Filed to story: My Life with the Walter Boys Book (I & II) PDF Free
,” Alex said again.
“And if I don’t want to? What are you going to do?”
“This,” Alex told Cole before slamming his fist into his brother’s nose.
Cole stumbled back, crashing into the side of the truck. Alex rushed after him, but Isaac reacted quickly, jumping in to grab Alex’s arms before he could land another hit. Before Cole could regain his focus, Danny stepped in and wrapped his arms around his twin to hold him back.
I should have seen the punch coming. It was long overdue. Alex and Cole were fighting before I arrived in Colorado, but I was a catalyst that instigated a full-out war.
“What the hell?” Cole roared, trying to break free from Danny.
It took a while for everyone to calm down, especially Cole. The other boys seemed just as mad at Cole as he was at us, and they voted to make him walk home. Thankfully, I convinced them to change their minds. I was upset about what Cole said, his words a slap across the face, but I knew things would get worse if we let him fester in anger. We all piled back into the truck, Danny taking the wheel. Cole sat in the front seat nursing his injury and swore at anyone who talked to him. I was in the back, sitting as far away as possible.
“That was awesome,” Isaac said, still laughing. “I mean really, it was the best part of the night. I’ve never seen Cole get decked so hard.”
“Yeah,” Danny agreed. “I wish I had Jack and Jordan’s camera.”
“You better shut your mouth, or you’re going to wish you never said anything at all,” Cole grumbled. Everyone laughed except me.
“Hey, Jackie, you all right?” Alex whispered in my ear. I shook my head no. “What’s wrong? I probably shouldn’t have punched Cole, but didn’t it make you feel a little bit better?”
“My sweater is back there,” I said, trying not to cry. After climbing into the truck, I couldn’t stop replaying the entire night in my head. I had remembered something incredibly important.
“So?” Alex said, shrugging, “It’s just a sweater.”
I turned to Alex with watery eyes. “It has my name on it.”
Chapter 14
The sun was pouring through my windows in the morning, and I rolled over with a groan. Every part of my body was sore, and I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep.
My alarm was going off, but I let it screech as I tried to remember why I was so tired. When I spotted my muddy shoes on the floor, everything came rushing back to me and I slapped my clock off angrily. Getting out of bed was the last thing I wanted to do, but I let my bare feet hit the cold wooden floor and I padded down to the bathroom.
Frustrated with Cole, myself, and everything else, I squeezed the toothpaste tube a bit too hard and blue goo shot all over, squirting over the side of my brush.
“Damn it,” I said grumpily as I flicked the excess toothpaste off into the sink.
As I brushed my teeth, I thought about the day to come. I bet I would be called down to the office during the day. All the receptionists would glare at me with disapproving looks. Then I would be led back to the principal’s office where he would be waiting behind a big wooden desk, my black sweater in hand. My future was ruined.
I’m sorry, Mom, I thought to myself.
Sighing, I spit out the toothpaste and quickly splashed some water on my face. After grabbing my robe, I turned off the lights and headed back to my room. When I stepped inside, I gasped in surprise. Sitting on the end of my bed was my sweater.
I rushed downstairs and flung my arms around Alex. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” I kissed him on the cheek.
“You’re welcome?” Alex answered, somewhat confused.
“You don’t understand how relieved I feel,” I told him.
“Relieved about what exactly?” Alex asked me.
“My sweater,” I said, holding it up. “I just can’t believe you went all the way back out there to get it for me.” Alex stared at me and didn’t say anything. “You did go get it, right?” I asked him.
“Well, now I’m really wishing I’d thought of that,” he said, sounding disappointed in his answer, “but no, I didn’t.”
I turned my head to the other boys in the kitchen. My eyes searched Cole’s face for an answer, but he raised his eyebrows, as if to say retrieving my jacket was the last thing in the world he would do.
“Danny?” I asked. He looked up from the morning paper with an apologetic look and shook his head no.
“You?” I asked, turning to Isaac.
“Sorry, Jackie,” he mumbled through a mouthful of cornflakes.
“Then who?” I asked out loud.
“Isaac,” Katherine said, coming into the kitchen with a coffee mug in hand. “Can you wake up your brother? I can’t believe he’s still sleeping.”
“Sure thing, Aunt Katherine,” he said, getting up and putting his cereal bowl in the sink.
“Lee?” I wondered out loud.
“No, dork,” Isaac said and rolled his eyes. “My other brother.”
During the car ride to school, all the guys chatted about the end-of-the-year party they always hosted. They planned on having it this weekend when Katherine and George were out of town. I listened quietly and watched Lee from my spot in the backseat, trying to understand why he, of all people, went back to get my jacket. Lee was the only one who didn’t seem excited about the party. Maybe it was because he had his face pressed up against the passenger-side window, half asleep.
“All right, everyone out,” Cole said when we pulled into the parking lot. I quickly opened the door and grabbed my bag from the back.
“Ready?” Alex asked me when he retrieved his.
“Just go without me,” I said, still watching Lee slowly unbuckle his seat belt. “I’ll catch up later. There’s something I have to do.”
“Okay,” Alex said before kissing me on the cheek and heading into school.
As I expected, Lee was the last person out of the car, being as tired as he was. By the time he grabbed his backpack from the truck bed, the rest of the guys had already gone. He didn’t even notice me leaning against the back of truck as he slung his bag over his shoulder.
“Lee,” I said as he started to walk away. He stopped for a second but then continued to walk. “Lee!” I called again. When he didn’t turn around, I ran after him and grabbed his arm. “I know you heard me.” I spun him around.