It's no surprise that Kade isn't doing anything to stop them from further destroying my yard. He's a selfish prick like that. I'm trying to figure out how to keep from being evicted without touching jaded cash, and he's over there blowing money on booze and who knows what else.
"Dude, let's do it," one yells, slurring his words.
I watch as they clamber into the large bulldozer that is parked in the field directly behind the homes. That's another reason I don't sleep much. Those bulldozers start early - four in the morning most days. They're trying to add more houses behind ours to make more money off campus students.
I hope those idiots run that thing into Kade's pool and destroy it. It'd serve him right.
Deciding not to waste another second on the idiocy going on outisde, I grab some clothes from my room and head to the bathroom down the hall. My plans for the rest of the night are to take a hot shower and pray for answers to all my problems. I'm sure I'll be met with the same silence as usual, but it's the only hope I have right now.
The roaring pipes need a plumber, too. They're too loud. I'll call a plumber when I can afford one.
Just as I start to strip down, an earthquake strikes, rattling my house all around me. I scream while grabbing onto anything not shaking violently. I hear it tearing apart one side of my house. Why only one side?
A pile of my ceiling drops, slamming into me, and all I see are small flakes of darkness speckling my view before I completely pass out.
Chapter 2
Punishment
"Counselor, you realize the actions of Mr. Colton and his friends could have resulted in the death of a student, correct?" the judge asks, frowning as he stares down at the snob.
"My client is perfectly aware of the severity of the situation. However, Your Honor, he wasn't one of those four boys who stole and wrecked the bulldozer into Ms. Capperton's home. He simply hosted the party that got out of hand. Surely you can't hold him responsible for the actions of four grown boys."
Kade chances a smug smirk. He doesn't have an ounce of humility. He's lazily lounging in the chair, his arms crossed over his chest, and he even goes so far as to look bored.
"And the school is allowing him to stay there because of that, Counselor. The others were expelled and arrested. However, I'm not too thrilled with the fact he supplied that much alcohol to underage partiers who then destroyed the home."
That earthquake had turned out to be those idiots crashing that big-ass bulldozer through my living room. Damn near killed me. Had I not gone to take a shower, they probably would have killed me. Now I've been living in one of the dorm rooms for three days. The school offered it to me temporarily, under the circumstances. I have two days to find something else.
"He didn't supply that alcohol, and he checked the identification of every partier. No one under twenty-one was allowed."
"Sure he did," the other lawyer scoffs, cutting his eyes toward Kade.
As if anyone doesn't have a fake ID. Even I have one. Albeit I never use it, but I have one. I'm not voicing that though. I just hope they make him pay me something. That's all I need. Just a little money to replace what I lost.
I'll probably have to go to a different court for that, though.
A snooty man in a pristine business suit stands up and walks over to be behind Kade. This small courtroom just hosts a few of us. This isn't exactly a murder trial, but a jury would have been nice, dammit.
"I think I know a way we can solve this," the man says, texting on his phone as though he's above all this too much to grant it any real amount of attention.
"Please, Mr. Colton, proceed," the judge snarks, sounding bitter, but... compliant? Why is he letting Kade's father run the show.
&n
bsp; "My son fucked up," he says simply, putting his phone away and turning his attention to the agitated judge. "But he didn't force those boys to mount a bulldozer and go for a joyride. I do agree he should be punished in some form, but I think I know better than anyone else how to do that."
Kade's jaw clenches, and he sits up a little better while barely turning his head to listen in. His devilish good looks and rich influence won't help him out with his own father.
"I think Ms. Capperton's situation has become... a problem now," he says, turning toward me with his award-winning smile. "She needs a home," he continues, turning back to the judge. "My son's home is directly across from the school, he has amenities most would die for, and there is plenty of room there for another person."
Kade's jaw clenches all the tighter, making me worry it's about to snap off. What is his father talking about?
"Are you suggesting Ms. Capperton go live with him?" the judge scoffs, rolling his eyes. "That's your form of punishment? No wonder he's so irresponsible."
Mr. Colton lets a rumble of laughter free. "Then you don't know my son as well as I do. He hates to have rules. While Ms. Capperton is there, he will respect any and all her needs. Everything he wants to do will have to go through her for approval. She'll have power over him, which will limit his social life. If he steps out of line, she can call me, and I'll start taking things away as punishment for refusing to abide by her rules. Let's face it, Roy, you can't hold him for anything. You can't charge him with any wrongdoing. I'll hire the best lawyer to keep him from having jail-time on his record. It's up to you."
I can't believe he's doing this. Me? Live with Kade? Hell no. Not happening.