Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

“Don’t talk to her like that,” Daisy said.

“And what are you going to do about that?” Daniella asked. “You’re the fat useless one of the group. You’re not even a real Skull. You’re a kid no one wants, and I bet your ass is going to be passed around.”

Tabitha couldn’t allow this to spiral out, so she did what any self-respecting friend would do. Daniella had stepped close to their group, thinking school grounds made her safe. She reached out, grabbed her hair, pulled her close, and slammed her face against the bench tabletop, smearing food from the trays that were left.

“You want to say that again?” She lifted her head up and slammed it back down.

Daniella cried.

She didn’t have to worry about the Dogs rushing her. Her guys would keep everyone at bay, and that was why she landed a few more blows.

“Teacher coming.”

Her guys moved, and she threw Daniella at her people, blood coming from her nose and a cut on her head.

Tabitha felt no remorse. Taking hold of Daisy’s hand, she quickly looked all concerned.

“What is going on here?” Mr. Rivers asked.

“I don’t know. She slipped,” Daisy said, speaking up first. This did surprise Tabitha, but then her friend would always have her back.

“Yeah, man, she was coming onto Anthony, offering to suck his dick. I didn’t realize the Dogs weren’t packing good meat,” Miles said.

“That is enough from you,” Mr. Rivers said. “Daniella?”

Tabitha waited.

If she squealed, it would make their club look weak, and The Skulls would win.

Seconds passed.

“I slipped.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I slipped. I fell. You need to learn to get decent cleaning crews on this shit,” Daniella said.

Mr. Rivers looked insulted. “If that is all.” He turned on his heel and backed away.

“This isn’t over,” Luke said.

Tabitha shrugged. “You can count on it.”

The Skulls didn’t move. The Dogs were the first to leave, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Badass, Tabs.”

“You’re going to pay for that at the Quad,” Daisy said. “It’s not going to be good.”

“Don’t care. She had it coming. Anyone who talks shit to you like that needs to be taught a lesson.” Tabitha stopped talking as Anthony stood in front of Daisy. He reached out, cupped her cheek, and she waited.

No words were spoken.

Time stood still.

She nibbled on her lip, waiting.

Anthony stepped away, and the moment was gone.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Tabitha said.

Daisy frowned. “What?”

The bell rang and lunch was over.

Tabitha sighed. “Time to get to class. Meet me before last period.”

“PE, yay,” Daisy said, hugging her friend. “Don’t go hitting anyone else.”

“I won’t.”

They all headed back into the school. She loved how people stepped out of their way. The Skulls were feared even if the Dogs liked to think they owned the school.

Anthony and Miles left first, each of them dispersing down a separate corridor to their class. She now had English, and she entered the classroom, going toward the back, near the window.

She loved sitting near windows, staring outside at the passing world.

There was nothing more comforting to her.

Time passed.

Slowly.

She jumped as a book was slammed down on the table right beside her. Turning, she saw Luke sitting right beside her.

“This seat is taken,” she said.

“Not today.”

“Leave.”

“Not happening.”

“You think this is going to go well for you? My crew will eat you alive.”

“And after that little show, I figured you were a hard-ass who didn’t need anyone at her back.”

“I don’t.”

The teacher watched them and she knew she couldn’t allow this to happen.

“Go on, try it. You think any of the teachers are going to interfere with our stuff? They’re too fucking afraid to be caught up in the line of fire.”

“You want to declare war here?”

“We were at the Quad. You shouldn’t have been there.”

“There’s no such rule to state only one of us can be there at any one time. Don’t try to make possessive claims that don’t belong.”

“We were having fun.”

“No one would take on your psycho. Our psycho did, and you don’t like it.”

Luke grabbed her arm and before she could stop him, he dragged her right out of the classroom. No one stopped him.

This was one of the few classes she didn’t share with her crew. The only class with Luke.

Fuck!

“Let go of me.”

This guy was strong. She wasn’t used to being overpowered. The few guys she had fought hadn’t been this strong, or they’d gone easy on her because she was a girl.

He threw her into a bathroom and she caught herself up against the wall, putting her hands out to stop her from impact.

She turned and glared at him. “Are you feeling like a big tough guy?” She slapped her hands together in applause. “Look at you, throwing me around.”

He advanced on her, his hands slamming either side of her head. She didn’t flinch, didn’t even move.

“I’m trying to make it to graduation alive,” he said.