Shattered Chances: A Breaking Black Companion Novel (8 page)

The situation at home had improved some. Dave hadn’t hit me again since Randy threatened him last year. His abuse didn’t keep my mother from marrying him, and Randy’s threat didn’t keep Dave from speaking to me like garbage. I had a feeling that Randy would go completely apeshit if he knew how Dave talked to me.

It hurts, but I have to suck it up. I still have a year left at home. Sticks and stones, right?

***

I was bored half to death in Dr. Melson’s Social Sciences class when a crumpled up piece of paper hit my desk. I smiled, thinking it was Randy. Uncrumpling the paper, I was surprised to see it was not. The scrawl that filled the paper is messy and hurried.

Christine Campbell hung herself last night. Trent got her hooked on heroin, left her cold turkey to detox and she had a mental breakdown. I heard him talking to some guys in the locker room saying he was going to find a replacement for Christine and Trent mentioned your name. Randy beat the ever loving shit out of him. Two day suspension. Watch your back around Trent.

~Colt

When I looked back, Colt was giving me a hard glare. Sure enough, both Randy’s and Trent’s seats were empty. I pulled a piece of loose leaf paper out of my three ring binder and wrote a note of my own.

Drive me up there after school?

I passed the note back and waited for confirmation. After reading the note, a dark look crossed Colt’s face but after some deliberation, he nodded his head in agreement.

***

I met Colt in the parking lot after school. I was surprised to see he wasn’t alone. Randy’s sister Averi sat in the passenger seat beside him. Raising an eyebrow, I wondered if Randy knew. Climbing in the backseat of the car, I said hello but was met with Averi’s worried glance.

“Don’t tell my brother.”

“I won’t. That is your business.”

After a brief pause, I ask, “Tell me about Christine Campbell.”

Colt’s eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. “She was my friend. I’m the one who found her, you know.”

“I’m sorry, Colt…”

“Yeah, me too. I warned her to stay away from him.”

“From Trent?”

“Yeah…”

“Randy warned me, too.”

“He’s right to. Christine lived in the same group home as me.”

“What happened? Did she go off the rails from detoxing and the break-up?”

“There’s something you need to understand about Trent. He uses girls. He only keeps them around for as long as they are useful to him.”

“Christine was on the straight and narrow before she started hanging out with Trent,” Averi added.

“Tell me exactly what happened today.”

Averi turned around, her eyes were on fire.

“You know my brother’s a total hot head, right?”

“I’ve been with him for a year and a half, Ave. Nothing he does surprises me.

“Well this time it wasn’t an over reaction. Trent was trash talking to three other guys in the locker room. He was talking about Christine. Trent sounded like he was bragging.”

Colt shook his head as he kept eye contact with me in his rearview.

“If Randy hadn’t gotten to him first…”

Colt’s eyes were downcast with anger.

“Anyway. That’s when Randy walked in. He gave Trent his usual scowl and turned to his locker to get his shit. Trent baited him. Brought your name up, said just watch, you’ll be the next Christine Campbell.”

“To put it plainly, Randy lost his shit.”

I sigh as I process what Colt just told me.

“I have no interest in Trent Myers.”

“Whether you do or not, Trent has his eyes on you. Be careful.”

***

Colt dropped us off at the bottom of the driveway. His eyes zoned in on Averi as she departed the car.  As soon as her car door slammed shut, he quickly pulled off before anyone else spotted him. I glanced at Averi who was watching Colt’s black Mustang tear up the dirt road, leading nothing but a cloud of dust behind. I couldn’t help myself.

“Are you two…?” I asked curiously.

Averi laughed a little, “Good friends. Don’t tell my brothers.”

Mmmhmmm… Good friends my ass.

Averi had turned and started to make her way up the winding dirt path towards the house. She was always nice towards me, but she was also very quiet at times. I never knew what was going through her mind. I didn’t make female friends easily, typically being the only girl on my sports teams. Sometimes I could come off as aloof. The fact of the matter was, I often didn’t know what to say. But I imagine, if given the chance, she and I could be good friends.

***

“Oh, Cheyenne… How nice to see you, honey! Averi, sweetie… Dinner is almost ready.”

Mrs. Hall fussed over us as we entered the house, taking our book bags and making us feel at home. I always felt like family at Randy’s house.

Raised voices carried into the foyer from upstairs. Hank was laying down the law but Randy was ferociously telling his grandfather the fact of the matter.

“You’re the one who told me to stand up for the people I care about. I AM!”

“I just don’t want you getting expelled.”

“I didn’t, now, did I? It’s a two day suspension at the end of the school year. What would you do if you heard that a man wanted to harm Gram?!”

Hank had suddenly grown quiet.

“That’s what I thought!”

Mary saw my eyes look toward the steps with worry. She brought her hand to my chin and made me look into her soft brown eyes.

“Don’t you worry your heart on it. Randy just did what he thought was right. His grandfather would have done the same.”

Mary wrapped her arm around my shoulder as she led me into the dining room.

“Come help me set the table.”

I did as she asked, helping Averi bring plates, bowls and flatware to the table. When the door of the dining room opened again, Hank and Randy had entered with smiling faces. They were laughing. Apparently, they had come to an understanding.

That is when I saw Randy’s lip. Under the bright natural light of the dining room, I saw the aftermath of the fight on Randy’s face. His lip was swollen and bruised, and there were scratches on his arms.

“Randy, your lip!” I exclaimed.

He looked surprised to see me.

“There’s my girl…” he said ignoring my statement.

“Are you alright?” I asked as I walked over to him, intent upon inspecting his lip.

“I’m good. C’mon. I’m hungry.”

“There’s a news flash,” Averi said facetiously.

Hank laughed, “He’s good. You should see the other guy.”

I gulped down air in anxiety.

After dinner, I waited for Randy to broach the subject, but he didn’t. Instead, we went to his bedroom to watch a movie. I watched him as he went to the movie cabinet as he decided on which movie to put on.  I knew it would be two of his all time favorites,
Die Hard
or
Lethal Weapon
. Lo and behold,
Lethal Weapon
it is. As the movie came on, I tackled the elephant in the room.

“So are you gonna tell me what happened today, or what?”

“Let’s just enjoy the movie. I took care of it,” Randy said nonchalantly, stretching his arms and pulling me into his embrace.

Rolling my eyes, I started to protest, but his hand quickly covered my mouth. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Ssssh! The movie’s coming on!”

***

Randy knew this movie by heart. He blurted out the actor’s lines before them and put on a more entertaining performance than the Hollywood A-Listers had. While I was bored to death with the movie, Randy’s antics never got old. As the credits rolled, I looked at the clock. It was almost 9:00.

“Hey Randy…”

“Yeah, babe…”

“Mind if I check my mail? Dumb ass forgot to pay the bill.”

“Go ahead. Chatting with the girls?”

“Of course. Every night.”

“Tell them I say hi,” Randy said with a wink as he flopped back on his bed.

I went over to his computer desk and I spun around in the red computer chair. I shook his mouse to wake up the monitor. I was surprised to see that Randy was already signed on. Someone named Paul was im’ing Randy, a conversation that looked like he abandoned hours ago. I didn’t want to pry, but the conversation was right there.

Paul: So you got your retarded ass suspended, huh?

Randy: That is not a nice word. My grandma is going to beat your ass.
 

Paul: Your grandma is a little scary at times.

Randy: Shut up, she’s cool as shit.

Paul: So what happened?

Randy: I overheard this asshole Trent talk about how he got his ex addicted to heroin. He deals. When things fell apart between them, he stopped supplying her. That girl hung herself last night.

Paul: FUCK.

Randy: I know. You haven’t heard the worst.

Paul: Go on…

Randy: Told his boys that Cheyenne was next. That she was an easy target.

Paul: Oh, hell no.

Randy: One of the guys asked how. He said all he does is corner them at a party or when they’re alone on the street. He catches them when they’re at their lowest. He knows her home situation is fucked up.

Paul: So what did you do?!

Randy: What would you do?! I t-boned his ass onto the ground and started punching. I swear it was like I blacked the fuck out. The next thing I remember is Colt pulling me off of him.

Paul: Wow…

Randy: You wouldn’t have done the same?

Paul: Threaten a girl I love? He’d be dead meat. You love her, right?

Randy: Isn’t it obvious?

Paul: Just a little…

***

I processed the conversation silently as I logged him off and logged onto my own account. All at once six ims came through.

Damn, bitches. Chill.

CheyC311 has been invited to a private chat room.

DanaDelish: Yes! She’s on time tonight!

TessaROX: OMG. It’s going to snow.

AshleyLUVSAnthony19: Finally, she graces us with her presence.

CheyC311: Hey guys. I’m still at Randy’s…

Carlyx96: Hubba hubba.

TessaROX: Is he there?!

AshleyLUVSAnthony19: Chill Tessa.

MandyMayhem82: Oh, hell. Poor Randy.

CheyC311: He’s here. He says h
i


OoMissyx15oO: Tell Randy to get his ass in the chatroom.

MandyMayhem82: No boys allowed!

Carlyx96: What’s wrong, Mandy… You and Eddie fighting again?

MandyMayhem82: All men are dogs.

AshleyLUVSAnthony19: LOL LOL LOL

TessaROX: Ask Mandy again in two days.

CheyC311: I can’t stay but I just wanted to say hi!

TessaROX: Hey! You just got here!

DanaDelish: Get back here!

AshleyLUVSAnthony19: She has to go “take care” of Randy

Carlyx96: And by “take care” she means she has to jump his bones…

AshleyLUVSAnthony19: Just one.

CheyC311: LOL! You guys are sick. Byes!!!!

19.

Randy

There was no way in hell that I was telling her verbatim what the sick bastard said. Her life was hard enough as it is. I want her to be able to enjoy the time she spends with me. Not spend it worrying about that creep. I’m not going to deny my concern over the issue. Trent was smug about his ex’s suicide. That is not a normal reaction… and when I heard him say Chey’s name… I fucking lost it. Apparently he has a concussion and a fractured eye socket.

Shrug.

Good
.

20.

Cheyenne

School seemed empty without Randy. There was still buzz about Christine’s death but I ignored the chatter. It was gossip at this point. I hope people will remember Christine for how she was before Trent destroyed her life, rather than for her shocking end. I found myself wondering if Trent was really as bad as people said. There were two sides to every story. Later that day, I found out that there are actually three: