Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Austin*

“Hey man.” Liam my teammate handshakes me. “See you at Bailey’s party." Hanging his duffel bag on his shoulders he walks out of the boys’ locker room with Xavier and Miles. I open my locker taking out my cloth to change because I’m late with meeting Snoopy at the court to take her to the library. I can picture the glare on her face for keeping her waiting.

Today a new series of one of her favorite author is out in the library and she's super ecstatic. I smile. Hearing laughter I turn to see few of the students enter the locker room, paying no mind to their jokes I hurried up wearing my white tee pulling my leather jacket over it. Done I fix my phone in my pocket about to leave when I bump into no other than preppy Lawrence.

“Watch where you are going Mahone?”

“Do not call me by that name.” I growl at him.

“What are going to do huh?” He taunts squaring up with me. This is stupid. He’s not even worth it. I gave him one final glare leaving.

“Yeah walk away Mahone.” Keep walking I say to myself. Don’t listen to him.

“I wonder what she sees in you.” I held myself trying not to react. “Someone who is failing or have no future at all. I bet she took pity on you. Poor Austin need help.” I bang my locker close looking at him in a glare.

I know what’s he’s doing. He’s trying to rile me up but I won’t fall for it.

“It’s good she has someone like me. Once the bad boy breaks her heart I’ll be the one to give her a shoulder to lean on. In my arms forever, I just cat wait for you to fuck up.” I pause walking up to him in anger.

“You got something to say to me huh, preppy boy?”

“Oh nothing, just that I’m watching your back. M.V. is mine, always have been. She’s never yours nor will ever be.” his taunting grin makes my blood boil.

“Really? All hype already.” I laugh sizing him up. “You not worth it Lawrence so fuck off.” I leave.

“Can’t wait for her to come crawling back to my arms in my house…again.” I stop in my steps turning to his big grin waiting for my reaction. Now I'm furious.

“What the fuck did you just say to me?”

“She didn’t tell you.” He scoffs grinning. Tell me what? I can hear the pounding of my heart beating so fast against my chest. “That’s bad. The other day at the bleachers when she was waiting for you know…Me. I took her home specifically my home where she stayed with me in my room till I got her back home that night. That’s true, I’m sure she’ll be waiting for me. We didn’t actually finish what we started the other day.”

In fury I lunge at him, before I could get to him the boys in the locker room and few of my teammates held me down. I growl struggling to get free, grab a happy as fuck Lawrence and punch him till he pass out.

“Yeah let the beast out. Hit me and find out how quickly M.V. breaks it up with you all because you hurt her friend.” He chuckles. I roar banging one of the students into the lockers. But the rest held me back.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!” I struggle to break free from the hold of my teammates who tried to convince me not to do this on school property. All I see now is red.

“What the fuck is wrong with me? What the fuck is wrong with you Austin? Going all innocent and sweet so you can use her because she’s blind to your dirty game. Is that it? Put her among the list of your many victims.”

“Fuck you Lawrence. You know nothing about what we have.” I bark at him.

“Oh I know. I do because I told her I’m going to wait for you to fuck up because you will fuck up and when that happens I’ll be right there to beat you up.” He smiles.

“Let me go! Let me go!” I growl. They did watching me with caution as if I’m a loose cannon. I stormed out of the boys’ locker room not without leaving an angry punch on the door bruising my knuckles. Why did I let him get to me? The bell rang in my head.

She went home with him. Why? Did she hide this from me thinking I won’t find out? This is what I avoided. Just when I’m getting to act like the man she deserves, she goes behind my back to hog up Lawrence. What were they doing in his house? Did she lie with him just as she lay with me? Did they kiss? Fuck, this is fucking my head up. At this rate if I see her we will end up fighting and I don’t want that. I walk to my car throwing my bag at the back seat.

“Austin!”

I hear that voice, the voice that will surely ruin me.

“Austin?” She calls again. I stop turning to her. Her blue eyes watch me but all I can see is Lawrence annoying face telling me she went home with him. In anger, I turn back pulling the door open getting in not once turning back as she repeatedly calls my name. I am so mad at her for keeping this from me. My tires screech burning the ground speeding I drove away, looking to my side mirror, I see her; she stood in the same position watching me drive off the school property.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” I hit the steering wheel in anger. By the time I got home, I bang the door open and close going to my room. Throwing my duffel bag somewhere I flop on my bed more pissed than ever. Many thoughts ran though my mind and I didn’t know what to do.

“Tintin?” Gwen’s sleepy voice had me toning down the anger.

“Hey Princess.” I pick her up smiling at her rubbing her eyes cutely.

“Your girlfriend calls me princess also. I like her.” She smiles drowsily wrapping her small arms round my neck.

“I’m sure you do. Come on let’s tuck you back in bed.”

“But I want to stay with you.” She whines making me smile.

“Okay Princess. We will lay together on my bed.” She smiles. Placing her carefully, her eyes flutter close going back to sleep. As I lie besides my sister, thoughts of Snoopy filled my mind. Why did she not tell me about her visit to Lawrence house? Is she playing games with me? Did she finally realize I’m not worth it in her eyes?

For so long, I’ve been wanting to tell Snoopy about my feeling for her scared of her rejection. I know I’ve not been a good person or close to what she calls a man but I’m willing to throw it all away for her. To have a fresh start with her. I know she’s scared of what people will say and what my crazy self may do to hurt her. But I’m too selfish to let her go even if that’s her decision, selfish to see her happy with another guy other than me, selfish to let her be happy as I watch her from afar.

Which is why no matter her decision, I won’t let go, and I won’t give up on us. I’ll keep hanging on that thin thread for a miracle because she’s mine. Not Lawrence. Mine