The taillights fade into the night’s rain. I’m feeling so many emotions I feel dizzy. It’s not from drinking though, I haven’t had a drop. Running my fingers through my wet hair I look at the ground wondering if the hate and longing for Tate will eventually sort itself out.
“Baby?” a voice coos from behind me, her hand resting on my shoulder. I don’t even know her name. Cathy, Cindy? Fuck I can’t remember.
Chase is standing by the door to the pub, a beer in his hand as he stares at me with a smirk. Is he toying with me?
Marching toward him, my hand curls into a fist. My jaw locking from rage.
“I told you,” I point at him, “stay away from her!”
“What do you care?” His face smug. “Aren’t you more of a boobs than brains kind of guy? That girl there is hot, and way out of your league.”
Before I can think about what I’m doing. My fist collides with his face. My knuckles splitting from the contact, the pain a fucking rush. All this pent up anger and conflict releasing on Chase.
His beer falls to the ground breaking. His hands fisting my shirt and shoving me off him.
Wrapping my arm around his neck I put him into a chokehold, as my vision turns red.
“Any woman in this town, you can have. But that one, I specifically said to stay away from!” My face burns from the adrenaline torpedoing through me, the urge to split this fucker’s head open is overwhelming.
“Fucking get off!” Chase struggles and I shove him against the brick building, not nearly done with him.
“You’re going to fucking regret that.” He roughly pushes the hair out of his face and I get a step up to him. “You better get out of my face,” he threatens.
“Or what?” I taunt, hoping he does something to awaken the beast inside of me.
“Guys!” Cindy states from the side, catching my attention. Fuck, maybe her name doesn’t even start with a C.
I shake my head, and step away from Chase.
“Who is that bitch?” Chase asks, wiping the rain from his face.
“She’s nobody. Just stay away from her.”
My jaw suddenly aches, and I realize I’m gritting my teeth to near cracking.
His eyes widen, and an evil smile crosses his pretty boy face.
“She’s that girl you were talking about awhile back isn’t she?” He nods knowingly and my chests constricts. I got drunk a few years back, and a girl that was at an after party looked just like Tate. Needless to say, she became the topic of conversation in my inebriated state.
I was hoping I’d forget about Tate and I haven’t spoken about her since. When I stopped talking about her, I stopped thinking about her.
“Just do what I fucking said, and stay away from her.”
“Why?” he asks flatly.
“Because you’re no good for her.” I don’t beat around the bush. Nobody is good enough for Tate. I sure as hell ain’t but I’m not about to watch her with someone else either.
“Oh, is that right? And you think you are giving what you’ve done?”
I step forward, ready for round two with him. “Go, while you’re still able to!” I threaten, my hand pointing to the parking lot. I don’t know what he thinks he knows about me, but I’m done with his shit.
He holds his hands up, stopping me.
“Just saying, don’t be so quick to judge. I’m going back inside to get a beer. Cici, you want one?” Chase asks. I glance at her, remembering her telling me her name now. Wow, I really am an asshole. She looks at me with makeup smearing down her face from the rain.
She shoves past me and takes Chase’s hand. He smirks at me arrogantly, but I just throw my hands up at them.
I couldn’t care less.
I don’t want to be around anyone, especially a female right now.
Turning I kick at the pavement, ball my fists and yell into the night.
Chapter Six
12 Years Old
Tate
Stepping outside, the summer sun blasts me in the face. Holding my arm up I shield my face until my eyes can adjust to its brightness.
“Mom, I’m going out!” I holler through the screen door.
“Oh good, make some friends, honey!” I can’t help but roll my eyes. She’s always pushing me to make friends. Friends are lame. I would go see Chloe, the new girl that moved in at the end of the school year, but her mom sent her to summer camp. What kind of mom does that? Summer camp. Summer is for being home and being lazy. Anyway, I like Chloe and she seems to like me. She’s sassy, and funny. She’s so funny I even overlook that she’s a big girly girl.
“Where are you going?” Journey opens the screen door and pops her head out. Her blonde hair is braided, and she put on way too much of Mom’s makeup. She’s going to be in so much trouble.
“Nowhere, stay here, Journey.” I point to the front porch. She’s younger than me, and is always following me around.
“Whatever.” Rolling her eyes, she goes back inside, letting the screen door slam behind her.