Until the End

  me to get done in the field house,” I begged her. It sounded like begging. I was desperate. The moving crowd stopped, and I felt all their eyes on me. I was drawing attention.

  She glanced around at all the people who were now watching her. Waiting on her response. Maybe I was putting her on the spot, but I needed her to say yes. To give me a chance.

  Just as she opened her mouth to say something, my dad appeared in front of me, blocking my view of her. I tried to step around him so I could watch her. She was about to say something. His hands grabbed my shoulders, and he shook me. He was pissed. “You’re late for fucking practice and have to sit out for five minutes, and now you’re out here instead of in the field house! What the hell, boy? Get your ass in there. Don’t throw shit away for that.” He waved his hand toward where Trisha was standing.

  Rage pounded in my veins and I clenched my fists. “Give me a minute,” I said, meeting his glare with one of my own.

  “NO! Fuck that!” He grabbed my arm and tried to move me. I didn’t budge. The old man forgot that I’d outgrown him a long time ago. He might catch me off guard and shake me in front of everyone, but hell if he’d get me to move at his command.

  I jerked my arm free. “I said give me a minute,” I repeated calmly, knowing people were watching me.

  “You gonna throw this away? For a chick? Prove to everyone you’re white trash like your momma? That what your plan is, boy? Because I won’t keep you if that’s what you’re planning on.” He spat, and his nasty onion-and-beer breath made me sick.

  I ignored him. I wasn’t fighting with my old man in front of the town. “Please, Trisha. Wait for me.”

  My dad was roaring dumb crap, and I blocked it out, waiting while she took in the scene in front of her. Then she nodded. It was a small nod, but she nodded.

  My heart soared. I couldn’t keep the grin off my face. “I’ll be fast. Just don’t leave. Please,” I called out, and she nodded again, looking somewhere between horrified and surprised. I turned and headed for the field house. My old man was behind me, still bitching. I ignored him and jogged off.

  Dewayne’s dad was headed our way, and he looked even angrier than my dad. He patted me on the shoulder. “Good game, kid,” Mr. Falco said, before walking past me. Then he said to my dad in a commanding voice, “That’s enough. Stop yelling at the boy like that or I’m calling the cops. He’s done nothing wrong.”

  I hurried on inside, ready to get showered and changed. Trisha Corbin was waiting on me. Hot damn!

  Dewayne was walking out of the showers with a towel around his waist. “You get what you wanted?” he asked, smirking.

  “She said she’d wait for me. I need a car,” I told him. “I thought about asking Dad, but he’s pissed and yelling about me sitting out the beginning of the game and shit. Your dad is putting him in his place right now.”

  Dewayne opened his locker and pulled out his car keys. “Take it. I’ll ride with Marcus to the party.”

  I caught the keys to his Mustang.

  “Thank you. Seriously. Anything you need, tell me,” I told him.

  “Get your ass out there before she leaves,” Dewayne replied, then started getting dressed. I headed for the showers.

  It was the quickest shower of my life.

  Trisha

  “Holy crap! That’s Dewayne Falco’s dad telling off Rock’s dad,” Riley whispered beside me.

  “Forget that. Did you really nod your head yes at Rock?” Davey asked, looking horrified.

  I had. I had told him yes. He’d run out here to see me. Gotten in trouble with his dad, and his dad was yelling mean, awful things about him. Rock’s eyes had stayed on me, pleading with me to say yes. What was I supposed to do?

  “He was . . . determined. And I was afraid his dad was going to take a swing at him,” I admitted.

  Davey scoffed. “What, and break his hand on his son’s wall of muscle? Puh-lease.”

  “It was romantic,” Riley said all dreamily. “I would have jumped off a bridge for the man if he’d asked me. He was ignoring his nasty father and completely captivated by you.”

  “Shut that crap down, Riley,” Davey muttered, annoyed. “It’s Rock Taylor. When has he ever been serious about a girl?”

  Riley shrugged. “He’s never gone after one like he is going after Trisha. If she hadn’t given in, she might have completely ruined his football career. He’s missing practice for her, and now he’s risking getting in trouble with his coach and dad by breaking the rules and running out here to get her to go out with him. I think she’s different.”

  Why did I want to believe that so much? I was weakening.

  “He was with Noah the skank today. What changed?” Davey asked.

  “Don’t know, but let her make her own decisions. Back off,” Riley scolded.

  Then she looked at me. “Want us to wait on you? Or are you really going to let him give you a ride?”

  I had Krit and Green with me. “I can’t leave Krit and Green,” I reminded them. “I’ll just stay and talk to him.”

  Davey sighed. “Great. We get to wait until this train wreck is over. Oh joy. I wanted a burger.”

  Riley glared at him. “Shut up, Davey.” Then she looked at me. “I’ll go get Krit and Green. You go wait on him outside the field house.”

  I did as I was told and walked slowly toward the field house. What was I going to say to him? Why was he so determined to get me to talk to him? Davey was right, where was Noah? I assumed they’d be together tonight. Unless they really did finish things in a closet somewhere in the school.

  The jealous burn in my gut frustrated me. I had nothing to be jealous of, but I was anyway.

  The doors opened and Dewayne Falco stepped out with Marcus Hardy. Both of them looked over at me, and Dewayne nodded. Marcus smiled as if he knew a secret, and then they headed to the parking lot.

  I fidgeted with my hands and finally stuck them in the front pockets of my jean shorts. I glanced back at Riley and Davey to see that my brother and Green were back with them. Krit’s eyes were trained on me as he was talking. He liked Rock. I wondered how he would feel about this.

  “You stayed.” Rock’s voice startled me, and I swung my gaze back around to see Rock walking toward me. His dark brown hair was damp, and it looked like he had run his hand through it to style it. His jeans hugged his hips and thighs just right. The way the black T-shirt he was wearing accented his muscles made the whole effect perfection. And he wanted me to go somewhere with him.

  “I said I would,” I replied.

  He grinned. “Yeah, you did. But I wasn’t sure.”

  I pointed back at Krit. “I have to go home with him. Make sure he’s okay and everything. I can’t go anywhere with you.”

  His smile fell, but he didn’t look angry. He was thinking. “I didn’t know he had come too. I get that. Can I take you both home, then?”

  “Why?” I asked. I didn’t understand him at all. What did he get out of taking me and my brother home?

  A crooked grin tugged at his lips. “Because I like to be near you.”

  I wasn’t expecting that. My heart reacted like a girl and went all fluttery.

  That same swoony girl inside me replied, “Okay.”

  Rock beamed, showing off his pretty white teeth. Dang it, he was nice to look at, and I was proving to be a weak female.

  “There you are.” Noah’s sickeningly sweet voice reminded me of everything I was letting myself forget. “I’ve been waiting out by my car forever. I thought we’d go have some fun before we headed to the party and celebrate your win.”

  “Noah, I told you that was off.” Rock’s reply was laced with frustration.

  “No, you didn’t.” She pouted, then ran her hand up his arm. “I didn’t wear panties,” she added.

  Okay. I’d had enough. I was leaving now.

  “Seriously, Noah. This isn’t cool. I told you earlier today after the stunt you pulled in the cafeteria that this was off. I’m not going to the
damn party.” His tone was cold. Either she was lying or he was.

  I took a step back, thinking I could sneak off. But Rock’s gaze snapped back to mine, and his eyes were pleading with me. “Don’t. Please just give me a minute.”

  He was asking me “please” again. It was really hard not to give in when he asked so nicely.

  “Rock, stop playing with her. She’s not going to give you what you need tonight. After a win like that you need a wild ride, and I’m ready to give you several rides before the night is over.”

  Yep, that was enough. “I need to go. They’re waiting on me,” I said in a rush, before hurrying off toward my friends and brother. All their eyes were trained on me.

  “Trisha,” Rock’s voice called out.

  I heard Noah saying something else, and then Rock raised his voice. I believed that he didn’t want to be with her tonight. It was just that this was something he would always deal with. And I didn’t want to be a part of it.

  “Trisha, please!” he called out, and I realized his voice was closer. He was following me. And did he have to say please again?

  I turned around and saw Rock coming after me and an angry Noah standing where he had left her. Her eyes were shooting daggers at me. Noah Miller was just one of many. She could make my life hell at school. And all the other girls would react the same way she was.

  Rock was beautiful and strong and so damn hard to say no to. But I couldn’t bring the drama into my life that would come with saying yes to him.

  “Just let me go,” I begged. “I can’t do this. She’s just one of many. Go to her. I’ve got bigger problems than fighting over a guy.”

  He flinched and I turned away.

  Krit’s arm came around my shoulder, and he was scowling at Rock. He didn’t know what had happened. I’d have to explain to Krit that he didn’t need to be mad at Rock. But right now I just wanted to go.

  “Let’s go get that burger,” Davey said, breaking the silence.

  Krit pulled me closer to him with the crook of his arm. “Yeah. I’m hungry,” he agreed.

  Rock didn’t come after me again.

  Rock

  Two weeks of trying to forget her. Trying not to look for her. Trying to ignore her when she smiled in the cafeteria. Two weeks of hell. Trisha Corbin was put on this earth to remind me there are some things I can’t have. I would have thought having fucked-up parents would be enough of a reminder. But no . . . the universe had decided that Trisha was needed.

  I hadn’t gone with Noah that night after the game. I’d been crushed. Having been so close to getting Trisha for just a little bit and then having it snatched from me was too much. I had gone home and sulked.

  After two weeks of sulking, I was determined to get Trisha out of my head. I wouldn’t be using Noah to do it, though. Rose Mann, however, was hot and more than interested. I was going to hook up with her at the pool party at Marcus’s house. His parents and little sister were out of town, so he was throwing a small get-together. Which meant most of the school would be there.

  Dad was working days this week, which meant I had his truck. The last two Friday nights I had owned the field, so he was in a good mood. I was no longer on his shit list. As long as I was a star, he was happy. Once I would have done anything just to have his attention. But now I didn’t give a shit. Except I really needed his truck.

  Something up ahead caught my attention, and I turned on my high beams to see what looked like a girl walking. What the hell? It was dark outside, and this road wasn’t a busy street. I turned off my brights and slowed down until I was beside her.

  What happened next would haunt me for the rest of my life.

  Trisha Corbin turned her head to look at me, and one of her eyes was swollen closed, her lip was busted, and there was blood on her face. She was limping and holding her arm funny. That pretty blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail that looked like it had been messed with. Hair was loose and sticking out in crazy directions. Motherfucker! I was going to murder someone.

  Slamming on my breaks, I jumped out of the truck and ran around the front.

  “Trisha” was all I could get out of my mouth. My heart was in my throat, and my damn hands were shaking.

  She stared up at me through eyes wet from tears.

  I was going to jail. Because whoever fucking did this was being put down. Slowly. And painfully.

  “I need . . . I need to go to the . . . h-hospital.” She said each word like it hurt.

  “Yeah, sweetheart, you do. How can I help you get into the truck? I don’t want to hurt you.” It was a helpless feeling. Picking her up in my arms was what I wanted to do. And tuck her against my chest so no one could touch her. But I knew from the odd angle of her arm that touching her wasn’t a good idea.

  She inhaled sharply and held her breath a minute.

  “Just stand . . . behind me in ca-case I lose my balance. I think my legs”—she paused and winced, then whispered—“are the only things that aren’t broken.”

  “Shit, Trisha. Goddamn” was all I could say. I wanted to ask her who had done this, but it hurt her to talk. I would find that out later.

  I opened the passenger side of the truck and watched as she limped, and listened to her whimpers. I had thought her rejection was hell. This was so much worse. I hated seeing her in pain. I would take her healthy and rejecting me any damn day over this nightmare.

  When she started to lift a leg, she lost her balance and I dropped to my haunches and held her hips steady. “Can I lift you if I hold you here? Will this hurt?” I asked.

  “That’s not too bad,” she said in another whisper.

  I took her lower hips firmly and lifted her slowly until she was sitting safely in the seat. I moved her legs around to face her forward. “I’ll drive slow and safe. The seat belt might be too much.”

  She nodded and mouthed, “Thanks.”

  I closed her door and ran back around to get in on my side.

  If she was walking by herself, then Krit had to be somewhere safe. I didn’t want to make her talk, but I also didn’t want that kid left alone with whoever had done this to her.

  “Where’s Krit?” I asked as I pulled out slowly onto the road.

  “Green’s. I promised him,” she said almost too quietly. “If he r-ran to Green’s and stayed there . . . I’d call Davey to take . . . m-me to the hospital.”

  Instead she’d tried to walk the five miles from her house to the hospital. Stubborn female. But at least the kid was safe. “I’ll get in touch with him as soon as we get to the hospital and let him know I’m with you and you’re getting fixed up,” I assured her.

  “Thanks,” she managed to say before wincing.

  I wasn’t going to make her say anything else.

  We drove in silence while I pictured the many ways I was going to kill whoever had put their hands on her. It took only seven minutes to get to the local hospital, but it felt like forever. Hearing her whimper and sniffle was doing me in. I hated this. I hated her being hurt. I hated not being able to stop this shit. Why couldn’t she have let me be there for her? Why had she pushed me away?

  I pulled up to the entrance and looked at her. “I’m getting you a wheelchair and helping you out. Stay put.”

  She gave me a little nod and a tight smile.

  Never fucking again. She wouldn’t get hurt again. I swore to God I’d make sure of it. I wanted to promise her that right then, but I didn’t. She would just worry about how I intended to keep that from happening. I was going to show her.

  Trisha

  Two fractured ribs, but then, I’d already known that. Luckily, my lungs weren’t punctured. A dislocated elbow and a fracture in my radius bone, which meant that my wrist was broken. When Fandora’s new boyfriend had grabbed my hand and slung me across the room, I’d heard the crack. So I already knew that too.

  My nose wasn’t broken, thank goodness. It had bled so badly I wasn’t sure. I was just thankful Fandora had stood in front of Krit and kept him back
. He had gotten slapped around a little, but she had put a stop to it fast. Krit had gone ballistic trying to get to me, but Fandora had stayed between him and her boyfriend, screaming at the guy not to touch her baby.

  All of this because her disgusting boyfriend had grabbed my butt. I’d told him to stop, and then he had pinned me up against the wall and started telling me he wanted a taste of my pussy. Krit had walked in on it and gone apeshit. He’d started attacking the guy, and the man had used his weight to throw Krit off him and onto the floor.

  Fandora had come running out of her bedroom and seen the mess in the living room, and of course blamed me. I had fought back, but when I kicked the greasy jerk in the nuts as hard as I could, he began to beat me instead of grope me.

  When Gary Holmes, the older man who lived in the trailer beside ours, showed up at the door, Fandora and her sorry excuse for a man left. I had hidden in the bedroom, where Krit had followed me. The last thing I needed was for Mr. Holmes to call the police. I’d heard Fandora tell him that they were just having an argument. I had begged Krit to stay quiet.

  In the end Krit had agreed to go to Green’s if I went to the hospital. I told him if he didn’t leave right then, I wouldn’t call Davey and we would stay there all night. He’d battled with leaving me, but every time I breathed I whimpered in pain. So he finally left, making me swear to go to the hospital and call him as soon as I was there.

  I couldn’t let Davey or Riley know about this. They would want me to tell the cops. But I wasn’t getting separated from Krit. He was safe here. Fandora had proved tonight that she didn’t want anyone hurting him. I could survive.

  Rock coming out of the darkness had made me want to weep with relief.