18

Background color
Font
Font size
Line height

"What's the plan guys?" I ask anxiously.

"I don't think we have one," John B says.

"Cool," I say. I rub my palms on my knees as I sit on the couch. "Maybe just try not to fight?"

I hear the engine of Tyler's truck cut off. Moments later, heavy footsteps climb the front steps. He begins banging on the door. "I know you're in there, Sunny!" he yells through the door as he pounds on it.

The three boys go to the door. John B opens it tentatively. Tyler is on the other side, with a crazed look in his eye. He falters for a moment when he sees the three of them blocking his entrance.

"You are not coming in this house," John B tells him. "One foot in that door and it's over."

"I'm here for Sunny, now move!" he says, trying to push past them. They close their ranks on him.

"What did I say?" John B says, raising his voice.

Tyler softens his stance and tries a calmer approach. "Look, guys, I just want to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to you, man," JJ says evenly. I'm surprised he hasn't hauled off and punched him yet based on principle.

"Why don't you let her decide that?" he asks.

"All three of them speak for me," I pipe up from my spot on the couch.

"Listen, guy—" Pope starts, but he's cut off.

Tyler's even demeanor is melting away quickly. "Are you fucking all three of them?" he yells at me. I make a 'what the fuck?' face at him. Really?

"John B, let me at him, I only need one punch to drop him," JJ says, starting to step forward. John B puts his hand in the center of his chest to hold him in place.

I stand up from the couch and walk over to all of them. JJ tries to hide me behind him, but I plant my feet firmly on the wood floor.

"Listen, psycho," I say, pointing my finger at Tyler. "We are over. Permanently. There is no earthly way that we will ever get back together, ever."

"But Sunny—"

"I'm not finished!" I shout. "You are a shitty person, and a fucking stalker! You have come here twice now, uninvited, you show up at my job, you send your friends to my job to watch me, you have come to my house and scared my parents to death on more than one occasion, and I am sick of it! What part of 'I don't want to be with you' is so hard to grasp?"

He stares at me stone-faced. "I love you," he says through gritted teeth.

"And I have never loved you! Please leave, and please stop tracking me down everywhere."

"You think a pogue can give you the life you want, the life you deserve? You think JJ Maybank can give you that?" he asks, pointing at him. JJ's jaw twitches and his fists clenched at his sides.

"First off, the whole kooks and pogues thing is absolute bullshit, I don't care who has money and who doesn't, because it doesn't matter! And second of all, yes, I do think that JJ can give me what I want, because he's done more for me and given me more than you ever did the whole time we dated! All you and I ever did was fight! And who do you think it was that was there for me every time we got into a stupid fight over something? It was him!" I'm screaming so loud my voice is starting to sound hoarse.

"We were always fighting about him!" Tyler yells back.

John B and Pope are watching us scream at each other like they're viewing an intense tennis match. JJ has gone completely rigid; he looks close to his snapping point.

"He is my best friend and you were jealous!"

"Of course I was, you chose him over me more times than I can count!" he shouts.

"And I'd do it again!"

"You're impossible!" he says. "You're supposed to be mine!"

"God, not this again," Pope groans. "She's not your girlfriend anymore, man!"

"Stop acting like I'm something to be owned! I'm not a possession! Fuck!"

"Dude, I think you should just go," John B says, trying to interject as a voice of reason.

JJ has been uncharacteristically quiet through all of this, minus his two comments when Tyler first arrived. The look on his face and his body language tell me he's a ticking time bomb, and there's not much time left for the explosion. I step closer to him, hoping the closeness will keep him in check.

Tyler notices that I've started gravitating towards him, and he explodes with rage. Tyler launches himself at JJ, lowering his shoulder and knocking him down in a football tackle. Tyler lands on top of him and connects his fist to his cheekbone, then wraps his hands around his throat.

"Tyler, stop!" I scream as he squeezes tighter. John B and Pope bum rush him, both of them struggling to pry his hands from around JJ's throat. I jump in, too, not knowing what else to do. I yank on the back of his shirt, choking him with the collar. He removes one of his hands to shove me back against the doorframe, and that's all the boys need to get him off of JJ, who scrambles to his feet and sucker punches him in the mouth, sending blood flying.

"Get the fuck out of here!" JJ yells hoarsely, his chest heaving. John B and Pope flank him, fists clenched and ready to throw punches. I watch as Tyler surveys the three of them, then looks back at me briefly as he wipes the trickle of blood by his mouth. I stand frozen against the open door, afraid to move or say anything that may set him off even further.

Tyler is tall and athletic, but even he knows a three-on-one fight is a sure loss. He turns and punches the door hard, right by my head, making me flinch. He storms off down the front steps to his truck. We're all frozen in place as he starts the engine and sends gravel flying from under his tires as he precariously backs out onto the street and takes off out of the cut.

The four of us stare out the door in silence for a moment, then slowly turn to look at each other.

"Hey," JJ's voice cracks. "Are you okay? You're crying." He steps between John B and Pope and makes his way over to me. I brush the tears from my face that I didn't even realize were falling.

I suck in a shaky breath. "I'm fine," I say as he circles his arms around my waist and hugs me. "Let me look at you." I examine the darkening bruise on his cheek first, then ghost my fingers over his throat where Tyler's hands were. Red and purple splotches are spread over the skin. He lets out a dry cough. "I'm sorry," I say to the three boys as I step back from JJ's embrace.

"You don't need to be sorry, but you need to go to the police, Sunny," John B says seriously.

"I'll go with you tomorrow. You're getting a restraining order first thing," JJ says.

"Yeah. We'll go. I need to call my dad back." I sniffle.

"Yeah go do that. I guess we'll head back to bed," Pope says, looking over at John B. He nods.

"C'mon," JJ says, gently placing his hands on my shoulders and guiding me back towards the bedroom.

Once inside, I grab my phone and call my dad, detailing what went down. I know he's stressed out hearing what happened second-hand, but he assures me that this will all be over soon, right after I talk to the police. I tell him my plans to go with JJ to file for the restraining order, and he agrees that it's the best course of action.

"I want you safe, Sunny," Dad sighs into the phone.

"I know. I'm working on it," I tell him.

"Okay. Try to get some sleep. Do you want us to come to the station tomorrow? We can meet you there. Just call when you're on your way."

"Yeah," I say. "I'll call you in the morning."

"Okay. Goodnight, Sunny. I love you."

"I love you, too, Dad. Night." I hit end on the call and place my phone on the dresser.

I look back at JJ who has already climbed back in bed. He watches me with cautious eyes as I make my way across the room and climb under the covers with him. Wordlessly, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me tightly into his chest. I focus on the steady beat of his heart until I finally fall back to sleep.

**************************

The next morning we head directly to the police station. As promised, I call my parents and they meet us there to help get me through the paperwork.

I'm nervous as the four of us walk into the police station together. "I don't think I've ever purposely went to the cops before," JJ jokes, trying to ease the tension. I give him a look.

My dad leads the charge. "Excuse me, miss," he says to the lady at the reception desk. She looks up at him and gives him a pleasant smile.

"May I help you?" she asks.

"Yes. We need to speak with an officer in regards to filing for a restraining order," he tells her, and she nods.

"Let me see who is in the station right now. An officer will be with you in just a few minutes," she says. "Please have a seat." She motions to the chairs in the small waiting area.

The four of us sit down. Not long after, Sheriff Peterkin comes out. "A restraining order?" she asks as she looks at us. "Is that boy from before still giving you trouble?"

"Yes, ma'am," I answer her.

"Come on back to my office and we'll get you squared away. All of ya, come on." She motions for us to follow her.

The process is surprisingly quick. I fill out the paper work, we talk to a judge, and we walk out of the police station in less than an hour with a temporary restraining order on Tyler.

"Hearing will be in about two weeks. You'll get a letter in the mail with the date and time. Mr. Mason will be informed of the order within twenty-four hours of filing. In the meantime, avoid him if you can, and you call us if you see him and he tries anything," Peterkin instructs as she walks us out to the parking lot.

"Thank you so much Sheriff Peterkin," my mom says to her.

"Not a problem," she replies. She turns to me. "You got my number. Call me any time day or night if you need me." She then turns to JJ. "And you," she says, eyeing his bruised face. "You need to stay away from him, too. I don't wanna hear about no fightin' between you two again." JJ nods silently. "Okay, folks. Have a good day." She walks back into the station with a wave.

I let out a sigh. "Okay. It's official now."

"I hate that it came to this, but this is the right thing to do," mom says as she fishes in her purse for her keys. "We've got to get back to the farm. Are you coming home?"

"Yeah, I'm coming home after I take JJ back. He works this afternoon," I tell her. She nods.

"We'll see you back at home then," she says. Her and dad head back to their car.

"What if he goes crazy when he finds out?" I ask JJ once they're gone.

"Legally, he can't do shit now," he says with a shrug.

"What if he comes after you?" I ask.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I can handle it? I'll be fine. He punches like a girl," he says.

I frown. "Regardless, I'm going to worry about you." I wrap my arms around his neck and push up on my tiptoes to kiss him. His arms wrap around my back.

"I know you will," he says. "You always do." He kisses my forehead. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

I drop him off back at the chateau and head home, my thoughts swirling. I don't regret breaking up with Tyler at all, but I wish things could've gone differently. Maybe if I had done something to make him dump me, I wouldn't be in this situation right now. I guess it doesn't really matter what could've been, because the reality of it is where I am now, with a restraining order against my ex-boyfriend.

******************************
Sheriff Peterkin had said Tyler would know about the order within twenty-four hours, and I spend the whole next twenty-four hours on edge, waiting for something to happen. It never does. He can't contact me or get within one hundred yards of me, so whatever reaction this elicits from him will remain unbeknownst to me.

The next evening at The Wreck, we all meet up to discuss the latest developments in the Sunny and Tyler Saga.

"Rafe said he was with Tyler when he found out," Sarah is telling everyone as we settle into our booth. "Said he was pissed."

"Sucks to suck, bro," JJ says with a shrug.

"I'm just glad I don't have to worry about him showing up at my house anymore. At least when you're there," John B says.

"Yeah, it only took legal action to keep him away," I joke.

"Let's hope he follows it," Pope says.

"He has to. He could go to jail for violating it. Right?" Kie asks.

"Yeah, possibly. There's also a fine he would have to pay," JJ says. "I mean, he's got the money, but the jail time is solid."

"You'll come to the hearing with me, right?" I ask him.

He grabs my hand and laces his fingers through mine. "Of course I will," he promises.

"Who knew all this baggage came with dating Sunny?" Sarah says with a laugh. "Hope it's worth your while, JJ."

"It is," he says definitively. He bumps his shoulder against mine and I give him a smile.

"We should celebrate," John B suggests.

I give him a questioning look. "Celebrate what?"

"That fact that Tyler can't do shit now. Saturday night. Let's throw a kegger. Pogue style," he says excitedly.

"Is drinking your solution to everything?" Kie asks.

"Uh... yeah," John B says, causing us all to laugh.

"Please don't say you want to hold this at the boneyard," I say. "The kooks always show up."

"No, no. My place. Pogues only." John B says. "And you, of course," he says to Sarah when she pouts dramatically. "Just don't tell your brother. He'll bring everybody in fucking Figure 8."

"Okay," Pope says, getting his game face on. "Let's plan this."

We spend the rest of our meal ironing out the details of this party John B insists on throwing. A keg. Drinking games. Sarah will bring her fancy Bluetooth speakers. He wants to invite everyone in the cut. It'll be a night of the finest debauchery.

The next few days go in a blur. I work each day, on edge my whole shift, expecting Tyler to show up and cause a scene, but he never comes. I don't hear from him, I don't see him, and he doesn't send his stupid kook friends to check on me.

Despite his compliance with the restraining order, a rock still sits in the pit of my stomach. I worry about JJ constantly. Sure, Tyler is legally barred from being in my presence or trying to talk to me, but there is nothing holding him back from going after JJ. He constantly assures me he'll be fine, and that he can handle anything that comes his way. Deep down, I know he can, but he shouldn't have to. Because of me, he has to watch his back every second. Because of me, he's at risk for another fight. If time travel were an actual thing, I'd go back and never even entertain the idea of dating that prick Tyler Mason.

We make it through the rest of the week unscathed, and by Saturday afternoon, everyone besides me has been able to push their worries about my ex-boyfriend to the back of their mind. The group is excited for the kegger tonight, John B the most of all.  He's told everyone he knows about the party, being sure to mention with each invite that no kooks are to be invited. He's confident none will show up.

"Sunny, relax, everything is going to be fine tonight. Just good old fashioned drunkenness at the chateau," he tells me as we sit on the beach after surfing.

"I wish I could stop worrying about it," I say.

"We'll get you drunk enough tonight that you can forget about all of this," JJ says, patting my leg. He leans in and whispers so only I can hear. "And then, I'll make you come so hard you'll forget your own name." I shiver involuntarily at the thought, and he smirks when he sees my reaction.

"So I'm going to get the keg around 8:30," John B tells everyone. "JJ, Pope, you guys can help me get it in the house and set up everything for the party, and I'll see everyone else around 9:00?"

We all agree with John B and head our separate ways after we finish at the beach. I go home and nap for a bit, enjoying the quiet calmness of the house. I try to push all the worry out of my mind, and by the time dinner with the parents rolls around, I'm feeling pretty good. They notice my mood change as we eat.

"You seem... carefree," Mom says as she stabs her fork into a bite of steak.

"I'm trying to let everything go. Tyler hasn't been bothering me, I haven't seen any of his friends... I think things are starting to look up," I tell her.

"That's great, honey. And they'll stay that way. Nothing bad can happen anymore. And here in another week and a half, you can really breathe a sigh of relief, because everything will be even more solid. I just know that judge will grant the permanent restraining order. He has to. You've been through so much."

"Yeah. Let's hope it's all over," I say.

I finish up dinner and clear my plate before heading upstairs to shower and get ready for tonight's festivities. I let my hair air dry in waves, and I choose a short jean skirt and a dangerously low cut tank top as my outfit, knowing JJ will have a suggestive comment ready for me the moment I step foot into John B's.

I gather my things for the night and head downstairs, calling a quick goodbye to my parents as I jet out the door. I pick Kie and Sarah up on my way over to the chateau.

"You bitches ready to get wasted tonight?" I ask as we weave through the streets of the cut. They laugh.

"Yep, drunk as hell," Kie answers. "Also, gonna put the moves on someone tonight."

"Who?" I ask curiously.

"You'll just have to wait and see," she says.

"Kie! Come on! Tell us!" Sarah whines from the back seat.

"Nah."

"Can you at least tell us if it's a guy or a girl?" I ask.

"Nope," she says, popping the 'p'.

"We'll be watching," Sarah warns.

"Well, watch carefully," Kie says with a laugh.

We pull up in front of John B's. I park behind Pope's and JJ's bikes and we climb out of my Jeep. When we head inside, I'm in actual shock. John B, and probably Pope and JJ, too, have cleared away all the fast food bags and old pizza boxes, and all the random beer and soda cans are gone. It's actually neat, for once. The destroyed frat house vibe is gone.

"I'm impressed," I call through the house as we make our way to the kitchen. John B is in there alone, washing a few dishes that are in the sink.

"Babe, you're so domestic," Sarah says as she walks up to him. He leans over and kisses her, his hands still in the soapy dish water.

"I figured I'd rather clean up two smaller messes than one giant one tomorrow," he says with a shrug.

"Where's JJ and Pope?" I ask.

"Out back. They were tapping the keg and draining the foam from the top." There's a knock at the front door as John B starts to drain the sink. "First guests, nice. Can one of you get that?" He asks.

"On it," Kie says as she leaves the kitchen.

"I'm heading out back," I tell John B and Sarah. I walk through the house and out the back door, seeing Pope and JJ standing at the keg. Pope is pumping the tap as JJ holds the nozzle open to drain off the foam from the beer. Pope sees me approaching, and he pokes JJ and points. He glances up, following his gaze. He does a double take when he sees me. "Hey," I say casually as I join them in the yard.

"Fuck, you look hot," JJ says as he snakes an arm around my waist. He leans in to kiss my cheek. "Almost as hot as you'll look later when these pretty clothes are in my floor," he says in my ear.

My mouth quirks up into a grin and I turn his face towards mine, planting a kiss on his lips. "I

You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net