Page 80 of Raise 'Em Up

I know they are watching with big smiles on their faces.

We exit the mats and Donny stumbles. He’s yawning and mumbling. I'm glad our routine is over. He almost fucking dropped Fatima in the middle section.

Colton runs off to where the bags are, then returns with his blanket and a candy bar.

“Come on, Don, let’s go rest for a bit,” Colt mutters softly. He leads Donny over to the wall where he can watch the other teams compete, but can also rest if he wants to.

“I think it’s time,” I tell Len and he nods.

“I’ll stay and watch him.”

The girls are critiquing the next team, and Rylee is getting mad at how cruel Ursula is. I know she’s about to throw down with her, so it’s the perfect time for us to chat.

Catching Rylee's attention, I nod over to the side door and she follows me, huffing.

“Can you believe her?! She is such a bitch. Not as psycho as Missi, but damn, can we kick her off the team too? Please,” she whines, then looks up at me, batting her eyelashes.

I laugh and cross my arms.

“No, if Colt has to redo another routine, he may just quit, and we have enough shit going on as is.”

Donny is getting worse and worse. Despondent, broken. We need to get him help. Colt, Len, and I talked about this last night, and it’s time.

I lead Ry over to a picnic bench and take a seat. She knows something is going on and stands in front of me, pursing her lips, giving me a mean glare.

“Sit, baby girl, we need to talk.”

“Is this the third act break-up scene?” she mumbles and I raise a brow at her.

“What?”

“In a book… Never mind.” Sitting, she turns to me and I can tell she’s nervous. I lean over and grab the back of her neck, pulling her into a heated kiss.

“You’re mine, baby, and I'm never letting you go,” I growl and she sighs. “There is nothing I’d like more than for us to go back to the hotel, but first, we need to talk about something. So, behave,” I grunt and she nods.

Looking into her eyes, I take a deep breath, then begin.

“Donny’s grandfather was a sick man. I don't know all of the details, but when his parents died in that car crash, he was sent to live with his grandparents. I never met them. His grandmother died a few years ago, and his grandfather has cancer or something.

“Donny has never confronted his past, but I think it may be time. After we hear the results, we are leaving Vegas. I'm plan on taking him to see someone he can talk to. I think you should be there with us. He trusts you and loves you. I know he wants to open up to you, but he's scared of losing you.”

“Are we not taking the bus home?”

“No, Lennox’s mom is letting us use the private jet.”

“Fucking rich people,” she mumbles, then nods. “Of course I want to be there.”

I figured as much, but I didn’t want to force her. I know she was excited about going to the pool with Ren.

“We will come back here another time. We can bring Alex, Ren and even Trev.”

Turning, she rests her head on my shoulder. “I’m worried about him, Teo. I just want my golden retriever back.”

“Yeah, we all do, but I’m starting to think that maybe this is the true Donny, and the goofball was just his way of masking his pain. I get angry and hit shit. Colt hyper fixates on stuff, and Len writes poems. We all deal differently.”

I stand and offer her my hand. She wipes under her eyes and looks up at me. “The demons you battle and trauma that you hide, or wear on your sleeves, are one of the things I love most about you all.”

Fuck, this girl owns me. She has all of us by the balls.

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