by Bella King
I popped the yellow lid off the gas canister and began pouring the pungent liquid onto the bed haphazardly, watching it splash against the sheets and soak into the fabric.
“What are you doing?” A girl behind me squeaked, horrified that she had been one of the people pointing out Laney’s bed.
I ignored her, letting half the gas in the canister soak into the sheets before I stopped. I needed the rest for something else. I retrieved the box of matched from my waistband and pulled a long stick out of the pack. The match lit up in front of my eyes as I struck it against the box, igniting it in a quick ball of fire.
I heard a gasp as I dropped the match onto the bed. It nearly exploded in from of me, sending a shockwave of heat into my face as the bed erupted in flames. I grabbed the gas canister and stumbled back, amazed at how high the flames reached.
I turned to the women who were sitting on their beds, transfixed at the incredible sight before them. “Don’t tell a soul,” I said, holding a finger to my lips, “unless you want to meet a similar fate.”
Then, I walked out into the next room as Laney’s bed burned down to the old stone floor. I wasn’t done yet. I had another target that I wanted to hit.
I spotted two women sitting on beds with an unoccupied one in the middle. By the looks of them, they worked for Natasha. I assumed the bed in the middle was Natasha’s bed because these women looked like they were guarding it.
“Is this Natasha’s?” I asked them, being as blunt as I could be.
“What’s it to you?” One of them asked, getting up from the bed with a scowl on her face.
“Nothing, I just wanted to give her something,” I said, shaking the gas can and smiling.
“You can give it to me, and I’ll pass it on to her,” she said, unaware of what I was holding.
I chuckled. “Sure thing,” I said, and jerked the canister toward her, splashing gasoline out of the nozzle onto her shirt.
“What the fuck?” She exclaimed, stepping back as the stark aroma of gas filled the room.
The other woman hopped off at the bed as though to rush me, but I was faster than she was. I threw the entire canister of gas into the middle bed, hoping that it did belong to Natasha, and tossed a lit match along with it.
It took a moment for the fire from the match to reach the gas, in which time the second woman shoved me backward. I pulled a knife from my waistband as the bed exploded into a huge ball of flames, roaring with unbridled intensity as the first girl yelped and jumped away, fearing that she might also catch on fire with the gas that covered her shirt. Smart move.
The second girl ignored the knife in my hand and rushed at me as the bed burned, clearly furious at my actions. I took a swipe at her as she arrived, and she jumped back, realizing that I wasn’t kidding around with the knife. I would use it on her without hesitation.
“Tell Natasha that Little Rose said hi,” I announced, then walked backward out of the room. As soon as I was out of the door, I turned and ran, intending to sneak out of the secret passage that went from the shower room to the abandoned classroom. Nobody would be able to intercept me that way.
I laughed openly to myself as I ran, adrenaline pumping through me to elevate my mood. I felt like I was on top of the world, finally having the balls to stand up for myself and cause some damage as it was due. Natasha would know not to fuck with me again. I could do a lot worse than that.
I didn’t know whether I was getting even or losing my mind, but whatever it was, it felt good. That’s all I ever needed, just to feel good. I continued to laugh like a crazy person as I walked into the shower room to make my great escape.
Chapter 15
I had waged war. Nobody dared do what I had done, and now, it spelled trouble for Andrew’s gang.
“I called this emergency meeting because of Rose,” Andrew announced, waving a hand at a whiteboard in the front of the classroom.
Troy, Martin, Daniel, and I were seated in yet another empty classroom as Andrew explained the gravity of my actions to the group. Andrew appeared to be frantic, almost panicked as he listed names and pointed to figures on the board.
“We’re in deep shit, guys. This is going to take some serious force to correct,” Andrew said, staring me right in my eyes as he spoke.
I was in trouble for setting Natasha’s bed on fire. It was only supposed to be Laney’s, but I had taken it too far. I didn’t tell them why I had, but they now all thought I was off my rocker because of it. Maybe if they knew about the shower room attack, they would be singing a different tune, but I didn’t intend to tell them. Let those boys think I was crazy. It might help me in the end.
“Natasha, as you might already know, has been slowly gaining followers,” Andrew said, crossing his arms. “We’re drastically outnumbered, but we can still win this.”
“If we kill her, then we won’t have to worry about all of this,” I suggested, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Rose, we’re not going to kill Natasha. I really feel like you’re having trouble following orders here,” Andrew scolded.
I shrugged. “It’s not like she wouldn’t do the same to you if she got the chance,” I retorted.
I watched as the color began to rise in Andrew’s handsome face. I was pushing his buttons and I knew it, but I couldn’t help myself. Something inside me had snapped since I was attacked, and now, nothing scared me. I had faced near-death and vanquished it. I wasn’t going to cower down in fear in front of anyone, not even Andrew.
“Rose, you’re the one who got us into this. We’re trying to maintain power at Ridgeview, not kick the hornet’s nest,” he said, his voice growing louder.
“Fuck if I care,” I replied dismissively.
Everyone’s eye widened at my sudden confrontational tone toward Andrew. They knew better not to mess with him, but I had been through hell because of him, and I wasn’t about to let him take the reigns and bully me because of what I had done. Natasha deserved it, and much more.
Andrew charged down the lines of desks toward me, grabbing me roughly by the collar and pulling me out of my chair.
“Ouch, what the fuck,” I cried as he dragged me out of the room, leaving behind the rest of the group.
“Get in here,” Andrew said, throwing me into a closet in the hallway and following me in, slamming the door shut behind him.
It was dark inside, and I could feel Andrew’s angry breath on my neck as he bent over and glared at me. I made myself small, unsure of what he was going to do. After my previous beating, I didn’t think I could take a hit from him without considerable pain. My body was still healing.
“What the fuck was all that about?” Andrew asked in a hushed, but aggressive, voice.
“Why should we care about Natasha?” I asked.
“Because she’s dangerous, Rose. I’m not trying to belittle you in there, but Jesus Christ, have some self-control. You’re making me look bad in front of the others,” he said, his voice growing desperate.
I hadn’t realized that I was undermining his power until he said it. He sounded more upset than angry at me.
I sighed. “I’m not trying to make you look bad. I just think that Natasha is a monster and what I did was right,” I said, holding firm to my initial actions.
Andrew frowned in the darkness. “Natasha hasn’t even touched you. Is this about our history together?”
Great, now he thought I was doing this out of jealousy. It wasn’t like that, but it was difficult to explain otherwise without admitting what she had done to me. I didn’t want to look weak, but this might be worse. I was sure he wouldn’t appreciate a woman who put the gang in a difficult position out of sheer jealousy.
I would have to come clean, or this could get messier than I intended. I took a deep breath. “Okay, Andrew. I have to show you something,” I said quietly.
“What are you talking about?” He asked, clearly confused.
“The other night, after we took a trip to the garden, I ran into Natasha in the d
ormitory,” I said slowly.
“Well, you set her bed on fire, so I’m not surprised,” he replied, an edge of frustration remaining in his voice.
“No,” I snapped. “It wasn’t like that. I met Natasha before all that happened. She and six other girls attacked me in the shower.”
“Fuck, Rose, you need to be careful,” he replied.
“I’m not finished,” I said, growing irritated that he kept interrupting.
Andrew fell silent, allowing me to finish.
“Natasha had her girls pin me to the wall, and then she had Laney do this,” I said, yanking up my shirt and displaying the word that was etched deep into my skin.
Andrew’s eyes widened in the dark as he realized the damage that had been done to me. He looked up at my face, his eyes shimmering with the first hint of sorrow that I had seen from him since we met. He looked back down at my stomach, then reached his fingers toward the wound.
“Don’t touch it,” I cautioned, moving back.
Andrew looked back up at me. “I didn’t think she would let things get this far. This is my fault,” he said solemnly.
“I think it’s Laney’s fault, really, but Natasha had a lot to do with it,” I replied.
“No, it’s my fault. Natasha should never have been allowed to gain this much power. I’ve been going easy on her because she used to be a part of our group.”
“You used to fuck her,” I corrected.
He chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, that too.”
“But you haven’t gone easy on me,” I reminded him. I didn’t like that Natasha was getting special treatment from him when I was going through hell and nobody seemed to care. Maybe it all boiled down to jealousy, but I wanted to be treated better by Andrew.
“You haven’t finished initiation,” Andrew said, a slight smirk on his face as I lowered my shirt back down.
“I’ve done exactly what you told me to do, and more,” I reminded him.
“Yes, but there’s more to it,” he said, his smirk growing wider. He looked handsome in the low light of the closet. I couldn’t make out the fine details of his face, but the shadows hit him in such a way that it accented his striking features. I sensed a hint of something sexual in his voice, but I was honestly a bit afraid to press further on the point.
“So, when is this going to happen?” I asked, running my tongue over my bottom lip.
“Tonight, after we finish with all this planning. I’m sure everyone is going to need a bit of stress relief,” he answered, keeping his voice low, and smoother than silk.
I felt goosebumps rising on my arms and legs at his words. I knew that something special was going to happen tonight, but I didn’t want to jump to any conclusions. So far, everything that I thought I understood had been turned on its head. Why should this time be any different?
“I’ll do what I have to in order to be an official member,” I said in a serious tone.
“Yes,” Andrew said with a smile. “I know you will.” He stood up straight, displaying his broad chest in a dramatic stretch. “Now, let’s get back to the meeting.”
Chapter 16
It was simple, but there was an order to things that we couldn’t mess up. One wrong move, and Natasha would continue to reign supreme at the school while our gang grew less powerful.
Gangs are simple. When there is only one person in charge, and the group is big enough, it will fall to pieces if the leader is unable to keep an eye on every single member. What’s worse is if the leader is killed or otherwise removed from the gang. It can’t go on after that.
Natasha ruled with an iron fist, but she was also the weak link in her gang. If we managed to remove her, then there would be no more opposition. She wouldn’t be able to get revenge on us because there would be nobody to back her. Without Natasha, her gang didn’t exist.
Andrew had been afraid to go straight for the throat with Natasha, and that had been a huge mistake. She wasn’t nearly as forgiving, especially now that I had joined Andrew’s ranks. He had to step things up before they got out of his control. I was glad that he realized that now.
As quick to anger as he was, Andrew kept a cool head about the situation between Natasha and me. She had crossed a line by damaging his little Rose, and now he was cold and calculated. That kind of fury was more intimidating and serious than blind rage. Andrew wasn’t messing around anymore.
The mood was heavy during our meeting, and we only had time for a quick lunch break before we went back to work. Daniel had stolen some food from the cafeteria for us to enjoy, so we ate in the classroom while Andrew made more notes at the front of the room.
“Andrew told me you really fucked up Natasha’s bed. Nothing but ashes left,” Troy said excitedly, scooting his chair toward me while I took a bite of mashed potatoes.
I smiled. “Yeah, the fucking thing exploded when I dropped a match on it.”
“Damn, I wish I had seen it,” Troy said, his beautiful eyes glimmering with excitement. “You’re way better than Natasha ever was,” he whispered, leaning in so that nobody else could hear him.
“I’m not sure if Andrew thinks so,” I replied.
“Andrew? Didn’t you two have sex the other day?” Troy said, rubbing his strong chin. I could smell his intoxicatingly delicious cologne from how close he was sitting.
I nodded. “Sure.”
“You don’t have to be exclusive, you know. Andrew doesn’t mind,” Troy said, placing a hand on my thigh.
I nearly jumped at his touch. I hadn’t been expecting that, but I didn’t move his hand. I quite liked the feeling over his powerful grip on my bare thigh. Skirts had so many advantages when you were around such good-looking men.
Maybe I should have felt guilty for being attracted to literally everyone in the gang, but I wasn’t. It wasn’t like Andrew was much better. Who knew how many women he had before me? I didn’t know how long any of this would last, or if I would ever truly be a member of the group, so I wanted to enjoy myself and take it easy. Why make choices and confine yourself when you can’t predict the future?
“What Andrew thinks isn’t any of my business. I’m the one who decides what I want,” I said, establishing my dominance.
Troy smiled, nodding his head. “I like you, Rose. You’re different.” His eyes flickered down to my shirt, where I had purposely chosen not to wear a bra. The room wasn’t cold, but my nipples were hard from his touch.
“That’s what they all say, isn’t it?” I asked him with a sly smile.
“Maybe, but I’m telling the truth,” Troy answered.
I laughed, taking another bite of my food and shaking my head. He and Martin were so similar. Every time I talked to one of them, I felt like I was speaking to the same person. They even looked similar, but then again, everyone in this gang looked similar, aside from David. They were all tall, muscular, heavily tattooed, and looked like a cross between a model and a thug. It was delightful.
“I’ll let you finish your food,” Troy said, scooting his chair away from me.
I waved goodbye and took another bite of my meal.
No sooner had he left than Martin slid up beside me. He raised his eyebrows at me, smiling like he knew something that I didn’t.
“What?” I asked, giving him a side glance before returning to my food.
“Nothing,” he said, looking me up and down.
I rolled my eyes. “Did you just come over to stare?”
“Sort of, yeah,” he replied.
I couldn’t hold back a smile. He was so ridiculous sometimes. “Well, enjoy the view,” I said, giving my torso a small shake.
His eyes widened as he watched my breasts move beneath the thin fabric of my shirt. “Every time I see you, I get an erection,” he stated, being just about as blunt as he could be.
I nearly spat out my food. I had to swallow it to respond quickly. “You’re too much,” I replied.
“Nah, I’m just honest,” he replied. “And plus, I saw Troy copping a feel your
soft little thigh. How about you let me have a touch?” He asked, pouting his lips out like he would be sad if I didn’t allow it.
Normally, I would have been shocked and a bit angry that someone would approach me like that, but my life had changed drastically since coming to Ridgeview. I wasn’t the innocent woman who came in on mistaken charges. I was a full-fledged delinquent like the rest of them. People change.
“Go ahead, but don’t blame me if Andrew snaps your arms later because of it,” I said, parting my legs and offering one up to him.
Martin grinned, showing cute wrinkles on the sides of his eyes. “I don’t think we need to worry about that,” he said, tracing a hand up my skirt. “He knows how to share,” he said, his voice finding a more guttural tone as he found the edge of my panties with his finger.
“Alright,” Andrew announced at the front of the room, standing up with his hands on his hips.
Martin, looking disappointed, moved his hand away from my leg.
“Let’s continue where we left off,” Andrew said, addressing the entire room.
Everyone rose to attention, pushing away half-eaten plates of food. I took a final bite of soft vegetables and potatoes before pushing my plate across the table to give Andrew my full attention again. Martin left me alone and went back to sit with Troy.
Andrew began lecturing us on the plan that he laid out. We would be starting tomorrow, and the goal was to expose Natasha to the school administration without getting anyone else caught up in the spotlight. It wouldn’t be easy, but it could be done if we lured her into the right situation. Ridgeview would turn into a real prison sentence if she was caught doing something terrible. We intended to make that happen.
I watched Andrew’s fluid movements as he went over what all we had to do in order for the plan to work. I could barely pay attention to what he was saying because of how fine he looked at the front of the classroom, lecturing us like he was the teacher.