Page 28 of Chasing Sarah

The truck jostles roughly from the slamming of the door.

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” he growls, red tinting his skin as he struggles to control his rage.

I shake my head. Sadness begins to form in my chest as the anger I felt against Stacy fades.

“Was she on drugs?” I whisper, dropping my eyes to my hands that rest on my lap.

Xander hesitates before answering. “I don’t know… maybe.” He sighs, running his hands through his hair.

“So, what Stacy said was right.” Defeat fills my voice. My shoulders slump.

“Look at me,” Xander demands.

I raise my eyes to his. I can’t name the emotion that swirls in his blue irises.

“I don’t know why she left, but you have me, kid.” A small smile lifts the edge of my lips. “You have me and three other brothers who will always be here for you.”

He lightly nudges my chin with his fist, pulling a chuckle from me.

“Always,” he promises.

* * *

“What the fuck happened to you?” Tommy laughs when we step inside the house.

“Stacy Jones happened,” I huff, tossing my backpack onto the couch.

“She kicked your ass?”

I give him a bored expression which makes him chuckle. “Right. Stacy couldn’t kick your ass even if she wanted to.”

I roll my eyes and push past him, heading to the kitchen. Pulling open the door to the freezer, I pull out an ice pack. I let out a hiss when I press it against my cheek.

Choosing to ignore Xander and Tommy as they discuss what happened, I walk upstairs to my room.

I drop my body onto the mattress and let out a groan.

Stacy Jones has hated me since Colson rejected her advances. Which, if you ask me, doesn’t make a lick of sense. Colson is sixteen, why would he want to take a girl in Jr. High when he has an entire high school of girls who want him?

Now, she’s made it her mission to make me miserable. Her words sometimes hit their mark, other times, I don’t really pay her any mind.

But today… it’s been officially two and a half years since mom skipped town. So, when Stacy opened her stupid mouth, I lost it.

I saw nothing but red as I tackled her to the ground and laid all my frustration and resentment into her.

I didn’t even feel when she punched me in the face. It wasn’t until Mrs. Johnson – the gym teacher – pulled me off her that I came to.

Stacy and her posse of stuck-up snobs looked at me like I was a rabid animal on the loose.

Serves her right.

Maybe this time, she’ll leave me the fuck alone.

When the icepack is no longer frozen, I stand and walk downstairs. My brothers are nowhere in sight as I toss it into the freezer and close the door.

Just as I’m about to head back up to my room, a stack of papers catches my eye.

I peer over my shoulder to make sure no one is around then lift the papers from the counter.

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