Broken by Vic Johnson (accelerated reader books txt) 📕

‘Nice boot’ I said trying to defuse the tension.

‘Thanks’ she said ‘I call him Roboboot’

‘Good name’ I said. I waited a few seconds for Jack to speak but he didn’t. ‘So you can walk again?’ I say

‘Yeah its fab’ she smiled but it wasn’t a full smile ‘I mean I can get out and about again and I don’t have to sleep in it so I might actually get some sleep’ she glances at Jackson who hasn’t taken his eyes off her.

‘Well good luck, first day back an all’

‘Thanks’ she takes some stuff out of her locker. She looks at Jackson with what I can only describe as hope in her eyes but when he doesn’t say anything she shakes her head and walks away.

‘What the fuck was that?’ I say to him when Beth is out of earshot.

‘What?’ he says finally looking at me.

‘Why you been such a dick?’

‘I’m not I just; I didn’t know what to say’

‘Hello is a good start’ I start to walk away from him but then I turn back around. ‘You know she didn’t want you. You fought for her against everyone and everything that said you couldn’t have her. She got a boyfriend and asked you to stay away but still you fought. You never gave up’ people had stopped and they were watching us. ‘You told me you wanted her and you got her at all costs and now here she is after one of the worst things that could happen to someone and you leave her to deal with that on her own. What happened to fighting for her? You were together and in love and you should have got through this together and instead you bailed on her. You’re a coward’

‘I am not a coward’ he said squaring up to me.

‘Are you gonna hit me for saying the truth?’

He stepped back ‘Jack mate you’re my best friend and I love ya man but you let her down and you let yourself down. This could have made you inseparable but instead you let it tear you apart. She will never forgive you you know? She told Brooke she couldn’t believe you hadn’t even sent a text asking how she is’

‘It’s too god damn hard Charlie’ he shouted and stormed off outside. I followed him. He turned round and looked at me ‘do you know what it’s like in one of them places? I’ll tell you it’s horrible.’

‘I don’t doubt it. I want you to tell me everything. Then you’re going to go find Beth and you’re going to tell her why your been such an ass and start fighting again.’ 

He was right. I know what he is saying is right but it’s hard to relive it. I was only there six days but they were the longest of my life. We missed first period while I told him what happened. He was right though I had to talk to Beth. I had fought for her. I told her I loved her. I came between her and Freddie. I promised not to hurt her and then I did at the worst possible time too.

She was sat with Brooke and her friends at dinner so I couldn’t talk to her then. Last period was Biology and she was still my lab partner so I could try then.

She was already sat at the table when I got there. I went and sat next to her and the teacher came up behind me.

‘Beth nice to see you back’ Mr Hardaker said

She smiled but it wasn’t her real smile. ‘Here is all the work I did for your class while I was off’ she said pulling a folder out of her bag.

‘Thank you I will take a look at that later’ he took it from her and went back to the front of the class.

‘Hi’ I said.

She ignored me

‘I’m sorry’

She still ignored me

‘I’d like to explain why I haven’t been around’

Still she ignored me

‘Please Beth’

‘No’ she said looking at me finally

‘No?’

‘I.don’t.care’ she said looking away.

‘I love you’ I said

‘Course you do’ she said still looking to the front of the class.

‘I know you hate me right now and what I did was inexcusable but I would just like some of your time so I can explain’

‘I don’t hate you. That’s the problem’ just then the teacher started the class so we would have to finish our conversation after.

When class was finished we all started to pack up our stuff. Freddie came to our table.

‘You ready?’ he asked Beth.

‘Yeah sure’ she replied.

‘Beth?’ I said.

She turned to look at me. ‘You know where I live’ and she walked off.

‘You don’t deserve her’ Freddie said as he walked off behind her. Why was he taking her home? Where was Brooke?

I left school and went to my car. Charlie was stood waiting. He didn’t say anything; he just got in the car when I opened it. We went all the way to my house in silence.

When we went in the house we headed to the kitchen the same as always but this time we stopped before we went in. My mum was having a heated argument with Jessica. We looked at each other then leaned in closer so we could hear better.

‘You’re my best friend’ Jessica said.

‘Was’ My mum replied

‘We can’t get passed this?’

‘You sent my son to jail for something he didn’t do so no we can’t get passed it’

‘I miss you’

‘Whatever, just get out of my house’

‘Tammy come on. I’m truly sorry.’

‘It doesn’t matter. Get out of my house’

It was silent for a minute then the door flung open in front of us. We both stood dead still. She shook her head and walked past us. We both pulled a face at each other then went in the kitchen.

‘Hi boys you hungry?’ my mum asked when she spotted us.

‘Yeah I am’ Charlie said.

‘Actually I’m gonna get changed and see if Beth will go to dinner with me’

Charlie smiled but my mum looked worried.

‘Sweetie come here’ I walked over to her and she hugged me.

‘What was that for?’ I asked

‘I don’t want you to get your hopes up. I was talking to Max and he said Beth is in a bad place. She is putting on a brave face in front of people but it’s bad Jackson and you left her.’

‘I know I left her. I wish people would stop saying it like I don’t know’ I snapped.

‘I know this is tough but have you ever thought that maybe you’re not meant to be. I mean you’re only seventeen and your relationship fell apart at the first sign of trouble. I think you two should let it go’

‘Ha wow ok. That’s really what you think?’

‘I don’t want you to get hurt’

‘I’m already hurt’ I turned to Charlie ‘what do you think?’

‘Honestly?’ he asked. I nodded. ‘I get where your mum is coming from. It seem like you - both of you - went to a lot of trouble for a relationship that went south really fast but I don’t think I have ever seen you as happy as you were when you were with her so I would say you gotta try man. You’ll always regret it if you don’t’

‘You have gotten very wise lately’ I laughed. He walked over to me and pulled me into a hug which he has never done before. I hugged him back and then he looked at me.

‘I lost the person I love. I betrayed her and I hate myself for it. I can’t forgive myself because she can’t forgive me. If she forgives you then forgive yourself. You did everything you could that night. Just tell her what you told me earlier’

‘Ok’ I said not knowing what else to say. Had he always been this insightful?

I got changed got in my car and went straight to Beth’s. Max was reading the paper on the porch. I was more nervous about talking to him then Beth.

‘Well well well’ He said. ‘Look what the cat dragged in’

‘Hi’ was all I could say.

‘You’ve got some nerve’ he stood up. He looked like he was going to hit me. I would deserve it if he did. ‘She doesn’t want to see you’

‘She told me to come’ I say quietly.

‘Did she now? Did she tell you that she hasn’t slept in weeks? That when she finally does sleep she wakes up screaming in a hot sweat from nightmares. Did she tell you she is afraid to be in the house by herself? That we had to add extra locks so she felt safer?’ I didn’t say anything. ‘No you don’t know because you gave up on her, the one thing I asked you not to do’ just then the door opened and Beth was stood there.

‘It’s ok Max I can handle it from here’ she said.

Max nodded and headed into the house. ‘I don’t like you right now’ he said before he closed the door.

‘I don’t like me much either’ I said and he closed the door.

Beth was on crutches keeping her foot off the ground. She sat on the porch swing and put her foot on the little table. I grabbed a cushion and put it under her foot.

‘Where’s your boot thing?’ I asked.

‘I only need him when I’m walking so I try not to wear him in the house’

‘Him?’ I ask

‘Yeah, Roboboot’ she sighed. ‘Why are you here Jackson?’ She still called me Jackson. Everyone else called me Jack but she never did.

‘To explain’ I said sitting sideways so I could see her. ‘Do you wanna go get some food?’

‘I’ve already eaten but we could go for a drive somewhere’

‘Ok sounds good’

‘I’ll get Roboboot’ she says grabbing her crutches.

‘No need’ I say and I bend over and pick her up. She doesn’t seem too happy about it but she doesn’t stop me either. She puts one hand around my neck and the other holds the crutches. She is so close to me and can feel her breath on my face.

I help her into the car then get in myself and drive off. We don’t speak the whole way.

I pull up at the beach and she sighs again. I get out and go to the trunk. I put on my coat then get out a couple of blankets. I go round to Beth’s side and help her out the car.

She stands lent against it while I lock the car then I pick her up again and start to walk down the beach.

Once I get to where I want to be I set her down gently then put one of the blankets down for us to sit on then I help her sit down. I take the other blanket and wrap it round her shoulders. It’s going to get dark soon so it will get cold. We were having a very mild November.

‘Do you know where we are?’ I ask her.

She looks at me like I’ve lost my mind. ‘We are at the beach’

‘Tut yeah I know I mean what part of the beach? Can you remember what happened here?’

She looks around for a minute then looks back at me ‘this is where you told me you loved me’

‘Yeah. I’ve been coming here a lot lately’

‘Why?’ she