Page 6 of Raise 'Em Up

Donny falls to his knees and clutches Peaches to his chest as he begins to hyperventilate. Alex and Len try to calm him down, but I need to get out of here. The walls are closing in on me and I need some air.

Storming out of the room, I rush down the halls and back to the stairs. I know Colt is calling my name and chasing after me, but I feel as if I can’t breathe. After all that we have been through, she just left?

We were supposed to go to Florida together for the holidays. That’s where my family is. None of this makes any Goddamn sense.

Reaching the door that leads to the outside, I slam it open and take in some much needed air. My hands are shaking and my emotions are a mess. I want to hit someone.

No, I want to kill someone.

I lean my head against the cool brick wall of the dorm building.

Colton sighs from behind me, but I’m not ready to hear whatever he has to say. He has always been on Rylee’s side, believing everything she says. I knew I shouldn’t have let my guard down.

“Something isn’t right here, Teo. Rylee wouldn’t just pack up and leave. Especially without her kitten. She loves Peaches more than anything,” he says, sounding out of breath as he puts his hands on his knees, taking a moment to breathe. “I’ve been thinking, while chasing your huge ass down.”

I grunt and turn to face him. His glasses are askew and his face is a little red. “You need to get your head out of the books and your ass back in the gym,” I grumble and he scoffs, giving me a look.

I shake my head, then scrape my back against the side of the building as I attempt to sit on the ground. I’m still feeling the aftereffects from the party. I shouldn’t have drank so much.

“She left, Colt,” I mutter, then groan. “She was supposed to be my ticket out of here.”

Closing my eyes, I try not to think about how I fell in love with a girl who had betrayed me in the past.

Well, technically it was all a big misunderstanding, but still. I should have been more guarded.

“Lennox is going to start drinking again, and I’m just tired, Colt. I’m exhausted having to hold everyone up. My mom, my brother, you guys. For once, I thought maybe I’d be able to have a happy ending. That I wouldn't die young at the hands of my uncle, or some asshole in the ring.” I laugh without humor, ignoring how my eyes are becoming watery.

“I don’t think she left us willingly, Teo. Think about it. We go to a party, get drunk, and she just decides to take off? You’re smarter than this…”

The door slams open next to us, and I turn to see Donny racing through. Len and Alex are behind him, trying to get him to stop, but he’s a mess. He can hardly run in a straight line. He’s completely wasted.

Getting to my feet, I need to hold on to the wall for a minute as my head is spinning. I think about what Colt said. I didn’t drink much. We had plans with Rylee later and I wanted to be sober.

“I only had two beers,” I mumble and Colt moves closer.

“What? That’s not possible. Teo, you are falling asleep standing up. Donny is five sheets to the fucking wind, and Len isn’t far behind,” he says and I groan, rubbing my eyes.

“When we got to the party, Missi and the girls were already there and had drinks in their hands. I refused it, because knowing Missi, she probably drugged them. We grabbed our own beers, then went to talk with some of the other guys,” I say, trying to remember if we took shots or anything.

“Donny was playing beer pong, but Len and I had two drinks.”

“DONNY, NO!” Alex roars as Donny climbs behind the wheel of Alex’s car and is trying to get it started.

He has Peaches in his arms and he’s crying. I stumble my way over there and smack my hand on the driver’s window. “Open the door,” I growl, and he looks up at me with his red eyes, full of heartache.

“She’s gone, Teo. She left me,” he whispers and I shake my head.

“I don’t think she did. Something isn’t adding up,” I mumble.

“Unlock the door and open it. We all need to talk,” Alex says, crossing his arms. He’s pissed and I know he’s about to kick all our asses. “Serenity is on her way, so let’s go back into the room,” he says and I nod, agreeing with him.

It takes Donny a few more minutes to get the door unlocked and Len groans. “He’s absolutely wasted,” he says with a sigh and I laugh.

There is nothing funny about what is going on, but watching Donny stumble to press a button, with Peaches meowing loudly in his face, has me chuckling.

Lennox moves closer to me and takes my hand. Donny finally unlocks the door and Alex opens it, taking the kitten before she can run off.

“She never would have left Peaches behind,” Len mumbles, and I nod because it’s true. “She didn’t leave us. I have a feeling Missi, and maybe even my father, are behind this,” he grumbles, and I turn to look at him.

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