Something There

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen:

The rest of the week was a mess.

Luckily, Mateo wasn't actually injured that badly, and both him and Bryce got off with only detention for the rest of the week.

Both of them apologized, and promised that nothing like that would happen ever again, and I'm just thankful nothing too severe came out of it. I would hate for this to really affect their futures.

Friday afternoon has finally rolled around, and I've never been happier.

All I want to do is go home, curl up in my bed, and read a book while listening to The Light in the Piazza. That dream is quickly diminished as I soon realize that I already promised my friends that I'd go away with them for the weekend.

And after all the back and forth banter between Charlie and my parents for permission, it would be rude for me to back out at the last moment.

Mateo and Bryce have barely spoken, which worries me as they'll be sleeping under the same roof two nights in a row. I hope they can put their differences behind them long enough for everybody to have a good time.

We haven't worked out driving arrangements yet, but I'm praying that Mateo and Bryce don't end up in the same vehicle.

We're all currently standing around outside the school, chatting about who's going to drive, minus Charlie and Daniel who had to leave school early for a soccer game on top of the games they have tomorrow.

"How many of us are there?" Bryce asks, gazing around at me, Jasmine, Mateo, Jordan, and Ryan. "Six? I can grab a car that fits five," he offers, and after his words set in it all sounds oddly suspicious.

"Grab a car?" Jordan asks, quirking an eyebrow up at Bryce. "What, you're going to steal one or some shit?"

Jasmine snorts, but quickly regains composure after a glare from Bryce.

"God no. I'll drive home to get it," he answers.

"Wait, but doesn't your truck only fit two? And your dad's car looked pretty small too," I bring up, and Bryce looks down to me from where he's standing a couple feet away.

He smirks at me momentarily, before laughing to himself and looking out towards the parking lot.

"Darling, you clearly haven't seen our garage. My dad loves to buy cars; it's what he spends most of his money on," Bryce informs me, and I don't know how I didn't consider that sooner.

Of course they have more cars. Leo Bradshaw seems to have too much money for his own good.

"Oh," I answer quietly, not sure what else to say.

He smiles at me, before pulling his car keys out of his pocket and jingling them in the air. "I'll take five people if  someone else takes two. Whoever wants a drive, text Lexi your address and I'll pick you up," he says, taking authority. 

No one seems to want to argue with him, so everybody nods except for Mateo who doesn't seem to enjoy the way Bryce is taking over the whole situation.

"Why would people need to text me?" I ask him, and he blinks at me, watching me silently for a moment as if to see if I figure it out myself.

I don't, and so he slings his backpack over his shoulder before gesturing for me to follow him.

"They don't have my number and I'm driving you home anyway, so let's go," he explains to me.

Why would he be driving me home when Charlie usually—