“I don’t give a shit how she kisses you, or how she sucks you off. I don’t care how much she puts out or the new shit you can get her to pull. I literally give no fucks about any of it. And you want to know why?”
Roy grimaced. “The hell’s wrong with you?”
I chuckled bitterly. “I don’t give a damn about it because I know you only do it to be cool. You do it to get attention and to try and be the big man, when you’re not. It’s pathetic. And you really need to stop, because you look like a shithead.”
Roy slid Marina off his lap before he stood up, standing toe to toe with me. And despite the fact that I towered over him by almost five inches, he held his ground. Which was impressive, but stupid.
“You wanna run that by me again?”
I licked my lips. “I don’t know. Were you dumb enough not to hear it the first time around?”
Marina hissed. “The two of you, shut up. Teachers are coming over.”
I jumped at Roy, causing him to step back before I grinned at him. And as teachers in the cafeteria came to settle down the riff-raff, I strode to the cafeteria door. I wasn’t hungry. I wasn’t thirsty. The only thing I felt was anger. Frustration. Confusion. The three-course meal I’d been dining on for fucking days. I marched right out of that damn cafeteria, ignoring the teachers that called out after me. I got around the corner and charged for the glass double doors, slamming into them with a pop.
And when my eyes gazed down onto the football field, I saw three senior students from the school down the road laughing and joking around, and dumping shit onto the grass.
Perfect.
I made my way for the field, practically leaping down the stairs. I heard them laughing as one of them whipped out their cocks to literally piss on the painted outlines of our mascot on the green turf. I whistled to myself as my fists unclenched. I breathed a sigh of relief as their laughter came to a grinding halt. I hopped over the fence, touching down onto my feet as I smiled broadly at them.
“Afternoon, boys,” I said.
And I chuckled as my victims cowered in their own fucking boots.
29
Raelynn
I got halfway down the hallway before I rounded around the corner. I didn’t want to come into contact with Clint. Not now. Not when things were so rough with, well, everything else. I waited for a few minutes, listening as Clint’s voice boomed across the cafeteria. I didn’t know what he was saying, but I knew he wasn’t happy. I heard Roy’s name tossed into everything, then I saw teachers getting up from the corner. Part of me wanted to rush to Clint, to help him calm down before he really got himself into some trouble.
But then his heavy footsteps faded away before the slamming of a door echoed in the distance.
I heard teachers fruitlessly calling out his name as a dull roar rose from the crowd of students in the cafeteria again. And after a few deep breaths, I made my way inside. I took my seat quickly in the corner, like I always did. The place where Michael, Allison, and I always sat. The place where Allison had kept me company yesterday while Michael strode past us, making his way for the outside patio.
Only this time, he slammed his tray down beside me just as Allison sat in front of me.
My eyes widened as I turned my body to face him. I peeked over at Allison, watching as she nodded toward Michael. I licked my lips, feeling the whole of my body lock up as my eyes met his.
This was the first time he’d so much as acknowledged my existence since his appearance on my doorstep. And I wasn’t sure what to make of it all. He looked angry, but also tired. He looked frustrated, but also worn. Frazzled. Part of me wanted to reach out and hug him. But the rest of me knew better.
He sighed as he rested his elbow on the table.
“Look. I’m still pissed off. You hid this from me, and I don’t get why you went for Clint of all the guys in this school. I don’t get it, and I never will. But I want to put this behind us. Can we? Please?”
My jaw dropped open. “I, uh… don’t know why you’re asking me. I’m not the one to make that decision.”
Michael snickered. “You have just as much of a choice about it as I do.”
“I mean, not really. I’m not the one hurt. I’m the one doing the hurting.”
“It’s clear you’re hurting, Rae. Just in a different way.”
I paused. “Maybe so.”
Allison darted her eyes between us. Michael sighed as his free hand settled against my knee. I looked down at it and smiled with tears in my eyes, then settled my hand on top of his. It felt good, having him back. Having him talk to me. Having him near me. I’d missed my friend, my confidant, my cheerleader and my guiding moral light.
I nodded as I held back tears. “I’d really like to put this behind us, yes.”
Michael took my hand, ripping me out of my seat. And as he wrapped his long arms around me, I squeezed him around his waist. I giggled breathlessly as he nuzzled against me, trying to soothe my invisible wounds. I heard Allison get up before a soft pair of arms wrapped around both of us, causing Michael to chuckle to himself.
“Had to get in on the action, huh?”
Allison smiled. “I mean, I can never resist a good happily ever after.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve been watching Disney movies again, haven’t you?”
Allison scoffed. “Just let me say, ‘And then everyone lived happily ever after, the end’.”
Michael laughed. “Okay, but only this once.”
All of us gave one last big squeeze, then we unraveled ourselves from one another. We sat down and started unpacking our lunches, smiling and talking like we used to do. It felt nice, having some semblance of normalcy around this table again. And it felt really good to hear Michael’s lame jokes as I talked about Mom and D.J. I rehashed the conversation, telling them about my mother’s decision. How I really felt she was serious this time. How it felt like things might actually be different.
But soon, I felt my eyes scanning the cafeteria.
“He left.”
Michael’s voice pulled my eyes back to him, and he gave me a knowing look.
“What?”
Allison giggled. “Oh, come on, Rae. Don't play that game.”
Michael shook his head. “Lying’s what got you into this mess, you know.”
I sighed. “No, omitting information is what got me into this mess.”
Allison smiled. “So, you admit you’re lying now?”
I paused. “I plead the fifth.”
Michael scoffed. “He left, and he hasn’t come back yet.”
I shrugged. “Oh, well. His loss. I was going to throw a Cheeto at him.”
“Uh huh,” Michael said as he spooned a bite of chicken pot pie into his mouth. “Sure, you don’t.”
I rolled my eyes at him before focusing on my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Mom had actually packed me a lunch today. For the first time in years, I came downstairs to a brown paper bag that she handed off to me with a big smile on her face. And thinking about it made me smile with every bite. Mom looked radiant lately. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. I mean, I knew she’d end up stressing herself out over money and bills. But being free of D.J. looked good on her.
I really hope it stays this way.
“So you actually told your mom about Clint?”
Allison’s question made me nod as I swallowed my sandwich.
“Mm-hmm. I did. And I’m actually glad I did. It’s been a long time since I’ve really been able to talk to her like that. And, despite the hiccup of that evening, we still enjoyed our pizza and movie marathon.”
Michael grinned. “Shame you didn’t invite me in for pizza.”
I giggled. “You didn’t stick around long enough for us to get to that point.”
“You have a decent argument there.”
“It’s not an argument, it’s just the truth. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Refreshing, coming from you.”
I playfully glared at him. “That one feel good?”
Michael nodded. “Actually, it did.”
“Good. Because it’s the only one you’ll get.”
The three of us laughed again before a commotion started in the back of the cafeteria. Kids rushed to the windows and poured out onto the patio, their hands clapping and cupping over their mouths. I furrowed my brow deeply as I craned my neck, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.
Then, I heard it. I heard what they were chanting.
“Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Allison’s face fell. “Uh oh.”
Michael shook his head. “Shit.”
And as a sinking feeling filled my gut, I felt myself standing from my seat.
Clint.
I abandoned my lunch and pressed myself between Michael and the wall. I slipped away, listening to them yell at me as I headed for one of the windows. I pushed people out of the way, trying to catch a glimpse of what they were looking at. And when I saw a towering black mass dancing around on the football field, I felt my lunch creep up the back of my throat.
Shit.
I pushed away from the window and charged for the cafeteria exit. I had to navigate the masses, since they had already started rushing out the door. Teachers were trapped. The principal was stuck at the back of the hallway. It took all the effort I had to shove people to the concrete in order to get ahead of them.