One Last Time

Chapter 18:

Jess and Deron kept their word and didn't tell anyone. Jess and Bam picked me up Monday morning for school.
'What happened to you?' Bam asked as I got in the car.
'Uh...'
'We were wrestling Saturday and I accidently hit her in the lip.' Jess said. 'How do you feel Rian?'
'Fine.' I said.
The rest of the ride was extremely awkward.
'Just ignore him.' Jess whispered in my ear as Bam walked ahead of us.
'It's hard.' I said back.
The day was boring but I was doing a fine job of ignoring Bam. I talked with Raab during gym and Dunn during lunch and during Science I sat and looked right ahead. I walked home with Rose and Raab. We decided to go to ice cream. My mom made me bring Cassie. And we didn't get past the Margera household without being seen either. So just my luck, I was heading for ice cream with Raab and Rose (who were attached at the lips), Bam and Toni (who were just as bad if not worse), Jess, Deron, and Cassie. Fun.
Bam glared at me as I talked and joked with Jess and Deron. I had to look away as Toni hand fed him ice cream. Deron jokingly did the same for me making Jess choke. Raab and Rose left us for the movies and the rest of us walked home.
'You wanna come over for a bit?' Jess asked as we reached their driveway. Bam glared at him and Toni gave me a dirty look.
'No. I gotta bring Cass home.' I said.
'Oh, come on Ri!' Deron said pleadingly.
'All right. Well, the band's going bowling tomorrow if you wanna come.' Jess said as Bam grabbed Toni's hand and pulled her into the house.
'Yeah. Deffinatly.' I said watching Bam's retreding back.
'Don't worry about him.' Jess said.
'Yeah, make him jealous. It's already working.' Deron said winking.
'Bye guys.' I said taking Cassie's hand and pulling her across the street.
'I'll call you!' Jess screamed.
I gave him a thumb's up and kept going.
'Rian, phone.' Cassie said coming into my room.
'Who is it?' I asked getting up from my bed.
'Jesse.' She said handing it to me and going downstairs.
'Hello?'
'Hey, sexy.' Jess's voice said.
'Hi.' I said laughing.
'Ugh, I should have gone home with you.' He said.
'Why?' I asked.
'Cause, Bam and his slut have turned the basement into their own personal makeout room. I've been stuck up here in my room since.' He said.
'I'm so sorry.'
'Yeah, worst part is, I'm supposed to be practicing.' He said.
'What's stopping you?' I asked.
'I don't want to watch that.
'Yeah, but if you play, they might leave.' I said.
'Good idea. I want you to hear this anyway. I think I have a good beat down for a song.' He said.
I heard him open the basement door and sigh. I giggled as he went down the stairs.
'Hey fuckface, you and your slut have to go fuck somewhere else. I need the basement.' Jess said.
'Shut the fuck up Jess.' I heard Bam say.
'Bam, seriously, I need to play.' Jess said. 'Fine ignore me you little fag.'
I giggled as Jess mumbled more profanity about his brother.
'Ow! Don't fucking throw things Bam.' Jess said.
'Don't call me a fag.'
'But I saw what you and Dunn were doing down here last night.' Jess said. 'Ow! Bam! Stop!'
'What's he doing?' I asked.
'Throwing magazines.' Jess said laughing.
'Who's on the phone?' Bam asked.
'Rian.' Jess said,
'I thought I told you not to fucking talk to her?' Bam asked.
'Bam, she wasn't just your friend. She was mine too, and everybody elses.' Jess said.
It sounded like the phone was thrown across the room and Bam and Jess were screaming.
'Jess? Jess?' I asked.
'Jesse! Brandon! Get off of him! Phil!' I heard April shout.
'What are you two doing?' Phil asked.
'Bam started beating the shit out of me cause I'm on the phone with Rian.' Jess said.
'Brandon Cole!' April shrieked.
'It's not my fault my brother's a fucking girlfriend stealer!' Bam cried.
'First of all, you're the one who pushed Rian away. Second, she was never your grilfriend nor is she mine, and third, you're such a little asshole all the time I don't know why the fuck she likes you so much.' I heard Jess say.
'Bam, go upstairs. I'll deal with you later.' April said.
'I fucking hate this family so fucking much.' Bam screamed as he went upstairs.
'Are you okay Jess?' April asked him.
'Yeah. Fine. He's not though.'
I'd heard enough. I hung up the phone and went to bed.
Jess picked me up the next day. I was surprised to see Bam wasn't in the car.
'Where's Bam?' I asked.
'He refused to get in the car so, he's taking the bus.' Jess said smirking. He had a black eye.
'How hard did he hit you?' I asked.
'I'm fine.' Jess said as we sped off to Deron's. We arrived at school as Bam got off the bus. He was angry that Raab had gotten a ride with us.
'Yo Bam Bam.' Raab said walking up to him.
'Don't talk to me.' Bam said heading into the school.
'Something is seriously wrong...' I said looking at the others.
Bam ignored me and Raab in gym and didn't show up to lunch with me and Dunn. He wasn't in Science either.
'Miss Lightman.' Mr. Thayer called making me look up. 'Where is Mr. Margera?'
'I-I don't know. We're not talking...' I said looking back down again.
'Hmm. Maybe we'll have a quite class for once.' He said.
As class began there was laughter in the hallway. Mr. Thayer opened the door.
'Mr. Margera!' He called. 'Get in here.'
Bam walked in the class a moment later with a cocky smile as he took the seat next to me.
I stole glances at him out of the corner of my eye. He put his head down on the desk and went to sleep.
School ended and I walked home to get ready to go into Philly with the boys.
'You're Rian, right?' A voice asked as I walked down the street.
I turned to see the lead quarterback, Caleb Grey following me.
He was, according to the other girls, the hottest guy at school. I thought he ws goodlooking but he wasn't the best thing I had ever seen. He had blonde wavey hair and bright green eyes. This guy rolled out of bed in the morning and got ready to be perfect. He knew he looked good all the time. It was in his job description. And then Bam could roll out of bed late and walk out the door with bed head and still look good and not even care.
'Yeah.' I said as he stepped closer.
'I noticed that skater pussy stopped talking to you.' He said smirking.
'It's not really any of your business.' I said.
'Why would he want to stop talking to a pretty little thing like you?' He asked still coming closer.
He put his hands on my hips and pulled me closer to him.
'Let go of me.' I said. I was starting to get scared.
'Come on baby. Let me show you what a real man is like...' His lips crashed down onto mine with force and I struggled to push him away. His kisses were sour, forced and weren't like Bam's sweet, passionate ones.
'Get off of me.' I cried finally pushing him away.
He slapped me and pulled me back into him.
'No! No!' I cried trying to get away. I thought I heard the sound of a skatboard.
'Come on baby. Don't be rough.' His hand went up my shirt.
'Hey!' I heard a familiar voice say. 'What the fuck are you doing?'
'Fucking your girl. You don't want her.' Caleb said and I saw Bam.
'You better get your pussy frat fag hands off her.' Bam said.
'What are you gonna do about it?' Caleb asked letting go of me.
'This.' Bam ran at him and tackled him to the ground. He hit him three times in the face.
'Bam stop! He's not worth it.' I said as Bam stood up.
Caleb got up and clutched his broken nose.
'This isn't over.' He said pointing to Bam.
'I'll be right here waiting to kick your ass again.' Bam said as Caleb ran off up the street.
'Are you okay?' He asked and for the first time in a few weeks I saw concern in his eyes.
'Yeah. I'll be fine.' I said. 'Thanks.'
'What are you doing walking by yourself?' He asked.
'I-I was just going home.' I said.
'God, you're so stupid. You never think!'
'Well, if you'd fucking talk to me instead of ignoring me...' I said.
'Come on. I'll walk you home.' He said picking up his board.
The walk to my house was awkward and silent.
'Are you going with my brother tonight?' He asked as we walked up my front steps.
'Yeah...'
'Why do you hang out with him so much?' He asked.
'Well, you're not talking to any of us, and Raab is always with Rose, so, what do you want me to do? Stay home and let Scott bea--.' I stopped myself.
'What?' He asked.
'What.' I said trying to cover up.
'You were gonna say something about Scott. It sounded like you were going to say he beats you.' He said.
'It's not like you would care if he did.' I said walking into the house and shutting the door.
I got ready and grabbed Bam's hoodies to bring back to him. He was moving on and so was I.
I walked to their house and went downstairs.
'Are you okay?' Chad asked jumping up. 'Bam told us what happened.'
'Yeah. I'm fine.' I said.
'So you're talking now?' Deron asked.
'Nope.' I said. 'Where is he?'
'Up in his room.' Jess said.
'Okay. I'll be right back. I want to give him these back.' I said.
'She's giving him his stuff back?' I heard Deron ask quietly.
'This is serious.' I heard Jess answer.
I climbed the staris and swallowed hard as I knocked on his door.
'What?' I heard him ask.
'It's Rian.' I said.
There was silence before he said, 'It's open.'
I opened the door and walked in. He was sitting on his bed with a math book open and a piece of paper next to it.
'Homework?' I asked.
'Yeah, well, I'm grounded, so...' He explained.
'Here.' I said handing him the hoodies.
'Why are you giving me these?' He asked. I could see the hurt in his eyes.
'Because. You've obviously moved on...so, I have to too.' I said.
'Rian, I--.' He started.
'No, Bam. Save it.' I said. 'I gotta go.'