Colton
Chapter two
The whole ride home, all my brothers could do was talk about her. Damn, can’t they see her for what she is—a whore, nothing more than a cock tease? They can say what they want, but Wesley was right about her. I knew it the minute I saw that guy in her apartment and how she looked.
Yeah, I feel bad CPS showed up, but maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. Obviously, someone was looking out for Sierra’s sister. I can only imagine what the aunt is like. Shit, Sierra probably learned everything she knows from her.
As soon as I pull into the driveway, I jump out and head straight for the house. I’m not listening to any more of their boo-hooing over this girl. I love my brothers but come on, can’t they see the truth of what’s right in front of their eyes?
I do!
“I expected to see the three of you home before now.” Dad’s standing at the stove with John and the smell of their homemade pasta sauce fills the house.
“We would’ve been, but there was—” I start, but Brax doesn’t let me finish.
“Dad, Sierra needs your help.” Brax’s voice is urgent.
“What the hell!? What happened to your face?”
It’s then I actually look at my brothers. Zan has a black eye and a cut on his lip. Brax’s hair is disheveled, and he’s sporting bruises all over his face, with a little dried blood around his nose.
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you. We showed up at Sierra’s house and there was this older guy there,” Brax explains.
“Braxton Stevenson, do not tell me you boys got in a fight because she had someone at her house!” Dad’s voice booms.
“No, not really,” Brax interjects.
“Then what was it?” Dad tosses the dish towel on the counter, before crossing his arms over his chest, glaring at us.
“Jason, calm down, honey, and let the kids explain.” John places his arm on Dad’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. Instantly Dad’s posture relaxes, just a little.
“You’re right.” He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. That’s his go-to move when he’s trying to calm down and think about what he wants to say. “Okay, Braxton, tell me everything.”
I turn to head up to my room. I don’t need to be part of this shit, cause I don’t fucking care. She’s a bitch who got caught in her lies. Serves her right.
“Stop right there and get your butt back over here.” My foot has barely hit the first step when Dad’s deep voice hits me.
I roll my eyes before turning to face him.
“Really, Dad, this has nothing to do with me. I wasn’t in the fight and I don’t care about what’s happening at her house. I have plans with Wes and I want to shower and change before meeting him.”
“Well, those are plans you won’t be making, since you were told tonight is family night. Now get your butt over here,” he orders before turning back to my brothers. “Okay, go ahead, one at a time.”
This bitch is fucking ruining my life.
“Like I said, we got there, and a guy opened the door. Sierra came into view, and Dad, she looked like someone had used her as a fucking punching bag.” Brax is being over dramatic, flailing his hands around.
“Language, Braxton. Now did she tell you he did it to her? Or what happened?” John questions after reprimanding Brax.
“We didn’t give them a chance,” Zander says. “We took action. You always preached to us that you never hit a woman.”
“The two of you did. I heard her pleading with both of you that he didn’t do it. Then you knocked her down in the process, but it serves her right,” I blurt, so over this whole conversation.
“Young man, that is not how we talk about people. So she told you he didn’t, yet you continued? Where was her aunt? Her sister? And why would it serve her right, Colton?” Dad looks between the three of us as the questions fly.
“They weren’t there. And from what Wes told me, she ruined his life. It’s known around school she’s a whore. I’m positive the dude was her pimp.” I move over to the kitchen table, collapsing into a chair, huffing in frustration.
“Why are you talking about her like that, Colton? Those are harsh accusations.” Dad gives me a stern look full of disappointment, and I cringe. I hate feeling like I’ve let him down. When I don’t answer, he tries again, “Well?”
“It’s what Wes told us, Dad. Apparently, she really messed up his life, and everyone knows she’s loose.”
“What did she do? Have you seen her act in any way that would come off as promiscuous? Or are you just believing some potentially scorned boy and treating a decent girl horribly?” Dad’s words hit hard.
Thinking back over everything Wes has told me, not once has he ever mentioned what exactly happened.
But I did see her flirting when she was here.
“I—”
“No, Colton, I don’t want to hear anything else from you at the moment. Instead, I want you to truly think about how you’ve been talking about Sierra. I’m so disappointed in you right now. We taught you better than to make assumptions about people without knowing the truth.”
“Yes, sir.” I slouch down in the chair, hurt and pissed off. This is all because of her!
“Okay, I need a drink to deal with this. Go ahead boys, explain.” Dad takes a seat as John pours each of them a glass of wine and then sits down beside him.
“Okay, so we got in a fight, accidentally knocked Sierra down, and then CPS showed up with a cop. And we were asked to leave. Dad, I think she’s been taken in as a ward of the state along with her sister. We’ve got to help her,” Zander pleads, as he drops in the chair beside me.
He’s fighting to hold back tears. I hate seeing my brother like this, and it’s her fault.
“Are you one hundred percent sure about this?” John asks as Dad circles the rim of his glass with his fingertip.
“Yes, Dad, please, we’ve got to help her,” Brax pleads.
“I don’t know what we can do, but I’ll reach out and see what I can find out.
Now I know I taught all three of you better than believing everything you hear about people.
Unless you know the facts and that they are the truth, you never believe hearsay.
Frankly, I’m ashamed of you, Colton. What’s gotten into you? ”
My head drops and I keep my eyes on the floor. All I’ve ever wanted is to make him proud and until this moment, I thought I had done a good job. I can’t even look him in the face.
“I don’t know,” I mumble quickly, running the words together.
“I do! He’s more concerned with being popular,” Zander shouts, stepping over to the fridge and pulling out a soda.
“Enough! I want all three of you to go to your rooms until it’s time for dinner. I seriously want you to think about your behavior since getting here.” With Dad’s words, we all walk out silently, with our heads down.
“What do we do?” John asks quietly as we head up the stairs.
I go straight to my room and shut the door, not wanting to deal with anyone. Sitting down on the edge of my bed, I pull my phone out of my pocket.
Me: Hey man, can’t meet tonight. Dad is making me stay for dinner.
Wes: Can you sneak out?
Me: Nah, he’s pissed. Some shit went down this afternoon.
Wes: Fuck, I was wanting to celebrate.
Me: What are you celebrating?
Wes: Getting back at that bitch.
Me: Sierra?
Wes: Duh, who did you think I was talking about? Guess I could just get Savannah over here to suck my cock.
Me: What did you do? What did she do that has you so mad at her? You never told me?
Wes: Called CPS. She’s a fucking slut and ruined my life. Ran into her druggie aunt and she gave me all the ammo I needed.
Wes: The skank hit on me, then spilled all kinds of information about Sierra. It was epic.
Me: You were the one that called. They showed up while we were there. There was some guy at her house and she was beaten up.
Wes: Yeah, what does that matter? Looks like she’s got a pimp or screwed someone else over. Don’t tell me you’re pussy whipped like your brothers?
Me: No, just wondered what she did to you.
Wes: Look I GTG. Call me tomorrow.
Why won’t he just say what she did? Could I be wrong for taking Wesley’s word?
A sinking feeling in my gut tells me I’ve been wrong about Sierra.
I sit in silence, running through every encounter since meeting her. The events from Sunday come to the forefront, and as I look back with untainted eyes, not once did she ever flirt with my dad. I created that whole scene in my head, with the poison Wes and everyone else at school fed me.
Falling backward on my bed, I run my hands through my hair, pulling at the ends in frustration.
I’m a fucking dick! Of all the things Sierra said, the only thing that still confuses me is her secretiveness about where she works.
Knowing that she’s working, going to school, and caring for her sister is extraordinary, especially since she’s not even eighteen.
It’s then reality hits me. I’ve been the villain the entire time to a girl going through hell. Not only that, but I contributed. Now she’s dealing with the aftermath of a phone call that’s going to change her life.
I’m an asshole. How am I going to make this right? I just hope Dad can do something with his connections.