Sin groaned, sensing the dark energy building in his son.“You take care of Ali, sweet girl.I’ll let our boy know everything is fine.”
Taking Roanna’s hand, I walked with her out of the gym, glancing over my shoulder whenever possible.Hopefully Sin got Sixx to relax.If he was distracted for the rest of the tournament and lost, it would be my fault.
On the way to the bathroom, Roanna stopped at one of the vendors.She grabbed a pair of black leggings and a T-shirt that had Sixx’s BJJ team’s logo on it, handing over a few large bills and telling the woman behind the table to keep the change.All the profits went back into the jiu-jitsu academy, funding travel to tournaments and even providing scholarships for the less fortunate students who wanted to participate.
Other women and girls were in the bathroom.Fortunately, the big stall with the baby changing table opened up, and Roanna guided me over to it.There was more room in there so Ro could help me.No matter how many times someone had explained how to use a tampon, I still found it intimidating.
Roanna called my mom while we were in the stall.After explaining what was going on, she offered me the phone.As we talked, I heard Dad’s voice, and he sniffled a few times, but thankfully, there wasn’t any sobbing.I wasn’t sure if I could have held back my own tears if he’d started openly crying like he had with Abi’s period.
Once I was cleaned up, I felt less squishy, but the cramps kept getting more and more intense.
When we got back to our seats, Aunt Kassa’s attention was divided between Bentley on the mats and Caprice at her side.She didn’t seem to have noticed I’d left.
Sin sat waiting for us, with two Diet Cokes from the concessions in his hands.He offered me one of the drinks before producing a bottle of ibuprofen, shaking out enough meds for both Roanna and me.Once I’d swallowed them, he then handed me another hoodie since the one he’d wrapped around my waist earlier was temporarily ruined.
But this one wasn’t Sin’s.
It was his son’s team hoodie.
With a happy hum, I stuffed my arms into the oversized black hoodie that had my best friend’s name on the back, burying my nose in the cotton blend.Another sting of tears burned my eyes, but I shot Sixx a smile that only wobbled a little.
Something wild filled his face for a moment, but it quickly disappeared.I made another heart with my hands.His lips twitched before he dipped his head, once again focusing on the professor’s instructions.
I was so glad I’d come today.
Ali
Sixx–16
Ali–15
MAY
Drenchedin sweat from my PE class, I stuffed my gear into my gym bag.As quickly as possible, I double-checked that I had all the books I needed for the assignments I had to complete over the weekend, trying to ignore the itching from all the sweat.I hated to have sweat on me for too long.Normally, I’d be the first one in the shower and likely the last to leave.
Now the thought of undressing in the girls’ locker room made my skin crawl worse than any amount of sweat.
If I left something behind, I was screwed.There was no way I was going to come back for anything, and I’d fallen behind in two of my classes the past few weeks.
With how close to the end of term it was, and finals speeding toward me, I’d royally fucked up.I only had two weeks before the school year was over, and if my parents found out that I was dangerously close to failing multiple classes, they would lose their shit.Summer school was not an option.It would mean missing the Australian tour my parents were leaving for right after school ended, which would mean spending the break at my godmother’s house instead of traveling with them.
As much as I loved Aunt Lucy, I couldn’t spend an entire summer away from Sixx.He would be in Australia with his parents’ bands, Blonde Bombshells and Tainted Knights.My dad was TK’s lead vocalist, and my uncle Gray was the band’s guitarist.Sixx went on every tour with his parents, as did my cousin Caprice.
No way in hell was I leaving Sixx alone with that bitch for an entire summer.I trusted my boyfriend, and there had never been a moment in our lives when I’d doubted he was mine.It wasn’t jealousy.It was marking and protecting my territory.Caprice lived in her own fantasy world where she thought Sixx was secretly in love with her.A delusion that her mom, my aunt Kassa, helped her feed.
Just because Kassa and Gray were soul mates from childhood did not mean that Sixx and Caprice were destined to be together because she had a crush on him.Caprice needed some serious therapy and maybe some hard-core antipsychotics.She more or less stalked Sixx.More than less.
I wasn’t opposed to people feeding their obsessions, but only if the other person was just as obsessed with them in return.Feeding Sixx’s need for me was something I lived for.The only thing Caprice was going to get fed was my fist if she didn’t keep her eyes off my boyfriend.
Once I had everything in my bag, I threw the strap over my shoulder and was about to sprint toward the student parking lot when my phone pinged.I flinched, the sound having become my biggest anxiety trigger over the last few weeks.Reluctantly, I looked at the screen while I speed walked toward the exit.
Unknown: I really liked the blue panties you wore today.
Unknown: You know blue is my favorite color, don’t you?That’s why you wore them.Just.For.Me.
Bile lifted into the back of my throat.Swallowing with difficulty, I sucked in a few deep breaths as I stepped outside.Fear and disgust flooded my system, making me dizzy.Pausing, I closed my eyes, trying to center myself.
The unknown number had been texting me for weeks now.At first, I’d thought it was one of my friends who had gotten a new number, and I had responded a few times.It hadn’t been, so I’d blocked the contact.Only to get another unknown message the next day.I’d blocked that one too, more annoyed than concerned at the time.
