Hunter
‘So nothing happened between you two on Saturday?’ Sammy whispers. ‘You just sat there in the dark?’
I’m trying to focus on Mr Brown’s refresher on macromolecules ahead of our exam, but for whatever reason, Sammy’s come to class full of questions for me. ‘We spoke. That’s it.’
‘Right.’ He taps the end of his pen on his notebook. ‘So are you guys friends now? What have I missed here?’
I draw a slow breath and ignore him.
‘There are four types,’ Mr Brown is saying. ‘Carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.’
When he turns back to the board, Sammy pokes me with his pen. ‘You should probably know that the rumour mill’s churning.’
I smack the offending pen from his hand. It lands a few feet from our desk, prompting Mr Brown to turn and look straight at us.
‘Exams are in two weeks,’ he says. ‘I suggest you both pay attention.’
I wait for him to turn back to the board. ‘You know I don’t give a shit what people say about me.’
‘I know, I know. It’s just that Lee was mouthing off at Annie at the lockers.’
That gets my full attention. I lean back in my chair. ‘And what did the little fucker say?’
A slow smile forms on his face. ‘Ah. So you do like her. I mean, I wouldn’t have picked that in a million years, to be honest.’ He frowns. ‘Wait. Is that even allowed?’
‘What did he say?’ I repeat, slower this time.
Sammy makes a crude gesture with his hand and mouth.
When I say my temper flares, I mean it goes from zero to a hundred in one blow job motion. I know how damaging that rumour will be for her. It could get her into serious trouble with the old fools at her church who run her life in place of capable parents.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything,’ Sammy says. ‘Now your jaw’s doing that twitchy thing.’
‘I appreciate the heads-up.’
I concentrate as best I can for the rest of the class, but the second that bell rings, I snatch up my books and head out into the corridor.
‘Hunter,’ Sammy calls to my back, knowing me too well.
I head for the lockers, scanning every face I pass on the walk there. Eventually I spot Lee coming in the other direction, chatting up some year eleven girl whose name I can’t remember. My shoulder clips his—hard—and his books go flying. His face goes rigid and flushes red. He turns to me, preparing to run his mouth, then stops when he registers my expression.
‘You should watch where you’re going,’ I say, getting in his face. ‘And while you’re at it, maybe be a little more careful about the things that come out of your mouth.’
He looks around at the students who’ve paused to watch the exchange. ‘Funny, I was just telling Annie that she should be more careful about the things that come into her mou—’
I have him up against the lockers with my arm pressed to his throat before he’s finished speaking. Leaning my full weight on him, I say calmly, ‘Who the fuck are you trying to impress?’ I nod towards the wide-eyed girl he’s been chatting up. ‘Her?’ Then to the gaping students on the other side of the corridor. ‘Them?’
‘Mr Reed!’ comes the principal’s familiar voice.
I look in his direction, easing the pressure on Lee’s throat.
‘My office—now.’
I step back from Lee, and he starts to cough. His face is now fully flushed—a nice bonus.
Swinging my books to my side, I head off towards the principal’s office. I spot Annie standing to one side, hugging her textbooks tightly. She meets my gaze briefly before looking away. I sense her disapproval and don’t have it in me to give a shit.
She’s walking away before I even reach her, and she doesn’t look back.