My wedge heels echo along the quiet hallway as I make my way to the other side of the building where the gym is. The thought of running out the front doors of the school without looking back is tempting, but I know I wouldn't make it far because Nicky seems like the type of man to make good on his promises of blackmail. I’d run out of the little money I have left in no time and would be caught within a few hours. Who knows with the way Nicky can hack into computers, he can probably get into any camera feed.
He can trace my steps easily, bringing me back kicking and screaming.
Rounding the corner of the empty gym, I jog across the wood floors and reach for the girls locker room door around the corner from the bleachers. It looks like gym class isn't scheduled at this hour. That's one good thing about today, enough students have seen my humiliation since school started this morning. I need a break before I completely lose it. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to find a quiet place and let your mind wander, to recharge before facing the outside world again.
I have to pause with my hand on the door handle when I hear muffled male voices on the other side. I double check the sign to make sure it's the girls locker room, confirming it is. I debate what to do. Wondering If I should come back later. What if someone is getting their freak on in there? Maybe it's a hookup area everyone knows about since this class period is free.
“Get. Chicken butt. Ah! Get off me. Off me, asshats!” A girl shouts in repeated words, her voice high pitched and panicked somewhere inside the locker room.
My decision is made at the fear I can hear in her tone. I swing the door open so quickly that it bangs against the wall, enough to catch the attention of the three jocks surrounding the girl from gym class yesterday. The one who threw a book at Paris.
Her almond shaped green eyes meet mine, the hysteria clear in her gaze as the biggest one of the jocks crowds in front of her with his hand on her hip under her shirt. The other two are holding her arms in a grip tight enough to bruise, pinning her in place against the lockers.
“Hey, asshats, I don't think she wants you touching her.” My tone comes out bored as I lean against the frame of the door with my arms crossed, so as to appear like the whole situation is no big deal.
I'm stalling. I glance around to see what I can use to beat them over the head with, but there's only a book on the ground. Looks like I don’t have many options and I’m not about to leave her with these guys.
I slowly slip off my wedged heels as tweedle dee and tweedle dumb release her, looking at the one who seems to be in charge. They don’t seem to know what to do with little ole me showing up and ruining their plans. I think it’s the jocks from yesterday, the big one with red hair looks familiar.
“It's none of your business, new girl. Although I can be with you in just a second, after I’m finished with tourettes over here. Nicola owes me, but it's not like she doesn’t want it. No one wants you anyways.” Red leers down at her and twitches his gaze over to me. I feel disgusted with his brown eyes sliding over my body as if he has a right to think he can have me.
“You wish. Little penis. Little,” Nicola snarls like a rabid dog, her eyelids blinking rapidly, and that just makes me want to become her friend even more.
She’s cool. Her attitude is basically her sticking her finger up at the universe, not caring about standard society rules. She’s wearing black skinny jeans with colorful suspenders, and a black t-shirt with a giant purple butterfly that takes up half the shirt. It really goes with the butterfly clip she has in her hair, but it’s kind of ruined by the way her hair is sticking up in every direction.
“Shut up, stupid bitch. I’m going to teach you a lesson. You're not as protected as you think.” He slams her roughly against the locker, grabbing her short black hair in his fist to stop her from moving.
“Gary, man. I don’t know about this. What if he finds out-” Looks like one of them has brains as his eyes shift behind me in a nervous gesture, as if whoever he’s scared of might show up.
I wonder who he is talking about? I can’t help the chuckle that escapes past my lips, which makes them pause to stare at me like I’ve lost my mind. Maybe I have.
“Really? Gary? That’s your name? I’m going to give you five seconds to release Nicola or I’ll make sure you all regret thinking you can lay hands on an unwilling female.” I stare coldly into Gary’s eyes without blinking, meaning every word.
Nicola fidgets, shaking her head viciously and as if she has no control over her limbs. She reaches out to dive her elbow back into Gary’s stomach and twists his nipples through his jersey as he releases her. He hisses out in pain and I take that as my cue to step in. Without hesitating, I grab my wedges and chuck them hard at Gary’s two minions. It catches the one closest to me right between his eyes. He stumbles back a step into the lockers as he groans in discomfort and holds his hands over his face, right over the shoe print it left on his forehead. Nicola screeches like a wild animal and slams her knee up into Gary’s balls. He drops to his knees with a girly high pitched scream, his face turning pale then a plum color as the pain registers. The other jock trips over his buddy on the floor as he tries to reach for me, you can tell he’s not the most graceful on the football field.
“Move. Peep corn! Move!” Nicola shouts, confusing me with what she’s trying to say in her panic.
She slips out from between Gary and the lockers, reaching for my hand to drag me out of the locker room, but she smacks my outstretched palm away just as I reach for her. “Sorry. Can’t help it.” She grimaces and grabs for my wrist this time, leading the way out back towards the gym.
I hear shuffling behind me and am suddenly yanked back by my long hair, my arm slipping out of Nicola's grip just as she steps through the locker room doorway. She spins around in alarm, horror washing over her face just before the door slams closed just like a gunshot going off.
“You're going to pay for that. You might not have been my first choice, but you’ll do. Jesus. It’s a good thing you have a fantastic ass because it’s hard to look at you with so many ugly scars on your body. A shame really, but it still gets the job done.” Gary tightens his hand in my hair, twisting so that I’m hunched over and bent forward at the waist as he starts limping away from the door with me held in a grip that’s impossible to escape.
He drags me farther into the locker room with his two friends following, both of them eerily silent besides their heavy breathing. Gary lets go of me, shoving me towards his friends who grab either side of my arms to hold me in place. I refuse to glance away, I meet Gary’s gaze head on as he stands in front of me with a leering smirk that sends a shiver of horror down my spine. I won’t let him know how truly scared I am. My mask will be firmly in place, no matter what, I can’t go back to who I used to be.
“Larry. Stan. Hold her still while I teach her a lesson on who runs this school,” he orders and glares when a snort escapes me at their names.
Just like the three stooges.
My head whips to the side at the unexpected blow, the back of his hand cutting my lip. Breathing hard, my head hangs between my shoulders as I stare at the floor. Lip throbbing, my blood trails hotly down my chin and drips onto the tiled floor one drop at a time in little bright red splats.
“You’re a nobody. Nothing in this place, whore.” Gary brings my head up by my hair, his voice sounding far away.
I can hardly see his blurry face in front of me as my body starts to tremble, the only noise I can hear is my breathing, even though I know he’s talking. I’m not really here anymore. I’m transported into a time and place from the past, a memory that I try to bury deep into the back of my mind. No matter how fast I run, how much I hold back…I can’t escape.
“Dad. Have you seen Uncle Rig?” I ask timidly, wishing I didn’t have to confront my father, but I haven’t seen Uncle Rig for days. It’s not like him to not check in on me.
Dad turns his head away from Nix, setting his beer down on the bar top, and glances at me with a smile that seems not quite right.
