Page 62 of Send It
Again, I try to speak but I can’t and Colson is completely ignoring my brother, his eyes never leaving mine. He jerks his shirt over his head and hands it to me. I slip it on and then nod to let him know that it’s okay for him to look away. He reaches down, grabbing the back of Jackson’s shirt and yanks him up to his feet.
“I don’t care if your family owns this entire fucking county, I don’t care what your last name is or how many friends you got in this piece of shit town. If you ever come near Lincoln again, I will break both of your legs.”
I watch as Reiss gives Colson a reassuring nod and escorts Jackson’s half limp body out of my bedroom. When he’s gone, my entire body begins to tremble. I grip my blanket around me tightly and sob.
Time blurs and I’m not sure how long we sit in my room before Reiss comes back, but when he does, he asks Colson to give us a minute. Colson obliges but I can tell he doesn’t want to.
“What happened?” Reiss asks, taking the spot where Colson was sitting.
I shake my head like I don’t want to tell him, but he hands me a tissue. “It’s okay, you can tell me.”
“He f-followed me up here. I came up here to change and get my phone.”
Reiss’ brows furrow, “You didn’t want him up here?”
“No,” I whisper. “So he…”
I shake my head, almost hyperventilating, “I tried to t-tell him n-no.”
Reiss stands up from my bed and doesn’t say another word. I don’t want him to get in trouble, so I try to stop him. “Where are you going?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says. “You stay here.”
“Wait!” I shout. “Don’t leave me here by myself.”
He sighs, “I’m not. I’ll send Colson back up.”
“Reiss, don’t do anything stupid. Nationals are coming up. Dad will freak out.”
He nods sternly before walking out and I wait for Colson to come back. I need him, it’s the only way I’m gonna feel safe.
30
Colson
The events of last night play over and over in my head like a fucking nightmare. The worst part of it all is that I fucking knew this shit would happen. Jackson has given me the ick for years. When I first started talking to Brielle, she had mentioned something about an altercation with Jackson and one of her friends.
I never really knew whether or not to give what Brielle said any credit, but now I’m kicking myself for not listening. I know Reiss is too.
Lincoln spent the entire night upset and wouldn’t sleep in her room. I took her to one of the guest bedrooms and held her the entire night but it’s what she said after she finally spoke that broke me.
“Where were you?”
Had I come earlier like I originally planned, none of this shit would’ve happened. Instead, I got in my headabout tonight and worried what would happen if I did something that made Reiss suspicious. It all blew up in my face because I think he is definitely suspicious after last night.
Lincoln turns over in the bed and blinks her eyes open, still bloodshot. My baggy t-shirt is the only thing clinging to her body, making my heart sink. I don’t like seeing her like this. I prefer her in my bed, wearing my clothes under different circumstances.
“You okay?” I ask, pulling her into my chest.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she says, completely distant. “I’m gonna go shower.”
She slips out from under the covers and pads off down the hall to her bathroom. I slip my shorts over my boxers and head downstairs to see if Reiss is here.
He is. It doesn’t look like he’s been to sleep at all. He sits at the island on a stool and looks completely stoic. Something is wrong.
“Hey,” I say, pulling out the stool next to him. “What happened? Why’d you just leave last night?”
He shakes his head, “I had some shit to take care of.”
