“If you want me to fix your homework, you need to leave me alone.” Then he spotted her. “You’re back.”
“Yeah.” She glanced between him and Gabriel. “You do his homework?”
“Just the math. It’s a miracle he can count to ten.”
“I can count to one.” Gabriel gave him the finger.”
“Nick,” he said. “I think I’m going to need you to bite my arm.”
“I think I’m going to need you to run that by me again.”
“She hit him. Hard. Right in the face…
“Holy shit,” said Quinn. “Would it be wrong if I applaud?”
“You're probably thinking I owe you my life."[Chris]
"No." she [Becca] snapped.
"Just sixty bucks."
"You charge for the hero act?" [Chris]”
“So…why is your brother mean to girls?”
“Because,” said Michael from the doorway, “I have three younger brothers who think it’s hilarious to parade jailbait through here on a daily basis.”
His tone was enough to make her glad she’d worn the pullover into the house. “No one told me there was a parade,” she said acidly. “And here I forgot my banner.”
“Mom!" Becca stared at her. "You think—you think I'm dating Michael?"
Her mom stared back at her, obviously thrown. "You're not?"
This would be hilarious if her mom didn't look so serious.
"Oh my god," cried Becca. "Are you kidding? Michael is the last person I would ever—oh my god. I wouldn't go out with him if someone paid me. Ugh, that's just—"
"You know I can hear you, right?" called Michael.”
“Casper, she said someone has to hold your leash.”
The dog barked.
Then he dipped his head, picked up the end of the leash in his mouth, and trotted after his master.”
“So let me get this straight.”... “He threw the note at Tommy and then told him to fuck off? Or do I have it backwards?”
“I’m detecting some sarcasm.”
“And then got himself sent the principal’s office because he was ready to defend your honor?”
“Quinn.”
“Her friend waved a hand. “No, I think you might be on to something. This is clearly an elaborate plot to screw with you. He asks you out, he defends you from that meathead—what next?” Quinn’s eyes flashed wide in mock surprise. “Crap, Bex, do you think he will do something truly horrible like buy you flowers?”
“Nick smiled. “I kind of like the irony.”
“Jesus, you are such a nerd.” Gabriel flung the lighter at him.
“Stop using big words.”
“Five letters is a big word?”
“Gabriel’s going to be pissed.”
It took Nick a second to answer. “Why?”
“He’ll have to break his leg so people won’t be able to tell you apart.”
“So she doesn’t like the rain,” said Gabriel.
Nick smiled. “I kind of like the irony.”…
Chris sighed. “No one likes the rain.”
“You do,” said Nick. He flung the lighter back to his brother. Gabriel caught it. “Maybe we should put some money on it, see how long it takes Chris to get her wet.”
“He half rose from his seat and reached across another student’s desk to drop the mangled paper clip in front of Tommy.
“Look, dude,” he said, his voice low and earnest. “You want to ask me out, you man up and do it proper.”
“I shouldn’t have hit him.” She flexed her fingers. “My hand still hurts.”
Chris smiled. “Oh, no, I loved that part.”
“To whom it may concern: I’m not involved. Honest. Hugs, Becca.”
“Look. Chris.” She dropped onto the bench again and gripped the edge of the table. “I’m not going to sleep with you,” she whispered fiercely, feeling her cheeks flush. “I’m not going to mess around with you under the bleachers. I don’t give hand jobs in the men’s room, or—“
“Wow. You like to get all this out of the way up front, huh?”
“I haven't gotten in a fight yet this year!
Despite everything, that made her smile. "It's September."
He waved a hand. "Details.”
“Becca remembered something Chris had said earlier. "Wait, I thought you would be benched all year if you got in another fight."
Gabriel laughed. "You're sweet. I'm not worried."
"You're not?"
"Nah. Don't you remember? They all think I'm Nick.”
“She spilled your secrets,” said Quinn
“Yeah?” He sliced off a piece of chicken and glanced across the table. “What’s my name Becca?”
Busted. Becca wanted to melt into a puddle.
Quinn grinned. “You mean it’s not really New Kid?”
“Hey, little brother.” Gabriel came back through the door and flopped on the bed, drawing his legs up to sit against the wall. “Girls are more likely to stay if you don’t fight with them.”
“Good.” Michael wrapped his hand around the hilt.
Then he lifted it, cocked the hammer, and put the barrel against Hunter’s forehead. “Now where the fuck are my brothers?”
“So Chris hit him?” said Quinn, when they were getting close to the bleachers. “Jesus, I love when guys fight.”
“Yeah, it was great,” Becca returned flatly. “I should have made popcorn.”
“Seriously. When they’re all slow and tentative and circling, and then ka-pow, they just explode with power. It’s totally sexy.” …
Quinn grabbed her arm and dragged Becca along. “Come on. If they’re jerks, I’ll punch them.”
“Great,” said Becca. “It’ll be totally sexy.”
“Touch was funny like that. How one movement could choke you and kill you, but another meant nothing more than a caress and an invitation. How sex and rape were just a few motions apart.”
“She was starting to get a little breathless from trailing Casper, though the guys weren’t having any trouble. “How far have we gone? Like three miles?”
Gabriel gave her a look. “Like one.”
So she needed more cardio.”
“Aren’t your parents going to freak when they see you?”
That rough laugh again. “I’d probably freak if I saw them.”
“So, Chris," he said. "You couldn't make a smaller cut?"
Nick's eyes were closed, but he smiled."Chris asked me to bite him first."
Gabriel gave him a disguested look."You are one sick bastard."
"I was desperate." Chris smiled, too, but then he dropped it. "Desperate people do crazy things.”
“His expression changed, and he took a step back. He looked away. "When you said it was broken, you were just being-"
"No! It is. My phone. Broken." Now she sounded like Yoda on crack.”
“Give me the gun." Michael put a hand out, his voice soft.
Tension rode on the sunlight as she listened to Hunter's breathing shake.
"It's okay," said Michael. "You don't want to do this."
Inch by inch, Hunter lowered the gun into Michael's palm, finally letting go.
Michael didn't move. "You alright?"
Hunter nodded.
"Good." Michael wrapped his hand around the hilt.
Then he lifted it, cocked the hammer, and put the barrel against Hunter's forehead. "Now where the f*** are my brothers?”
“Could we report Tyler for having a gun?" she said.
"He's over eighteen," said Chris. "It's probably legal."
"It's not legal for him to be shooting at me," she snapped.”
“Not special at all.” She changed her mind and leaned in to take a cookie. “I just heard my number called and thought I’d better show up.”
“Becky," he said. "Get in the car."
"Becca," she corrected automatically. Her voice was breathy, her hands still clenched in fists.
"For god's sake-" His eyes slid left. "Just get in the car.”
“Having something worth telling and a passion to tell it are what make you a good writer. I can't tell you how many times I've read novels or articles that used complicated words and witty wordplay to cover up the fact that they had absolutely no story to tell. A good story should be enjoyed; sometimes simplicity can go a long way.”
“Money is a burden, a burden most keenly felt by the poor.”
“I know men laugh about this. About being pussy-whipped. About panting like a dog after a girl. About wanting a woman more than you want to want her. I don't fucking care. They can keep their sarcasm. I'll take the girl.”
“I’m afraid I don’t suffer petty bureaucrats gladly. A very bad habit, but one I find hard to break. Nevertheless, you will find, Dr. Kelly, that humiliation and blackmail, when used judiciously, can be marvelously effective”
“But I wasn't happy... when I heard you two had assaulted Castle Macindaw with just thirty men,' [said Halt].
'Thirty-three,' mumbled Horace...
The Ranger gave him a withering look. 'Oh, pardon me... three more men does make a lot of difference.”
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