Her azure eyes pin mine in place. “Seriously, though. I’m so fucking excited for senior year now, and that’s all thanks to you.”
“I’m sure a certain six-foot-four football player has something to do with it too,” I tease.
“To be honest, I wish Sean didn’t go to Lowell High. It’d make things easier.”
“Hey.” I reach out and squeeze her knee. “If any of those cheerleaders even look funny at you this year, they’ll have me to answer to.”
Sariah and Sean started dating a year ago, much to the disgust of the cheerleading squad, and most of Sean’s teammates, according to my bestie. A few of the girls threatened her, and when that didn’t work, they resorted to pushing her around. But my girl knows how to defend herself.
We’ve both been attending kickboxing classes downtown for the past two years. I only started attending so I had an explanation for my defensive skills. But it’s come to mean so much more to me. The classes keep me fit, and they help to alleviate stress. It’s also how I met Sariah, and we became instant best friends.
Still, no amount of skill can help if it’s ten on one, and Sariah’s taken a few beatings. She’s a loner, like me, so she had no one to back her up. At least now, I’ll be there. And it’s not like I need much incentive to get involved. The pent-up rage inside me has grown even worse since Dad died. Now, I’m constantly battling a wild inferno that blazes out of control inside me, and I grasp any opportunity to uncage the beast with both hands.
“I have a feeling they have a new target this year.” We share a look.
“How bad is it?” I ask.
“You’re all anyone is talking about. I’ve heard the usual bullshit from the guys, and the girls’ claws are already drawn. Sean has spread the word around, but he’s not sure if it’s enough.”
“If he couldn’t keep the bottom-feeders away from his beloved girlfriend, I doubt he’s had any more success defending me, but I appreciate he tried.” I squeeze her knee again. “Don’t worry. I know how to take care of myself. It’ll be cool.”
“Watch out for Parker Brooks,” Sariah warns as I take the turn that will lead us to the school.
“She’s the reigning queen bee, right?” I signal and pull off onto the road.
“Yes, and she’s also dating Finn Houston. He leads the crew that controls Lowell High.”
“I know who Finn is.” I had sex with him one time at a party a couple years ago. We were high, drunk, and horny. A lethal combination that almost always ends with marathon sex.
Here’s hoping he doesn’t remember because I don’t want to make an instant enemy of his girlfriend. My agenda is too important, and I don’t need additional distractions.
“I’m not after Parker’s crown. She’ll back off when she realizes that.” What I need to do requires me to blend into the shadows. To become almost invisible so I can sneak around undetected. Having a spotlight on my head would cause too many delays.
Sariah pushes her short blonde hair behind her ears. “We both know that’s a lie.”
“Yeah,” I chuckle, as I pull the car through the rusted iron gates at the front of my new school. “But it’s fun to fantasize sometimes.”
_______________
The metal detectorbeeps as I walk through the scanner, as I expected it would. The female security guard pats me down as other students stream through the doors, gawking at me like I’m a new science experiment.
“You can’t bring knives to school,” the guard says, frowning as she removes the dull blade from the back pocket of my jeans.
I hold up my palms. “My bad. I’m new.”
“That’s not an excuse.” Her frown deepens, and she eyes me warily. I hold her gaze, refusing to be intimidated. “I’ll be keeping this,” she adds, dropping it into a brown plastic container along with a bunch of other confiscated weapons. “Move along.”
“What was that all about?” Sariah murmurs under her breath as we take off.
“Concealing the knife I have tucked in the inside of my boot,” I quietly reply. I wasn’t joking when I said I carry my Strider SMF everywhere with me.
She nods in understanding. “Come on.” She tugs on my elbow, steering me around the corner, away from the throngs crowding the hallways. “Let’s get the paperwork shit out of the way.”
A short while later, we leave the school office. “Everyone’s staring.” Sariah states the obvious as we clutch our schedules and locker combos. Thankfully, we have lockers across from one another, and we share a few of the same classes too.
“Let them look. No skin off my back.” I ignore the inquisitive gazes of my new schoolmates, keeping pace with Sariah as she leads me down the hallway.
I’m shoving books in my locker when Sariah shrieks behind me, and I whip around, knuckles raised, ready to inflict some damage. My shoulders relax when I spot Sean with a giggling Sariah lifted in his arms.
