Page 20 of Saving the Halfback

The bus stopped at the elementary school, ready to pick up out-of-town kids and drop off in-town kids. I got off and waited for my sister. Gracie was in her last year of elementary school, and despite the age gap, we were close. Our relationship was a lot better than the one I had with my older brother, and I’d worked hard to make it that way.

Gracie came running out of the door as soon as the bell rang. She looked just like my dad—red hair and blue eyes, freckles under her eyes and over her nose. She used to hate her freckles, but I taught her to embrace the ginger within.

Suddenly, she was being followed by two boys her age. One was a pudgy little boy I didn’t know, and the other I knew because she’d had problems with him last year. She ran right to me, tucking herself under my arm and turning to face the boys.

Much like with Bailey, it didn’t bother me to have physical contact with Gracie. I was protective over both of them. I just didn’t show it with Bailey. I was glad I was high because her behavior had me on high alert, and I wouldn’t be able to handle the darkness at its fullest.

I looked around at the teachers and parents picking up their little kids, and of course no one seemed to notice what was happening. No one ever saw the victims until it was too late. “Is there a problem, Grace?” I asked, still keeping my eyes on the boys, who stopped chasing her the moment they saw me.

“No,” she mumbled.

I narrowed my eyes at the kids, their faces turning pale. Deciding now wasn’t the time or place, I led her away. We were well down the street before she stepped away from me. “That was the kid from last year, wasn’t it?”

“Josh, yeah. His cousin came to our school this year.” Gracie, who was a nonstop chatterbox, wasn’t talking much, which made me suspicious.

I looked up at the town square coming into view, thinking it was a good day for ice cream. “Come on.” I led her into Heckles Ice Cream parlor, and her face lit up. She didn’t have to ask, and I didn’t have to tell her to get whatever she wanted. She stepped up and ordered her favorite scooped ice cream with gummy worms, mint chips, nuts, and red cherries. She always went for the fresh cherries, never the candied ones. I got a strawberry shake, and we sat in the booth by the front window; it was our favorite place to people watch.

“Mrs. Calister got a new dog,” she said, pointing across the road to the flower shop. “He’s so cute, she keeps him in the shop with her all day. I took him for a walk yesterday.”

“Is it a chihuahua or something? That thing is a rat,” I joked, and she rolled her eyes at me.

“It’s a teacup yorkiedoo. It’scute, but in the park, you have to be careful because she said big birds will try to take it away.”

I laughed at the image she was painting. Taking another sip of my strawberry shake, I leaned forward. “What happened today?”

“Josh and Colton wouldn’t leave me alone, and Brit started siding with them because she really likes Josh.”

Damn, Brit was Gracie’s best friend.

I sat back. “What were they doing?”

“Calling medemon spawn.” I smiled, and Grace kicked me under the table. “It’s not funny.”

“I’m sorry, you’re right.”

“They said I didn’t have a soul. And they were pulling my hair, so I took the braid out at lunch. Brit was jealous because she thinks they were doing it because they like me.”

My smile disappeared. “Yeah, but you know that’s not true, right? Boys who hurt you don't like you. They are mean little pricks who will get their asses kicked by your brother, who loves you. Right?”

She rolled her eyes at me. I’d been repeating the same mantra to her for years. Curses to anyone who said boys are mean to girls because they love them. “Yes, Lachlan, I know.”

“Like, love, whatever you call it, it doesn’t hurt. That’s a lie. Those boys are insecure. Don’t give them your attention, and if they touch you again, and you don’t think you can handle it, you come to me. I’ll handle it.”

Her eyes went wide, no doubt thinking about my conviction. Gracie didn’t know the full story, not many did. She did know that I had hurt someone. I didn’t like that I had lost control—I’d promised myself I’d never do that again—but if it meant protecting Grace, I would burn down the whole damn town.

8

Bailey

Wednesday

Chase stood on the bridge, looking down into the racing river below. The pitts were dry, as the summer had been unusually dry, but the river was as angry as ever. I stood, staring at him, before the fleeting thought came to me. Why not? Why not just talk to him? How simple everything would be if I just talked to him.

“Chase,” I said, taking a step onto the bridge. Someone’s dog was barking in the nearby park as the wind picked up speed, whipping my hair around. The river rushed below the bridge with force. Chase didn’t move, he must’ve not heard me. “Hey, Chase!” I took a step forward, shivering as the wind blew through me. The sound of banging doors caused me to jump, my feet creaking under the bridge boards.

I stepped closer to Chase, seeking solitude, though from what, I wasn’t sure. Nearby, the dog’s bark grew louder, closer. I ran up the arch of the bridge, reaching out to Chase, thinking if I could only get to him, maybe then, we would be fine. Maybe then, we could find calm within ourselves as we used to.

Chase looked up at me just as I was about to touch him, only his normally grey eyes were brown. His skin darkened to a tan, and a five o'clock shadow appeared as his face morphedinto something else, someone else. I stumbled back, the bridge boards creaking beneath me until I fell backward onto them with a bang.

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