by Sam Crescent
Gael burst out laughing. “I knew Lauren would react and try to claim her place. Damn, did anyone film it?”
“It’s not funny.” I didn’t like that he laughed at Ashley’s gravy episode. No one was allowed to film shit on high school grounds. If they did, it led to punishment.
The crap that happened at Crude Hill High could never, ever get out.
Vadik moved toward my seat, his arms close. His fingers teased my hair. “This new girl. You like her?”
“Yes.”
“You want us to be nice to her?”
“She’s off-limits for bullying. She’s not like any of us,” I said. “She’s … good.”
Gael snorted.
Even Caleb laughed. “There’s no such thing as a good person. I heard her mother is nothing more than a whore.”
“That’s her mother. It doesn’t mean she’s the same. My dad and brother might have let one of you get shot, but I didn’t. I’m different from my family. People can be different from their parents. Or are all four of you the exact replicas of your dads?”
My passionate argument was met with silence.
They all shared a look. It was like they were communicating without saying any actual words, which made me rather jealous. I didn’t like it.
“Hey, don’t do that. Don’t shut me out. You’re making my life hell at home because of this. At least let me in on the big secret.”
“Your dad’s not beating you, is he?” River asked.
I noticed he held his knife in a tighter grip. “No, he hasn’t hurt me since he’s been warned.” I didn’t bother to tell them what was going on in his office. The hours spent doing extra studying. Any semblance of a life I had was gone.
Knowing my dad, he’d probably take me out of high school, not that I cared about that. School sucked, but it was the only reprieve I got at home.
“We’ll meet the new girl and make our assessment,” Caleb said. “None of us can be held responsible for our parents’ sins.”
I didn’t understand what he was talking about, and in truth, I really didn’t care.
The rest of the drive went by in silence. Caleb turned on the radio to some kind of rock station. I didn’t exactly hear the words. Music wasn’t really my thing. Hearing random people singing about love or hope, or dancing.
I didn’t like it.
When we arrived at school grounds, I knew the instant I saw a group formed in a perfect circle that something wasn’t right.
Before the car had even parked, I left my bag and pushed my way through the crowd. I shouldn’t have been surprised Lauren wouldn’t take my warning, but what did shock me was seeing Nancy there. She didn’t look happy, but she also wouldn’t let Ashley escape.
Ashley, my new friend, her shirt was torn, tears streamed down her cheeks, and I caught sight of the bruise already forming. Blood came from her nose. It didn’t look broken. Blood also came from her mouth.
Lauren grabbed Ashley’s hair, pulling it tight, making her scream.
Everyone cheered at the violence. Ashley begged for them to stop, but they wouldn’t.
She was an innocent. Her mother had made a decision that had landed her daughter in hell.
As I watched her, something clicked inside me.
I’d never fought. Not the punches coming from my dad. I took the beating he made Peter give me. I even meekly sat through my doctor’s visits. I hadn’t said a word to the driver. My mother left me alone. I was all alone, and not once had I fought back. I’d taken every single little detail that had come my way. No fighting. No nothing.
Ashley had done the same. Her story was different from mine. She wasn’t a minion’s daughter. Her mother made the choices, and Ashley was the one paying the consequences of them.
I snapped.
When I stepped into the fighting ring, Lauren’s back was to me. Just because I’d never been in a fight didn’t mean I didn’t know what to do.
My knife was back in my bag, but I was strong. I grabbed Lauren’s hair, but rather than just give it a threatening tug, I yanked, and I did so hard. She wasn’t expecting the attack, and so she let Ashley go, who collapsed to the ground. With my grip still in Lauren’s hair, I shove her to the ground, not gently either.
She cried out.
I stood there, panting, waiting.
Lauren flicked her head back and glared right at me. “Really? You’re going to fight over this slut?”
“It takes one to know one. I thought I told you to leave her alone.”
“You’re not the boss of me.” She charged me, but I saw it coming, so I dodged it. I was able to land a blow to her stomach, taking her back as she fell to the ground once again, the grass blocking her fall.
The crowd suddenly parted, and one by one, the Monsters arrived. My hands were clenched into fists. I didn’t know if I could trust them to take care of this or if I had to keep fighting.
Ashley touched my ankle and I made the decision to give the guys a chance. It was the first time I’d ever done it, but I turned my back on them, letting them all deal with Lauren while I looked at Ashley.
“She’s off-limits,” River said, his voice carrying.
“Anyone who attacks the new girl will be hurting us, understood?” Caleb asked.
One by one, people dispersed. Not a single teacher came out to help.
I helped Ashley to her feet, holding her against my side. She shook and I glared at everyone. How fucking dare they? I wanted to hurt them. I wanted to kill them all.
“I dare one of you to test our theory,” Gael said. “I’m looking to have some fun, and you all know how much I enjoy dishing it out. Just give me a reason.”
I didn’t linger to see if anyone took him at his word. I held Ashley and walked toward the girls’ bathroom.
“So they’re the Monsters,” she said.
“You heard of them.”
“Yeah. I also heard you’re their shiny new toy.”
I raised my brow at her statement.
“Sorry, it’s what they said.”
“People are mean.”
“Tell me about it. My face turned into a nice punching bag. What is it with that girl? What did I do for her to have it in for me?” She leaned against the counter. I grabbed some tissue and dampened it.
“It’s not what you’ve done. Her own reputation took a beating when she offered herself up to the Monsters not too long ago. She was humiliated. This is her way of getting back in the food chain and not being the scraps along the floor.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way you guys talk. High school isn’t supposed to be like this.”
“It is what it is. You’ve got to learn to stand up for yourself.”
“Before I even knew what was happening, she’d jumped me.”
I wiped the blood away. The nosebleed wasn’t so bad as it had already stopped. “You’re going to have some lovely bruises.”
She touched her arm where the shirt was torn. “I don’t know why I bother. I ironed the damn thing last night so it looked really good.”
“I’d only iron if you got the punch to back it the fuck up,” Gael said, coming into the bathroom.
Vadik, Caleb, and River followed him.
“You shouldn’t be in here.”
“There shouldn’t be any more trouble,” Caleb said. He put his arm around my waist and kissed my temple.
One by one, all four of the guys did the same.
Ashley’s mouth turned into the perfect O. “Wait, hold on a second, are you like dating all of these guys?”
“No,” I said.
“Yes,” all four of the guys said.
Ashley smiled. “Wow, just wow.”
“Yeah, you remember that wow, and learn how to look after yourself,” Gael said. “If you think it’s only Lauren who has it in for you, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“Why?” I asked.
River had my bag and I opened it up, taking out a clean shirt. I was bigger than Ashley
, but it would have to do.
“It means she’s on the football guys’ list to fuck,” River said.
I groaned.
“I don’t … that’s not me.”
“Yeah, well, if any of the football team start behaving nice, run the opposite way,” I said. I handed her the shirt and pushed her toward the toilet stall.
I didn’t know why I wanted to protect her, but for whatever reason, the Monsters were behind me, and for that, I was grateful.
Chapter Twelve
Gael
The new girl was a no one.
Sure, she was pretty and any other time pre-Emily, I’d have fucked her and enjoyed it. I’d have also been in the football guys’ position at the helm of humiliating her. Only, I had Emily. The way our girl took care of her, damn it, she turned me on. Taking care of someone shouldn’t inspire how turned-on I was getting. It was fucking wrong, but I couldn’t help it. Emily had looked like a fierce warrior.
I knew none of my friends had admitted this yet, but I loved her. Fuck, it felt good to think it.
I loved Emily Crane. I’d die for this girl.
Which was why I’d come to the library during Ashley’s free period. I’d charmed her schedule out of the receptionist. Not that it had taken much. I scared a lot of people. I had a lot of enemies with what I liked to do for fun. It wasn’t my fault women threw themselves at me.
I spotted Ashely’s study area. Her bag was left open while there were vultures close by. Damn, this girl had a death wish. This wasn’t like any other school and the way she was going, she wouldn’t survive an entire month, let alone a term here. She was going to get herself killed.
I walked to the bookshelves, and when I saw my target, I advanced toward her.
She turned with a chemistry book in her hand and a smile on her lips, which quickly turned into a frown when she saw me coming.
Good. I want her afraid of me.
She stepped back.
There was nowhere else for her to go. I had her surrounded and damn if her fear wasn’t pretty.
I put my hands on either side of her head. “What game are you playing?” I asked.
“I-I-I don’t know what you mean?” She looked pale, like she was going to throw up.
“You’re not stupid. I saw your grades. To the outside world, you have every single right to be here, but I want to know what your game is when it comes to Emily.”
She shook her head. Her mouth opening and closing like a damn fish.
“Talk.” I snapped my fingers, wanting her to speak so I could move the fuck on.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She still stumbled over her words. “I like Emily.”
“Let me get this straight so we’re clear, if you hurt her, if anything you do even comes close to touching her, I will fucking kill you. Do you understand?” I asked.
“I don’t—”
“Understand?” I wasn’t playing. This wasn’t a game to me. Emily’s safety was my highest priority. Not letting this girl feel safe and warm. I didn’t know why Emily cared so much. She didn’t answer fast enough for my liking. Wrapping my fingers around her neck, I squeezed just a little.
I wasn’t going to kill her. It would be so easy for me to do it. To cut off her oxygen and watch the life drain out of her. I wondered if anyone would really miss her. My parents wouldn’t miss me. If anything, my dad would be pissed that all his hard work had been for nothing.
I was his heir. The one to take over his throne.
She panicked and nodded her head.
I let go of her head and she started to pant as if I’d actually attacked her.
“Emily doesn’t hear about this,” I said.
“I … what is this place?” she asked.
“This is hell. Either learn to play the game, Ashley, or you’re going to be just another dead body.”
I whistled as I left the library. There was no point for me to return to class, so instead, I went to the art class. I glanced through the window and saw Emily sitting to the side of one of the art boards. I caught sight of Vadik.
After opening the door, I picked up the closest chair, which happened to also have a kid sitting in it, but the force of me taking what I wanted had him falling to the floor with a thump.
“Mr. Parson,” the teacher said. “You’re not supposed to be in here.”
I ignored her and instead sat with my girl.
Emily glanced at me and sighed. “What are you doing?”
“I thought I’d come and hang out with you.” I looked at her drawing. It was of a house, with people standing in a field. “That’s great, if you’re like five years old.”
“Do not interfere with her artistic integrity!”
“Go away,” I said. “Or we might have no choice but to make it even more public about how you like to fuck parents.”
The teacher paled and scampered away.
“Really?” she asked. “That was mean.”
“Like you care.”
“I don’t care, but I also don’t need to keep being reminded that there’s another spy in my father’s camp. He’ll know about this.”
“If you want, I’ll come and make sure he knows to keep a wide berth from you.” I winked at her.
Vadik chuckled in the background.
Emily put down her pencil and turned toward me. “What is it?” she asked.
“What? Does there have to be anything? I just wanted to come and see you. Is that a crime?”
“It’s not a crime.” Her hands lay flat on her thighs. Her gaze traveled around the classroom. “People can watch.”
“Let them.”
Feeling her come on my fingers, watching her lose control, tasting her lips, it was all I could think about. One time wasn’t enough. I’d come to realize, when it came to Emily, nothing was ever enough. I wanted to fuck her so badly, all the damn time.
Not a moment went by when I didn’t want her. I craved every single part of her.
Standing up, I cupped her face, tilting her head back.
The classroom, the teacher, the students, all of it faded away until all that remained were me, Emily, and Vadik. My friends never disappeared. I always had them close to me. Never one to let them go.
“Gael,” she said. My name was a whimper on her lips, and fuck me if it wasn’t the most beautiful sound in the world. I wanted her.
I wasn’t gentle as I kissed her. Taking possession of her plump lips, I slid my tongue across her lip. She opened up to me. The moan echoed around me, filling me.
Her hands went to my waist, but I wanted her completely naked. I wanted to feel every inch of her curvy body pressed against mine, and she would be perfect. I wanted her pussy wrapped around my dick, taking every single inch of me as I fucked her hard.
Meeting her tongue, I made do with a single kiss.
Vadik cleared his throat and I knew it was a sign for me to pull away, which I did, to find most of the classroom had disappeared.
“The bell rang but you were too busy eating her face to care.”
Emily glanced over at the teacher and I saw it. The fear of what she would say.
No one made my girl scared. Not a fucking damn person.
I advanced toward the teacher, who already had a cell phone in her hand. I wrapped my fingers around her neck but this time, I didn’t go lightly. I didn’t make it an idle threat. I slammed the teacher up against the wall, cutting off her air supply. For a few seconds, I didn’t even say a word.
Emily called my name, but I didn’t hear it.
My only focus was on this woman. This slut.
I counted to ten and I let go, allowing her to get enough air inside before I squeezed again, letting her know without words who held all the power. She choked again, her nails scoring into my flesh, trying to get me to stop, but I didn’t. I was the one in control.
I waited again, only this time, I leaned in close. “You speak a single word of what you saw here to her father, and what you’ve just fel
t, I will make sure you feel for the rest of your life. I will make it hell. He can’t save you. I’m a Monster. It makes me more powerful than him. Your life can be handed to me just so I can have some fun, and believe me, I would love to have some fun with you. You’re nothing but a cunt. Do I make myself clear?”
Her head jerked and I smiled.
“Good.” I didn’t let go and I choked her for a few more seconds, hoping the message would really sink in. She needed to know who the fuck she was dealing with.
After I let her go, she fell to the floor and I loved to see her at my feet. That was where she belonged.
I stepped away to find Vadik watching me, and Emily with her hands over her mouth. She wasn’t crying and for me, I took that as a plus. I grabbed Emily’s hand and without another word, I took off.
River and Caleb were outside waiting for us. I nodded toward them but took off with Emily, running in the opposite direction. We’d all be sharing her but there would always be moments when we wanted her to ourselves.
“Gael? What’s going on?” she asked, but she didn’t pull away. The truth was I didn’t want to let her go. At that moment, I’d have put her in my car—if I’d driven to school in one rather than take Caleb’s—and drove off with her. Where our pasts meant nothing. I wondered, not for the first time, if she’d be able to handle something like that. Where it was just the two of us. I knew it was what I wanted.
I didn’t push it though.
Crashing through the gym doors, I spun her around. At first, she didn’t laugh. I’d come to notice Emily rarely had a smile on her face. She never had anything to smile about. We all could relate to that. I certainly could.
There was no music, but I imagined it as I brought her close to me and then spun her around. I did this twice more before holding her and dipping her back in a merry dance.
“What’s going on?” she asked, releasing a small smile.
Damn, her whole face lit up, and it took my breath away.
I knew darkness. I’d danced with pain and despair. There had been times as a kid I’d craved affection. When I got older, I fucked women and made them want me just to feel needed, but none of them had come close to the way Emily made me feel.