“Don’t look at me,” she snapped.
A shit-eating grin spread across my brother’s face as Nix replied, “I wasn’t, since yours are non-existent.”
Storm fluffed her hair and said in annoyance, “You’re only saying that because mine are real.”
“Oh, they’re real alright.Realdisappointing,” Phoenix laughed with a wink in my direction. I rolled my eyes. I was so tired of high school shit.
“Fuck you, Nix,” Storm blasted out.
My brother pulled a feigned look of distaste, “No thanks, I’d rather eat glass. God knows where your pussy has been.”
Reed’s body stiffened, but he kept his eyes on his food tray. “Now, children. Can’t we all just get along?”
“Talking about children? How’s your new little sister settling in?” Storm volleyed back, purposefully bringing up Harper, the thorn in Phoenix’s side. They had a history and had been through the social services system together. He’d told us some of her background but not all of it. Said it wasn’t his shit to sell. Harper Radcliffe’s wealthy parents died in a house fire when she was young. Fortunately, she survived but had no other relatives, which forced her into care.
“She’snotmy sister, shit for brains,” Phoenix growled back, her barb having hit its intended target.
The big guy reckoned he hated her, but I wasn’t so sure. They had a past, and it was more complicated than he let on. She was a screwed-up, soon-to-be sixteen-year-old kid and had just started tenth grade at our school. Harper didn’t deserve how Nix treated her, but I stayed the fuck out of it. Too much of a headache.
Plus, any interference in Phoenix’s shit came with the chance of getting smacked in the face. And I mean, I wasn’t scared of anyone. I was big and could hold my own, but Phoenix was a good foot taller than any of us and much meaner.
As I said, he was the most popular linebacker on our football team. Coach wouldcreamhis pants every time Phoenix was on the field. He was a highly decorated defensive player and a hard fucker.
Out of all the players, Nix was more adored than Reed, who was the quarterback. Micah played centre. I was a two-way player, a defensive back, and a wide receiver, but lately, I spent most of my time benched, a punishment for headbutting the opposing team’s linebacker after he tripped me during a game last season. What could I say? I had anger management issues, hence the medication I took.
Storm was still playing with Nix about Harper.
“What is it with you two anyway? Always fighting. I would say it’s sweet, but it feels a bit incestuous.”
“How can it be incestuous when we’re not biologically related. And you call yourself smart,” he replied with a smirk.
“Whatever. I’ve seen the way she looks at you with those puppy dog eyes. The little runt would fuck you in a second if you gave her the signal.”
“You know fuck all about anything, Storm. So, save it,” Phoenix growled. He stated he didn’t care for Harper but he got pissed real quick when anyone else had a go at her.
Picking up her fork and pointing it at him, she sneered, “If you say so.” She opened her poisonous lips to add another insult, but Reed slapped his palm on the table. Everything rattled as he grabbed our attention.
“Enough, both of you,” he growled. Reed then shook his head and narrowed his eyes, “Fuck off somewhere else if you’re going to fight.”
“Yeah, Storm. Go find some of your shallow as fuck girlfriends to torture,” Nix grunted. He usually managed to keep his misogyny hidden under a layer of careful disdain, but recently, the pig kept coming out of its sty.
Phoenix was still nursing a broken heart after his last girlfriend (an older woman, I might add) dumped him and moved to New York. The sap had been super wifed up. Hence, his current woman-hating phase. “Maybe you should start eating lunch with the other witches.”
“Maybe I will from now on. Sometimes I don’t know why I put up with you losers,” Storm muttered, clearly feeling ganged up on. She went back to pushing salad around her plate.
“You’re such a baby sometimes. You can dish it out, but you can’t take it,” Reed added.
“Screw you, Reed.”
Save me from the fragile egos of men and women. The frustrated groan I released was loud and clear.
“Who’s crawled up your ass?” Nix snorted, grabbing Storm's water bottle and taking a drink, earning him a hissed ‘jerk off’ from said female.
I felt like sayingyou, but went with, “What do you mean?”
“You’reunnaturallyquiet? Moping into your lunch like a fucking girl,” he added, leaning over the table, and jabbing me on the arm.
It hurt too, themotherfucker.
