(REWRITING) The Skylar Experiment : Coveting

Chapter Thirty-Two - Betrayal

RILEY

I LOOKED OUT the window, unwilling to show the tears rolling down my cheeks. The haze cleared a bit, allowing me to connect the dots. Luc had 'friends' among the soccer team and probably knew of this party so he came here to find me.

I didn't know what overflowed the vase—the altercation with Adam, Luc's frenzy, or that I was in serious trouble with Dad. I couldn't stop thinking of Adam's weight as I suffocated under his ravenous mouth.

I took off my boots and hugged my knees, replaying the scene to torture myself. I never imagined it could happen. Did that really happen? 

The neighborhoods zoomed by the window. I wiped the dampness on my cheeks with my sleeve and bit my thumb.

"I'm sorry he did that," Luc said, his tone edgy but less so than earlier. "That shithead didn't deserve you breaking the rules for him."

I laid my arm over the door handle. The closer we neared my house, the stronger my wind pipe was strangling me. "Please, stop the car."

Luc was driving on the road along the forest. 

He glanced at me briefly as I doubled over. "What's wr—"

"Just stop the car!"

He braked last-minute on the side, jarring me toward the dashboard and lurching me back. I slipped my boots on and hopped off, venturing into the night. My skull throbbed like crazy. Unlike I'd hoped, the cool wind didn't help the swelling discomfort in my chest. I ambled away from the Rover, clutching my own sleeves over my waist.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"Home. Away from you."

The intensity in his glowing eyes commanded me to take that back. He was clearly still pissed over everything. I'd never seen him this vicious. 

A part of it was directed toward me, which made me want to punch him and run away simultaneously. Why did Dad call him of all people? It wasn't my fault that being nice for Adam backfired, and I regretted it enough without Luc shouting at me.

"Get back in the damn car," he threatened, spreading his legs apart on the asphalt.

The headlights carved out his lithe body against the brightness, a stern reminder that I couldn't even hope to outrun that.

"Do you get a kick out of being a jerk hero? Every time you step in and get me out of trouble, it's to yell at how much I suck! I could have handled it! I would have made him—"

"You had nothing under control. The whole house was shaking and—lucky for you, the neighbourhood was asleep. I don't know what I would have done if it had been in plain daylight. Do you have any idea how you exposed yourself, tonight?"

"So, you only care that I exposed myself!? Shit, you're worse than I thought!"

My pitch now carried across the road and echoed through the surrounding woods. 

Luc's tongue lingered over his pressed lips and he looked down. "No. No, that's not what I meant."

"You're so controlling!" I screamed, stepping further away. I felt humiliated that he'd seen me afraid and vulnerable, and had no place in my heart for his I told you so. "It's not enough to go on about how I'm a drag, huh? You just had to side with my own dad like you have the right to! I don't always need you to freaking save me! I wish I never met you, you hear me!? I hate it that you are meddling with my entire life!"