Monsters' Crew (Crude Hill High 1)

I was curious about the doctor visits. I wanted to know more.

“Not tonight,” Gael said. He pulled out his cell phone and typed on it. “Already arranged. My dad is handling it.”

“You can’t do this,” she said.

“Do what? Give you a life that’s a little more exciting than going home to your dad and doing homework? You do know you’re not going to college, right?” Gael asked.

She shook her head. “There’s nothing wrong with getting perfect grades.”

“And there’s nothing wrong with having some fun. We’re going to show you how to party.”

We started eating again, but I saw Emily’s hands clenched together. Her knuckles white.

“What happens after?” she asked. “What happens when you have your fun? You dump me on the ground like you did Lauren, what then?”

“Not going to happen,” Gael said. “You’re different and you know that.”

“All I know is you guys are used to getting your own way. You leave a trail of crap in your wake and don’t think about the people you screw over while you do.” She got to her feet and without another backward glance, left the cafeteria.

Picking up a fry, I got to my feet. Art class was the one place I’d have her all to myself. My boys could do a lot of things, but drawing wasn’t one of them. They were a lot like Emily.

I held my hand out for the backpack. “See you in an hour,” I said.

Walking out of the cafeteria, I left it to the guys to get shit in order. We didn’t need people thinking they could start stepping all over us.

The art room was the only place Emily would go. When I arrived, I found her slumped outside of the room, her head in her hands.

“You’re not going inside?” I asked.

“I’d rather stay out here.”

Stepping over her, I checked through the glass and sure enough, her father had the art teacher naked and was fucking her like a mad dog.

“Wow,” I said. “I thought he waited ’til parent-teacher night.”

“Clearly he’s pissed with everything going on.”

I slid down the wall, sitting beside her.

“What’s it like to be able to do everything you want?” she asked. “Without someone waiting to hurt you?”

I laughed. “I’m sorry. You think we don’t suffer? You think it’s easy for us?”

“You walk around school like you own the place. You don’t ever have to worry. Your lives are your own.”

“No, they’re not. We don’t have to stick to the strict rules like you do. We’re different there, but that doesn’t mean our lives are easy. They’re not. It’s fucked up in a big way. We could be forced into an arranged marriage.” I doubted my dad would do it. If you had to stay with a nag, you may as well stay with one you loved, or at least cared about.

Something bound our fathers together. I wasn’t an idiot, I knew friendship went a whole lot deeper for our dads. It kept them loyal to one another. It shouldn’t have worked. Four men at the top, but they’d made it work.

“I sometimes think about … taking control myself.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Forget I said anything.”

She wasn’t going to talk to me. Emily had been hurt too badly by those closest to her, and the only way to fix that kind of damage was to help heal her.

To help, I took hold of her hand, locking out fingers together. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

Chapter Eight

Emily

My driver not being there at the end of the day shouldn’t have made me smile, but it did.

Gael, Caleb, River, and Vadik were waiting for me.

I also noticed half of the school had stuck around to see what was going on. They wanted to know everyone’s business.

There were only three cars, which told me one of them rode with a friend.

“Seeing as Caleb and Vadik have already had kisses from you, I think it’s only fair I take you on a journey,” Gael said.

I held on to my bag. While waiting for my dad to be done screwing his latest mistress, I’d nearly spilled my dark secrets to Vadik. No matter how close they came, I wasn’t going to let any of these guys know what I wanted out of life. What I used to hope for. They were nothing more than empty dreams with no way of ever seeing them through. I accepted that, which was why I had the trusty knife.

River had moved to Gael’s car as well but he opted for a seat in the back.

“You’re not planning on killing me, are you?” I asked.

“Not today.” Gael winked. “Come on, beautiful. Have a little faith.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped toward them. I let Gael take the bag, which he popped into the trunk of his car.

Bare without the protection, I climbed into the front seat, being careful to keep my skirt in place. I didn’t want to live too dangerously.