Relaxing, I debated on what to draw, chewing my bottom lip while my mind went over the possibilities. With a shrug, I stuck with what I do best, and let my hand dictate what I drew. Keeping perspective in mind, I hummed while I drew. When we were told to clean up, I had a few straight lines to direct the eye and create the illusion of distance. With the beginning of a doorway or a mirror, and a hallway or a room. I wasn’t sure yet.
Dakota smiled brightly, leaving the classroom with me. He made idle chatter while heading towards his next class, and my feet kept pace with him. I didn’t have a class, so it wasn’t as if I had anywhere to be, anyway. Besides, I sensed he needed to talk, even if it wasn’t anything important topic wise.
His beaming smile faded, becoming an angry frown while his stance shifted to become defensive a moment before Kyler rounded the corner with two different boys. Kyler scowled, although he picked up his pace. Dakota stepped in front of me, and I gasped in surprise. “Move,” Kyler growled, and Dakota shook his head, albeit I noticed he kept it bowed. “Don’t make me force you to, you know that I can. Do as your told, Dakota, or suffer the consequence. Go to class. Now.”
Placing my hand on his arm when he trembled with clenched fists, I told him to go. He stared at me over his shoulder, and I dropped my eyes after a moment, seeing the light change to indicate he nodded. He ruffled my hair, kissed my forehead, and stared Kyler down when he stepped around him. Dakota’s eyes met mine, his full of worry, before he turned the corner, and I sighed with relief that at least he was out of the line of fire.
“I’ve decided, I don’t like the way you run your mouth,” Kyler mused with a cruel smirk. “So, I’ll help you wash it.” I scoffed, stepping back because I could guess what he meant, and it wasn’t good for me. Unfortunately, not only was Kyler tall, but he had long arms. With one step, he tangled his fingers in my hair and jerked me along. I grabbed his hand with mine and tried to free my hair, but it didn’t do me any good. Still, I pissed him off when I braced my foot on the wall outside the bathroom so he couldn’t drag me inside. Take that, hotshot.
Sighing with irritation, he drove his fist into my gut, and I gasped, hunching to soothe the terrible, burning pain. Laughing cruelly, Kyler dragged me into a stall, his fingers viciously pulling my hair. Being in choir taught you to take deep breaths rapidly, so I filled my lungs before he shoved my head into the chilly water of the toilet. I pushed back, even shoved my foot against his to unbalance him. His response was to tighten his fingers, so I stopped fighting.
After several moments, a boy I didn’t know spoke, “Kyler, stop it. You’re killing her.”
“I told the street rat she needs her mouth washed. As soon as she opens her mouth, she’s free to go,” Kyler laughed. “I’m not killing her. The idiot is doing it to herself. What a useless piece of trash, can’t even follow a simple order.” Hmph. Takes one to know one, hotshot. Do you really believe this is the first time my head was in a toilet? How unoriginal. Geez. Those good looks are wasted on a box of rocks. Did he screw his way into his honors classes? Because his attitude and the way he acts screams whore. I suppose there’s no point in being the loudest ram if you don’t partake of the harem within your flock.
Again, I silently apologized for my horrible thoughts. Even if they’re most likely the truth. Seconds later, someone ripped Kyler away, and I stood, pushing my soaking hair back before breathing through my nose. This was not my first rodeo, and I’ve learned from my mistakes. Blindly navigating the bathroom, I found the paper towels and dried my face before opening my eyes. No pink eye for me, no thanks.
The bathroom was empty when I opened my eyes, and I frowned. My heart pounding, I raced out of the bathroom to find Dakota wrestling Kyler on the ground. While I watched, Kyler pinned the smaller boy and raised his fist to punch him. Darting forward, I grabbed his wrist, using the pressure point to stop him. I forced his arm behind his back and pushed him off Dakota before I released him. Dakota sneered at Kyler, and I knelt between the boys, lest Kyler injured the idiot playing knight to my damsel in distress.
“Leave him alone, Kyler,” I warned, shifting into a defensive crouch. I sighed when Kyler looked about to charge. This would hurt and piss him off. A lot. My lips curled into a slight smile at that thought.
The almighty king whore of the school ran at me, and I called upon long ago lessons in gymnastics and hard-learned ones from the street. I grabbed his collar as he came, letting myself fall back in a smooth motion so my feet caught Kyler’s chest, and sent him flying over my head. He hit the wall with a loud thud, and my smile grew into the beginnings of a smirk.
Slowly pushing himself up, Kyler shook his head, his face contorted with fury when he looked my way. I shrugged where I sat, waiting for him. Baiting him, really. This time, his hands reached for my throat, and I nonchalantly blocked him, wrapping mine around his before pinning him to the floor. His breath whooshed from his lungs when his back hit the floor, and I put the toes of my boots on his wrists, pressing on his pressure points. One hand pressed against his chest while I placed the other on his shoulder, where I could reach another pressure point with ease.
Once Kyler caught his breath, he huffed and tried to buck me off only to yelp when pain radiated through his body from his wrists. “As soon as you calm down, I’ll let you up,” I informed him in a bland tone. “The way you are, so lost to your rage, you will hurt yourself if we continue to dance.” A low feral growl vibrated his chest while he glared so furiously, I couldn’t stop the grin curling my lips if I tried. “Has anyone told you how adorable it is that you think you’re a badass? You’re just a bully who believes the world revolves around him. I told you earlier that I won’t let you hurt anyone in my presence, Kyler. A man would learn from his mistake and take that to heart, which proves you are nothing but a boy. A boy who, unless he changes his tune, will never be a man. Men don’t hurt others just because they can, only boys do. Some boys never grow up, although if you ask, they’ll proclaim they’re a man and beat their chest while everyone laughs at their stupid immaturity.”
“Get off of me!” Kyler snarled, his teeth looking more prominent than they did a moment before. I blinked, and they became normal once more, and I tried to fight it, I really did. But this boy summoned the worst in me.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you don’t want girls on top of you. What’s your boyfriend’s name?” I asked with a slight smirk and a mocking tone. I hated myself for the words as soon as they escaped, but I was proud of them too. Not that there was anything wrong with a boy liking other boys. Love is love. No, I was proud of myself for not backing down and returning the favor.
Kyler’s eyes widened comically while the three boys in the hall burst out laughing. “Seriously, who is he?” I asked in a kind voice, “I want to send him flowers as my condolences for being dumb enough to date you.” Their laughter rose several pitches, and something in me relaxed upon knowing that the teenagers were safe and happy. I wasn’t pleased with my cruelty to Kyler, but I hoped it started him on the path to change. Then again, discovering you weren’t top dog when you believed you were, was a bitter pill to swallow. He’d doubtless be nastier, trying to console himself that he could do whatever he wanted with no repercussions. If he didn’t learn the truth now, reality would chew him up and spit him out, leaving behind a broken shell. Then, he would take out his misery on any unfortunate soul who loved him.
The tardy bell rang, and I quirked a brow at the growling teenager underneath me. He tried to buck again, whining when he couldn’t get free. Sighing, I shook my head and tapped his nose with a stern frown, “bad dog,” I told him, and his eyes widened again. “Behave.”
Shocked, he went limp and stared at me with something odd flashing in his eyes before they hardened, and he glared hatefully. Sighing, I rolled my eyes but released him since he was calmer. “Leave Dakota alone,” I warned, turning my back on him and walking away as if I lacked a care in the world. It took all of my strength to do so, to act as th
ough he was of no consequence and expose myself to a potential attack. It came as I knew it would, and I turned, flipping the boy over my shoulder using his momentum. He coughed, and I shook my head with an expression of pity. “I only defended myself this time to help your lesson in reality sink in. Just because you think you’re untouchable doesn’t mean you are, Kyler.”
With that, I walked away, leaving him lying on the floor in the middle of the hall.
Emergence of Thunderclouds
I walked to the office, asking if the school had showers I could use. They tutted over me, sending me to the girl’s locker room with an offer of clean clothes. I declined because I knew how to clean mine and dry them in minutes. You learned to do so when the rams who bleat annoyingly loud obsess over you. Geez, it was a good thing I didn’t allow my ego to inflate what with how much everyone focused on me. You’d think I was a celebrity from the way the kids in my previous schools obsessed over me.
I stumbled a step once in the locker room, and the changing girls looked at me with raised eyebrows. Claire and Marissa glanced at each other before approaching me with grim frowns. “Are you all right, Angel?” Claire asked with a worried frown, and I chuckled.
“Yeah, at least until I run into Kyler again,” I told her with a slight smirk. Her brow furrowed, and I shrugged. “I may have uh taught him a lesson that will rankle and make him hate me even more. If I hadn’t, I do not doubt Dakota would be in the nurse’s office.”
“You protected Dakota?” Marissa asked sharply, and I nodded, gulping while I took a step back from the fury in her expression. Instead of attacking me like I feared, she shook her head with tears in her eyes and pulled me into a hug to cry on my shoulder. “He’s important to me,” she admitted in a thick voice, a soft sob echoing in the silent room. “Dakota and I are together, we are soul mates, and that you risked yourself to protect him puts me in your debt. I am so thankful, Angel, and so happy. Please, let me help you whenever I can. You do not understand how much this means to me.”
I swallowed nervously. I would have preferred an attack rather than Marissa making me into some sort of hero. I did what anyone with a conscience should. “You owe me nothing,” I whispered uncomfortably, and she smiled.
“Oh, I do, Angel, I truly do. I owe you much,” Marissa disagreed with warmth in her eyes. Shrugging, I dropped my gaze and shuffled my foot while hoping she’d get bored and leave me alone.
“Um, if you don’t mind, I need to take a shower,” I mumbled after an awkward moment. “Dakota saved me first, anyway. Kyler tried to make me swallow toilet water because he doesn’t like how I talk to him.”
“He did what!?” Marissa snarled, and I flinched away from her. “Sorry, um, can I help?” Horror filled me, and she burst out laughing. “I meant with your clothes, sweetheart. I see that part of your hoodie is soaked.” Thank the moon and stars because I do not swing that way, nor would I enjoy that kind of attention. Albeit, what would hurt the most, was knowing we shared an intimate moment while she was in a relationship with Dakota. That would crush my soul and leave me more broken than even my monster desired.
Sighing with relief, I shook my head. “I just need to clean it in the sink and use a dryer to dry it quick. I have a free period, so I’m good,” I explained with a shrug. Claire tutted, and I found myself stripped of my hoodie and pushed towards the shower while a few girls brought me shampoo and soap. I blinked at them, but they smiled in response and shooed me into a shower.
This school was really fucking weird. Shrugging, I stripped, making a noise of irritation when Marissa cheerfully announced they would clean my shirt too while snatching it. I growled under my breath but took a quick shower to make the dirty water a mere memory. Ugh. Seriously, what idiot first thought that would be funny? It’s just nasty. Bleh.
They offered a towel through the pathetic curtain once I turned off the water, and I dried myself. When I stepped out, I found my clothes dry and ready to go. Sighing, I dressed in seconds, running my fingers through my hair in place of a brush. Once I was ready, I walked into the central part of the locker room to find the girls still there. “Don’t you have class?” I asked.
They nodded, and Claire grinned with trouble in her eyes. “They either give all of us detention, or none of us. We don’t care. But, do you want to hang out with us instead of wandering the halls? You can sit in the bleachers while we play football, Coach Hauser won’t mind. And, while Kyler is in this class, so is Riff.” Claire smiled winningly when I hesitated, putting her arm through mine and flouncing out the door. This girl will be the death of me.
Riff grinned and gave a loud wolf whistle when he noticed us walking into the gym. “Coach, Angel will watch us because she has nothing better to do,” Claire announced cheerfully, and I groaned.
“Yeah, because who doesn’t want to watch a bunch of sweaty boys assuming the position?” I drawled sarcastically. To the amusement of the girls and our teacher, the boys blushed while looking at the ground. “At least football is better than wrestling, that is dry sex on a mat,” I sighed, and a few blushes darkened. Whoops. Ruined a favorite sport for a few boys. Ah, well, I was stating my honest opinion. Although this was why I refrained.
“Have I told you lately that I love you?” Riff asked with a laugh, moving to throw his arm over my shoulders. “I bet you could kick all our asses, eh Kyler?” His tone was innocent, as was his expression, but Riff’s eyes were shards of ice.
Kyler stiffened, a soft growl escaping from his chest, and I kept my eyes on the ground. Oh boy. I’ll pay for that later, I’m sure. Coach laughed and told them to save it for the field, making them opposing captains. Well, that’s just asking for it.
Once the rival teenagers chose their teams, they headed to the field, and I sighed while sitting at the top of the bleachers. Shrugging to myself, I worked on my homework while catcalling and grunts filled the air. Seriously, has anyone ever watched football or listened to it? It’s like watching a bunch of idiots in some weird mating ritual, at least until someone breaks away to run down the field. Then it’s a sport, but otherwise, yeah, some sort of mating ritual between horny boys.
I glanced up in time to see Riff tackle Kyler and shook my head. “Keep it in your pants,” I called when they struggled against each other. I laughed under my breath when the frozen students burst into laughter, and the pair of testosterone-filled males broke apart, looking mortified. After a moment, Riff looked my way because I felt his eyes. I rolled mine, catching the football he threw my way without looking. Scoffing, I set it beside me and continued my homework with a slight smirk when loud clangs heralded Riff coming to retrieve the ball. Chuckling, I placed one hand on it to keep Riff from stealing it.
“Angel,” Riff breathed, his breath blowing across my ear, “can I have the ball?”
“What, don’t like me having a hand on your balls?” I asked innocently without looking at him, my lips curling into a smile when Riff laughed. The warmth that wrapped around me lightened my heart and filled my soul with peace.
“God, I love you, Angel,” Riff chuckled, and I raised my eyes with a laugh. “I love that fire you hide from the world. You should let it out more, I’ll kick anyone’s ass who tries to douse it. Promise.” Shaking my head, I looked back at my homework with a snort, and he laughed while kissing my forehead. “Ugh, what the hell do you smell like?”
Laughing at Riff’s expression of disgust, I offered, “I forgot how to use a toilet and needed a shower. Two of our classmates were kind enough to loan me soap and shampoo, so I didn’t use the crappy school stuff. Their words, not mine.”
Laughter rang out across the field, and I chuckled while Riff did as well, although his eyes were akin to ice. “I’m using that,” he warned in a light tone, his expression revealing his fury.
“Me too!” Several of his classmates laughed, and I chuckled. Steeling myself, I let my gaze meet Kyler’s. His jaw was slack, and his eyes were full of awe. However, once he focused, his jaw clenched, and he glar
ed at me. Shaking my head, I finished my homework, grinning when Riff stared at the ball I transferred to my lap.
“You know, I like my balls in your lap,” Riff stated with a playful expression.
Fluttering my eyelashes, I breathily replied, “oh, so do I. You cannot imagine the joy I experience palming your balls in my lap.” Throwing his head back, Riff laughed so hard, he stumbled and sat on the bleacher behind him. Chuckling, I glanced at our shocked classmates who got over themselves and lost it. Closing my eyes, I enjoyed their laughter since I prompted it.
I glanced at Kyler again after a moment, the only one not laughing since even Coach chuckled, and he glared at Riff and I. Me, I understood. I took away every bit of power he had by making fun of myself for having my head in the toilet. I didn’t hide it, nor did I deny it. Instead, I turned it into a story our peers found hilarious. Thus, Kyler lost whatever power he would have gained from my humiliation. Not that I would have cared. Pfft. Who gives a crap what a building full of horny teenagers thinks? Although I admit I liked having friends. I enjoyed not always being the butt of the joke.
What I didn’t understand is why Kyler glared at Riff. Although, I supposed he was angry that Riff took me under his wing and allowed me to strip Kyler of his power. Sighing, I gave Riff the football, and he kissed my forehead before returning to the field. Kyler still glared at him when I raised my gaze, and I frowned. This time I watched them play, and it looked like Riff and Kyler were at each other’s throats. They tackled each other every chance they got, wrestling long after Coach blew his whistle.
“You are quarterbacks! You do not tackle!” Coach Hauser yelled with fury making his voice harsh. After several minutes, the other teenagers gave up and let them wrestle in the dirt, no longer pretending to play. Growling, Coach Hauser looked at me, and I gulped, hunching my shoulders while I dropped my gaze. When he stared, I glanced up, and he crooked his finger. Uh oh.
Bouquet of Regret (Angel's Shifters Book 1) Page 7