Untamed

Truth

“I am starving,” Ruby complained.

Both Janelle and I looked at her. “Do you want to grab a bite first and then head over to Travis’ place?” And maybe find a place to stay over for the night because they weren’t done fixing the water leak back at the dormitory.

Ruby nodded. “Maybe we should get something for the guys as well?” She suggested. “It’s the least we can do. They did kind of helped us out.” Janelle and I acknowledged her suggestion and made our way over to the pizzeria before calling a cab to take us over to Travis’ place.

We got ourselves a round of drinks while we waited. “It feels like I am babysitting a child,” Janelle remarked when Ruby was the only one who ordered a double thick milkshake with an extra gulp of cream and sprinkles.

Ruby ignored her remark at first when she swivelled her straw around in the shake and pulled it out before licking it clean. “Boo-hoo. Just admit it. You are jealous because I can have this remarkable milkshake while you are stuck with water and lime.” I stifled a chuckle.

Janelle rolled her eyes at Ruby but I saw the smile on her lips that she was trying to hide. “That thing is covered in bad choices,” Janelle muttered.

“They are my bad choices.” Ruby pointed out. She took a huge gulp which made Janelle pull her nose up in disgust.

I snickered at Ruby’s attempt to mock Janelle by continuing to down her milkshake. Completely unbothered by Janelle’s disapproving look.

“Evening.” A familiar deep voice greeted.

We looked at the person in unison. Damian was standing at the end of our table, surrounded by four other guys just as tall and big as him, if not bigger.

“Heard that the girl’s dormitory had quite an interesting morning,” Damian said gazing at Janelle now and again.

“What’s so interesting about having a water leak?” Ruby asked.

His eyes shifted to her and he quirked an eyebrow. “Having girls complain.” One of Damian’s pals commented.

Ruby gave him a baffled look. “Is that all you can think about when it comes to girls waking up and having no water? That we whine and complain?” Ruby asked him, unshrinking. “I want to see how well you will handle this situation when you wake up and your whole floor is covered in water. Including your PlayStation, tv and computer.”

“I don’t have those kinds of things to be worried about.” His friend replied.

Ruby shrugged. “Good for you then.”

“Do you need a ride?” Damian asked when our food arrived.

“We’re good,” Janelle answered. “Our ride is here.” She motioned for Ruby and me to get up.

I glanced over my shoulder and I almost smiled when I saw Travis and Zack entering the pizzeria. Travis was dressed in track pants and wearing a Fox branded t-shirt. His hair was standing in all kinds of directions as if he has been running his fingers through it.

He smiled at me when our gazes locked but it vanished when his eyes landed on Damian.  

Damian didn’t look any better. “Ah, the knight in shiny armour returns.” Damian mocked to which Travis just gave him a blank look unlike Zack who was ready to pounce on him but Travis held him back.

Damian then looked at Janelle. “You are not even back for a week and you’ve already made yourself comfortable with Travis?”

“Maybe you should try and be more like him.” Ruby cut in. “He isn’t such an egotistical prick like you.” I wanted to cover Ruby’s mouth and by the looks of it. Janelle wanted to strangle her.

“Yeah, that might be true but he likes touching what doesn’t belong to him,” Damian said.

“A girl is not some object, Collins. And let’s be clear. I didn’t touch your girl but why am I even wasting my breath on you?” Travis replied, calmly.

“What about Isabella? Trying to get into her pants while she was intoxicated? Did you try it with Ruby as well?” I stood up from the bunk and pushed them apart.

Travis complied but Damian was a stubborn ass. “Do you also have her wrapped around your cowardly pinkie, Richards?”

“Quit it, Damian,” Janelle said stepping in front of me and pushed Damian back. He barely moved because he was a tall and big guy.

He gave her a surprised look. “You don’t know anything. Maybe you should wipe your mind clean from all that bullshit Isabella told you and maybe you would see that you were also just another puppet to her.”

“Travis never touched me. Neither did he touch Isabella. I can’t say the same about the people you call your friends.” Travis softly grasps Janelle by her upper arm and pulled her away from Damian.

“That’s enough. Go with Zack and Ruby.” He told her. She wanted to object but he shook his head at her. “This is not the time or place.” He told her gesturing to the eyes they’ve drawn.

Janelle looked at Damian one last time. “I’m also not the person responsible for what happened to Ruby.” She then walked away with his eyes following her out.

His eyes shifted back to Travis. “You have always been the “nice” guy. I now see why she ran to you when…”

“When you broke her heart by screwing her best friend even though you knew how she felt about you all those fucken years?” I was startled by Travis raising his voice. “I didn’t do s**t. She came running to me because I was her only true friend. A friend who knows that there is a line you don’t cross. And so, what if I’m the nice guy? I don’t see any reason why I have to be mean to people.”

I placed my hand against Travis chest which made him look at me. “Not here, remember?” He actually understood because he nodded at me.

We left the pizzeria together and made our way over to his truck where Zack, Ruby and Janelle were waiting for us. He got behind the wheel while I slipped in beside Janelle on the backseat.

“He’s a jerk.” Ruby suddenly said, breaking the awkward silence.

Travis at least chuckled at her. “You are quite the spitfire, Rubs.” He held his fist out to her.

She inched forward on the seat and bumped his fist with hers. At the same time, his eyes found mine in the rearview mirror when he backed out of the parking lot.

Janelle was quiet during the ride back to Travis’ place. I nudged her shoulder with mine. “He still believes that I slept with Travis but he keeps on forgetting that he broke my heart first when he slept with Isabella.” She lowered her head. “Ruby’s right. He is a jerk.” She said softly.

We got out of the truck once we reached Travis’ place. His two other friends Jacob and Connor were already waiting for us. “We should probably look for a place to spend the night as our dorms aren’t ready to move back into,” Janelle said, scrolling through her phone while we were having dinner with the guys.

Ruby fitted right in and was actually having a conversation with the guys.

“You can stay here. We’ve got more than enough space to set up camp here in the living room. While you take our rooms.” Travis said. The guys didn’t seem to have a problem with his suggestion as they nodded their heads.

After dinner, the girls cleaned up. I went to take a shower while Janelle and Ruby stayed downstairs but when I came back downstairs Janelle was watching television by herself. “Where is Ruby?” I asked her.

“With the guys.” I arched an eyebrow. The shy and awkward girl hanging out with guys? “They invited her to join them for a game.”

“And you didn’t get invited?” I asked.

“I’m not a fan of PlayStation.” She answered.

I started to make my way towards the gaming room when she spoke up. “Travis is outside.” My feet halted.

Her smile told me what she was thinking. I just ignored her and went outside where I found Travis cleaning his bike.

“So, you are a motocross competitor?” I noted.

Travis turned around. I gestured towards the bike and his track pants. “Yeah.”

“Is this your passion that your father thinks are foolish?” I asked, pushing my fingers through my semi-wet hair.

“You can say that.” He answered.

“Do you want me to go?” I asked when I realized things were awkward between us.

He sighs. “No.” He then splashed me with water.

I yelped because the water was cold. It made him chuckle. “Want to talk about it then?” I asked, moving closer to him when it was safe to do so.

“About my father or Damian?” He questioned.

“Doesn’t matter,” I said, sitting down on the back of his truck.

“My father doesn’t approve of me becoming a pro-motocross rider. He had my whole life planned out for me since I was five years old. Wanted me to go to the best schools.”

“You don’t really want to attend University?” He shook his head.

“Not by a long shot but I have to because it is part of our agreement.”

“Agreement?” He let out another sigh and decided to sit down next to me.

“I have a year left to prove to him that I am good enough if one of the teams signs me. If not, I will be forced to quit this ridiculous dream.” He explained, looking at the sky.

“This is what you wanted to show me, isn’t it?” He chuckled and then looked at me.

“Guess, there is no point lying to you.” I gave him a smile.

“What if I told you that I would like to get to know you too?” I asked.

“No romance involved?” He asked.

I nodded. “Sugar, I will have you begging me in no time.” I rolled my eyes at him and slapped him on the shoulder. I stood up and wanted to walk away but I wasn’t fast enough as he grabbed me around the waist. He then picked me up and threw me over his shoulder.

I yelped softly when my side pressed into his muscular shoulder when he started to walk. He immediately lowered me to my feet and gave me a look of worry. “Did I hurt you?” He asked.

I shook my head and pulled up my shirt to show him the bruise on my side. He frowned and then his eyes widened. “From when you fell.” He noted.

He then brushed his fingers over the ink lines of my tattoo when he discovered it. “I didn’t know you have ink.” He admitted.

I lowered my shirt and shrugged my shoulders. “I was a rebellious teenager and it seemed smart at a time,” I confessed.

“I think it fits you pretty well. A girl with her own principles.”