AllFreeNovel
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As soon as I’m back outside, I drop the uniforms to the ground. The note didn’t say where to burn them, just to burn them. It also didn’t say anything about how much of them has to burn. There’s enough snow out here that they should extinguish fairly quick. People pass by, some giving me weird looks, others not paying me any attention at all.
With shaky hands, I twist off the top of the lighter fluid, waiting until more people pass. Once they do, I begin dousing the plastic.
Before I realize it, the whole damn bottle is empty.
My eyes dance around the area, making sure the coast is clear before I slide the box of matches open and pull one out.
“Sorry, girls. It’s just a game.” I strike the match and toss it on the pile of plastic-wrapped uniforms. In a matter of seconds, they all ignite and flames dance in the air while slowly eating away at the plastic.
I quickly toss the box of matches in, causing the fire to grow more rapidly, then I haul ass out of there.
* * *
“Fuck off,”I tell Neo and Jagger as I drop my tray down on the table. They haven’t even said anything and I’m not sure if they’re planning to, but it feels fitting given my morning. I’ve been sweating balls all day, waiting for a cheerleader to pop me in the jaw.
“Hello to you, too.” Jagger says, barely able to lift his head off the table. “And next time, could you set your tray down a little more gently?”
He’s hungover. That’s cute.
I lift my tray up, inches from the table, then slam it down again.
His head shoots up and I say, “Sorry,” in my best little girl voice.
“What did you do to Crew?” Neo asks, pegging me with a stare.
“I didn’t do anything to him. Maybe you should ask what he did to me, considering he broke into my room last night.”
Now that they mention it, Crew hasn’t been in any classes. I assumed he was ditching, which still could be true.
Jagger rubs his temples aggressively, staring down at his untouched burger. “He never came home last night.”
“He didn’t?” I pick up a fry, dunking it in ketchup. “Where would he have stayed?” I pop the fry in my mouth, watching the two of them and waiting for an answer.
“He always comes home,” Neo says, leaning across the table with a hardened expression. “So tell me, Scar. What did you do to him?”
“Back to what I said when I first arrived… Fuck off.”
I’m trying to ignore their unwanted stares as I eat, but it’s hard, considering Neo looks like he wants to eat me. Maybe if he’d fill his belly once in a while, he wouldn’t be so damn grumpy.
“You bitch,” hits my ears, and my head immediately snaps around.
“Excuse me?” I say to Melody, who has a girl gang standing behind her, including Riley.
Oh fuck.
“You burned our uniforms and you’re gonna pay!” Melody hisses the threat with her hands pressed on her hips.
Ignoring her, I look at Riley. “It was a game. I had to.”
Riley shakes her head, her disappointment in me apparent, then she whips her head around and walks away.
“Sit your asses down and don’t come to our table without an invitation again.” I look across the table and see Jagger with his hands pressed firmly to it as he stares Melody down.
“But she—”
This time, it’s Neo who cuts in. “I don’t care what she did. You do not approach Scar or speak to her again unless she speaks to you first.”
I’m speechless. I don't even know how to react to what he just said. Is Neo defending me?
