“Get the fuck off me!” I swing, landing a punch to his jaw.
He staggers, but comes right back for more, hitting me square in the mouth. My tongue flicks out, tasting the blood already pooling there.
Penn jumps in, trying to tear us apart while Calvin yells some stupid shit from the sidelines. The bus swerves, sending us all flying sideways.
I fucking knew it. Liam is going to kill us.
“Guys, stop!” Ellie cries, and in the commotion, I’m vaguely aware of her trying to get in the mix.
“Travis, stop,” Penn huffs, attempting to wrangle me, but I’m fucking pissed, and Tanner seems like a good way to unleash some of this shit that’s been sitting on my chest for a while. Besides, he started it. Kind of.
“You’re always on my ass! Back off.” I thrust my fist into Tanner’s gut. He bows forward, grunting. Then he straightens, landing a blow to my stomach before slapping me across the face.
My head rears back, and I freeze, my hand coming to my burning cheek. “Did you just…slap me?”
Calvin has a hand on Tanner’s arm, trying to rein him in, but he’s useless as always. Tanner could flick him with his pinky and send him to another universe.
“Damn right, I did. You’re acting like a little bitch.”
I wipe my busted lip with my arm and pop him across the face. A searing pain shoots across my palm. Goddammit, that hurt worse than throwing a punch.
“Stop!” Ellie shrieks again. I glance up and see her trying to wedge herself between us when Calvin reaches out and grabs her. It’s possible he was trying to keep her from getting hurt, but I don’t like the way he yanks on her. I immediately see red.
Fighting with Tanner is one thing. Tension builds between your buddies in close quarters like this, and it’s not unusual for him and me to fight. Hell, we do it on the daily. Maybe not a fistfight, but this isn’t the first time either.
“Keep your fucking hands off her!” I roar, shoving Tanner aside so I can push Calvin off Ellie. The image of me tearing his head off and punting it like a goddamn football runs through my head, but the sound of her little shriek drags me back.
Calvin still has a hold on her, and they both go sideways. Ireach for her, but then the bus comes to a screeching halt. Everyone lurches forward, tumbling to the floor.
Limbs go flying, and I throw my hands out, trying to catch myself before crushing Ellie.
“Motherfucker!” Tanner barks, having been slammed into the kitchen table, leaving a gash down the middle.
“I’m sick of the fighting!”
All heads snap up.
Liam is standing in front of us, arms crossed over his chest, breathing heavily for someone who has done absolutely nothing but drive the last ten minutes. “This bus isn’t moving another inch until everyone calms down.”
No one says anything. We’re all equally in shock. We must have really pissed him off. He’s normally the chill one of the group, and I’ve only seen him mad once since I’ve known him.
I groan, pushing to my feet. This night can’t get any worse. First jail, then getting a black eye from Mr. Pissy Leg throwing me up against the wall the way he did.
“You ok?” I ask, reaching a hand to Ellie, but she slaps it away and pulls herself up. The fuck? I was trying to help!
“Everyone, sit down,” Liam demands calmly.
Penn and Tanner sit at the busted table. Calvin takes the small chair in the corner, and Ellie drops down on the couch, moving to the far end when I sit beside her.
“Thank you,” Liam says.
We sit quietly waiting for Dad to punish us, but he stands there awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck like he didn’t think this through.
“I think—” Calvin starts, but fuck if I want to hear a goddamn word from him right now.
“You shut up,” I snap. “Stay out of this.”
He looks at me with wild, bulging eyes. “What didIdo?”
