I try my best to be the latter.
I don’t bother giving him any kind of reaction and just push by him. When I step out into the hallway, the parasite bumps into me. I stop walking and clench my jaw as I turn my head in his direction.
He steps into my personal space, puffing his chest out like a damn peacock. “Do you have any idea who I am?”
I used to think I was one of the most patient people on the planet, but it turns out I was eating shit like the rest of the sheep.
No more. Not since that night.
I drop my bag to the floor, and not caring who he is, I shove the parasite hard. He staggers back, slamming against the opposite wall with a dull thud. Surprise flashes over his face before he darts forward. The moment he takes a swing at me, I duck to the side, and he ends up slamming his fist into the wall.
“Michael!” One of the teachers snap. “Get to class. Now.”
I pick up my bag, and giving Michael-the-fucking-parasite a glare, I walk to my locker.
If he knew what I survived, he’d steer clear of me. I’ve dealt with much worse. My father makes the likes of Michael look like a joke.
Thanks to the little show earlier with Michael, I’m the topic of discussion.
I walk toward an empty table with my lunch, and sitting down, I hear some of the students whisper.
‘I heard he’s psychotic. Like no emotion. That’s freaky weird.’
‘I saw the fight with Michael, and I shit you not, he was cold as ice.’
‘I think it’s hot.’
‘Yeah? So was Ted Bundy.’
I’m not here to make an impression and couldn’t be bothered with what the other students think of me. I’m here to finish school so I can get a job. Right now, we’re living off the money Mom gets from my father, and I don’t like it one bit. Once I start working, I’ll take care of us, and my father can shove his money up his ass.
That’s the only goal I have for this year. Just to get through it.
Taking a bite of the meatloaf, I let my gaze drift over the nearby tables until it stops on the one where the girl, Brie, is sitting.
Half the day has passed, and I haven’t seen her smile once.
I take another bite of the food while a frown forms on my forehead.
She’s the first person that has caught my attention since we moved to this town three months ago.
Maybe it’s because of the flash of fear I saw on her face when I caught her staring at me. I didn’t like that one bit. I know how erosive fear is, and I’ll be damned before making another person feel that way.
Maybe, just maybe, I can do for her what I couldn’t do for Brady.
Is it even possible to redeem myself?
Chapter 2
BRIE
Sitting across from Aspen, I stare at the meatloaf that looks unappetizing. Aspen is the student body president and really a nice girl. She’s the closest thing I have to a friend. We spend our lunches together, eating in silence. It’s the way I prefer it.
Life has taught me that words are meaningless. Since I can remember, I’ve always been silenced, and the few times I tried to speak up for myself were disastrous.
So now I just keep quiet.
“How was your holiday break?” Aspen asks.
I keep my eyes on my plate as I lie, “Fine.”
The past three months were nothing short of hell. As much as I hate school, I’d rather face Sully, Michael, and all the other bullies than being stuck with my mother.
Aspen twirls her spaghetti around her fork, and it makes me wish I had opted for that instead of the meatloaf. Sully was behind me in line, so I grabbed the first thing I could to get away from him.
“You should join the student council,” Aspen states as if it’s even an option. She might be an outcast like me, but she’s feisty and an achiever.
Me? Not so much.
Actually, not at all.
I shake my head, and it draws a sigh from Aspen. She brings her water bottle to her mouth but pauses to mutter, “I swear it’s not as bad as you th–” Her words cut off when my eyes widen on Knox and a girl that’s practically trying to become one with his arm. Both are bad news, and I duck my head down low as they come up behind Aspen.
I hear Aspen snap, “What do you want, Knox?”
“Be at my Jeep at three,” he growls, and just the tone of his voice is enough to make fear ripple over me.
“No can do,” Aspen replies, sounding careless and not as if she’s facing off with Knox, one of the biggest bullies at the academy. “I have a student council meeting after school.”
I wish I had her courage.
“Of course you fucking do,” Knox barks, and the threatening edge to his words makes my stomach knot into a tense bundle.
The girl on Knox’s arm mutters, “Nice pearls, prude.”
“Isn’t it time for you to go back to your coffin, Morticia?” Aspen retorts, and it makes the corner of my mouth twitch.
I hear the other girl snarl and dare a quick peek because I need to know when I should make a run for it. The last thing I have strength for is to get stuck in a fight that has nothing to do with me. Especially with Knox. He’s bad news with a capital B. There are rumors that he killed his mother. I don’t know if they’re true, but whenever I’ve gotten in his way, he has never hesitated to shove me aside like I’m nothing more than trash.
Aspen makes a cross with her fingers. “May the power of Christ compel you.” There’s so much bravery on her face, I can’t help but stare while some of the other students snicker.
But then Knox stalks back to our table, and picking up Aspen’s plate of spaghetti, he dumps it over her head.
I cringe away, knowing what it feels like. My cheeks flame up with mortification on Aspen’s behalf as the other students burst out in laughter.
Aspen picks at a couple of strands of spaghetti, then mutters, “Asshole.”
There’s a sneer around Knox’s mouth that makes him look treacherous. “I suggest you stop running your mouth, Stray.” He grabs hold of Aspen’s chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Or it will get a lot worse. Trust me.”
Stop, Aspen. Don’t bate him any further.
Luckily she doesn’t, and once Knox walks away with the girl, I force a sympathetic smile to my face. I know too well what it feels like to be bullied and hate that it just happened to Aspen.
“Let’s go to the bathroom so you can clean up,” I offer.
I might not interact with people a lot, but Aspen has only been nice to me. Also, I’ve had so much experience with cleaning up that it’s second nature to me.
And then there’s the real reason – so I can get out of the cafeteria before someone decides to pick on me.
COLTON
As the day progresses, I hear more rumors about me spreading like wildfire.
The bottom line is half the school thinks I’m broody and full of shit, while the other half thinks I’m dangerous and that it’s my fault my brother is dead.
Little do they know I just want to be left alone, so I can finish this year. I’m not here to make friends, and I’m definitely not interested in being popular. I’m hoping they’ll find something new to talk about by the end of the week.