by C.E. Wilson
Chapter Two
Archer beamed as he watched Orion disappear into the gym.
Now all I have to do is talk about that skank, Bentley, he thought to himself as he watched Micah cautiously walk back through the lobby. She and Micah had been hooking up all summer but Micah didn’t want anyone to know about it because the girl was trash. Micah knew the girl was skanky but he didn’t care because she was easy. It would be cake to get him to laugh about her.
“He’ll have no idea what’s going on,” Archer said.
“Who won’t?” Micah asked. “Where’s Orion?”
“Cleaning out the wrestling room to set up for another concession stand,” Archer said. “Let’s talk in the gym so no one can listen.” Micah followed him closely, looking around. Archer saw that the gym looked empty. “Are you still talking to Devony about helping out tonight?”
“She says that there’s nothing she can do,” Micah said, frowning.
Archer moved close to him and spoke in an undertone. “Oh, but I bet if Bentley could help you, you’d be already be helping us out!” He nudged him in the ribs with his elbow.
“Oh her?” Micah asked, laughing. “That girl will do anything!” From his hiding spot, Orion caught the hearty sounds of Micah’s laughter filling the gym and he narrowed his eyes.
“I can’t believe how much she likes you. She could have anyone!”
“I know, it’s a shame, isn’t it? But I can’t help myself, I want what I want.”
“I bet you do. You always have,” Archer said, elbowing him again. “She told me about how you two hooked up in the chemistry lab today.”
“It’s never enough with her!”
“Are you going to go public with her?”
“Public? With her? Could you imagine my father’s face? He would throw up all over his office!”
“I’m telling you, your father would probably love the match.”
“My father’s pickier than you know,” Micah said. “She wanted me all summer. I couldn’t keep her away from me!”
“All summer?” Archer repeated loudly. “Damn, that long?”
“Before that, I think. You know how she is. She can’t keep her legs closed. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to go public about us. She’s a liar though, all those girls are.”
“Girls like her are only after one thing.”
“Well she can have it from me, so long as it’s private.”
“Did anyone see you sneak into the lab this afternoon?” Archer asked.
“No. She pulled me in and started having her way with me,” Micah chuckled. “She’s always hanging around me and trying to get my attention. She’s feisty, that’s for sure.”
“Are you going to sneak her back into your house?”
“Come on, Archer, you know I will. I have needs.”
“But you won’t date her, huh?”
“I don’t date girls like that.”
“Shhh…” Archer warned. “Isn’t that her?” he whispered as Bentley entered the gym.
“I could smell her coming in with that cheap perfume she’s always wearing,” Micah said, putting on a show for Archer. “What do you want now?”
“You slime!” Bentley hissed at him in a low voice, throwing a small metal object at his chest. “I knew you gave this ring to another girl! I must have been out of my mind to think that you’ve changed! You said you found it in your locker, you scum! I bet half the school’s worn this ring. I won’t wear it! We’re done.”
“Bentley?” Micah asked, scrambling to scoop up the ring. “What the hell are you talking about? I gave this ring as a gift to you.”
“My ring!” Orion breathed, watching the scene.
“It’s got a date on the inside from before I even knew you, you idiot! I don’t want your secondhand gifts! Never talk to me again,” she shouted, spinning on her high wedges and storming out of the gym.
“Go after her,” Archer said, nudging him forward.
“Are you sure?”
“She’ll make a scene if you don’t. Take her back to your house and give her something good.”
“What about what you wanted to talk to me about? What about Orion?”
“Don’t waste time. Hurry up before she gets away. If you don’t calm her down she might smash your windshield or something.”
Micah looked hesitant but within a few seconds he had turned away and was running after Bentley. Once he was gone, Orion stepped out from behind the bleachers. His eyes were red and his hands were beginning to twitch.
“Did you hear everything?” Archer asked.
“Every word.”
“Did you hear how long they’ve been together?”
“Yes. And the ring!” Orion shouted. “She threw that ring at Micah as though it was nothing more than trash! How dare she? The school tramp was wearing my gift to Dev.”
“Are you sure it was yours?”
“I’m as positive as I can be. The same ring I gave to Dev, he gave to her. Archer…I don’t think the medicine is working.”
“Give it time.”
“I can’t wait for it to kick in! If I don’t do something about this, I’ll go crazy! Give me another.”
“Another what?”
“Another pill! It must not be working right.”
“I think one’s enough.”
“If you don’t give me another pill, I’ll drive right up to Devony’s house and rip her throat open with my bare hands.”
“That’s the drugs talking, you idiot. You don’t mean that,” Archer said, taking out his pill bottle and breaking a pill in half. “How about this?”
“Give me the whole thing!” Orion shouted, marching over and snatching both halves up. He threw them both down into the back of his throat without water and swallowed deeply. “I hate her! I hate her for what she’s done to me! How could she sleep with Micah? How could Micah betray me like this and then brag about it?”
“Don’t be mad with Micah. He’s only a man.”
“A dead man.”
“Let the medicine relax you,” Archer said. “Please, you’re talking as though you’d really do these things.”
“I will!”
“Just have an open relationship. Those can work.”
“I’m not giving her permission to sleep around!”
“Then you have to let her go.”
“She cheated on me with the guy I thought was my best friend.”
“That does make things worse,” Archer conceded.
“There’s a gun at my apartment,” Orion said, his light brown eyes wide and bloodshot. “I’ll kill her.”
“You’re not going to shoot anyone,” Archer said. “You can’t kill her. Women cheat. It’s in their nature.”
“Not a woman who I’m with. That’s not happening.”
“You’re joking, right? You’re not really going to kill her?”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”
“N-no,” Archer said, looking him over. For the first time, he truly looked dangerous. He had mentioned that his family had moved to America for a reason. His lips couldn’t find the courage to ask why. “You need to calm down. People are starting to arrive. Do you feel better?”
“I feel…dizzy,” he said, blinking at the door to the gym. “Who’s here?”
“It looks like the head of the student body over at the local college,” Archer said, turning his head to get a better look. “That’s Lucas, alright. He must be here to see how things are going.”
“I don’t have time to talk to him.”
“Devony’s with him,” he said carefully.
“Then I’ll—”
“You won’t do anything rash,” Archer said. “Calm down and put your game face on. Let’s keep it together.”
“That’s easy for you to say. Your girlfriend isn’t cheating on you.”
