Chapter Seventy-Nine: "Bumps, Volleys, Strikes, Yikes!"
"JESUS, I CAN'T believe that just happened." Carly sighs. "Brooklyn, girl, you have bad luck."
I give her an unimpressed face. "Really?" I say sarcastically as Maya wraps the final round of bandages around my knuckles. "I didn't know that. I just thought that everything is a coincidence and somehow I'm in a fairy tale and my fairy stupid godmother will come and save the day and drop a house onto Stacy and Taylor's faces!"
I squeeze my hand, making sure it can still move and hop off of the beach chair I was forced to sit in. "Wow, I've never wrapped so professionally in my life!" Maya exclaims cheerfully.
"I've seen better," Casey smirks.
"Hey!" Maya hisses, "If that seagull didn't poop all over the majority of the open package then it wouldn't have been so sloppy! It was just stress wrapping so the seagull wouldn't destroy the rest of it. It exists, you know."
"I'm sure it does," he chuckles.
"Are you okay for the game?" Landon asks, rubbing my hips as he pushes me to stand in front of him.
"Yes, I'm okay. They don't hurt at all. Besides, I definitely don't regret it." I reply honestly.
No regrets, not a care in the world. Stacy deserved it. She deserves more than just a facial and boob beating. She's just lucky I didn't leave her a black eye this time because I know that I'll get disqualified, even though it wasn't on the court. It's on a school trip, and the last thing I need is more trouble.
"I'm glad," he smiles, "you're okay and that's all that matters to me."
I step forward so his head is resting against my stomach and wrap my arms around his neck to give him a hug. "I know. Thank you."
"I swear, if that girl somehow manages to hack the game and ruin our chances of winning, I am going to be so crazy-mad!" Becca mutters.
"I wouldn't peg it against her," I say, warming up to Landon's fingers tracing circles on my skin. "Bitch is crazy."
"Let's not let her ruin this trip for us, guys!" Becca peeps. "We came here to have fun, kick ass, and meet Brookie's friends."
"I agree with the button-nosed girl!" Casey huffs. "From now on, Stacy doesn't exist until we see her."
"Good enough for me." I mutter.
~~~~~
We lost our first two games, but won the last three after that.
I'm not sure what it was, but I certainly think that it was my fault. I missed the easiest things, and failed on numerous serves. It's not common for me to miss my coordination, but the team knew something was up when they saw the frustration on my face every time I messed up.
"Brooklyn, relax! We're heading to semi-finals, don't be so upset over it." Maya says, rubbing my shoulder then harshly rubs her hand against my hair, messing it up.
She is right; irregardless of how bad I was, we made it to the top four and I can't complain much about that. The girls kept us alive on the court and they had my back when I didn't.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm ready for a nap." Becca sighs, rubbing her wrists. She's an amazing spiker, hence why she has a lot of bruises on her hands from the ball.
Carly joins us after talking to the coach, and grins. "Guys, you would never guess what just happened!"
I furrow my eyebrows and tilt my head.
"Brooklyn, don't be so clueless!" she chirps. "You know that team that beat us?" We all nod. "Well, some dumb people mixed it up and put college juniors against us!"
"What does that mean?" Bella questions.
"It means we're automatically drafted to finals."
Damn.
"Holy shit!" Becca exclaims. "How did that even happen? That doesn't make senseâ"
"It doesn't matter how! Coach just told me so go along with it!"
~~The Next Day~~
It's our last day in Vancouver and I couldn't be more ecstatic that I can get away.
Right now, all of usâunfortunately including the toxic waste that came alongâare celebrating the win.
Yes, we won the OFSSAA Junior Volleyball Championship. We're all surrounding the pool, taking in the fresh air and watching people dance around in the water.
I'm currently standing in line for the drink bar, when a presence automatically makes the hair on the back of my neck raise.
"Brooklyn."
"Go away."
"No. We need to talk."
I spin myself around aggressively and poke my finger at their chest. "No, we don't. I don't have anything to say to you, Taylor. So, before you even think about speaking to me, know that I don't, and never will, care. Ever."
It's a split second before I'm being dragged off into a deserted part of the beach. Unfortunately away from my safe place. "No, we are talking and we're doing it now."
"I have nothing to say to you, Taylor. Now, let me go back to my friends."
"Brooklyn."
I snap my wrist back out of his grip. "No! You are the worst person on this planet that I have ever met. You're manipulative, impulsive, selfish, and not to mention, a criminal!"
"Come on, don't be like this." he sighs. "I want to make amends."
"No. You stole my life, my freedom, my virginity, and worst of all, you made me lose myself. I had no idea who I was until I moved here. So, don't even bother coming to me for 'amends' when you currently have done everything you knew would upset me."
"Brooklyn, it was unexpected." he protests. "And I didn't steal your virginity, you gave it to me."
"I was going through medication withdrawal!" I scoff. "I was not in the right state of mind and you should have known that."
"Look, what's done is done." he hisses. "I want to move on, and I can tell you do too, because you have that preppy farm kid."
"Don't you dare even mention his name." I snap. "That family is the best thing that has ever happened to me."
"So was I."
I don't know how, and I definitely don't know why, but somehow I end up backhanding Taylor's face so hard he actually stumbles back in shock, releasing his grip from me. "Stay the fuck away from me."
Without hesitation, I manage to back away before he can grab me again and walk backwards, keeping an eye on him before I know I am in the clear and dash back to my friends.
That kid has some goddamn nerve trying to talk to me. After everything we've been through together, I at least expected him to know his place and to not speak to me. It pisses me off that he is suddenly with Stacy, but I'm not jealous. Hell, they can be the next Bonnie & Clyde for all I care.
It just doesn't make sense to me on why he's trying to speak with me when he knows how I feel. It's like he doesn't even care about my feelings, just his own.
Maybe that's how it has always been and it's seeing him now that is making me realize that.
"Hey, where you been?" Landon questions, coming up to give me a quick side hug and kiss on the forehead.
"I was kidnapped by the devil." I mutter. "But I handled it."
"Everything alright?" Lance peeps out from behind me.
"Yeah. Just don't question the mark on Taylor's face when he comes over."
"What do you--" he starts to speak, but is cut off by a screaming Stacy. She struts over with an angry stride, and I automatically smile at the aftermath of my actions. In all fairness, he deserved it and I certainly have no regrets.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Stacy snaps at me. "You think you can just hit any person you come across? Well, let me tell you something you anorexic whore. . . that is assault and I won't hesitate to charge you."
"For what, Stacy?" I defend. "He provoked me, and I did what I thought was best for my safety. Absolutely nothing wrong with that."
"No, you implicated it." she hisses. "Don't you dare lay a finger on my boyfriend."
"Honestly, I'm surprised he has an interest in a crackhead."
"Brooklyn, I swear to fucking God--"
"Okay!" Casey interrupts, clapping his hands and stepping between us. "I'm going to mediate the situation and say, Stacy shut the fuck up, and Brooklyn, go eat an ice cream or something."
Somehow, laughs erupt in the area at Casey's humour, and I can't help but join in. Leave it to Casey to bring a tense atmosphere somewhere else.
Lance is laughing still at the mark on Taylor's face, which has a clear, puffy, red handprint on his left cheek. I didn't think I hit him hard, but maybe his approach got the best of me and I overreacted. Or, I'm stronger than I think. Either way, it is satisfying seeing his pain after all he's done to me.
I get that my actions in my past were willingly, but man, making sure this doesn't happen again is harder than it seems.
Carly comes up to us, again for the sixteenth time, with our trophy in her hands. "Carly, really?" I laugh.
"Look, I can't help it!" she protests. "I just can't believe we won!"
"I know, me too," I chuckle. "Great win for us."
"Hey," Landon whispers in my ear, "how about you and I go back to the room and celebrate this win."
There's a cheeky grin on his face, and I already know that he is referring to coitus. I shake my head, smiling, and grab his bicep. "I would, but I'm on my period, remember?"
Landon blinks. "So?"
I'm in shock. Most guys don't like sex when a girl is on her period. They think it is gross and messy. "Um. . . uhâ"
He smirks. "Look, I've already told you about this. I don't care."
"Okay." I smile, and grab his hand, tugging him towards the hotel.
"Use protection!" Johnny exclaims. Sheepishly, I put my head down in embarrassment, knowing that now everyone knows what Landon and I are going to do.
"We will." I mutter.
"Don't want any babies!"
With a burning face, Landon is dragging me away as I am stunned by my friends response.
Good god, what am I going to do with my boys?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am an asshole. That's all I have to say. I am so, so sorry for this late update. I've had so many health problems and college issues that I couldn't even bare looking at my books. I'm hoping to get motivated soon, my fans!
I didn't end this on a good note, but something is better than nothing, yeah?
Anyway, I wrote a final chapter, but I deleted it because it didn't make sense to end the book right here, so I'm in the process of figuring out what I want to do. In the meantime, I have a draft of another book I started to write last year. Comment if you guys want me to post an announcement for a preview chapter!
I love you guys!