Two updates in one week? Could it be possible?

WARNING: To avoid damage to your phone, glue it to your hand. The urge to throw it across the room or at a wall may be too overwhelming to resist through the events to come. If you aren't reading on your phone, AKA people on laptops... do not throw your laptop.

And yes, fictional character were hurt in the making of this chapter. If emotional, keep a box of tissues ready. 

***

It doesn't take long to find Amber. My jaw clenches when I see who she's talking to. The heat in my head becomes unbearable, and sweat is gathering in the palms of my clenched fists. I grind my molars as my brows furrow, studying the two girls with piercing scrutiny.

Amber's hand firmly holds Madison Jones in place as she pleads with her. Even though I'm too far away to hear, there's no doubt in my mind what this is about. For a moment, my friend looks around helplessly, like she's looking for a way out of the conversation.

But I'm still out of view.

When Maddie pulls away, clearly having had enough of whatever lies that bitch is spreading around now, I smirk. Clearly, she's not falling for Amber's version of the truth.

"I'm serious. He's dangerous," Amber says, her words finally in ear-shot. "You have to stay away from him.

I wrap my arm around Maddie's shoulders. There's a pang in my stomach when she flinches just from my touch and I try to convince myself it's just in my head. My girlfriend hates me. My best friend and confidant hates me. I can't handle Maddie hating me, too. I can't handle one more person hating me.

"Stay away from who, Amber?" I blink with feigned innocence.

Amber immediately averts her attention to the floor, the corners of her lips drooping with unease.

"No one." Her voice is brittle, very unlike her usual assertive self. "It's nothing."

Squeezing my eyes shut, I can practically feel the energy being drained from me. My patience has been spread too thin. The sigh is loud and causes Maddie to glance up at me.

"Madds," I address her by the nickname, in hopes it will create the illusion that everything is fine. "Do you mind giving Amber and me a second?"

A wary expression shifts between the two of us before Madison scampers into the direction of her first class. Right when she turns the corner, Amber's arm becomes a prisoner in my firm hold. She hisses and almost trips over her own two feet in an attempt to keep up with my tempo as I head down the hall; it's amplified by the blistering heat bubbling under my skin and the rapid pulsing in my chest.

My world starts to spin, my brows furrowing from the weight of it all. I shake my head, trying to force my thoughts back on track.

There's a hallway right behind the back entrance of the gym that's almost always empty, so that's where I drag her. The whole way there is nothing but a blur, but when I let go of Amber, she whimpers and rubs the muscles right above her elbow. I study the spot I had held her and squeeze my eyes shut for a second.

I fear it will bruise later, but right now, I'm too angry to think much of it. Sabrina obviously told Amber what happened Sunday night, but Amber decided to take advantage of the issue to get back at me.

Ragged breaths correspond with the rapid pounding in my head. I rub my eyes to relieve some of the pressure, but it only makes the ache worse. The tension is fueling my ever growing temper.

"Fuck!" I run both hands through my hair.

Amber chooses this moment to attempt an escape, but I grab her by her shirt to pull her back. The tearing of fabric alerts my ears and I quickly use my other hand to grab her arm again. A scream leaves her lips and I shove her against the wall, my hand cupping her mouth when she makes a second attempt.

"Shh," I shush her. That shrill voice of hers almost split my skull, causing the growing migraine to intensify. "You're not going to do that again. You got it?"

Watery eyes shoot me a disgusted glare, probably an attempt to mask the panic in them. She nods slowly, clearly playing along this time. Every few seconds she looks to see if anyone is coming, but the sound of the first bell makes her let out a helpless sob.

Her lip trembles when I drop my hand. "Austin, we're going to be late for class."

"I don't give a fuck!" I regret shouting immediately, digging my palm into my forehead in hopes of relieving the pain.

None of her usual snarkiness can be heard. There are no sarcastic remarks. No witty comments. Only silence greets me when I glance but up at her. Anger is still pulsing through every vein of my body, my face completely flushed.

My hands are itching for something to do. A baseball bat forms in my mind when I glance at the glass trophy case just to our right, filled with team pictures and medals. Sports aren't what I have on my mind, though. I want to use the bat to break the glass. Shatter it into a million pieces. I want to go through the whole school, smashing any window I can find.

The daydream fades, and my blurred vision finds Amber's face again. She is as rigid as a plank, her whole body pressed against the wall. My chest is just inches away from hers, hands planted on either side of her head. Her eyes are slammed shut.

"You're lying to the whole school. Why?" I try to keep the growl out of my voice this time, but I fail.

She looks up through her thick lashes. There's not even an ounce of sympathy directed at me. Not even redemption can warrant it now, I know that. I deserve almost everything that comes at me in life, but what I don't deserve is being blamed for things I've never done.

It takes too long for her to answer, so I slam my hand against the wall right next to her ear. Causing her whole body to close in on itself, like a turtle retreating back into its shell. Her shoulders are up to her ears for a moment before they sag down again. She peeks at me, tears finally springing free.

"Answer me!" My nose brushes hers - my eyes wild, hers terrified.

Finally, a bolt of courage ignites, replacing her fear. "I heard the story. No, you didn't hit Sabrina, but you would have."

"No." I shake my head, not wanting to believe it. Shaky fingers massage my temple. "I can't-," I stutter, "I could never-"

"Don't try to lie." Keeping up the brave facade fails when her voice shakes. "Harry told me everything."

That catches my attention. "Harry told you this?"

Amber nods. "Sabrina is so brainwashed by you that she'll keep coming back to you. She doesn't tell me anything anymore. Don't you get it, dickwad? You've got her so wrapped around your finger that she'd never do anything to jeopardize you or you damn reputation!"

"But I-" An angry sob breaks through, wet streaks painting my cheeks. "I didn't hit her!"

"Doing it, or wanting to." Her voice breaks. "Same difference!"

There's a loud crack and a stinging in my knuckles and fingers. Amber is now on the floor, tears flow uncontrollably as she clutches her cheek.

"Now, I didn't want to do that!" I stand above her. My eyes drain liquid fire and my voice is challenging. "Still think it's the same thing?"

When I try to grab at her ankle, she kicks me away. "No, come here!"

A sharp pain jabs at my finger. She must have jammed it.

"Fucking, God dammit!" I shake my hand to relieve the aching and try grabbing at her again. "I said come here!"

I don't even get the chance before I start choking. I'm pushed backward, a firm hold on my neck before I'm slammed into a wall. The air propels from my lungs and I hum in agony. My ribs are screaming, a large body pressing with full force on my torso. I can't breath, and part of me thinks: good.

"Fucking let go of me!" I gurgle, barely getting the words out through the grip on my windpipe. It tightens when I don't comply.

When I try to pry their hands away from my neck, two other pairs of hands grab my wrists when I try to punch my attacker in the head. Through my rage, it finally registers who's all holding me.

A look brimming with malice drills into me.

I'm thrown to the ground and the agony makes me roll onto my right side. Amber is no longer on the ground, but in the arms of Harry, crying deeply into his shoulder. The penetrating hate-filled glare that is directed at me right now is one I know I will never forget, and it becomes excruciatingly clear.

He wants me dead just as much as I do.

Rodney, Bradley, and Brett are standing over me at all sides and I see Cole standing protectively in front of a red-headed girl. Hers is the only face blurred by my tears, but I know exactly who she is. I see Madison's hand is covering her mouth when I focus and the way she's looking at me makes me give up.

Completely.

Kill me, I pray. Whoever or whatever the higher power is, please, let me die.

Someone kneels down beside me. Rodney's face is less blurry the closer he gets. "What you do with Sabrina," he begins, his voice shockingly calm. "that's your shit. But if you want to come after Amber, my sister, you're stepping into my shit. And that, that's the last mistake you'll ever make."

"I'm sorry," I sob, too weak to move.

"Yeah,"- he stands -"I don't doubt that."

One blow is all it takes to make me black out. Pain greets me instantaneously when I'm pulled back into the light. I feel like I'm going to fade out again when Rodney reels back for another punch, but a loud voice protests.

"You have to stop!" Harry is now rushing to pull Rodney off, but is stopped by Cole and Brett. "Please, Rodney. Stop!"

Another voice chimes in.

"Harry's right, man. Stop!" When Bradley realizes that it isn't working, he adds, "He has a concussion!"

Rodney lets out a strangled grunt, but pulls back. "Dammit!"

I roll onto my side again, both relieved and angry that he didn't keep going. Maybe if he hit me hard enough, he'd put me out of my misery.

"Let's go." Rodney leads the entourage away, not even sparing me another glance. "Let him rot."

Curling up into a ball, I cry silently to myself while everyone leaves. One by one. Tears soak my sweatshirt and the floor. My head is pounding at such an alarming rate that it feels like my brain is going to burst. The bright lights are continuously attacking my senses, making it hard to keep my eyes open, so I just close them.

Just when I've lost all hope, and I think I'm completely alone, someone cradles my head into their lap. Maddie doesn't say a word, just brushes her fingers sofly through my thick locks.

So much time passes, and it feels like we've been laying here for hours. Even now, my break down is far from over.

"I'm sorry." I repeat it over and over again. I repeat it so many times that it's become a chant. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I know," she finally says, "It's okay. Whatever this is, you'll get through it."

Two lies, I realize through the pain in my head, ribs, and heart.

None of this is okay. I'm not okay.

I'm not okay, and I won't get through this.

There's a vibrating noise coming from a few feet away. My phone, which must have fallen from my pocket in all the commotion, moves slightly across the floor with every vibration.

Carefully, with the help of Madison, I sit up and reach for it. The very name I've been wanting to see shows up on the screen.

I wipe a mixture of snot and tears on the sleeve of my sweatshirt, sniffling before I answer.

"Rina?" My voice is hopeful, even though I'm going through ten types of misery.

At first all I hear is a strangled whisper, and I strain my ears to pick up on the words.

"Sabrina?" I call out again, thinking maybe she didn't hear me the first time around.

"Au-Austin." My name comes out as nothing more than a croak on her lips. "Austin." This time, she has more luck and she continues. "This is a me-message from Dax."

"No! Rina, where are you?" My voice doesn't fail me this time, everything else forgotten. When there's no answer, I get hysterical. "Tell me where you are!"

"He says-"

When she lets out a sob, I call out her name again.

"He says, your move."

The line goes dead.  

***

So, things are obviously not going well. It seems there's no hope left for our problematic protagonist. I know it was kind of a heavy chapter, because of Austin's outburst with Amber, and Austin's inner feelings eating away at him. I've left hints, throughout this chapter and the last, foreshadowing the reveal of what's wrong with Austin.

Yeah, you read that right. There is something WRONG with Austin. Miss something? Go back and take a quick look at what you missed. Maybe leave a theory in the comments about what you think this might be. HINT: It's not just the fact that he has a concussion.

Thanks for reading, and hopefully you leave a comment, or click that little star in the corner if the chapter was deserving of it. 

Til next time,

TheWriterD