“No, I don’t want to leave you.”
“I’ll be okay, I promise.” I give her one last kiss on the forehead before walking off. I feel Prescott follow behind me, and that familiar rage begins to build again but I rein it in.
“I’ll take Ryder in my office,” Mrs. Johnson says, speaking up now.
Thomas doesn’t seem keen on the idea, but reluctantly agrees with a nod. “Then I will take Mr. Prescott to the nurse.”
Before she takes him away, I point at him. “That was your only warning, Prescott. You stay the fuck away from her or next time I won’t be gentle.”
“Ryder, enough!” Mrs. Johnson snaps, pulling my arm and dragging me into her office. It’s the most pissed I’ve ever seen her. Under most circumstances I wouldn’t give a shit if a teacher is mad at me, but she’s different. She’s been the only teacher to ever give a shit about me. She helped me work my way to a full academic scholarship. A scholarship I probably just blew to shit now, but thinking about what that prick said about Emily, I know I would do it all over again.
I take a seat just as she slams the door. “Are you crazy, Ryder? What were you thinking?”
I try to keep my temper reined in because I respect the hell out of this lady. “The asshole deserved it. I warned him to keep his mouth shut and he didn’t. I will take a lot of insults, but no one fucking insults Emily and gets away with it.”
She doesn’t scold me on my language, it’s another thing I’ve always liked about her. Her face softens with worry now rather than anger. “Ryder, out of all the girls in the school did it really have to be Emily Michaels?”
I glare at her. “What the hell does that mean?” I know I’m not good enough for Emily, I know where I come from, but I’m surprised that she thinks it too.
“Not what you’re thinking. I think in any other circumstance Emily would be lucky to have you. But don’t you realize the problems this can cause for you? You have worked so hard, Ryder, don’t throw it all away on a girl that you don’t have a future with.”
“Says who?” She rears back in shock, and I’m not sure if it’s by my shout or the fact that I want a future with Emily. “Do you really think I am risking all the shit I’ve worked so hard for because of some chick I just want to screw around with for a while?”
“How are you going to have any kind of relationship when you are going off to college in just over a month?”
“I’ll deal with it when the time comes. I’ll find a way.”
She looks doubtful but I don’t really give a shit. “What if I told you that you could leave sooner?”
I narrow my eyes at her. “What are you talking about?”
She releases a heavy sigh. “You and Emily may have gone unnoticed by a lot of people, but not me. I know you care about her, Ryder, I can see it, but you have worked too hard to have everything ripped away from you for this, and we both know her father will do it when he finds out.” She moves to stand in front of me. “I talked with my friend, who is the Dean at the University of Florida. He has set up a dorm room for you; I think you should take it and leave soon.”
“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not even done this semester and I have two finals I still have to pass.”
She nods. “And we both know if you challenge them you will pass. It’s also something I have requested from both of your teachers, and they complied. Even Mrs. Thomas agreed.”
I stare at her in shock and try to tamp down the panic that threatens to take hold of me. I shake my head. “No. I’m not leaving Emily earlier than I have to.” And if I have my way, I won’t part from her at all.
“Ryder, please consider this. If you stay here any longer I may not have any power to help you out of the trouble her father and Kyle’s will cause you.”
Her words have me feeling angry and helpless, which makes me lash out. “No!” I stand up and knock the chair back in my haste. “I’m not fucking leaving her, and you better hear me now – no one will keep me from her. Not you, not her fucking dad, and definitely not fucking Prescott.” With that, I storm out of her office and make my way to my bike.
The entire way to work a million emotions plague me: anger, resentment, helplessness and most of all fear. Something I am not used to feeling. I’m fucking terrified of losing Emily, that I won’t be able to stop the politics of the world we live in, and it will divide us.
Chapter 6
Ryder
The next night I’m on my way home from work, feeling no better since walking out of Johnson’s office yesterday. I miss Emily like fucking crazy. Other than a few texts and getting to see her in class this morning, I haven’t gotten the chance to be alone with her.
So far nothing has come up with her father and I’m hoping that’s because Prescott decided to keep his mouth shut, but I have a feeling that’s not the case. I know it’s only a matter of time until the asshole strikes. I just wish he would do it already. It’s like waiting for your impending doom and it makes me feel fucking helpless. I have exhausted myself in trying to come up with ways to make everything work out and I have come up with only one. I’m just hoping Emily will go for it.
I shake myself from my thoughts, feeling too fucked up to think about it any more tonight. As I park in front of my piece of shit, run-down house I realize my mood is only about to get worse when I hear the sound of shattering glass and my father yelling. I debate whether to just leave and come back when I know they will both be passed out from whatever bottle they drank from tonight, but decide against it when I hear my mother start to scream. Fuck, I did not need this tonight. My mother’s screams escalate so I rush into the house just in time to see my father backhand her, knocking her to the ground. Something that has happened many times before.
“You fucking whore! How many times do I have to tell you?”
When he begins to drag her back up, I rush to stand in front of her and intercept his efforts by pushing him back. “Back off!”
His eyes widen in shock before they narrow in hatred – the only thing I have ever received from him. “You mind your own business,” he seethes, pointing at me, “or I will fuck you up worse than her.”
That may have been the case years ago, but not any more. This drunk asshole used to rain his fists down on me almost daily, but then, one day, I grew up and fought back. It was the last time he ever used his fists on me. Tonight though, he seems more fucked up than usual, so that may change.
“Not any more, old man, and we both know who will be the one to come out on top if you do. Now get the fuck out and sober up before coming back.”
It was clearly the wrong button to push. “You worthless piece of shit.” He charges at me, throwing a right hook, clipping the side of my jaw. “You don’t kick me out of my house!”
All the pent-up rage and helplessness I have been feeling over the last two days unleashes. When he comes at me again, I meet him halfway and run into him with enough force that we fall to the ground with me on top and I don’t hold back. I hit him with all the strength I have and feel his nose shatter under my fist.
“Ryder, stop it!” my mom screams, of course – wanting to save the prick.
I do stop, but only after a few more shots. I stand up with my lungs heaving from fury and adrenaline. I point down at my father, whose nose is busted and face is bloody. “I fucking warned you to never hit me again.”
My mom pushes me out of the way and crouches down next to my father to help him. She looks up and glares at me. “What the hell are you thinking? You know better. You need to stay out of things that aren’t your business!”
I shake my head, not surprised by her blaming this on me. “You’re right, I do know better. I’ve known since I was a kid. I guess I should have just stood by and watched him beat the shit out of you, like you used to do with me.” With that parting comment I storm out of the house, slamming the half-broken door behind me.