The twins had moved to this small town from California when their daddy got a new job. Not that I’d cared to learn that bit of information, but they’d been all anyone could talk about for a while. Neither of them had that carefree surfer look, though. Even with identical athletic builds, they gave arrogant vibes, not laid-back ones.
Jack had darker hair to Ty’s lighter brown, Jack was pale to Ty’s tan, and they were on different ends of the personality spectrum too. Jack was the scary, quiet one, but coiled like a snake, and could strike just as fast. I’d never met anyone like him in my life. Maybe that was why I couldn’t figure out how to deal with him.
We’d had assholes at school before, but Jack was next-level. So unobtrusive, almost shy—until he wasn’t.
“What’d you tell them?” he asked.
I glanced at the door, which remained closed. Surely they’d come get one of us any second.
“I told them the truth, dickhole.”
“Oh, so you told them you ruined all the soccer kits?”
I popped my thumb toward my chest. “I didn’t touch your kits, man.”
“Right. Like you didn’t break the cages holding our equipment or rig our lockers to fall apart.”
Denial sprang to mind, but I couldn’t lie. I had participated in the beginning, but this thing was so beyond us now. Our feud got the whole school riled up as the pranks escalated.
The hate-hate relationship between Jack and me was no secret. We literally could not stand each other’s presence. We were oil and water. On a cellular level, a chemical one, we just didn’t mix. Even if we hadn’t been spotted pushing each other around this morning, we probably would be right here in the hot seat.
“And I’ll just bet you didn’t wash our jerseys in glitter or put dead fish under our lockers,” I snapped in response to his accusations.
“Would you have preferred alive fish? You’re weird as fuck.”
“Shut up.”
He rolled his eyes and straightened from the wall. I did the same, but neither of us moved any closer, still casting glances at the office door and keeping our voices low.
“As unintelligent in your arguments as your denials.”
“I said I didn’t touch your kits, and I didn’t. There’s more on the team than me, and there’re more in this school siding with the football team.” I crossed my arms over my chest and cocked my head. “You do realize this hornet’s nest is a mite bigger than us.”
Fuck, why did I sound like the biggest hick around him? Jack’s vibes got under my skin more than anyone I’d ever met. His calmly spoken taunts stung long after I’d walked away. The heat and rage he built inside me lingered until I couldn’t even think straight. He’d invaded my mind so thoroughly, confused me so completely, I had to wonder if I hated him at all.
But if it wasn’t hate, then what the hell was it?
“You football jocks are all the same. You’ve got your stupid bro code, and it doesn’t matter who you step on to keep it. All you care about is making your lazy-ass teammates the popular kids in school, the hotshots, when you’re nothing but bullies.”
Jack took a step closer, hands fisted at his sides. We were still out of reach of each other, and good thing too. By the fire in his eyes, he was ready to continue our little shoving match from earlier.
“The soccer team has a real shot this year, but you’re doing everything you can to ruin our season. How about you get your head out of your ass and see what’s on the other side of the goalpost for a change?”
“You know nothing about me.” And when I stepped closer, we ignited.
Like water on a grease fire.
Jack lunged, but I’d already reached to fist his shirt with both hands.
“You don’t know shit about who I am or what I put up with.” I seethed, not bothering to keep my voice down.
I slammed Jack against the cinder block wall, and he grabbed my shoulders, kicking with one foot and knocking me off-balance. As I tripped away, trying to get my feet under me, he used the moment to push me off him. My back hit the opposite wall, but before he was on me again, the office door opened.
Ms. Hammond eyed the pair of us. We heaved for each breath but thankfully weren’t caught roughing each other up. “Mr. Rutledge, Principal Woodson would like a word,” she said.
Jack glared at me before squaring his shoulders and marching into the office, never looking back.
“Grragh!” Fuck him.
