worry, he... he took care of him," I say slowly. I barely realize what I say until after Caroline's eyebrows furrow more intensely.

"Him? Is thi-that Roland boy?" she gasps.

Rodney, but I don't bother correcting her. "Care, it's okay. It's... It-It's done, it's over. I'm okay."

She isn't content with my answer. I can feel her adrenaline building up as she huffs and marches right past me, up the stairs and into the hallway. "No, it isn't done. That," she pauses. "That son of-of an ugly bitch."

"Care, wait," I call to her, turning around to see her angrily banging open doors to expose those involved in libidinous activities. I turn my face away, imagining what happened a few moments earlier with Rodney. That would've been me, except I'd be kicking and crying instead of giggling and moaning; label it a traumatic experience instead of one of those crazy, spontaneous experiences.

I peer up at Jasper. From his face, I can tell he wants to stop Caroline, but he makes no effort to budge. He stays beside me and Matthew instead comes up and hastens — well, like Caroline, trips his way up the stairs like he's trying to skateboard on them.