pain? I wrenched open the door and bolted out of the closet. I had two minutes before the final bell rang. When I got to my locker, the adrenaline was still coursing through me, and a small twinge of excitement made me laugh. I shouldn’t be laughing. The guy was going to have my hide on a silver platter. Once I had the books I needed, I slammed my locker and ran to homeroom.
The door to the classroom opened and I jumped.
“Problem, Ms. Robinson?” Ms. Vander, my homeroom teacher, asked.
I shook my head vigorously.
“Then get in before I mark you late.” She flicked her thumb toward the open doorway.
I walked in and dropped into my seat. Closing my eyes, I sighed. As I thought about everything I’d done to Kade, Tyler’s warning flashed across my mind. Stay away from Kade. I still wasn’t sure what that meant, but after our most recent little incident, maybe it should be the other way around.
During announcements in homeroom, the principal sent out good luck wishes to the football team—they had their first home game tonight. A pep rally was scheduled after lunch. She also reminded everyone that baseball tryouts were scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday. I had two shots to show Coach Dean my fastball, slider, and curveball. Even though I still had a few more days to practice, my stomach did a flip at the mention of tryouts.
I had just slipped into the hall when Tammy Reese, one of the cheerleader Barbies, stalked up to me. She was a beautiful girl. Her reddish brown hair was cut short to highlight her wide blue eyes and full lips. Pity she ruined her pretty features with a scowl . I flashed her one of my winning smiles.
“You think you’re so much better than us, don’t you?” she asked.
Becca’s words suddenly resonated in my head. They don’t like you.
As if to prove Becca’s point, she grabbed my arm, hard. Biting my lip, I glanced at her hand on my arm then up at her.
Her brown eyebrows lowered. “Well, you’re not,” she said. “Just because Tyler’s your friend doesn’t protect you.”
“Good to know,” I shot back. “Now, get your slimy claws off me.”
“Or what?” she taunted.
A crowd had formed. Surprise, surprise. A tiny voice in the back of my head warned me to keep it together. I didn’t want to disappoint my dad.
“I don’t want any trouble,” I said in a softer tone.
“Are you afraid, bitch?” she spat out as her nails dug into my skin.
I could take name-calling, but I stopped at “bitch.” Sure, the word did describe my moods sometimes. That didn’t mean I had to hear it from a person who didn’t even know me. Not only that, I hadn’t done anything to warrant her animosity.
That buzzing sound whirred in my head. Anger bubbled to the surface so fast I shuddered. As I blinked, the hall narrowed to just her and me.
Walk away. Baseball, baseball, baseball. I had to remind myself why I was here at this new school. “Take… your… hand… off me.” I clenched my teeth.
“Or what?” she scoffed. This girl was relentless and itching for a fight. Then a malevolent grin split her burgundy lips. Her cocksure smile broke my resolve. I jerked my arm out of her hold. In the process, my elbow accidentally connected with the underside of her jaw. She stumbled backwards, her backpack falling to the ground.
“Next time, think before you put your hands on someone.”
The voices grew louder as the buzzing faded in my head. Several clicking sounds from camera phones echoed in the hall.
“Watch your back,” she hissed, holding her jaw.
I stalked closer to her. “Newsflash—I’m not afraid of you or anyone at this school. Spread that around.”
The warning bell rang.
As I turned on my heel, a camera phone flashed in my face. Great! Now there was evidence. Whatever . As I strutted away, a group of girls rushed to Tammy’s side. I was surprised that teachers didn’t storm the hall.
All of a sudden another hand grabbed me, and my fist came up before
The door to the classroom opened and I jumped.
“Problem, Ms. Robinson?” Ms. Vander, my homeroom teacher, asked.
I shook my head vigorously.
“Then get in before I mark you late.” She flicked her thumb toward the open doorway.
I walked in and dropped into my seat. Closing my eyes, I sighed. As I thought about everything I’d done to Kade, Tyler’s warning flashed across my mind. Stay away from Kade. I still wasn’t sure what that meant, but after our most recent little incident, maybe it should be the other way around.
During announcements in homeroom, the principal sent out good luck wishes to the football team—they had their first home game tonight. A pep rally was scheduled after lunch. She also reminded everyone that baseball tryouts were scheduled for next Wednesday and Thursday. I had two shots to show Coach Dean my fastball, slider, and curveball. Even though I still had a few more days to practice, my stomach did a flip at the mention of tryouts.
I had just slipped into the hall when Tammy Reese, one of the cheerleader Barbies, stalked up to me. She was a beautiful girl. Her reddish brown hair was cut short to highlight her wide blue eyes and full lips. Pity she ruined her pretty features with a scowl . I flashed her one of my winning smiles.
“You think you’re so much better than us, don’t you?” she asked.
Becca’s words suddenly resonated in my head. They don’t like you.
As if to prove Becca’s point, she grabbed my arm, hard. Biting my lip, I glanced at her hand on my arm then up at her.
Her brown eyebrows lowered. “Well, you’re not,” she said. “Just because Tyler’s your friend doesn’t protect you.”
“Good to know,” I shot back. “Now, get your slimy claws off me.”
“Or what?” she taunted.
A crowd had formed. Surprise, surprise. A tiny voice in the back of my head warned me to keep it together. I didn’t want to disappoint my dad.
“I don’t want any trouble,” I said in a softer tone.
“Are you afraid, bitch?” she spat out as her nails dug into my skin.
I could take name-calling, but I stopped at “bitch.” Sure, the word did describe my moods sometimes. That didn’t mean I had to hear it from a person who didn’t even know me. Not only that, I hadn’t done anything to warrant her animosity.
That buzzing sound whirred in my head. Anger bubbled to the surface so fast I shuddered. As I blinked, the hall narrowed to just her and me.
Walk away. Baseball, baseball, baseball. I had to remind myself why I was here at this new school. “Take… your… hand… off me.” I clenched my teeth.
“Or what?” she scoffed. This girl was relentless and itching for a fight. Then a malevolent grin split her burgundy lips. Her cocksure smile broke my resolve. I jerked my arm out of her hold. In the process, my elbow accidentally connected with the underside of her jaw. She stumbled backwards, her backpack falling to the ground.
“Next time, think before you put your hands on someone.”
The voices grew louder as the buzzing faded in my head. Several clicking sounds from camera phones echoed in the hall.
“Watch your back,” she hissed, holding her jaw.
I stalked closer to her. “Newsflash—I’m not afraid of you or anyone at this school. Spread that around.”
The warning bell rang.
As I turned on my heel, a camera phone flashed in my face. Great! Now there was evidence. Whatever . As I strutted away, a group of girls rushed to Tammy’s side. I was surprised that teachers didn’t storm the hall.
All of a sudden another hand grabbed me, and my fist came up before
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