Across the hall, Melody sticks her foot out, tripping Danika as she passes on the way to class from her locker. The books and notebook she’s holding spill to the floor and she falls to her knees.
I stick an unlit cigarette between my lips and chew on the filter. My initial instinct is to run to Danika and help her to her feet, but I stay put. This is what I wanted. Melody will make Danika’s life miserable, I’ll add my own touch of cruelty to the mix, and she’ll be too scared to defy me.
Danika climbs to her knees and reaches for the book nearest to her. Melody raises her red-soled heel to Danika’s back and pushes her down. “Let’s get one thing straight, California. Logan is mine. Everyone here knows it, and now you do too. If I catch you even looking at him again, you’ll be sorry.”
Danika clenches her fists and pushes onto her knees again, but Melody kicks her back down.
Damn it, Melody. That’s enough.
Danika groans, but covers the sound with a dark chuckle. “Have you told Logan you don’t want to share anymore? He seemed pretty happy to have me in his car this morning. Even happier after I left.”
I smirk and light the end of my cigarette. I didn’t see that coming. Danika’s newfound edge could be problematic to my plan, but damn if her suggestion that we hooked up this morning isn’t hot.
“You little bitch!”
Melody raises her foot to kick Danika in the back again but this time Danika is ready. She rolls onto her side and shoves the sole of her Converse sneaker into the leg Melody is balancing on. Melody goes down with a shriek and Danika climbs on top of the self-crowned queen, pinning Melody’s hands to the ground with her knees.
“Get off me you little wench!” Melody screams.
Danika sits on Melody’s hips, an amused smirk playing on her face. People heading to class stop in the hallway and stare. Danika is a dead girl walking, everyone knows it, but watching someone take down the queen is a sight to see.
“You’re fucking dead. Deader than dead. You think Piper has it bad, just wait. I’m gonna—”
Danika draws back and punches Melody in the mouth. “We could have been friends. But no. You had to be an Effing.” Punch. “Bully.” Punch. “And I hate.” Punch. “Bullies!”
I take a drag of my cigarette. It’s half spent, wasted while watching my girl kick some ass and damn if it isn’t a turn on. I exhale and chuckle at the thought bouncing around in my head. I bet she’s just as feisty in bed.
Gunner snakes his arms around Danika’s waist and lifts her off of Melody, who’s a bloody mess crying on the floor. “Easy there, doll face,” he says, rubbing his hands on Danika’s arms.
She’s breathing heavily, likely coming down from the adrenaline rush that comes from a good fight. Gunner pulls her into a hug and I have the sudden urge to smash his face in. I like this fire in my chest, it’s better than the nervousness Danika inspires, or the numbness I usually feel. I know what to do with fire.
I toss what’s left of my cigarette at their feet and walk off. He needs to know that Danika is mine. And no one touches my shit.
5
Danika
Logan wasn’t in my P.E. class this morning like I assumed he would be, but surprisingly Piper was. We didn’t talk—I’ve noticed she, like Logan, rarely speaks to anyone—but she did smile at me. So, that was cool.
I didn’t necessarily punch Melody in the face because she’s a bitch to Piper too. Although, I’d have no problem doing it again if she needed me to. I did it because Melody is a bully and someone needs to knock her down to size. Piper’s name just happened to be the last straw.
By the time lunch period arrives, nearly everyone is whispering about what happened in the hallway. Melody went home, probably too embarrassed to show her bloodied face, but that doesn’t mean the people at her table are any less vicious. Her friends, most of whose names I haven’t figured out yet, glare at me as I set my tray next to Sarah. She seems keen on not looking at me, intently poking her soufflé with a spoon.
The only person who appears remotely happy to see me this afternoon is Gunner. “Hey, doll face.”
I smile up at him, not particularly fond of the pet name, but happy to be making a friend. “Hey, Gunner. What’s up?”
“You want to go down to Riverside with me tonight? Check out the stars and whatnot?”
I remember Riverside. Even back in the eighth grade, it was a known hook up spot. I guess some things don’t change. I smile politely, prepared to let Gunner down easy. I’m not that kind of girl. I’ve had boyfriends before. Made out with them. Explored a few of the bases even. But I’ve never gotten a home run and believe me I could have. Giving someone my virginity is a gift I can never get back. I’m not against premarital sex, I just haven’t found someone I like enough to do that with yet. And I’m nowhere near ready to play ball with a guy I just met, even if he is cute.
Before I can decline, a football spirals through the air and hits Gunner in the back. He grimaces and turns, looking for his assailant. Everyone at the table seems as shocked as I am, but Gunner quickly finds who he’s looking for and excuses himself.
No sooner than he’s gone, Rachel says, “You can’t sit here tomorrow.”
Tad and some guy whose name I can’t remember smirk. I half expect Sarah to stick up for me, but she’s too busy dissecting her dessert. I get it, I’ve put her between a rock and a hard place. We may be old friends, but in the eyes of everyone here I’m new and now more so than ever a target. If she has to choose between our friendship and surviving this year unscathed, I understand why she’d pick the latter, but it doesn’t bother me any less.
Even though my feelings are hurt, my poker face is untouchable. I stab a tiny red tomato from the pathetic excuse of a salad our school has today and lift it to my mouth. “I’ll sit where I want.”