Page 52 of Pucking Knox
"Knox!" Harvey's voice seems far away. "Cops are coming. You need to go!"
Sirens pierce the night. Someone pulls me off the Providence player, and suddenly I'm running – through the bar's back door, down alleys, muscle memory from years of fighting and running from cops guiding my feet.
I don't stop until I reach my truck, parked blocks away. Blood drips from my knuckles onto the steering wheel. Some of it might be mine. Some of it probably isn’t.
My phone has seventeen missed calls. Three from my dad, the rest from teammates. Dozens of texts I don't want to read from my dad.
Home. I need to go home.
But "home" hasn't meant my house for months now. Home is Kennedy curled up on my couch, stealing my hoodies and teaching me about campaign politics. Home is her laugh during team dinners, her perfume on my pillow, her voice saying she loves me exactly as I am.
I go to my place anyway.
Ace is waiting, and I’ll be damned.
"You stupid fuck." He stands from my couch as I enter the door, Grey hovering nearby like he expects violence. "You fucking piece of shit."
"Not now, man."
"Yes now." Ace steps closer, hands already fisted. "You made my sister cry. In public. While starting bar fights that could tank your draft chances. So yeah, we're doing this now."
"I did her a favor." The words taste like blood. "She deserves better than—"
His fist connects with my jaw, snapping my head back. I let him hit me again. And again. Let him tackle me to the floor and rain down punches that hurt less than Kennedy's goodbye.
"Enough!" Grey pulls him off eventually. "He's not even fighting back!"
"Because he knows he deserves it!" Ace struggles against Grey's grip. "Knows he's a coward who pushed away the best thing in his life because he's a fucking pussy!"
"You don't understand." I push up to a sitting position, spitting blood.
"Then explain it!" Ace breaks free, hauling me up by my shirt. "Explain why you'd rather destroy everything than admit you love her!"
"BECAUSE I'LL RUIN HER!" The words tear from my throat. "Look at me. Is this who you want for your fucking sister? I’m a piece of shit, just like you said. She’ll fucking leave anyway, bro. Because she deserves someone whole, not someone who—" My voice cracks.
"Who what?" Ace shakes me. "Who’s my best fucking friend? Who sticks up for the ones he loves? The Knox I know is a hard ass that likes a good fucking fight, but he also has a good fucking heart," He jabs my chest, "cracks a good joke, has a good fucking time. You’re simple, man. And my sister, I don’t know why, is fucking head over heels for you, man. And I told you before this all started: I said that’s my fucking sister, and if you fuck it up, I’m fucking killing you. But no, I’ll let you live. Instead, we can’t be fucking friends."
"Yeah," I nod. "Add another one to the pile. Knew you wouldn’t fucking stick around for long either."
Ace snarls, "Fuck you, dude. You have some serious fucking issues."
I shake my head, turning to leave.
Ace says, "I know what started all this bullshit. Your dad showing up at the game tonight? I thought you were better than him but look at you. Drunk. Fighting. Throwing away your future. Fucking things up with people who youclaimto love."
I turn back around, clenching my jaw, meeting his nose with mine. Grey puts a hand between us.
"You wanna keep going, Ace? Huh?" I taunt him, pushing my nose against his.
"You wanna keep fucking acting like him, Knox? Hmm?"
“Fuck you,” I spit.
He pushes me. “Back the fuck up, Knox. You wanna run around and act like a piece of shit? Guess what? I’m fucking done. My family was right about you.”
My fist connects with his face before I realize what I’m doing. He holds his cheek as I glare at him. Pain is radiating in my fist as I wait for what’s coming next.
Ace grabs his cheek and says, "Move out. We’re fucking done here."
