“Show some respect,” Nell agreed, repulsed.
Shay’s anger simmered. Rolfe was such a dirtbag.
“Just trying to lighten things up.” Eric let his “noose hand” drop as he made another goofy face. “Everyone’s so emo and down about it. BFD. She was a psycho, anyway, a real nutcase, always sneaking out. And now everyone acts like it’s the damned end of the world.”
“Because a friend of ours died, dick-wad!” Lucy Yang stood and got into Eric’s grill. “Get a life!”
“I bet that’s what Nona’s saying!” Eric laughed in a grating, high-pitched cackle, a wheezing laugh, so at odds with his football-player physique.
Lucy slugged him. Hard. In the belly.
“Ooof!” He doubled over, and she rounded as if she planned on bringing her knee up into his crotch. “You bitch!” One of his fists balled.
“He’s not worth it.” Shay took hold of Lucy’s arm and kept her from taking a second strike.
Lucy rounded on Shay, her face a mask of disgust, her short black hair flying. “Did you hear what he said about Nona?”
“Shows how dumb he really is,” Shay said, deliberately goading Eric. Instinctively, she rolled onto the balls of her feet just as she’d learned years before from Mr. Kim, her martial-arts instructor.
Eric growled, incensed. “You sick twat.” His nostrils flared, his lips curling. “You’re going to regret that.”
“I doubt it.” Shay kept him in her sights, measuring, calculating. Electricity crackled in the air as everyone turned to the center of the action. Kids cheered and jeered.
From the corner of her eye, Shay saw two people hurrying across the room. “Hey!” one of them, a woman, shouted, but Shay couldn’t turn away from Eric; she couldn’t break her concentration.
“Eric!” a male voice boomed.
As if on cue, Eric lunged, his right fist coiled, ready to lay Shay flat. At the last possible second, she sidestepped the attack, grabbing his arm and catching him in midair.
“Wha—?” He gaped as she flipped him onto his back in one quick motion.
Thud! The building shook as his back smacked into the hardwood floor.
The initial impact was followed by a smaller jolt as Eric’s head smashed against the floor. He let out a yowl of sheer agony.
Maeve screamed.
“You twisted bastard!” Lucy cried as Eric tried to climb to his feet.
“Fight!” One of the boys, probably that pansy-ass Ollie Gage, yelled in excitement.
The circle of students widened as Eric staggered to his feet, crouching like a boxer, his fists clenched.
Shaylee remained alert, ready for him to come back at her. Just try it, prick, she thought.
“Stop!” Dean Hammersley yelled while that stupid Maeve screamed and screamed.
Eric’s face turned nearly beet red. “Jesus Christ!” he hissed, springing to his feet with surprising agility. “You little bitch! You can’t get away with this!” Again he ran at her, swinging wildly.
Shay feinted.
His fist glanced off her upper arm.
Pain shot through her.
He spun and pulled back, both fists curled, his bared teeth glistening. She noticed spittle had collected in the corners of his mouth. Bastard!
“I said stop this, now!”