One Second: Chapter 7 – I Wish It Would Rain
Riley had been walking around near the café for just over an hour. She was thinking about what happened as well as what she told Jack. She was starting to regret telling him, he didn't need to know, Angel should have been the one she told first, not her best friend's brother. Then again, Jack hadn't given her a single reason not to trust him.
She jammed her hands into her jean pockets and leaned against the front of the café, she had made her way back towards her work. She leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky. The clouds were a dark gray; rain was threatening to spill any minute.
Riley pulled her car keys out and suddenly ran at her car. She was in the car in less than thirty seconds, her tires squealing as she hit the gas pedal. People outside the café were watching her as she sped off down the road, somewhat shocked at her erratic behaviour.
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It had been raining for a good twenty minutes, Jack had been timing. He was sitting on a chair in the front porch just watching the rain pour down. It was similar to a torrential downpour, the thunder echoed loudly in the sky, the lightning lit up the sky for a quick second. He was just watching the storm and trying to understand Riley's story from the previous night.
Sure Kevin Mackenzie was a major asshole in Jack's eyes even before he found out about the rape. It was ninth grade when Kevin had picked on Jack just for wearing the leather jacket and acting like a punk. It had just gotten worse from there. In grade ten, Kevin had started to pick on Jack more, teasing him constantly and even shoving him around on occasion. It wasn't until the end of grade ten that the big fight happened.
Jack had been minding his own business as he sat under the giant oak tree outside the front of the school. He was waiting for Bobby to pick him up after school so he could make it to an appointment on time. Kevin Mackenzie had been sitting on the front steps just a few feet away, with a couple of his guy friends.
Kevin had started to throw grapes at Jack, taunting him, trying to get under his skin. Jack had started out successfully ignoring him, which just made Kevin angrier. Jack glanced over at his tormentor and glared, making him stop. Kevin only stopped because he was thinking about better ways to make Jack mad.
Jack knew Kevin wasn't done, he was just praying that it would be a first and Kevin would leave it. How wrong he was.
Kevin stood up, wandering closer to Jack, the two guys following his lead. Jack looked up at him and glared. Kevin squatted down and smirked at Jack.
"You know Jack, I'm starting to wonder about you."
Jack was trying his hardest not to say or do anything as Kevin continued to jerk him around.
"I mean I have yet to see you with anyone so answer my question okay. Do you have any friends at all?"
Kevin and his boys started to laugh hysterically. Typical assholes.
Jack broke eye contact with Kevin and looked to his right. He spotted Riley, standing there with a couple of her gal pals. He wasn't exactly friends with Riley but she talked to him occasionally, not very often but occasionally. Kevin followed his gaze and laughed harder.
"Oh you and Riley Samuels?" Kevin laughed.
"Fuck off." Jack muttered.
That was the breaking point for Kevin; he had Jack right where he wanted him.
"I hear she's best friends with some big black guy." Kevin said, teasing Jack once again.
"Yeah, so?" Jack asked, clearly not liking where Kevin was going.
"A girl like her, apparently she has needs only the black guys can fill and I hate to break it to ya Jackie Baby but you don't have any kind of balls at all, let alone-"
Jack had stood up and was eye level with Kevin. He glared at him, breathing heavily, trying to remain somewhat calm but Kevin was pushing his buttons.
"Oh Jackie Boy what are you going to do?"
"Mackenzie I will rip your throat out and shove it up your ass." Jack retorted.
He had quickly glanced over at Riley, a split second look, and had seen the shock on her face. Back then she was a huge fan of Kevin's, not exactly knowing what kind of monster he was. She also knew a little bit about Jack, from Angel, and didn't think he was the kind of person to get into a confrontation.
Here he stood though. Face to face with Kevin Mackenzie. Each was staring into the other's eyes, daring them to make the first move. Kevin's boys were dead silent, watching in awe at what was happening.
There was also a small crowd gathering around as well as people watching from where they stood. Riley had her eyes glued on the two of them.
Jack has his fists ready to go, Kevin had his stance set, waiting for any kind of signal that he was going to be fighting. Jack just stared at him, ready to take a punch.
"If I was a girl, we'd be having a catfight right now, wouldn't we Jackie?" Kevin grinned evilly at him.
Jack's fist flew up at Kevin's jaw so fast that only the people who were already watching had any idea of what was going on. Riley had seen it and was torn between impressed and disgusted. Impressed at how hard he had punched Kevin but disgusted by the fact that he hit Kevin Mackenzie.
Kevin stumbled backwards a few inches. He would never have been able to prepare himself for that kind of punch. Jack's punch was the hardest hit he had ever taken.
"Fuck Mercer," Kevin replied, still with the grin, "Didn't know you had it in you."
Jack's fist flew back at Kevin, smoking him in the cheek. Kevin shook his head before striking a blow back at Jack, landing one on Jack's eye. Both boys were going to have bruises on their faces, that was a given.
Jack had lunged at Kevin, tackling him to the ground where both boys struggled to gain the upper hand. They ended up just rolling back and forth, trying to get an arm free to throw a punch.
It was Bobby who finally stopped the fight. In all the commotion, Jack had totally missed his car pulling in. Bobby had climbed out of the car and had taken a hold of Kevin's shirt collar. He tossed Kevin off to the side before grabbing the back of Jack's leather jacket.
"What the hell are you doing?" Bobby was yelling at Jack as he looked between the two boys.
"Let me go!" Jack was wriggling to get free to go after Kevin again, Bobby wasn't going to let him go.
"Look you little Shit," Bobby held onto Jack even as he spoke to Kevin, "you touch my brother ever again and I will turn those two pretty little nostrils into one giant hole, you hear me Fucker?"
Kevin just stared at Bobby, scared to death. Bobby's reputation was well known at the high school, Kevin knew all too well who Bobby Mercer was and more importantly, what he was capable of.
"Yes sir." Kevin's voice was shaking more with every word.
Bobby glared at Kevin as he made his way back to the car. Jack was struggling against his grip, trying to break free.
He was thrown into Bobby's car as Bobby slammed the door on him. Jack watched Riley walk over and pick up his books as Bobby pulled away. She gave him his books back later that night when she stopped by to see Angel. He never really did thank her for it.
Now, the rain still poured down, Jack remaining dry in the shelter of the porch. He watched as the streets collected the fallen rain, the water rushing to the nearest sewer grate.
The only thing that wrecked the beautiful sight of a mild natural disaster was Riley's bright red car splashing the water up onto the grass as she sped down the road, closing in on the Mercer house. Jack stood up as she pulled into the driveway. She hopped out of her car and ran up the steps. She was soaking wet even before she hopped out of the car. Jack just stared at her. The devious smile on her face was frightening.
"Hey Riley." He was trying not to sound uneasy from the look on her face.
"You'll never believe what I did." She grinned at him. Not a good grin, it was more of an evil grin.
"Oh hell, what did you do?" Jack dropped his hands down to his sides and threw his head back in frustration.
He knew that what she was about to tell him wasn't going to be a good thing.
Hey Reviewers, I just wanted to say thanks for all your great comments. I really do appreciate them. So please, keep them coming...
