Free Claire's Song by Ashley King

starts to close the door when I hear the sound that makes my heart speed up, my blood start to pulse and race.
                "Shelly, is that any way to treat company?" Ryder steps outside, the woman's mouth agape. Shelly?
                Before I have time to question it, I rush forward and throw my arms around Ryder, thankful that he's okay. The stench of alcohol and a coppery scent burns my nostrils. I pull back and take in his face. He's got several cuts all across his gorgeous face, some still oozing blood. His eyes are unfocused and glazed over.
                "What happened to you?" I whisper. "Are you drunk?"
                Mrs. Weathersby steps forward, her gaze going straight to the cuts on Ryder's face and then to the woman he called Shelly. "Are you his mother?" she asks coldly.
                "I am. Now, you need to be going. Ryder's not feeling well as you can see." Shelly starts to grab Ryder by the arm but he shrugs her off.
                His mother, seeing she's defeated, slams the door in our faces without another word.
                "Ryder, what's going on?" Mrs. Weathersby asks as we all move closer towards her car. Ryder's barely able to walk straight and it makes me wonder how much he's had to drink.
                "Nothing," is all he says and I don't miss the fact that he won't meet my gaze.
                "Where did you get all of those?" I ask, lifting my fingers to touch them gingerly.
                Ryder jerks away from me and puts his hands up, "You shouldn't be here." His words are slurred. Mrs. Weathersby gives me a concerned look.
                "You should be at school, Ryder. And you better be telling me how you got those cuts and quick," she snaps.
                "I fell on a glass table," he says with a small laugh, but he's the only one in on the joke. I'm still reeling from how he's acting towards me, especially given the crazy way my body reacted to seeing him.
                Mrs. Weathersby snorts, knowing full well he didn't fall on a glass table. Anyone with eyes knows where the cuts came from.
                "What the hell are you doing here?" He turns on me now, gesturing wildly with his arms. "Come to see how the poor people live? Do you still think I'm a good guy now?"
                His words slice and I clench my teeth in order to keep from saying something I don't mean. He's been through a lot, but I still don't deserve to be treated like this.
                "Ryder, you need to chill out, now ." Mrs. Weathersby says, but then pauses a moment, the wheels visibly turning in her head. "And I think you need to go with Claire," Mrs. Weathersby looks at me and then back at him. "We'll go to the school and sort this thing out."
                "I'm not going anywhere with her,” Ryder spits. He’s still stumbling around and my teacher is looking older by the minute.
                “This isn’t up for negotiation. You go with her and I’m right behind you guys. When we get to school, I’ll take you to the counselor’s office. You’ll sleep off this stupidity in there and then we'll figure out what’s next,” Mrs. Weathersby gets closer to Ryder, all determination and fire for her short stature. Ryder looks down at her, almost like he’s going to argue. She lifts an eyebrow and he lets out an angry breath.
                “You got any gum?” Mrs. Weathersby looks at me with a pinched expression.             I’ve been standing still, frozen by Ryder’s anger with me. Part of me wants to punch him, the other wants to hug him again. The relief I felt at hearing his voice, at holding him in my arms, all of that still frightens me. Am I getting in deeper than I should, especially with what happened with Jamie? What if Ryder leaves me too?
                “Claire?” Mrs. Weathersby