“Get up, you little bitch!” Shaun kicks dirt and gravel in my face. “Get up, Tart!”
The third boy steps forward and slams his new skate shoes into my sore shins. These are the rich boys, and me and my brother are the poor kids who don’t like them. Today sucks for me, but one day, I’ll be their boss. I’m only six now, but I won’t be forever.
“Ugh forget it,” Shaun spits when I don’t stand. “We’ll come find you tomorrow. Maybe you’ll want to play then. Bitch.” He kicks me again and forces a cry through my lips. I never cry, but they’re kicking me in spots that already hurt.
“Let’s go find her boyfriend instead,” Matty says.
My heart picks up speed. Butterflies tickle my belly at the sound of them calling Jimmy my boyfriend, but then their words register and my butterflies turn to angry hornets.
Jimmy’s strong. He’s one of the strongest boys I know. But there’s three of them and they’re older. They can’t go find him. I won’t let them.
“He’ll be walking home soon–”
I don’t wait for him to finish his sentence. Nobody’s allowed to threaten my family and get away with it.
With their backs turned, I climb from my crouch and lithely jump onto his back. I wrap my legs around Matty’s hips and get my hooks in just like my brothers taught me. With swears I know Jon would get mad at me for using, I start punching this jerk in the side of the face.
“Get her off! Get her off me.”
I slam my tiny fist into the side of his head and fight against the hold around my belly as they try to pull me down. “Stop being a whiny little bitch!” I slam my fist into his skull. “You think you’re so tough picking on a girl.”
“Get her off!”
“Not so tough now, are you, you asshole.”
A second set of hands grab me and loosen my hold. One dumbass is weak, but two of themanda bucking bull? My hooks slip. With a synchronized heave, they unlatch me from their friend and toss me against the ground.
I don’t stay down a second time.
I don’t cry and feel bad about my scraped knees.
I’ve had way worse.
I jump up and dive at them.
I don’t scratch. And I don’t pull.
I fight.
I might’ve caved that jerk’s ear into his brain, and I wouldn’t even be sorry, but I didn’tpullhis ears.
“Come on, little bitch. I’ll fight you.” Shaun steps forward with his hands up like he wants to take me in a boxing ring. He’s an idiot. His hands are wrong. His feet are wrong. He’s a dummy. “Just me and you. No big brothers around to protect you.”
“Yeah. Me. A girl. And you and two of your idiot friends. Maybe if you go get five more idiots, it might be a fair fight.”
Like he’s doing the math in his head and can’t get the right answer, I rush forward while he’s counting and shove him on his butt. I stomp my foot down on his balls and smile when he screams and covers up. I know what boys do with those things, and I know why he wanted to look up my skirt last week.
If I break him now, he won’t try and look again.
“Izzy!?”
Butterflies replace the hornets. I know that voice. I don’t get a chance to look for him, because I’m flying again, but this time, I’m not afraid. I’m not being thrown into a wall. This time, the strong arm wrapped around my tummy is pulling me away. It’s protecting me.
Jimmy’s here.
I look over his shoulder at the stupid boys. Jimmy has his back to them, and if they try to sneak up and hurt him, I’ll kill them. I know what that means, and I’ll do it.
I’d do anything for him.
“What happened, Iz? Are you okay?” He pats me down and runs his hands all over my body in search of injuries. I slap him away. I don’t mind him touching me; my skin doesn’t crawl when he does, not like when Shaun does, but I don’t like him fussing and treating me like a girl. I hate when he thinks I’m a weak girl.
“I’m okay.” I push his insistent hands away. “Jimmy! I’m okay. Quit it.”
“Are you hurt? I’m so sorry, Bubs. I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.” His voice breaks like he’s scared. Like he wishes he was grown up now so he could protect me.
“I’m okay.” I look up into his big brown eyes. They’re mostly covered by his moppy hair, so I let out a big puff of breath and blow them aside.
I like to see his eyes. They’re always nice to me.
He smiles his crooked smile with the pretty teeth. My butterflies dance when he smiles. Leaning forward as the jerks run away, he presses a kiss to my forehead. “I won’t let you down again. I promise.”