Road to Ruin

CHAPTER 11

As soon as we arrived back at the house Drake cut the engine of his bike and I swung my leg off the bike while still wearing Drake’s jacket. Every conversation silenced just enough that I noticed and heads turned as eyes locked on me while the whispering started.

“You seeing that?”

“Who’s jacket is that?”

“That’s Drake’s patch, isn’t it?”

I didn’t react or rush because I had learned that if people were going to stare then you make them work for it. So I rolled my shoulders and adjusted the jacket like it belonged to me.

I walked towards the house like I hadn’t stepped into a spotlight that I never asked for.

I felt the shift among the whole atmosphere but I noticed that it wasn’t the same as the night before. Last night I was the girl they knew, the little sister, the one they remembered running around barefoot and laughing too loud when I was around them because they all treated me like a human instead of the way my father treated me. They all remembered me being that six year old girl telling Blade to go to hell but tonight I was something else. Something they were trying to figure out.

A couple of girls that were around the fire leaned in together and one of them laughed under her breath.

“That’s cute. I didn’t know Drake had a thing for high schoolers.” She said while the other one looked me up and down.

“She won’t last.” Another one said.

I smiled like I heard them and kept walking and the prospects were worse because they didn’t whisper and they stared like I was something they could reach out and grab.

“Didn’t know we were sharing tonight.” One of them said as he nudged another one.

That made me stop and turn to look at him.

“What was that?” I asked. So he smirked at me like he thought he had a right to.

“Just saying. I figure if Drake’s done with his ride then the rest of us might get a turn.” He said.

I slowly turned around to face them full and I stepped closer without raising my voice because I didn’t need to.

“You’ve got about two seconds to decide if you want to keep your teeth or your confidence.” I said.

A couple of the guys laughed and he smirked as I saw my brothers looking towards us. Getting ready to intervene if they had to.

“You think you’re funny?” The guy asked.

“I think you’re forgettable and if you come any closer you’re going to regret it.” I said dragging my eyes over him.

“Or what?” He asked stepping forward anyway.

Suddenly Drake was there, right beside me and in this guys space before the prospect even realized he had crossed a line.

Drake grabbed his shirt and shoved him back hard enough that he stumbled.

“Back the f**k off.” Drake said in a low and menacing voice.

The prospect tried to recover and stared back at Drake but Drake took another step forward with a murderous look on his face.

“I said back off.” Drake repeated.

“I was just joking.” The prospect muttered.

“Learn better jokes.” Drake said.

“That’s enough. Keep control.” Blade cut in before it went any further. And his eyes were on Drake.

Drake didn’t say anything but he stepped back and let go of the guys jacket.

I just rolled my eyes and turned away like it didn’t matter to me and and I walked toward the house without looking back.

I felt it in every glance and every whisper. In the way the girls watched me now like I was competition and in the way the prospects looked at me differently.

My brothers were watching too and I saw Brax looking at me but he didn’t move because he knew that he didn’t have to.

He trusted that I could handle it. All my brothers did.

I grabbed a drink from the kitchen and leaned against the counter while the noise outside kept going but everything felt different.

Drake walked into the kitchen and closed the door behind him and he was looking at me like he was checking to make sure that I was alright.

“I’m fine. You didn’t have to jump in.” I said.

“He stepped too close.” Drake said.

“I handled it.” I answered.

“I know. I still didn’t like it though.” He said rubbing the back of his neck. But I just smirked and shook my head.

“Get used to it. I don’t exactly blend in.” I said.

“No. You don’t.” He said.

“I’m going to my apartment. I’ve had enough of tonight.” I said pushing off the counter.

He nodded and didn’t try to stop me. I walked out of the side entrance towards my apartment without looking back.

The noise faded once I shut the door and locked it and the quiet finally settled.

I leaned back against the door and kept thinking about all those eyes on me and too many thoughts running through my head.

I had a shower and I went to get ready for bed when I finally got into my bed and pulled the blanket up.

I knew that I was tired but i just laid there staring at the ceiling.

I couldn’t get today out of my head. The whole school incident and then the looks and comments when I got home. And Drake stepping in the way he did while Blade just watched.

I finally rolled over and I was still laying there for a while before I started to drift off to sleep.

Before I was fully asleep I heard something outside. It was faint but I still held my breath and listened.

I could hear footsteps. They were light and careful and right outside my door. But then they stopped just as abruptly as they had started.