Page 12 of Released from the Sin Bin

“I’m fine.”

We both lean on the ledge and quietly watch the flip cup game happening on the lawn from afar.

“I see it,” I admit, feeling the urge to talk and defend myself. “And everyone says he is, but no one sees how he is with me. I may see it happening, but I don’t want to. I don’t want to throw away what we have.”

He nods, listening to what I can’t tell my friends because they’d never understand.

“Even if it’s true, I don’t want to know.”

“He’ll never change, and it’ll only get worse.” Carter drinks the rest of his piss warm beer. “You’re just like every pathetic woman who wants to believe their men truly love them. If he loved you, he’d respect you. He wouldn’t slap you around when no one’s there to protect you.”

“He’s never hit me.” I can’t be sure, but I don’t think we’re talking about Vic and me anymore.

Carter’s fist tightens around the empty bottle he’s still holding.

“Braydon is exactly like them.” He nods to his younger brother out on the lawn, celebrating winning the drinking game by wrapping himself around the girl next to him. “That’s not his girlfriend. He’s going to grow up to be just like our dad, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him. Cheaters and abusers, they’re all the same.”

“That’s not always true,” I mutter, trying to gauge what’s going on in Carter’s head. “Does your dad hit your mom?”

Carter breaks out of the hypnotic state he was in and smirks at me. Going right back into that cruel and indifferent presence he always has. It’s a defense mechanism. It’s hard not to see it now.

“That, Willa, is above your friendship status.”

“I didn’t realize we were friends.”

He throws the bottle into the garbage can below us and hops over the railing to land on his feet. “Exactly.”

He says something to his brother. I tense up, expecting a fight, but Carter backs off with that same cruel smirk after Braydon pushes him.

Vic hasn’t moved from the position I left him in until I slide under the covers, and he rolls over, draping his arm over me, and nuzzling into my neck.

It’s comforting and warming all my doubts away, but those doubts are coming to a head. They’re too much to keep punching down. What if Carter is right and Vic never changes? I’ve been holding onto the hope that it’s just college, and after we graduate it’ll all change. But what if I don’t get on a team close to him? We’ve never talked about what will happen after we graduate.

I wake up a couple of hours later, cold and alone in Vic’s bed. It’s still dark out and the house is quiet. Some guys are still up, hanging out, and they look away when they see me searching for Vic.

He’s nowhere to be found.

Not sure what to do, I crawl back into his bed and cry myself back to sleep.

“Sorry, babe.” Vic grunts when he climbs back into bed, apologizing for waking me. “I had to pee.” He wraps me up into him, but it’s been over an hour since I noticed he was gone.

I won’t question it, and he’ll never tell me the truth.

Chapter 4

Carter

I’m always late to class, but I’m not rushing today.

They sent out a notice that our teacher was being substituted through the end of the semester due to an emergency. Being the mayor’s son and a member of the local fire department, I found that out before the rest of the class.

Professor Grant had a minor stroke. The old man should’ve retired years ago, and it’s questionable if he can ever return to work, but he loves teaching.

Coach Higgins, the new head coach for the women’s hockey team, agreed to step in. He taught a similar class at the last university he came from. I get all the inside information. Not only is my dad the mayor, but he’s also a member of the board at Drexton Hall. Barely a member. They gave him a spot because he’s an alumnus and they felt like they had to once he became the Mayor.

He has no pull or say in what happens at the school, but he acts like he makes all the decisions.

Apparently, I didn’t get as much information as I thought. I rush through the door to find my seat and do a double take at the new professor, Coach Higgins. I never paid attention to him, but that’s Coach Jonah Higgins, and the only reason I know his first name is because his wife was yelling it while he chased me around the motel room with my pants around my ankles.

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