Ruined (The Hazed Series Book 3) Read online

  RUINED

  A Novel

  BRITTANY BUTLER

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Copyright: Brittany Butler 2016

  All rights reserved. Not part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  1

  FOURTEEN

  “Things will be different from here out,” my mother said for the millionth time. I rolled my eyes and slumped in the leather seat. Trees were blurring past us on the windy road as we drove further from town.

  “You told me,” I sighed, throwing my arms across my chest.

  “You remember everything we talked about last night?”

  I looked at her, brows raised. How could I forget she signed everything my father owned over to me? “Got it.”

  “Don’t abuse it. I would be partial. When you’re older, you’ll be fair. You’ll do what needs to be done. You’ll always be taken care of, and it’s your job to make sure everyone else is.”

  “Whatever, Mom.”

  “We’re here,” she said, turning the wheel. Using my elbows, I pushed up, looking out the window. People in their yards were watching as we drove down the narrow path. I guess it wasn’t every day that a car like ours drove through this shit-hole trailer park.

  “Where’s here?” I asked, stuttering.

  “This is where your father is staying for now. I’m sure it’ll get worked out and he’ll move soon,” she said, smiling reassuringly.

  “Did you take all his money in the divorce?” I asked, confused.

  “No, honey. This isn’t something a boy should be concerned about.”

  “Why aren’t his parents helping him?” I asked, staring wide-eyed as she parked.

  “He has to do this on his own, Hayze.”

  She handed me my backpack, patting my shoulder. Slowly, I opened the door and slung the bag over one shoulder. Looking at the grimy trailer in front of me, I cringed.

  “I’m sleeping here tonight?” I asked, hoping I’d heard her wrong.

  She nodded. “It’ll be fine. Call if you need anything.”

  I watched as she backed the shiny, black Suburban out of the cracking drive-way and drove away. I picked up a rock and it hurled it in her direction. “I’m calling C.P.S.!”

  Groaning, I turned to the house. I kicked the same, small, grey rock until I reach the rotten steps. Tugging my bag up, I walked up and knocked on the door.

  When it opened, my dad wasn’t on the other side. Some girl with long, blonde hair was staring at me. I studied her for a moment; something about her was familiar. She had the same shape of my face and the color of my eyes. Annoyed, I shoved past her.

  “Where’s my dad?” I asked. I saw him sitting on an old sofa next to an older lady.

  “Well, look who it is. My favorite child,” he said, laughing. He didn’t bother getting up. The lady on the couch watched me with amusement. The girl behind me, shoved the door closed and stormed beside me.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, looking between the three.

  “Meet your sister,” my dad said, pointing to the girl beside me.

  I looked at her, disgusted. “Step-sister? You got married?” I asked, looking around the place. He had left my mother and I, and not to mention our lifestyle, for these people.

  He laughed ever harder this time and the woman beside him joined in. “No, you have a sister and two little brothers. That’s why your mom and I aren’t together anymore…Well, that and other things.”

  “You cheated on Mom?” My jaw hit the floor.

  “Everyone cheats, boy. Don’t even bother gettin’ married. Just find a new one every night.”

  The lady beside him gasped. “That’s all over now.”

  “I’m not staying in this dump!” I ran to the door and found that my mother was long gone. I had hoped she came back just in case. Surely she didn’t know what she leaving me in.

  “Don’t come in here insultin’ my new family,” my father said.

  I had never been this angry before. I wanted to punch all of them in the face. I wanted them to feel a portion of the pain I felt right now.

  “They aren’t your family! Me and Mom are!”

  He nodded, “They are my family. They’re yours too, now.”

  I shook my head, angry. “No, they aren’t. We need to leave! Wake up and come home! You’ve kept them hidden out! You’re obviously embarrassed by them!”

  “Hey!” The girl, my sister, yelled at me.

  “I don’t blame him,” I said, looking straight at her.

  Before that moment, I’d never felt pain. My mother wouldn’t allow me to be disciplined. So, I didn’t know what it would even feel like. As soon as my father’s fist connected with my face, I knew pain. I stumbled backwards, trying to keep my conscious. I held the side of my face with surprise. Maybe I was out of line with what I said, but he shouldn’t have done that.

  You can’t tell your son you have families he doesn’t know about, then punch him if he reacts badly. He looked at me, smiling. The closer he got to me, the more I could smell alcohol and something else. Something weird I’d never smelled before. He shoved me once and I scrambled on the ground.

  “Get up. You said all that shit, now be a man,” he said.

  I cowered on the floor, covering my head as he kicked my side. I didn’t care if my mom was outside or not, I sprinted to the door. I yanked it open and flew down the steps and out of the trailer park.

  I wasn’t going back to that place, but I wasn’t going home. I walked along the two-lane road, hoping someone would pick me up. I had no such luck.

  I don’t have many friends to call, just Joel, if that’s what you would call him. For some reason, most kids aren’t allowed to hang out with me. I know my dad has been in some trouble, but that isn’t my fault.

  Sighing, I grabbed my flip-phone from my backpack and dialed Joel’s number. He answered on the second ring. “I need you to steal your mom’s car and come get me.”

  I liked his mom, but I didn’t want her to see me like this. She would run off and call my mom. I knew my face was swelling. I could feel it growing by the second.

  Like always he laughed and agreed. He didn’t need a reason. He liked getting in trouble; hanging out with him would probably be my downfall, but sometimes he was the only one I could turn to.

  2

  Seventeen

  My lungs were on fire. I studied the burning, orange tip, flicking it as I took my mind off the pain. I knew my face was turning red as laughter ripped through my douchebag friend. He had to be playing a trick on me. No one did this for fun.

  I exhaled, a thick cloud of smoke bellowed from my lungs. I sat back on the couch, instantly feeling different. The grey cloud that hung over me before was lifted. When I thought of what happened before, I could only laugh.

  “That motherfucker hit me again,” I said.

  Joel smirked, leaning up, he took the small joint from my hand. “Maybe you aren’t his after all.”

  Briefly, I thought about what it would feel like to hit him. But that didn’t last, I shrugged my shoulders, playing it off. I was too relaxed to care.

  “When did you start doing this?” I asked, my head dropped back, looking at the ceiling.

  “With my cousins a couple months ago,” he said, choking on his words. “You think you like this, just wait.”

  I wasn’t doing anything else. I wouldn’t tur
n out like my father. “Nah, Man, I’m good.”

  It was painfully quiet for a few minutes before I heard him release his breath, sending more smoke into his small room. “You have a sister now?”

  “I’ve always had a sister. I just didn’t know,” I said, annoyed.

  “Is she hot?”

  I tore my eyes from the ceiling, giving him the finger. “No, she’s a bitch.”

  She stole my father, of course I hated her. It didn’t help that she looked like a freak. I kept her a secret for years, but she was moving here next year, and all of my friends would know we were related. I told Joel tonight because he was becoming someone I talked to. He always found humor in everything, which helped. And he was more screwed-up than I was. I guess around here you’re either fucked-up or headed that way.

  The sensation had worn off, leaving me pissed. If only a hit of a joint could make me feel better, imagine what harder things could make me feel.

  “Maybe sometime I could give that other stuff a try,” I said quietly. His parents were in the house, and we didn’t need them barging in here.

  His mouth curved into a smile. You would think I’d just made a deal with the devil himself as he nodded his head in agreement. I could give it a try. One time wouldn’t hurt. I wouldn’t get addicted. I wouldn’t turn out like my dad. I just needed something to turn to when my dad did shit like this.

  I rubbed the side of my face, cringing. I told my mom I ran into the door, and she believed me. Her asshole husband that just moved in told her I was in a fight. She didn’t believe him, but she didn’t know the truth. She didn’t need to.

  This would be the last year of my high school career, and I was done with all of them. I didn’t need them. They only caused me problems. My dad with his girlfriends and kids scattered around the country, my mom that insisted she married the first asshole that she brought home. I didn’t need them anymore. And I was about to find something to make my last year with them bearable.

  3

  EIGHTEEN

  “You’ll never amount to anything,” Glenn, my mother’s husband, said, tossing the remains of what he’d found in my room at me.

  I’d wanted more than anything to pound his face in, but he’d call the cops. I grabbed the clear bag, and stomped down the hall. He should feel lucky I was in my right mind and thinking logically.

  “He didn’t mean it, honey,” my mom insisted, trailing after me. She took two steps to my one, matching my pace.

  “You know you can stay,” she said.

  I shoved the last of my clothes in a duffle bag and walked from my room. I’d never be back in this shithole and she knew it. I’d taken her husband’s shit for too long; I was done.

  The previous days it was the same with Glenn. He’d reminded me what a piece of shit I was and he frequently compared me to my dad. He found weed in my room, so what? I didn’t come here when I was messed up. I never let my mom see me that way.

  I spent most of my time at the lake house anyway. But now I was completely done here. I wouldn’t be back.

  When I got to the front door, Glenn was gone, but my mom was still following me. I clutched the door handle, exhaling before I turned around.

  “Let’s just cool off and talk about it in the morning,” she said, smiling at me. The happiness didn’t reach her eyes. She looked beat down and defeated.

  “Me being here is just causing problems.”

  “That’s not true. I love it when you’re here, Hayze. Besides I know you wouldn’t do those things,” she said and I know she meant it.

  I dropped my hand from the handle, turning all the way around, I looked her right in the eye. “Glenn’s right, Mom. I use.”

  She flinched as if I’d physically hurt her. Looking down, she wiped her eyes and cleared her throat.

  “In that case, you should go,” she said, strangely calm.

  I tightened the duffle bag slung over my shoulder, irritated with them. This was my house; it was in my name. I owned everything, but yet they held it over my head, knowing I’d never kick my mom out.

  “I was already leaving,” I said, unfazed.

  I walked from the house without looking back. I’d left without blowing my fuse, and I wasn’t going to give them a reason to call the cops on me now. With my fist clenched, I threw my bags down and beat the hood of my car. Over and over. The neighbor’s porch light came on; although I wasn’t satisfied, I grabbed my bag and left.

  I grabbed my phone; my thumb hovered over his name, weighing my choices. I hit call, holding the phone up to my ear, I waited until he answered on the last ring.

  “Ever since the day you were born, you’ve had shitty timing,” my dad said as wind slammed into the speaker. He was an asshole, but I was just like him.

  “Your ex-wife’s husband kicked me out…Again,” I said, ignoring his joke.

  “It’s your place.”

  “Fuck ‘em, he can stay. Are you at the lake house?”

  “Yeah, but listen, Son,” he said, and I heard giggling in the background. I rolled my eyes. Somehow that old man still managed to bag girls my age. I used to think it was his money, but now that I owned everything, I knew that couldn’t be it. “I’m entertaining over here tonight.”

  “I’ll call Joel.”

  “You two shits don’t show up here,” he said and I ended the call.

  I slammed my mustang in reverse and drove in the direction of the frat house. I joined the frat and I stayed there off and on, but I couldn’t bring myself to move there. In the last year, I lived wherever the hell I passed out. Recently, that was in the back of my mustang after I’d spent some time with a random chick.

  I never went home for holidays; they only seen me in passing. I spent more time with my dad and with my friends than them. They always seemed to be on my case, Glenn especially.

  When I pulled in the frat house, it was lit from top to bottom. There wasn’t a party going on, but there were always girls over. I passed three intoxicated girls on the way in. One of them grabbed my arm, pulling me to follow her. On another night I would, but everyone is on my fucking nerves tonight.

  I pounded the door, waiting for the signal. I knew better than to walk in Joel’s room without an invitation, you never knew what you’d get with that guy.

  The door jerked open, revealing Joel’s sadistic smile. “Dude, what the fuck?”

  I walked in, tossing my bag on the bed. “I’m done with ‘em.”

  He slumped down in a chair, laughing. “You always say that. Then you go cryin’ back to your mommy. What the fuck do they expect? You’re in college who the hell cares you do some drugs,” he said, shrugging. “Everyone does.”

  “They probably think I’ll get addicted like my dad.”

  He pointed a finger at me. “Wanna know how that won’t be a problem? Don’t ever quit,” he laughed. “I’m not quittin’…. ever. I won’t live long anyway.”

  “Everyone says that,” I said, rolling my eyes at his typical college mentality.

  “But seriously, who the fuck cares. Do whatever you want.”

  I sat on the edge of his bed; my leg bounced. I needed something to take the edge off. “I am. Starting with gettin’ a place.”

  “Stay here. You have a room.”

  Throwing my head back, I snorted. “Fuck that. I’m not stayin’ with these idiots.”

  “You’re getting an apartment?”

  “Yeah. I’ll start looking tomorrow,” I said, rubbing the back of my head.

  “Look for a two bedroom. I’m goin’ with you,” he said, smiling.

  “Your parents are paying for it?” I asked, watching him suspiciously.

  He shook his head. “Nah man, I’m selling.”

  “Damn idiot. We’ll look tomorrow,” I said, standing. I looked around the small room. “What do you have here? The fucker took my coke.”

  He jumped up, chuckling. He walked over to the wooden table beside his bed, searching through the top drawer. He tossed a baggy at me. I
caught it, poured some on the table, lined it up and inhaled.

  “He gave me the weed back,” I said, stepping back. I wiped my nose and pulled out the bag in my back pocket.

  He laughed, going back to his chair. “You should start sellin’ with us.”

  “Fuck that,” I said, pacing around the room. I rested my hand on the door knob. “Who’s here tonight?”

  “Jenny and some of her friends are downstairs.”

  I opened the door, screwing my face into confusion. “Then why the fuck are we up here?”

  He stood, following me out the door and down the hallway. “Apparently drugs are frowned on. Don’t tell ‘em what we did.”

  “I need to be balls deep in one. I’m not going down here to talk,” I said, walking down the stairs.

  Joel laughed, “I feel better about my life when you’re around.”

  I shrugged my shoulders, looking around the crowded living room. “I never disappoint.”

  4

  THE MOVE

  “I’m tight for cash right now.”

  “You’ve been sayin’ that for weeks now Joel,” I said, annoyed. We’d been in our new apartment for two months and he had yet to pay me half of the deposit he owed.

  “I paid half the rent, Man, help me out.”

  I sighed, taking a seat on the couch I’d just bought. I was becoming more and more fed up with him. I’d heard you shouldn’t move in with your best friend, and I was beginning to see that they were right.

  “What can you give me?” I asked, scowling at him.

  “Start sellin’ man. I’ll get you in.”

  “Goddammit, Joel,” I said, pushing off the couch. “Fine, I’ll try it.”

  He clapped once, grinning with victory. “You’ll see. You’ll make a ton of cash…And have extra to use,” he said. He picked up his phone, typing a quick text. Then threw his phone on the couch.

  “Hey, we’re havin’ some people over tonight.”

  I looked at him, annoyed, shaking my head. “This was a bad idea.”