Jack Hammer by Tabatha Vargo, Melissa Andrea Page B

fuck-ups like me.”
    She pinched her lips together, and for the first time since we were caught, tears shined in her eyes. I felt like the true asshole I was.
    “You’re a jerk, Blaine Wesley.” She turned away, pushing herself into the door as much as she could.
    Because I was indeed what she said I was, I didn’t bother to move away from her or try to correct her.
    “And don’t you forget it,” I said into the silence of the car.
    Neither of us noticed the officer beside her door, so when he opened it Chelsey nearly fell out.
    “Change of plans, princess,” he said to Chelsey as he un-cuffed her. “This is where you two lovebirds part ways.”
    There was a look of fear in Chelsey’s brown eyes that hadn’t been there earlier, and I realized as he pulled her from the car that the fear she had was for me and not herself.  As quickly as the fear appeared, it was gone. She turned away and a strange feeling I didn’t understand expanded in my chest making me feel as if I was suffocating.
    She rubbed her wrists as he took her arm and moved her around the car and up the stairs to where her mother waited. I kept my eyes on her the entire way, silently wishing she’d look at me, but she never did.
    Her mother’s glare cut to me and I waited for the window to shatter under her gaze. She looked at me with pure disgust in her eyes while the expression on her face managed to show nothing at all. Only those who saw that look before would recognize and understand it.
    I was nothing to her.
    Nothing.
    Chelsey walked up the concrete stairs and stood in front of the prim and proper woman. Her eyes left mine and settled on her daughter.
    “What have you gotten yourself into, Chelsey?” I heard her mother say through the small opening in the front window of the car. “What the hell were you thinking? Sneaking out? Breaking and entering with that trashy boy?” She motioned toward the car I was sitting in. “You’re better than that. You’re better than him, Chelsey Ford. Did he force you to go?”
    Chelsey stiffened at the harsh words being said about me, and as much as I told myself I didn’t give two fucks what her mother said, I knew there was a small part of me that did.
    “His name’s Blaine Wesley, Mother, and he isn’t trash. I wasn’t forced into anything. I went because I wanted to.” Then her eyes flickered toward the car and I knew she was worried I could hear their conversation. “Can we please finish this inside?”
    There was no life in Chelsey voice as she spoke to her mother. She seemed defeated and deflated. I wanted to kick my own ass for being the one to do that to her.
    “I refuse to believe that,” her mother went on, ignoring her request. “You’ve always been a good girl. This isn’t you, Chelsey. Your father would be devastated.”
    I thought I saw Chelsey flinch, but I couldn’t be sure. She probably hated disappointing her parents.
    “Where is he?” Chelsey’s voice broke.
    “He had to stay in Atlanta tonight and it’s good thing, too. You’re never to see that boy again, do you hear me?”
    She pinched Chelsey’s cheeks between her perfectly painted fingers, forcing her to look at her. Anger shot through my body, and I moved closer to the door. I wanted to get out. I wanted to rip her hands from Chelsey’s soft skin.
    “Do we really have to stand out here to have this conversation, Mother? What will the neighbors think?” I heard the sarcasm in her voice, and by the look on her mother’s face, so did she.
    “Thank you, Officer Jennings.” Her mother turned an icy smile toward the cop.
    “Of course, Mrs. Ford. I’m just glad I was the one to be there tonight.”
    “As am I. And I can assure you this will never happen again.”
    They said their goodbyes, and then we were pulling off. Chelsey was wrapped in her mother’s arms as she moved toward the front door. I could only imagine the fucked up shit her mother was probably saying to her.
    I silently begged Chelsey to