Page 33 of Bad Kind of Love

“Hopefully in a year, but I might be gone by then.” It pains me to say.

“College?” He raises a brow, not questioning the fact I wouldn’t see my dad get out of prison.

Nodding, I start messing with my chipped nail polish on my fingers. “Yeah, I’m hoping to get into the University of Georgia.”

“What’s there?”

“They are ranked number one for their musical therapy program. Ever since I could remember, I needed music just as much as I needed air. Whatever mood you may be in, whether it’s sad or happy, there's a song for it.” I could go on for hours about how powerful of a tool music was, but I feel his heavy stare on me again and my nerves sky rocket. “I just want to help people with music, like it helped me.”

“Wow.” His eyes are wide, but his head drops as he laughs.

“What’s so funny?” I snap, immediately irritated.

“Nothing! Nothing’s funny about what you said.” He throws his hands up in defense. “That’s amazing actually.” I see the slight flush in his cheeks as he turns away from me. “I just didn’t expect that.”

My anger simmers and I shift my butt on the bench. “What about you?”

“University of South Carolina. They’ve been scouting me for a while now.”

Nodding, there’s an awkward silence between us until a loud screech causes us both to turn our heads.

“Sounds like someone’s having too much fun.” Wes laughs, showing off his perfectly straight teeth.

“Are you scared to go back home after what just happened?” I ask. He seemed too laid back and calm for someone who just punched their father.

“Nah, I doubt he’ll say anything anyway. He’s probably bottled deep in Jack Daniels as we speak.”

I found it hard to believe that Mr. Fitzgerald wouldn’t say anything, but who knows. Maybe he had a soft spot for his son because he hadn’t been a part of the beginning of his life.

“Do you think you’ll ever forgive him?”

The serious question catches him off guard and his eyebrows knit like he’s deep in thought. “There’s really nothing to forgive him for.” He shrugs. “He didn’t even know anything about me until my mom dropped me off that day. But every day, I take it out on him. For not being there when I needed a dad.”

It was a painful situation for the both of them, where Wes struggled with forgiving his dad, Jack struggled with forgiving himself.

His sad eyes peered down at the ground, and I felt the urge to comfort him. To grab his injured hand and squeeze it tight till all the pain he felt disappeared. But the urge went away as quick as it came, and I brought myself back to the reality of keeping my distance from him.

Both Fitzgerald’s.

“We should probably get going and find Josie.” I slowly rise from the bench, tugging down on the uncomfortably tight skirt around my waist. Wes catches the movement, and locks onto my legs.

“Yah.” He swallows, with a touch of disappointment in his tone. “Do you know where she is?” He stands up, towering over me as his fresh smell wafts through the night air.

“No.” I groan. “She’s with Nate.”

I couldn’t believe I was saying those words. My best friend, my very quiet, and unpopular best friend walked up to Nate Hawthorne like it was nothing and laid claim on him in front of everyone. And he liked it.

We start to head back towards the house, walking side by side. I catch a glimpse of who looks to be a very drunk Travis in between two girls who are in nothing but thongs. We sneakily try to avoid him, but his glazed over eyes land on us.

“QB!” He shouts loud enough for the whole neighborhood to hear. Sauntering over to us with an open button up shirt and board shorts, he’s grinning like a cat. He stops in front of us, cutting us off. “Damn…” He blatantly drops his eyes down the length of me. “You should dress like that more often.”

Rolling my eyes, I glance over at Wes who looks seconds away from punching his second victim of the night. “We're tryna leave.” Wes announces in a ‘don’t fuck with me’ tone, but stupid Travis takes that as a challenge.

“The party’s just getting started!” He opens his arms wide and the two topless girls slide in on each side of him. “We were just about to start our friendly competition of who has the best tits.”

I avert my eyes from the naked breasts that are practically dangling in my face and feel my cheeks heat up like a teapot.

“Get the fuck out of the way, Haynes.” Wes snatches my hand, dragging me past them until a rough hand grabs my upper arm, pulling me back.

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