Chasing Rebels

Chapter 4

I'm thankful the principal agreed to let the nurse stitch me up without anesthesia. It hurt like a b***h, but I managed to pull myself through it with the help of Taylor Swift lyrics from the old timer radio. Of course, it still ached so the nurse was kind enough to let me stay at the nurse's office until lunch to recover.

By the time I was on my feet, the pain was almost nonexistent so I don't have to call Mal or Frank to pick me up. But the growl on my stomach was like a raging dragon breathing fire.

Soon, I find myself in the cafeteria picking at the lunch special which was lasagna I was sure had hair hidden somewhere inside.

I sat on an empty table at the far end of the room where I could have a good vantage point. I see Shay at a table with two other people laughing and scribbling notes on her pad. I don't make an effort to let her know where I was. We're not friends nor did I have plans to ever be.

She had something that I don't: a normal life. I don't think we'll be able to get along. It was dangerous for both me and her.

Taking out my notebook, I survey the lunch tables with the same boring clusters with self-categorized social ranking groups.

People who sat on their high horse, average joes that gets picked on, and people like me who only cares about getting through the day. Though, at least one of those tables had an odd man out. Those who don't quite fit into their category and stands out. Shay was one of those people.

She'd occasionally laugh at what her friends would say then she'll remain quiet, continuing to scribble on her pad.

Somehow, I wonder what her deal was. Was she like me? Is she hiding something?

I don't give it a second thought and start to draw the room in my notebook. A tradition every first day at a new school.

Every portrait was different. The tables and chairs. The windows. The cafeteria lady. The food. But every school was the same. Just different characters.

I look to the left, of course, Shay was there looking out of place. Then I look to my right where I hear a loud thud of the cafeteria door slamming forcefully shut turning a few heads. The little shithead couldn't care less though. Guess our little encounter was still riling up the asshole. Or brooding's just his personality.

He takes powerful strides to a table where a lonely man sat. Except, from my point of view his demeanor was anything but.

Where everyone made an effort to get out of his way despite having the right of passage, the lonely man welcomes him wholeheartedly. A part of me wonders what he had looming over the asshole's head so not to be afraid of him.

"What the—"

My table shook before I register cool liquid seeping through the sleeves of my shirt.

I quickly stood when the water lands on my jeans making the long bench scrape against the floor.

My hand was quick to grab my notebook to avoid it getting soaked. Success, however, I can't say the same for my shirt.

Frowning, I turn to the man next to my table looking coy. "Sorry, didn't see you there."

Heads turn in our direction and I have to mentally ready myself to bolt out the door. Any kind of attention was bad attention.

I have to get out of here.

Running a hand through my hair, I sigh. "It's fine. Just, watch where the hell you're going."

I flail my right hand and droplets of liquid from my arm comes flying on the table. I can feel something burning in the back of my head.

It doesn't take much to know the who was responsible so, I make sure I don't turn my head in his direction fearing I might do something I'll most probably regret later on.

"What?" 

"I said, watch where you're going," I repeat.

"Are you kidding?" His voice was hard, an invisible threat looming behind his voice. I just know this man was capable of hurting me.

I snap my head toward him. "Did I stutter?" Shut up shut up shut up.

He snarls. "Who the f**k are you tell me what to do?"

"Someone who doesn't give a flying s**t who you are. Now, move. You're in my way."

But he doesn't. "Aren't you cute?"

I didn't have time to play his feeble games.

Somehow, he does. "Since a little birdie told me you're new, I'll let you off the hook this time."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What?"

He throws me a look. "Did I stutter?" he throws my words back at me. The way his hands are tucked inside his jeans created an illusion that he was a shy and timid little boy.

He most definitely couldn't be any farther from the truth.

"Aren't you too old for these type of juvenile s**t?"

He lets out a fake disbelieved sigh. "And she cusses, too. Damn, I think I might have fun playing with you."

I snort. "I won't. Now, excuse me. I have to leave."

My attempt in brushing past him failed when he grabbed my wrist making me halt my stride. "Whoa, the party's just starting."

I resist the urge to stomp on his feet like I did with the asshole in the hallway. There too much people and too little allies. I can't get trouble this early on in the year.

"Let me go."

"No."

"No?"

"No," he repeats. With a smile.

I was getting annoyed now. Merriway high students sure had that holier-than-thou attitude. It was starting to become a pandemic in my life.

Instead of being hasty, I casually take my water bottle from the table and pour what's left of the water on his head. His cool demeanor slowly vanished slowly being replaced with stone cold anger. Nevertheless, he doesn't move and lets me finish.

When it was empty, I threw the bottle on the table, his grip on my wrist was gone. "How's that for not letting me go."

He growled. "Listen you littl—"

"No, you listen to me. I don't have the fuckin' time nor day for your s**t. Don't think of me again, don't you even dare look my way, because I don't want to play your games nor do I want to fight back. Leave me the hell alone and we'll forget what happened today."

His stare was intense, clouds swirling inside his eyes contemplating what to do next.

A few seconds pass and he just stares at me. I made that my cue to turn around and leave.

But before I could go far, his leg trips on mine. Next thing I knew, I was falling.

My hands managed to save me by gripping the table, but water coated the edge and my palms slide making me fall to the floor.

And just like that, my bruise ached again from the hard impact on the floor.

The motherfucker just fuckin' pushed me.

Before I could compose myself enough to ask what the hell his problem was, a pair of hands held my arms.

"What the f**k is wrong with you, Tyler?" Shay throws him a look.

Tyler merely just laughs. "And the anorexia queen returns. How many times did you vomit this morning alone?"

Ignoring his jab, she looked at me, lowering her voice. "Are you okay?"

Her eyes drift to my stomach. I appreciate her willingness to keep my injury discreet.

I nod before turning my head back to him.

"What? You need other people to fight your battles for you?"

I open my mouth to respond but someone cuts me off. "Jesus Christ, Kregg. Don't you get tired of the same old s**t?"

I turn my head two tables over. It wasn't until now that I realized everyone was looking at Tyler's display.

Tyler points to a man eating his lunch with his back turned against us. The same particular man who had a faint red handprint on his backpack. "Mind your damn business, Asher."

He doesn't spare us a glance and kept eating his lunch like he couldn't be bothered with a damn thing. "It's hard to mind my damn business when you keep opening that fuckin' mouth of yours. Do us all a favor and shut the hell up."

I could burst out laughing if not for the murderous look that passed Tyler's face.

"Want me to beat your fuckin' ass?" He takes a threatening step, but when Asher turns around placing his sandwich on the table ready for a fight, Tyler doesn't move.

What do you know, he wasn't fearless after all.

"Want to see you try, motherfucker."

And there it was again, the thinking highly of the self.

Isn't he sweet? Coming to the aid of the woman who stomped on his foot. In my defense, he did way worse to me that ended with me at the nurse's office. But he wouldn't know that.

Tyler's had enough because he tears his eyes away from the asshole and crouched down next to me, his breath taunting. "Watch your back, little girl. You've got hell to pay."

Under normal circumstances, that might have scared me. But I was too fired up to respond. Multiple words came rushing to my head that I almost shut down. So, for the sake of ending this, I keep my mouth shut.

That satisfied him because he turns and leaves.

Shay blew out a breath. "Do you have a death wish? You're in no position to pick fights with Tyler Kregg of all people given your . . . condition."

I brush her off. "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Didn't know you were doing charity now, Shay," Asher said the same time I manage to stand up.

Shay frowns. "Eat s**t, Beck."

He just blows out a humorous breath and resumes eating his sandwich. "Make yourself useful and tell that friend of yours to stop getting herself in trouble. Never could finish s**t to save a life."

He doesn't elaborate further but his insinuation was clear. To me at least. I was somewhat mildly thankful he didn't because even I don't want to relive the early morning events.

If Shay caught on to what he's implying, she doesn't voice it out. She just glares at him.

But I don't think it's Beck her frown was fired at. Because her gaze went past him to the only other man on the table.

Before I could ask, she grabbed my hand and led me out of the cafeteria to her locker not far.

"On behalf of the the most obnoxious asshole you would ever meet, I apologize," she says pulling her locker open.

"No need. It is what it is, right?"

She smiled as she digs into her locker. "Safe to say you just signed yourself up for a whole year of torture. Tyler Kregg is a ruthless motherfucker when you try to cross him. And you, my friend, just used a permanent red marker."

I simply shrug. I don't mention her use of the term friend. "What's the worst he could do?" 

She sarcastically laughs. "You'll regret saying that. Don't think you know him more than I do."

"He's that bad?"

Her eyes lights up when she managed to pull a think sweater from the very back of her mess of a locker.

"Don't take it personally. He does this every year to new students. I guess you're no exception."

That's not as comforting as she'd like to think. It only meant Tyler's words will stay true. He's not going to leave me alone. "Well, he did it to me. That's as personal as you can get."

I take the sweater from her hand with a quiet thank you. I think Shay's done the most to me in a single day than anyone in my old schools combined. Somehow, it warms at my chest.

"People here don't really care who you are or where you come from just that you know your place."

"And where exactly is that?"

She shrugged. "Below them."

Well, if that isn't a villain origin story.

"I guess egoism runs in the blood vessel of this school? What about, you know, the guy who—"

"Looked like Danny Zuko in a horrible remake of Grease? You already got yourself involved with Tyler now you're asking about Beck Asher? You really wanna commit social suicide, don't you?"

That bad, huh? Shouldn't be a surprise since I've had a first hand experience of his moody ass.

"Just wanna know what I'm in for."

"Then know to stay away from the both of them. Nothing good comes out when you get yourself involved with their business. With Tyler, at least you know you're in deep s**t with him. Beck's a different story. You play with his fire and you'll find yourself willingly entering a burning building, unarmed, and nowhere to go. But you wouldn't know it until the last minute."

"Speaking from experience?" I joke.

But the look she gave me tells there was some truth to my jest.

Shay pursed her lips. "Let's just say, if he was the one behind today's prank, the staff wouldn't have asses anymore." She paused, her eyes avoid mine. There was a complete change on her demeanor. "About what Tyler said at the cafeteria. About me being, you know. That's not true."

"I don't believe whatever that fucker says. If you say it's not true, I believe you."

Shay beams seeming contented with my answer.

"Anyway, you okay going to bathroom yourself? I have to meet with someone before class starts. Talk to you again later?"

I give her a tight-lipped smile to cover up my lack of paying attention to her words.

My head was too focused on an idea that would bring Tyler to his knees.