by Ruby Vincent
She climbed up next to me. “I’m in the mood for something funny. There’s not much to laugh about these days.”
“Agreed. Wanna try something new or an old favorite?”
“Old favorite.”
A notification appeared on my screen. I swiped it away and pulled up Netflix.
Melody’s tablet dinged.
“One second.” She heaved herself up.
Hmm. Old favorites. We’ve got Bridesmaids, The Other Guys, Mean Girls.
“Zela.”
It’s been a while since I’ve seen Mean Girls.
“Zela, you need to look at this.”
“Look at what?”
Suddenly the tablet was out of my hands and Melody’s was in its place. I screwed up my face at the upside-down A spinning on the screen.
“Ugh. He hacked your tablet? Why?”
“It’s not a hack. It’s a video. You got it too.” She showed me the notification I ignored.
Email. [email protected]
“He’s got his own email address? He’s getting bold.”
“Zela, look at this.” Melody tapped the screen, hitting play.
The two of us leaned over the screen as the symbol flashed out and was replaced by a single chair and white backdrop. A figure stepped in front of the camera.
“Shit,” Melody breathed. “Is that him?”
I shook my head, not able to conjure the words to reply. The lens aimed at a backside in uniform pants. His hands hung by his side, concealed in gloves.
“Hello, Breakbattle.” A deep, electronically altered voice filled the room. “It’s time we talked.”
The figure abruptly fell out of frame. I lurched up, but just as quickly, he reappeared. For All sat down and gave us a perfect view of the black cloth sack over his head.
Squinting, I studied every inch of him.
“I can’t make anything out. Skin color. Build. Nothing,” I said. “The camera is too close.”
“No, I think I saw—”
“There has been a lot of talk about me, what I’ve done, and why,” For All stated.
All inclination to talk fled. For All had our complete attention.
“I want to make it clear that I mean no one harm. The weapon you’re worried about is a Swiss Army knife I borrowed from confiscated property. It’s been returned with everyone none the wiser. Most importantly, I don’t have it or any other weapon.”
This would be a relief... if he’s telling the truth.
“With that distraction out of the way, we can get into what’s really important,” he said, and I was sure he was a he more than ever. “Ending the battle system.
“I want to be clear, I will not stop until this is done. And you should applaud me for it—no, you should join me. I’m not talking about the self-satisfied Elites who’ve fooled themselves into thinking able bodies and growing up with an army of mommy-funded tutors make them better than everyone else. I’m talking to the Cs, the Ds, and the Fs.
“This system is bullshit and you know it. The administration has fooled you into thinking you have access to more resources and opportunities than you’ll get elsewhere. All you have to do is win a battle. But it’s a lie.”
Melody and I were rapt. We hardly blinked. I barely breathed.
“At literally any other school in the country, you’ll go to the library when you want. You’d show off at school dances with the other kids. You’d go on the same field trips, experience growing up together, share the same memories. You wouldn’t live in the shadow of a legacy that drove a young girl to her breaking point.
“At any other school—at the school just twenty fucking minutes from here, you’d be treated as equals despite your test scores or how fast you run.”
Passion laced his voice as it rose. Despite this, For All didn’t gesture, wave his hands around, or get agitated. He remained perfectly still. So still, a mannequin could have been sitting in that seat.
“The battle system is wrong. It discriminates against you all the while convincing you you’re only getting what you deserve.”
He leaned forward. I couldn’t see his eyes, and yet I felt them pierce me.
“I’m not saying you deserve more,” he continued. “I’m saying you deserve what every other public student has. Access to an equal and fair education. Lowerclassmen, I ask you, take back what is yours.”
“He’s got a way with words, doesn’t he?” Melody rasped.
I could only nod.
“Demand what is yours. And if they won’t give it to you: refuse. Refuse to obey their class timeslots. Refuse to stay out of their dances and movie nights. Refuse to let them hold your property hostage. Refuse to battle.”
“Refuse to battle?” I repeated.
“That’s right,” he said as though he heard me. “Refuse to battle. They force you to participate in this backward system by dangling privileges over your head and threatening your grade, but if you all stand together, you can take that power back.”
He leaned back, adopting a pose of stillness once again. “This isn’t about me. I’m not doing it for myself. I’m speaking up for you. If you don’t want this and you’d rather continue along as the Cunts, Dumbshits, and Failures, then do nothing. Keep your head down, trudge to graduation, and I’ll do it with you.
“I swear here and now that I will stop if you choose not to take up the fight. For All will go dark and everyone can return to their regularly scheduled lives. But I hope you stand up. Lowerclassmen, I pray you refuse.”
The screen went dark. I jerked like I had been slapped. Yanked from the trap of his words, I blinked at the tablet as I tried to make sense of what happened.
Melody recovered much quicker. “Did you see it, Zee?” She tore the tablet out of my hand and furiously swiped the screen.
“Did I see what?”
“Right here.” She tapped the hooded figure. “His patch. Look at his patch.”
My eyes bugged. “Oh my gosh, Melody.”
It was blurry. A moment caught just as he sat down, but there was no denying that was a big, bold B on For All’s patch.
OUR RELAXING, MOVIE-time lunch was scrapped. We used the little time we had left to obsess over every line, inflection, movement, and shadow of For All’s video. Walking into Munoz’s class, we heard the girls having the same conversation. They huddled around Everly’s desk, bend over her computer.
Isla ran up to Melody. “Mel, did you get the video?”
“We watched it five times.”
“But did you see the patch,” Lauren piped up. “He’s a B.”
“Why would a B do this?” May asked. “They don’t have it that bad.”
“They don’t have it as good as us,” Everly replied. “I said whoever was doing this was bitter that they couldn’t hack it.”
A whoosh of air blew my skirt.
“Ladies, please,” Munoz cried. “Sit down.”
Munoz tossed her things on her desk, looking frazzled. Her blouse was untucked and a dab of mustard decorated the corner of her mouth. It seemed For All interrupted her lunch too.
Everly stood. “Mrs. Munoz, did you—”
She put up her hands. “I’ve seen the video. We all have. Principal Whittaker is handling it as we speak.”
“But did he notice the patch?”
“Yes. We saw the B.” Munoz clutched her chest and released a long breath. “The officers have been informed. They will conduct another dorm search and pull the B students out for questioning. Girls and boys to be safe. When For All is found, he will be expelled. It doesn’t matter that he claims he will cease his attacks. I’m just relieved this is over.”
“Best part,” said May, “is that they can make him pay for the damages and the senior trip will be back on.”
The girls clapped. Their spirits were lifted. All was right in their world once again. My world, not so much.
After class, I texted the boys. I hadn’t heard from either of them since Derek bailed on me that morning. B
y then I knew Hunter was right that there was something wrong. At least one or all of them would have sent me an explicit text before the final bell rang if it was a normal day.
Me: Is everything okay? Is there another issue in the Network?
My cell vibrated a couple minutes later.
Derek: Meet me tonight in our place.
Me: I’ll be there.
THAT NIGHT, I STRODE through the woods to a chorus of snapped twigs and chirping insects. Nighttime didn’t make the menagerie of trees and moss spooky. On the contrary, I enjoyed the peace of this place where I could be with the men I loved. If only it didn’t come with the harsh memories attached.
I broke through the trees. Derek was waiting for me. He wasn’t alone.
Michael, Landon, Cole, and Derek ended their talk at my arrival. Michael held out his arms for me and I ran to him without a thought. His piney body spray filled my nose. I breathed deeper, exhaling worry as I inhaled him.
“Guys, what’s going on?”
“I’m sorry we didn’t tell you sooner.” A hand grasped my arm and tugged me free of Michael. Derek turned me to face him. “The recruits were on me all day.”
“Why? Is it your dad? Was he not able to convince the members to stay?”
“Oh no,” Landon said. “The members are going to stay.”
I glanced between them. “That’s good, isn’t it?”
“The members are going to stay because they finally got what they wanted,” Derek replied. “My dad is out, Zee. They voted unanimously to have him removed as head of the Network. And they chose Dominick Dupre to take his place.”
Chapter Six
“What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know, Zee.”
Michael’s throat rumbled against the back of my neck. It was tranquilizing—as tranquilizing as his slow, deliberate massage of my thighs—but I refused to be calmed.
The boys didn’t have any more to tell me the night before in the clearing. It followed that Michael wouldn’t suddenly have information nine hours later in time for our run, but I put off meeting Derek to get this time alone with him anyway. We needed to talk and I needed to be with him.
“Why won’t you meet me in the clearing? You like playing hard to get, Michael Young?”
The two of us sat on the grassy pitch in the middle of the track. I leaned against his chest while he ran his hands over my body. Maybe we didn’t need to go as far as the clearing. Here would do.
He chuckled. “Not playing. I don’t want our first time to be in the place I committed the second worst thing I’ve ever done. And if I get you alone out there, I will end up inside of you.”
His growl enticed a shiver. He was much better at this waiting game than me, or so it seemed. Hearing him talk like that reminded me he wanted us to be together as badly as I did.
Michael kneaded harder and a sigh left my lips unbidden.
Careful with this guy, Zela. He’s doing a great job of distraction and you’re due a serious conversation.
I pushed through the Michael haze. “Second-worst thing you’ve done?”
“I manipulated a drunk kid into telling me he caught his mom cheating and then told everyone to get into the Network. He actually thanked me for listening to him because he had no one else to talk to. I felt lower than shit.”
He kissed the spot just below my ear. “But still the worst thing... was the locker room.”
“We don’t have to go there, Michael,” I whispered. “I forgive you. You can forgive yourself.”
“I’ll never forgive myself.”
“Everything is perfect now.” I twisted around to look into his eyes. “Because I’m with you.”
Michael gave me one of those sweet kisses that sped my pulse. His hands didn’t pause in their massaging as his tongue swirled with mine. He moved further up my thigh and my core responded.
I broke away, gasping. “Oh, Michael. I’m doing it so much these days my panties get wet if one of you even blows on me. You can’t tease me like this.”
He put up his hands in surrender. “Whatever you say. But how about this? Next week Thursday. Me and you. My room.”
Squealing, I spun and threw my arms around him. “Yes, yes, and yes.”
“Damn,” he said, grinning at me. “You don’t have questions?”
“None. Just tell me what to do.”
“I’ll give you a full rundown of the mission later.”
I kissed him again. “I feel ten times better now. It’s a shame to spoil it by talking about Dominick but we should. What’s going to happen with him in charge of the Network? Will you drop out?”
He sighed. “I only know what people have said about him,” Michael admitted. “None of it is good. I want the connections the Network promises. Adisa Ele called me personally and said he can’t wait to meet me the next time he’s in the country.”
“That’s... great?”
Cracking a smile, Michael bumped our heads together. “It’s amazing. He’s a famous runner in Africa. He was born and went to school here. He joined in college and moved. The guy wouldn’t know I existed if not for the Network. I don’t want to leave because of Dominick, but there are changes coming, Zee. Chances aren’t good we’ll like them.”
I nodded. “I can’t imagine how Derek feels. His father built this up and the guy he brings in to help snatches it away.”
“He had help. It was the members who voted him out.”
Michael gripped my thighs and kneaded tight muscles. “As soon as I know what to do, I’ll tell you. Right now, I want to talk about us. Derek sees you in the mornings and Landon and Cole are with you at night. I need more of you all to myself. I have serious Zela withdrawal.”
“Ugh. I know. We have to go back to running together. I miss watching your ass in these shorts.”
“Hmm. I knew there was a reason you run slower than you have to.”
I nipped the tip of his nose. “To be fair, I’d be trailing you even if I ran flat out. I might as well enjoy the view.”
“You can enjoy this too.”
Michael flipped me onto the grass. My yelp was cut off by his lips crashing on mine.
All that stuff about talking and we spent the final hour until the breakfast bell making out.
Michael carried me piggyback over to the girls’ side.
“Tomorrow morning, let’s sneak away for breakfast,” I said. “We can eat on the bleachers. Just the two of us.”
“And the morning after that. And the morning after that. And the morning after that.”
I pecked his cheek. “Yes, yes, and yes.”
Michael dropped me off in front of my door and I nearly skipped upstairs. Life was pushing in on all sides, but being here with my boys made it all worth it.
I walked into our room in time to catch Melody going out.
“Do you mind waiting? I’ll take a quick shower.”
“Sure.”
Twenty minutes later, the two of us headed over to the main building. Someone waited for us just outside the doors.
“Adam,” I cried. I full-speed tackled him in a hug.
Adam picked me up and twirled me. “I miss you, Zee. It sucks over there without you.”
“I swear you love my boyfriend more than me,” Melody teased.
“It’s true. I do.” I squeezed him tighter to be extra obnoxious. “It’s why I get to steal him away to Europe this summer.”
“Don’t pack me in your suitcase just yet,” Adam said. “Dads haven’t said yes.”
“I have complete faith in your mom. You’re going and we’re going to have an amazing last summer together.”
His brow shot up his forehead. “Last summer? What are you talking about? I’m going to Somerset with you.”
“You are?”
“I got my acceptance letter yesterday.” His face split into a grin. “Mom broke laws opening it for me, but we’re all excited, so I forgive her.”
“Congratulations. That’s amazing.” I cel
ebrated with a kiss on both cheeks. “I wonder if I got my letter. I have to call Mom.”
“While you do that, I’ll take over hugging and kissing Adam.”
“Good deal.”
The sound of their smooching was my soundtrack as I dialed Mom. She picked up on the first ring.
“Zela, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Mom. I called to ask if a letter came for me from Somerset.”
“Oh. Well, as a matter of fact, I’m looking at it right now.”
I tensed. “Is it... a big envelope?”
“I’d say so.”
“Thick? Like it’s stuffed with papers and catalogs and the keys to the next four years of my life?”
“It’s pretty thick.”
I screamed.
“Heaven’s sake, Zela. I was holding the phone to my ear,” she scolded without any heat. “Congratulations, my daughter. I’m so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Mom. Open it. Open it, open it, open it. Read the letter to me.”
She laughed. “You can read it this weekend. I want to see the look on your face when you open your first acceptance. Now we wait for your Ivy League acceptances.”
My enthusiasm didn’t lessen. “Mom, I applied to Princeton, Columbia, and Brown because they were equally as tough as Somerset and it was stupid to hang my hopes on one school, but if that envelope truly says what I think, I’m not going anywhere else.”
“Why not? You want to teach math at the collegiate level. That requires an impressive resume.”
“Somerset is impressive. Plus, it’s close to home. I don’t want to be far from you, Jordan, and Aunt Bev.”
“Only one, you have been my life and my companion for the last eighteen years. The thought of you far away is hard for me to accept. But no one will stand in the way of your greatness, Zela Rae. Least of all me.”
I swallowed hard, pressing my lips together. My mother so rarely said things like this to me. It made it all the more special when she did.
“You could never be in my way, Mom.”