For3ver Read Free

and I was afraid to ask Gage what all the emotions goin' on in my head meant. I knew he'd make fun of me; he'd probably get the other guys to make fun of me too. Grandma used to always say I was the romantic one and Gage was the domineering one. I had no idea what it meant, but when she would talk to Mrs. Reynolds and they'd laugh about Ryley and me holding hands, that's what she'd tell her. 
    Everyday Gage found something to say about Ryley and me; he wouldn't say it in front of her, but he'd always tell me I needed to tell her she couldn't be my girlfriend anymore. I had to ignore him and I did for the longest time, until one day our mama moved back into Gram's house and she brought her boyfriend. 
    We had a half sister, Megan, and when they all moved back into the house things were crowded. Macy hated mama and Rod, her boyfriend. She was the nicest dog in the world, but would always growl and bark at them and my mom would swat at her with the broom, which would make Gage so angry he'd start screaming. Then would come the wrath of Rod, brought on by his fists. Always willing to stand up for my brother, I took a few hits too. I was twelve when I watched Rod hit Megan for the first time. Gage and I attacked him together. Rod locked me in the closet and I heard him take the belt to Gage, fully knowing I was next. This stuff only went on when Gram wasn't in the house.
    After that beating, we were out of school for a week and couldn't go outside. I couldn't even see Ryley because our mom said people from the state would take us away from grandma if anyone saw what happened to us. Rod told Gram, Gage and I did it to each other, and after our mom's threat, we didn't tell her the truth because we didn't want the state to take us away. That was when I realized I didn't want Ryley anywhere around my house. 
    When she'd come over and want to play in the basement I would make her go home. Sometimes I saw Rod looking at her and her mom in a way only a sick pervert would. I tried to tell Gage about it a few times, but ever since the day I made Ryley my girlfriend he didn't want to talk to me much about her. I couldn't take Rod on my own, not that I wouldn't try if he did something to Ryley, but if Gage wouldn't back me, I knew I'd wind up worse than I was when he took the belt to me. 
      "Can I come for dinner today, Liam?" Ryley asked me while we walked home from school.
    She grabbed my hand and I was afraid she'd feel me shaking. I glanced at Gage and he glowered at me.  
      "You can't," I blurted. "You can't come over anymore. My mama doesn't like you, Ry. You can't be my girlfriend anymore neither." It was a lie. My mom barely knew she existed, I just couldn't chance bringing her around Rod; he was too unpredictable. 
    Ryley stopped walking and her hand fell from mine. The look on her face made me hold my breath, wishing my mom never came back with her worthless boyfriend. It's funny how there would be nights I wished my mom never left, that she loved us enough to stay, but in that moment, I wished I never even knew that woman. 
      "Just best friends, Ry," I told her as my heart broke from the hurt on her face. 
    Her backpack fell off her shoulder while she fought with her wrist. I didn't know what she was doing until she threw her bracelet in my face. The bracelet we made together. She didn't know, but I kept mine in my front pocket every day. I couldn't wear it or Gage would have the guys beat me up, but I couldn't be without it either. 
    I caught her bracelet before it fell and I stared at it; it was faded and worn out. The thing was already three years old. I'd fixed it more times than I could count and I knew her mom had too. I slipped her bracelet on my wrist, not caring it was cutting off my circulation. I didn't want to lose it, because I didn't want to lose Ry. 
    That night at dinner, Rod was drunk, it wasn't unusual, but he was hammered enough that grandma wouldn't eat with us. 
      "Megan, eat your damn