by Hart, Rebel
I nodded as I held back tears. “I’d really like to put this behind us, yes.”
Michael took my hand, ripping me out of my seat. And as he wrapped his long arms around me, I squeezed him around his waist. I giggled breathlessly as he nuzzled against me, trying to soothe my invisible wounds. I heard Allison get up before a soft pair of arms wrapped around both of us, causing Michael to chuckle to himself.
“Had to get in on the action, huh?”
Allison smiled. “I mean, I can never resist a good happily ever after.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’ve been watching Disney movies again, haven’t you?”
Allison scoffed. “Just let me say, ‘And then everyone lived happily ever after, the end’.”
Michael laughed. “Okay, but only this once.”
All of us gave one last big squeeze, then we unraveled ourselves from one another. We sat down and started unpacking our lunches, smiling and talking like we used to do. It felt nice, having some semblance of normalcy around this table again. And it felt really good to hear Michael’s lame jokes as I talked about Mom and D.J. I rehashed the conversation, telling them about my mother’s decision. How I really felt she was serious this time. How it felt like things might actually be different.
But soon, I felt my eyes scanning the cafeteria.
“He left.”
Michael’s voice pulled my eyes back to him, and he gave me a knowing look.
“What?”
Allison giggled. “Oh, come on, Rae. Don't play that game.”
Michael shook his head. “Lying’s what got you into this mess, you know.”
I sighed. “No, omitting information is what got me into this mess.”
Allison smiled. “So, you admit you’re lying now?”
I paused. “I plead the fifth.”
Michael scoffed. “He left, and he hasn’t come back yet.”
I shrugged. “Oh, well. His loss. I was going to throw a Cheeto at him.”
“Uh huh,” Michael said as he spooned a bite of chicken pot pie into his mouth. “Sure, you don’t.”
I rolled my eyes at him before focusing on my peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Mom had actually packed me a lunch today. For the first time in years, I came downstairs to a brown paper bag that she handed off to me with a big smile on her face. And thinking about it made me smile with every bite. Mom looked radiant lately. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. I mean, I knew she’d end up stressing herself out over money and bills. But being free of D.J. looked good on her.
I really hope it stays this way.
“So you actually told your mom about Clint?”
Allison’s question made me nod as I swallowed my sandwich.
“Mm-hmm. I did. And I’m actually glad I did. It’s been a long time since I’ve really been able to talk to her like that. And, despite the hiccup of that evening, we still enjoyed our pizza and movie marathon.”
Michael grinned. “Shame you didn’t invite me in for pizza.”
I giggled. “You didn’t stick around long enough for us to get to that point.”
“You have a decent argument there.”
“It’s not an argument, it’s just the truth. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Refreshing, coming from you.”
I playfully glared at him. “That one feel good?”
Michael nodded. “Actually, it did.”
“Good. Because it’s the only one you’ll get.”
The three of us laughed again before a commotion started in the back of the cafeteria. Kids rushed to the windows and poured out onto the patio, their hands clapping and cupping over their mouths. I furrowed my brow deeply as I craned my neck, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on.
Then, I heard it. I heard what they were chanting.
“Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”
Allison’s face fell. “Uh oh.”
Michael shook his head. “Shit.”
And as a sinking feeling filled my gut, I felt myself standing from my seat.
Clint.
I abandoned my lunch and pressed myself between Michael and the wall. I slipped away, listening to them yell at me as I headed for one of the windows. I pushed people out of the way, trying to catch a glimpse of what they were looking at. And when I saw a towering black mass dancing around on the football field, I felt my lunch creep up the back of my throat.
Shit.
I pushed away from the window and charged for the cafeteria exit. I had to navigate the masses, since they had already started rushing out the door. Teachers were trapped. The principal was stuck at the back of the hallway. It took all the effort I had to shove people to the concrete in order to get ahead of them.
And all the while, Allison and Michael yelled for me to come back.
30
Clinton
I took a blow to the jaw and stumbled back. Actually stumbled. On my feet. That hadn’t happened in a fight in quite some time. Usually, it was only my father that made me stumble backwards. These boys fought harder than I’d originally given them credit for. And I was happy for it. The pain gave me something to focus on. Their beady, disgusting little eyes gave me targets for the fury in my fists. I felt blood pumping through my veins and fire coursing through my bones. I felt alive. More alive than I ever had before.
Except with Rae.
“You’re fucked, you little piece of shit.”
I grinned. “Gotta take me down first.”
I hooked my arm around his neck and bent him at the waist. Throwing my head back, I cracked the other guy in the nose behind me as he growled and cursed to himself. I laughed as I choked off the boy’s air supply before an elbow came down into my back. And as I dropped to my hands and knees, it gave me the perfect angle to wrap my arm around some other boy’s legs.
I didn’t even know who was who. At this point, it was kill or be killed. Just like in my house.
And I sure as hell wasn’t on the menu tonight.
“Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!”
I heard chanting kids racing for the field. A crowd gathered as I shoved myself up off the ground. My jaw was swelling, my lip was busted, and one of my eyes was already swelling shut. More decorative scars and colors to go along with the ligature marks that took me for fucking ever to cover up this morning.
“You’re dead,” the kid snarled.
I simply smiled before I charged him.
“Clint! Clint! Clint! Clint!”
I yelled out as I tackled him to the ground. I straddled him, throwing punch after punch before his buddies dragged me off him. I slung my fists around like wildfire, feeling them connect as the crowd’s chanting grew to a dull roar. I smelled their blood. Felt their fear. And it fueled me forward as I fisted a handful of hair and pulled some dude’s head back.
“This is for fucking around with our field.”
I punched him in the nose before someone tackled me to the ground. Kids cheered and girls cried out for me to stay safe as I rolled around on the turf with him. I smelled that piss growing closer. My eyes widened as we kept rolling around. I slid off his body, gripping his coat as I dragged him through the grass. Through the mud.
Right through that fucking urine stain his buddy left behind.
“What the—?”
I chuckled. “Tell Mommy Dearest that hot water really helps get out the stench of piss.”
I tossed him off to the side before whipping around. One of the gangly boys charged me, and one knock of my fist had him on the ground. I clotheslined the other boy barreling for me, reveling in the glory as people chanted my name. This was where I excelled. This was my golden goose egg. I dabbed at the blood trickling down my chin as I turned toward the crowd, tossing my fists in the air.
Thankful for the distraction from all the misery that had been sinking me into the trenches.
“Watch out!”
The girl shrieked just before I got knocked to the ground. The asshole had me pinned, his fists flying in my g
eneral direction. And without thinking, I took a play out of Michael’s book. I crossed my arms over my face, deflecting his pathetic attempts at being a man before I had the strength to roll him over.
Before someone gripped my jacket and pulled me off him.
“Clint! Stop it! Right now!”
A familiar voice rose from the crowd as the boy holding me tried tossing me to the ground. But, really, all he did was cause me to stumble around a bit. My eyes darted about, looking for that familiar voice. Listening out for the booming tones that echoed over the chants. Over the screams. Over the warnings from other girls that would surely pour themselves all over me to help clean up my cuts and scrapes.
“Stop this right now!”
Rae’s voice pierced my fog of anger and helplessness as she appeared at the fence line. My eyes found hers, and I felt my heart leap in my chest. She was saying my name. Calling out for me. It was the first time I’d heard her voice in days.
“Rae,” I whispered.
Then I got clocked. Right in the fucking jaw.
“Stop it! Please, Clint!”
Her voice spun around in my head as my back hit the ground. I felt my mouth pooling with blood as those three assholes danced around me. Swirling, like vultures, ready to strike the second I got up. I rolled over and planted on all fours as I spit out a mouthful of blood.
Then I felt someone drag me to my feet.
“That all you got, boy?”
“You’re pathetic, you piece of shit.”
“Looks like someone already got to him once, though. Serves him right, needing a reminder.”
Those words lit my world on fire, and I wrenched away from the guy’s grasp. I whipped around, clocking him with my fist straight into his gut. He doubled over and I threw my elbow back, connecting with someone’s ribcage before I heard something fall to the ground. I turned around, bashing my head into the other guy’s nose and watching blood pour down his face before I turned my attention back to the boy who was doubled over.
“Ready for the final countdown?” I asked.
I brought my knee up into the boy’s forehead, watching him drop to his knees. The crowd erupted in applause as teachers tried pushing their way through, and then I heard it again. Rae’s shrieking voice. Her words were muffled as adrenaline pumped through my veins. I twirled slowly, taking in the three boys who were flat on the ground at my feet.
I took a moment to revel in my victory before I felt someone tugging at my arm.
“Clint. That’s enough. Stop this bullshit.”
I looked over and saw Rae. Her voice pierced through my anger and my red-dripped vision slowly filtered back into regular color. Her eyes stared up at me. Her hands felt soft around my arm. She tugged me away from the circle of assholes I’d laid out on the football field, her eyes filled with frustration and fury.
And a bit of worry on the side.
“Rae,” I said.
She huffed. “Come on. We have to get you out of here.”
“What are you doing?”
She shook her head. “Keeping you from making anymore dumbass mistakes. Just leave those boys alone. Come with me. Please.”
She tugged me a couple of steps away, but I heard the crowd gasp. I heard people calling out my name and it caused me to whip around. My arm wrenched away from Rae and I felt her trying to grab me. Her hands wrapped around my waist, trying to tug me off the field. I heard her pleading with me. Begging with me. Calling out my name just to get my attention. But all I saw were those three assholes charging me again. Stumbling on their feet and coming for more.
Which was something that made me smile.
“Give me a second, Rae.”
“Clint, no!”
One of the guys attempted to sucker punch me in the gut, but I caught his wrist. I twisted his arm behind him before kicking him to the ground, then whirled around and trained my sights on the other two. I reached out for the next one that came for me, wrapping my large hand around his neck. I squeezed until he started beating his fist against my forearm, and I felt it again.
I felt Rae’s hands fisting my leather jacket.
“We need to get the fuck out of here. Cut the shit, Clint!”
When I felt her hands fall away from me, I heard her yelp.
“Get the fuck out of my way, bitch.”
My hand dropped the guy’s neck as I slowly turned around. I vibrated with fury as I came into contact with the jock I had just kicked to the fucking ground. Rae lay there, gasping for air as she tried to roll over onto her stomach. And as my eyes slowly lifted to the jock that was standing beside her, he tossed me a wild grin.
“Getting your bitches to do your fighting now?”
I snarled. “You pathetic little fuck!”
I saw nothing. My vision tunneled, and the only thing I saw was his face busted into pieces on the ground. I snapped, lunging at him, wrapping my hands around his throat as I wrestled him back to the ground. I heard Rae whimpering, still telling me to stop, even as she gasped for her own air. I straddled the fat bastard and landed punch after punch, refusing to listen or stop. Refusing to cease my movements until this asshole stopped breathing.
I’d kill him for laying his hands on Rae.
He rolled me over and the fight changed. His blood dripped down onto my face as he punched my gut. I braced my abs, conserving my energy as he wore himself out. But, four punches in, he was ripped from my body. I saw him flying through the air like a bird in the sky before a familiar figure came into view. I looked over and saw Allison scooping Rae off the ground. I quickly got up, trying to figure out whether or not Rae was all right before I heard footsteps rushing up behind me.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
And as I turned around, I saw Michael land a punch straight on the fucker’s nose.
Then he turned his anger onto the boy who’d put his hands on Rae.
31
Raelynn
“Hey, Rae. You okay? Can you talk to me?”
I finally caught my breath as tears rushed down my cheeks. I nodded, but I didn’t want to speak. I’d landed my back directly on a rock, and it knocked the wind clear out of me. Allison tilted me to the side, raising up my shirt to see if any damage had been done. I felt her fingertips against my skin as the fight raged on, making me angrier with every punch I heard landing in the distance.
“You’re bleeding. Hold still.”
I drew in a shuddering breath. “Make him stop.”
Allison didn’t answer me and it forced my eyes closed. I felt her wiping something across my skin as sirens sounded in the distance. Fucking hell, that was becoming the school song at this point. With Clint’s fighting and Michael’s temper, they probably had the damn police on speed dial. It seemed like the entire fucking high school had gathered for this fight. And why Clint was fighting them, I could only theorize at this point. My back hurt. My wrist hurt. My head felt swimmy, and I wanted to go home.
And finally, the fight drew to a close.
I heard grunts and groans of the three guys lying on the ground. I had no idea why the hell the teachers weren’t intervening, but I figured they’d given up on this point. Given up on Clint. On his fighting. On trying to rein him in. It made my heart sick for him, but I also couldn't blame them.
“Heads up,” Allison murmured.
I felt her smooth my shirt down before a hand came into my watery view. I slowly raked my eyes up the arm, taking in the worn leather jacket before my eyes found his. Clint stood above me, concern filling his eyes. It was the only reason I took his hand, why I wanted to touch his bloody skin.
Because he genuinely looked worried.
“You’re an absolute numbskull, Clint. You know that?”
Michael’s voice filled my ears, but I was paying too much attention to Clint. His hands cupped my wrist, inspecting it before slowly turning me around. I felt him inching my shirt up before a smack resounded. I felt Clint’s hand fall away from my body, and I closed my eyes, readying my
ears for the punch I knew Clint would toss Michael’s way.
But a punch didn’t happen.
“I’m just making sure she’s okay,” Clint said.
Michael scoffed. “She would’ve been fine had you not gotten into the fight in the first damn place.”
Allison sighed. “She didn’t have to follow him on the field, though.”
Michael’s voice grew louder. “You know how she feels about this asshole! Of course she would!”
And then, Clint shocked us all into silence.
“You’re right.”
I slowly turned around, trying to make sense of what I’d just heard. I gazed up into his eyes, seeing nothing but remorse filling them. I peeked over at Michael and Allison, and even they were shocked. The kids fell silent behind us, waiting for something else to happen. Waiting for the sirens in the distance to come screaming into the parking lot behind the school.
“Principal! Scatter!”
Roy’s voice boomed over everyone’s heads and Clint reached out for me. Before I could even react, he took my good hand, tugging me alongside him as he ran off. I heard Michael yelling after me. I heard Allison calling out for me. But I didn’t stop. I threaded my fingers with Clint’s and ran alongside him, despite the pain in my back.
“Fine! I’ll fucking cover for you assholes!”
I giggled and shook my head as Michael’s voice filled my ears. Clint slammed through the gate at the end of the football field, pulling me behind him. We took off for the front of the school as the principal yelled after us. I knew teachers were running for us. But I also knew they wouldn't catch us.
“You’re such an asshole, you know that? And stop pulling me, fucking hell, Clint. My wrist hurts.”
He stopped in his tracks. “This is your bad wrist?”
I shook my head. “No. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t fucking hurt.”
