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Then he made good on that promise.
Roy pushed Marina away again and lunged at Clint. He shoved Clint down, back first, onto the table. Into the food we had just purchased. I reached for Clint, wanting to pull him away. But Michael held me back.
“He’s got this. He knows what he’s doing. Let the teachers see him defending himself.”
My eyes widened as Roy’s fist came up in the air. I cried out Clint’s name, watching as he caught it. He rolled Roy over and straddled him, pinning the boy’s hands to the table. Then, Marina came up behind him and gripped his shirt.
And my vision dripped red.
“Oh, no you don’t.”
I tore away fr
om Michael’s grip and rushed toward Marina. I wrapped my arms around her and picked her up, moving her away from Clint. I set her down on her feet and glared at her, and she cocked her hand back to slap me. But out of nowhere came Allison, who jammed her heel down into Marina’s toe. Marina bent over and grabbed her foot.
I grinned. “Good one.”
Allison frowned. “We have to get out of here. The teachers are coming.”
By the time I got back to the table, I saw Roy’s elbow come up into Clint’s jaw. He stumbled back into the wall and Roy pushed himself off the table, heading straight for Clint. His fist connected with Clint’s jaw. Clint wrapped his hand around Roy’s throat, and just as Clint pushed him away, teachers came around the corner.
“Clarke! Emerson! Principal’s office, now!”
Teachers pushed us out of the way and wrapped their arms around the boys. Roy kept clamoring for Clint, cursing and yelling as Clint backed away. He didn’t fight the teachers or try to pull out of their grasp. Roy, on the other hand, bucked and kicked and cursed like a toddler not wanting to go into time out.
It was pathetic to watch.
Even though Clint had come out on top, it also looked as if he’d started the fight. I knew damn good and well those teachers hadn’t seen Roy attack him. And I wasn’t sure how all of this would go down. I saw them haul Clint down the hallway toward the principal’s office. He peered over his shoulder at me and winked again. Like he somehow had everything under control. I went to walk after him, but both Michael and Allison grabbed me, wrapping their hands around my wrists and pulling me back as teachers hauled a kicking and screaming Roy out of the cafeteria.
With Marina in tears, following behind them.
“I have to go after him.”
Michael sighed. “Let the teachers sort it out.”
Allison stroked my arm. “Yeah. You know the principal will get to the bottom of it. He knows Clint’s trying to turn over a new leaf.”
I pulled out of their grips. “You know they’ll throw Clint under the bus in a heartbeat.”
Michael nodded. “Yes. But there are plenty of people here who will say Roy started that fight. Not Clint.”
Allison smiled softly. “Yeah, it’ll be okay. Plus, there’s us who can attest to that, too.”
I sighed as I turned back to the entrance of the cafeteria.
“I don’t know, guys.”
They rubbed my back, but I felt more overwhelmed than ever. I couldn't fucking catch a break. Every time I made a step forward in my life, two steps were taken away from me. For all I knew, this would lead to Clint’s suspension. Or expulsion. And we’d all be back at square one. Me, with my broken heart. Clint, dealing with shit at home by himself. And us, graduating without our newfound friend.
I hate this so much. “Why does he have to be like that all the time?”
Michael patted my shoulder. “What do you mean?”
I shrugged. “I just—why did he have to egg Roy on like that? Why did he have to instigate things?”
Allison took my hand. “I have to say, I’m with Clint on this one.”
I furrowed my brow. “What?”
