Don't Stop Holding Me (Y.A Series Book 5)

by Sarah Tork

  “I’m fine,” she croaked, making her way over to the sink. She glanced at me through the mirror and sneered. “Not that you and that show off care anyway.”

  Good-bye compassion.

  “You think I care about you? I don’t. I thought it was someone else crying her eyes out.” I gave her the dirtiest look I could. “I don’t feel sorry for you. Why would I anyway? You’re clearly not a good person.”

  That did it.

  Red-faced Latisha swirled around and faced me with anger in her eyes, and a curled lip. She reminded me of a King Cobra circling its prey with its tongue out, hissing.

  “You shut up!” she screeched menacingly, pointing her finger at me. “You and that idiot…. don’t know shit. Who are you two, to judge me! Who made you guys the judge in all things good?”

  “I don’t need to listen to this,” I snapped and began to back away, but Latisha blocked my way out.

  “I helped you that day. Don’t you remember?” Latisha growled. “If it wasn’t for me that day, Donna and Stacey would have beaten you to a pulp. Where’s my respect? You owe me.”

  She’s losing it.

  I jerked my head back in shock. “I owe you? Are you mad? Whatever good you did that day has gone to the dogs. You tried to humiliate Jenna, brought up her family situation and used it to blackmail her. What kind of a person does that?”

  Latisha moved out of my way and leaned against a sink. “You have no idea what I’m going through! You have no idea the pressure I’m under every day! You think it’s easy being me right now? It’s not.”

  On my way out of the washroom, I had a few parting words for Latisha. “You chose your path… now you’ve got to live with the consequences.”

  Chapter 13

  ANNABELLE

  Saturday November 17, 2012

  “What are you looking at, Annabelle Simms?” Shelby blocked my view of the trunk of her beat up orange truck. I could still see a few boxes she was desperately trying to hide with her scrawny figure.

  I rolled my eyes at her. “I’m not looking at anything,” I leaned over my bike and unlocked it. I wheeled my bike back from the dock and couldn’t resist looking back up at her.

  And she did not disappoint. Shelby’s beady eyes were pinned menacingly at me. She pointed her bony finger at me. “You’re a liar Annabelle Simms. You were most definitely looking.”

  The struggle was real. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to point at her and crucify her for being the idiot she was. But she was still a supervisor at the club and I wasn’t ready to be fired, just yet.

  “I wasn’t looking at you.” I stated.

  She gasped loudly, visibly shaking with anger. “You need to mind your own business, you evil, no good, nosy, ugly heathen!”

  What were in those boxes that had her so loony…. well, extra loony? I grinned at her, unfazed by her comments. I stopped and waved at her. “Alright, well you have a nice weekend. See you next week, Shelby!”

  Now that was hilarious.

  I shook my head and pushed my bike up the hill. By the time I arrived on top, my breathing was slightly rushed, but nothing like from last summer where I’d been gasping for air, feeling like I was going pass out.

  Eighty points for Annabelle Simms.

  Chapter 14

  ANNABELLE

  Sunday November 18, 2012

  Tiger: Can you calm me down, please.

  Annabelle: What’s going on?

  Tiger: same shit, that’s what happened.

  Annabelle: Why won’t he leave you alone.

  Tiger: Misery loves company, that’s why.

  Annabelle: He called his lawyer again?

  Tiger: No, this time he graced me with his presence. Came to the gym with a shit-eating grin, like he owned the place. Started shit with my grandpa outside the building, thinking no one could hear or see him be a fucking asshole.

  Annabelle: I hate him.

  Tiger: Join the club.

  Annabelle: What are you going to do now?

  Tiger: I was supposed to train with my coach, but the building’s been shut down.

  Annabelle: Why?

  Tiger: Cops were called.

  Annabelle: What! How?!!

  Tiger: Shit happened, that’s what. My coach wasn’t having it, not at his gym. He called the cops and my dad got in his face…. the rest wasn’t pretty.

  Annabelle: Damn. That’s intense. So now what?

  Tiger: I need to see you. You’re the only one that can make me feel better right now. I need you. That’s about as poetic as I’ll get, baby.

  Annabelle: LOL. No problem. I don’t expect you to be poetic. In fact please don’t.

  Tiger: Good. So…. can I come and see you?

  Annabelle: Come to me. I’m here for you.

  Chapter 15

  ANNABELLE

  Tuesday November 20, 2012

  Thanksgiving break was coming up and one look around the cafeteria you could tell everyone was excited…well, everyone except for me.

  I had other things on my mind.

  I found Jenna seated next to Tom, spectating a ruckus between two groups by their table.

  A battle was in play and my stomach churned in fear. Group one’s captain stood front and center, exemplifying crazy, wild and cocky to perfection. But I expected no less from James. My boyfriend did what he did best, antagonize his enemies until they saw red and lost it. And as usual, his enemies consisted of mainly soccer players and today they were a man short.

  Where’s Johnny?

  James laughed loudly. “Where’s your delicate leader, Matty Boy?”

  Matthew looked lost for a second, usually he did the whole fighting back thing with Johnny by his side. But Franco quickly stood by his side as Matthew quickly lost all will power. “You’re so lucky,” Matthew hissed repeatedly. “You are so lucky!”

  James, unaffected, smirked to his boys. “What a poet. Look another pussy… I mean delicate flower, telling me how he really feels. I’m touched.” He faux cried that last part, and his fake tear hand motion pressed play on cafeteria battle 2.0.

  Eruption mode.

  “Let me go,” Matthew lunged for James but his teammates held him back. “Let me go!”

  I moved to grab James and pull him away but the shop teacher and Mr. Doors ran past me. “Stay back,” they ordered. They infiltrated the tussle and broke up the fight, this time kicking the entire baseball team out the cafeteria via the exit to outside.

  The soccer team took a table while I stood in the cafeteria center like I was lost. Matthew made eye contact and jerked his chin at me, like a gesture. I ignored it.

  I sat next to Jenna at the baseball team’s table.

  “Anna,” she began, “Your boyfriend is crazy.”

  He had to stop picking fights. I sighed. “I know.”

  Maybe he was addicted? The glory, the rush, the power, the knowledge in knowing no one had what it took to match him. Head honchos from the soccer team thought they had what James knew he had and had no desire in sharing. The title of King was his and he’d make sure to show the room of spectators what a fool looked like when in the presence of a true warrior.

  And the question was… did I like it?

  Did I find it kind of hot?

  Annoying even?

  I wanted no place under the spotlight and I would fight no girl for that spot. Nothing would ever be worth it. And he knew this! He knows I love him, but fighting everyday just to show who was who was not something I had in me. Even if he needed to.

  He had to change.

  He needed to become more humble and gracious.

  Why did everyone remotely on opposite ends to him have to be the enemy?

  Jenna grabbed Tom, stopping him from getting up. “Where are you going?”

  “Silly, I gotta go.” He kissed the top of her head and got up. “Mr. Nolan kicked the entire team out. I gotta be with my boys right now.”

  “You’re choosing them over me?” Jenna’s eyes bulged before retali
ating, but she quickly shook it off. “Never mind, I get it. Forget everything. Be the loyal teammate that I know you are.”

  Tom chuckled. “You’re so silly, silly.” He mumbled something else to her, but I couldn’t hear. He gave her another kiss, this time on the lips. Jenna’s face flushed and she held his shirt until he pulled away and left.

  I looked for James through the window but there was no one by the entrance outside. The baseball team’s table was no more, leaving Jenna and I, alone.

  I drank all of my water and played with the cap of my bottle. “We should stay out of it, right? Let them be together and vent, right?”

  Jenna shook her head. “Yeah, they’re probably still hyped up. Let them cool off for the rest of lunch.”

  “Yeah,” I breathed.

  Minutes passed and it did not get easier. I looked around and everyone was staring our way. My heart raced, pounding like a jackhammer. I felt like the spotlight was on me and I did not like it. It didn’t help that the table was completely empty, and we were like two green beans on a huge white plate. Then the final blow to my mental well being, I made eye contact with the devil in pink lipstick, sneering at me while she whispered oh so obviously behind her clawed hand, to her idiot lip glossed soldiers, cackling like witches gaining control back, trying to bring me down one whispered insult at a time.

  It’ll never be over with her…unless I do something about it…. right now.

  “Anna, where are you going?” Jenna asked, her voice fading in the background as I comatosely made my way over to Planet Bitch, ready to take a stand, in front of everyone in the cafeteria, no matter what happened.

  Donna Tallins had two more girls seated at her table, making it a grand total of four girls stolen from Latisha’s stolen reign. Like a queen, how nauseatingly typical, she sat at the head of the table where no one joined and no one left without her say and she saw me coming like a fire-bolt with her name on it. Slow-mo moment, she moved in that fake regal style, flicked her beautiful hair behind her shoulder, showing off her own low cut tank top.

  “Don’t mess with me right now, fire twat.” Donna growled quietly.

  “I don’t care,” I smirked. “You’re a fucking joke.”

  “What did you just call me?” she grabbed my arm and my heart just about exploded. She had a lot of nerve thinking she could put her hands on me again. I pushed her away, the table stopping her from falling on her ass.

  “Keep your nasty hands to yourself!”

  And she didn’t listen, leaping off the table like the psycho that she was and pulled my hair. “You stupid bitch, you’ve ruined my life!”

  Next thing I knew we were wrestling on the floor, her pulling my hair and scratching my neck, and me hitting and kicking her. But she was stronger than I thought.

  “Get off my best friend!” Jenna yelled.

  “Stay back, Jenna.” Someone yelled.

  Next thing I knew I was being pulled back, strong arms holding me back easily. It wasn’t James, because I knew what his arms looked like. I had no idea who this was.

  “Calm down, Anna.” he whispered, his voice not registering a face and name with me. I looked up and the shop teacher had Donna screaming and hollering away from me.

  “Let me go, I’m going to rip her face off!” Donna screamed. “She’s trying to take my spot. Just look at her, how can she!”

  Someone laughed out loud. “I don’t know about that, Donna! Anna’s hot!”

  “Yep!” A few people chimed in.

  Then someone howled which seemed to calm me down a bit. My breathing lowered and I relaxed against this stranger who still had a strong hold on me. My mind wasn’t working anyways, so who cared who it was. He saved me from getting my throat and face slashed from Donna. It’s one thing to fight a girl, a quick hair pull, maybe a punch, but Donna had these razor sharp acrylics that were super glued to her fingers. I’d come to know them very well in the last thirty seconds and if I had to fight Donna again, and chances were strong I would because that bitch would never learn, I’d steer clear of her nails. Tactics learned and would be mastered for the next time.

  “Donna hit her first,” Someone said and the shop teacher escorted Donna out of the cafeteria. I calmed down and rested more against my stranger.

  “Thanks.” I whispered.

  He chuckled. “No problem.” Something about his voice troubled me. I recognized it but I couldn’t focus enough to figure out who it actually was.

  I glanced up and there was Jenna, standing a few feet away, looking at me like I’d lost my mind for real this time. “Anna, what are you doing?” she hissed, pointing at me.

  “I had to, Jenna. That fucking bitch wouldn’t have stopped if I didn’t show her I could fight back.” I panted, leaning shamelessly into whoever held me, because right now…. I really, really, really, couldn’t care less.

  Jenna shook her head frantically and pointed upwards. “No, I’m talking about that.”

  “What?” I cringed, twisting around and eyeing my savior only to jerk away in a nanosecond. My savior was Matthew?

  No!

  I quickly joined Jenna’s side and glared at an alien, because the Matthew I knew didn’t give two shits about me and would have never helped me out against a nemesis… not with his track record at least. He sold me out three and a half years ago, putting a bad taste in my mouth, almost ruining my faith in the sanctity of friendship had it not been for Jenna as my Numero uno since the age of four. She was there the whole way, she saw what happened, she saw how he did me dirty.

  Jenna. Hated. Him.

  Three and a half years later, the sting of one night clung like a greedy mosquito sucking life from me, one annoying flashback at a time.

  I. Hated. Him.

  “Don’t you ever touch me again,” I hissed at him, rubbing my arms like his touch carried diseases.

  People were watching. It was understandable, as there was a new show going on in front of them. My distain for him obvious by the sneer and look of disgust on my face. He wasn’t used to this treatment, at least not from girls. They kissed the floor he walked on, but not this girl. This girl would never forget.

  The ego wound was real and his blue eyes screamed scarred for life. But it’s not my fault he thought helping me out after years of ignoring me would repair our problems. He was a fool.

  The physical representation of disloyalty could go to hell.

  “I didn’t know it was him.” I told Jenna, looking away from that traitor. But Jenna was looking somewhere else. I followed her gaze and she was looking at the exit that led outside.

  “Shit, Anna.” she whispered, shaking her head and looking back at me, horrified.

  “What’s going on?” I gulped and took in the entire room, finding those around me snickering and eyeing me like I did something bad.

  A guy I did not know smirked right at me. “James is not going to like this.”

  His friend joined him and pointed to the exit where another scuffle blocked the view. “James already knows.”

  “James already knows what?” I asked, confused out of my mind.

  Those two guys stood by Matthew and whispered something to him. Matthew smirked and looked at me with an evil twinkle in his eyes. “That while he was outside trying to cool off, that I rescued you and we had a moment.”

  My jaw dropped, horrified. “That’s not true. I didn’t know it was even you who pulled me back!”

  Matthew’s evil grin grew wider, giving no fucks. “Good luck explaining that to your ‘boyfriend’, he’s roiding like a lunatic outside.”

  Chapter 16

  ANNABELLE

  Thursday November 22, 2012

  “Phones away, this instant.” Grandma ordered, exiting the kitchen with two medium sized bowls of “homemade” cranberry sauce straight from the can. She placed them beside a bowl of “homemade” straight from the freezer cornbread.

  AND VOILA, Thanksgiving 2012 was officially on its way. But to where you may ask…. that was
still to be determined.

  Ten minutes to go, Grandma’s turkey would be ready to perfection. Mom and her sisters along with Grandma squirmed “joyously” around one another in the kitchen.

  “I just love this, the whole family together for the entire day,” Grandma chimed.

  The rest of us were in the living room where Dad, Grandpa and Aunt Judy’s husband were watching football. Aunt Claire’s husband was still at work. My cousins, Aunt Claire’s kids, Darryl and Nathanial, Lilly who were 15, 16 and 19, were “studying” and boasting about their excellent GPAs in Grandpa’s study. Lilly went to The University of Florida and was home for the holiday. She was studying pre-law, as she loved to boast to strangers, let alone her family.

  Cocky, intelligent, pretty… slim…. maybe perfect. Dark blonde hair and blue eyes, she reminded me of Katherine, all grown up. And although there was an eight-year age difference, their snobby attitudes matched despite their different goals. Unlike our relationship, Katherine admired Lilly. That smile on her face, the impatience to get to Grandma’s house earlier, jumping with joy as we said hello with family we saw regularly, except for Lilly as she’d been gone since the summer. My baby sister wanted to be smart and beautiful, just like her older cousin one day. She kept telling everyone that. And they all smiled genuinely at her…. because who wouldn’t want to be like Lilly.