Page 27 of Stick Around
“Gracie Campbell, I love you. Will you marry me?”
Billy opened the box to reveal a sparkling, white gold diamond ring. He had scoured three different jewelry stores in the city, coming out empty-handed each time, before finding the perfect ring at a small antique shop. It was beautiful and classic, with a large cushion cut diamond taking center stage, but the small, sapphire accents on either side made it stand out from all the other rings he’d seen. Made him picture it on Grace’s finger.
His heart hammered in his chest as he stared up at Grace, searching her tear-streamed face for an answer.
She opened her lips to speak when the roar of Noah’s truck pulled both of their attention to the driveway. The truck barrelled over the curb before Noah slammed it into park, half on the driveway and half on the lawn. He jumped out of the driver’s side, leaving the door wide open behind him as he stormed across the grass.
“You’ve got some balls of steel showing your face here.”
Billy sighed and rose to his feet, holding his hands up. “Noah, calm down.”
Noah charged ahead, forcing himself between Billy and Grace. He grabbed Grace by the arm and yanked her back.
“Whoa.” Billy fisted his hands and stepped shoulder to shoulder, nose to nose with Noah.
Noah thrust his chin up. “I told you when we were what? Fifteen, sixteen years old? Keep your trashy hands off my sister. You can have any skank you want. But you gotta come prowl on my sister? I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the dirtbag tree at the Miller house.”
“Excuse me?” Grace leaned in, but Noah still had one hand clamped around her arm, holding her away from Billy. “Who are you to say who can and cannot touch me?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t know how shitty guys like Billy can be.”
“No, Noah. It’s how shitty you can be. You’re the one with a trail of women behind you, not Billy. You’re the one who slept with every girl who batted an eyelash at you and then never called them again. But just because you’re an asshole doesn’t mean every other guy is too.”
Noah rolled his eyes and scoffed. “That’s what you think? It is, isn’t it? You know what? Fuck you both. You want to let him ruin your life, go right ahead. I’ve been trying to keep you from making this mistake for years now and I get called an asshole for my trouble, so go right ahead. Maybe I was wrong, maybe he’s exactly what you deserve. Go pop out a bunch of his little trailer park trash babies and sit around clipping fucking coupons.“
The veins in Billy’s neck pulsed as he watched Noah berate Grace. As she shrank smaller and smaller, turtling into herself.
“You want the whole town thinking of you like that? You know how much Mom and Dad care about that shit. They’ve busted their ass to make a good name for us and you’re going to trade it in to be a fucking Miller? Obviously you don’t give a shit about this family, but why should I be surprised? You’ve always been a spoiled, selfish little bitch.”
Crunch.
The sound of his fist connecting with Noah’s jaw hit Billy’s ears before he’d registered his decision to throw a punch.
Thump.
Noah’s body dropped to the grass and for a beat, there was silence.
And then Grace’s scream hit Billy’s ears and his ribcage became a vise.
Fuck.
Grace lunged to Noah’s side and lifted his head. A bright red stream was running from his nose, but his eyes were open.
“Shit. I’m so sorry,” Billy stammered. “That was stupid. Really stupid. I—”
She looked up to him, her eyes red and shimmering with tears.
“Grace—”
The front door of the house slammed open. Billy fell silent and his stomach hardened. Mr. Campbell flew outside, his eyes darting first to Billy, then to Noah and Grace on the grass. His jaw set as he pieced together the scene he’d stumbled into.
Billy’s face burned. He looked from Mr. Campbell to Grace. She was staring up at her father, her eyes filled with panic. Mr. Campbell’s hands grappled at his sides and he stalked the few steps across the lawn to stand toe to toe in front of Billy.
“Is this you?” The words seethed from his mouth as he nodded toward Noah.
“Yes.” Billy’s posture sunk forward. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Campbell. It was a mistake. Noah was yelling at Grace and I—”
“Look at me,” he hissed. Billy lifted his eyes to meet Mr. Campbell’s icy glare. “You,” he stabbed Billy’s chest with his finger, “are trash.” Billy’s throat constricted. “My family won’t forgive you for what you’ve done to Grace. She had a perfect life laid out in front of her and you destroyed it. You’re a thoughtless, worthless little shit. Do not show your face at this home again. You do not belong here.”
