Die A Little

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

A/N - Last update before the new year! Taking a break next week from uploading so enjoy! See you in 2021!

Brian followed me home that day in his truck, parking behind me on the driveway. I slammed my car door shut and stormed up to the porch, searching for my keys to unlock the door. Why out of the whole class was I stuck with this tool for the project? If only I had been paying attention, I wouldn't have gotten myself into this mess.

We hadn't said a word to each other as I let him inside and closed the front door behind him. I watched as Brian slipped his sneakers off to one side and headed for the bottom of the stairs. I followed suit and soon we were in my bedroom. It felt ridiculously weird to be in his company after everything that had gone on between us. Brian was someone I used to love with my whole heart, and although remainders of those feelings still burned a hole in my chest, he was now someone who I despised with a passion.

"So..." Brian hummed, taking a seat on my bed as I pulled out my desk chair and sat down, glaring across the room at him. "I can see that you're in a good mood."

"Be quiet." I replied bluntly. "Wouldn't you be if the person who beat you up every day was now sat in your room?"

"Look, Sal," He tried to explain but was I going to let him finish? Fuck no.

"No, you listen, Brian." I interrupted, watching him fall quiet. "Fuck you, fuck everything we ever had."

I reached into my backpack and fished out my science books, slamming them down onto my desk. "I'm only talking to you because we have to do this stupid project together. After it's finished, we go back to ignoring each other's existence, deal?"

"Fine." Brian shrugged carelessly. "I was going to say that we could try and work this out between us and at least be friends again, but whatever you say."

I looked at him suspiciously as he, too, retrieved his science books from his rucksack and opened up to the appropriate page. Thanks to a little feeling called love, I had grown to know the habits of Brian, and I knew right there that something was playing on his mind. He was usually argumentative at all times but when he was regretful, he would be reasonable. Exactly like he was being in that moment.

"After the shit you've pulled?" I scoffed. "No."

"It was one little punch, get over it." He argued.

"One little punch?!" I thought that I hadn't heard him correctly. "You have beaten me until my ribs cracked, cuts and bruises cover my entire body and I'm pretty sure that Murray busted my knee with the baseball bat."

I stood to my feet, full of anger at the boy. I had to release my frustration somehow, slamming a hand against the wall. "Fuck you, Brian. You won, okay? It never got out about us, people just thought that I was some crazed fanboy of you. Are you happy now?!"

"It was never about winning!" Brian protested, raising his voice at me. "You were the one who couldn't stop yourself from telling everyone that you were dating me when you knew that I wanted no one else to know!"

"Brian, are you even listening to yourself right now?" I yelled at him. "We were together for months, months! Don't you think I would have said something before now? I would never, ever do that to you!"

"So, who did?" He confused. "It was only you and I who knew at school!"

"Think about it," I commented obviously. "Murr caught us, don't you remember?"

"Oh shit...yeah." Brian realised; I could physically see the anger and blame wash away as Brian looked at me guiltily. "I never thought that one of my own boys would rat me out like that."