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32
Two days after Ruby’s attempted suicide, we sit in the dining hall for breakfast, separated into our designated groups.
The atmosphere is toxic and that’s just around our table. The boys might have called a truce, but Kate’s anger is enough to mar the delicate equilibrium I’ve fought so hard to create. This bad feeling was only compounded last night at dinner when Mr Carmichael announced Ruby’s departure from Oceanside. He might’ve been vague about the reasons why she was being placed elsewhere, but when Monk had reacted the way he did it didn’t take much to figure out who was responsible. He’d laughed. He’d fucking laughed then looked directly at me andwinked. It took every cell of willpower not to pick up my dinner knife and stab it in his eye.
The bastard has no heart. None.
Kate had seen the exchange and had glared at Camden and me as though we were just as responsible as Monk, and honestly, I wouldn’t blame her. Ruby had suffered alone and neither Camden nor I were able to do a damn thing about it. I’m just glad she’s got away from this place, away from Monk. I really hope she finds the strength to fight for her survival, to become the woman I know she can be. I won’t lie, I’m gutted that she never got the chance to face Monk in the ring before she left. Beating the shit out of him, in my opinion, would’ve been the best form of therapy. It certainly made me feel a whole lot better when I got to serve Monk his arse. All I know is that he will rue the day he ever decided to fuck with Ruby. Him and his bastard father have got it coming.
Glancing around the room I spot the twisted shit, Monk, sitting with Red and Bram. They’ve been placed with a couple of his wolves and three kids from No Name crew, none of whom seem at all bothered to be grouped with that arsehole. Ford notices too and if he could narrow his eyes he would, but right now, one eye is swollen shut and the other is bloodshot.
Cal and the two ex-marines, Frank and Buddy, are watching over us all from their table in the corner of the hall. Both are big, burly men with large muscles and broad shoulders, but their appearance isn’t what makes them fierce. Nope, it’s their take no shit attitude they seem to have. I’m pretty sure they’d wipe the floor with any of these arseholes if they were ever foolish enough to try and take them on. But I’m steering clear, it’s obvious that those two men have seen and done shit that would rival any kid in this room and lived to tell the tale. They’re not to be messed with.
“Well, this fucking stinks,” Sonny says.
“You’re telling me, someone stinks to high heaven,” Kate mutters, glaring at me from across the table. Beside me, Camden stiffens, gritting his jaw.
“Leave it, Kate,” Pink says, giving Camden a wary look.
“Yeah, I’d take Pink’s advice if I were you” Camden snaps.
“Stop,” I murmur, placing my hand on his thigh beneath the table. “Don’t do that, don’t threaten my friend. She’s hurt, leave her be.”
“And let her speak to you like that?”
“This is between us. Don’t interfere.”
Camden mutters something indistinguishable under his breath, but he doesn’t press the point further. Kate is hurt. Yes, she’s being a bitch, but this is something that Kate and I need to settle. I don’t need him sticking his size thirteen foot into the mix.
For a few minutes we all fall into a tense silence and eat our breakfast. After a while, I make small talk with Camden whilst everyone else has their own conversations. When I feel the heat of Kate’s gaze burning a hole in my cheek, I place my knife and fork on my plate and give up trying to finish eating my scrambled eggs. I’m suddenly not very hungry. I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but over the last couple days I haven’t found the right moment to pull her or Pink aside. I need to rectify that today.
“Kate, Pink, will you come to my room later after last period? I want to talk to you both.”
Kate looks at Pink before resting her gaze on me. “Why? There’s really nothing to say,” she hisses, keeping her angry voice low so as not to draw attention from unwanted ears.
“There’splentyto say, and you need to stop being such a whiny little bitch and give Asia a chance to explain,” Camden pipes up.
“Explain what? How she becameyourlittle bitch?”
“Kate!” Pink exclaims.
Camden snarls, his top lip curling. “Say one more bad word about Asia and I’ll…”
“What, you’ll set Monk on me like you did Asia?” she seethes under her breath. “I’m used to dealing with bullies, Camden, what’s one more to add to a very long list?”
I flinch, her retort cutting deep. “This isn’t what you think Kate, and Camden isn’t like those girls who hurt you. If you come to my room later, I’ll explain everything.”
Ford looks up and frowns, giving me a questioning look but I shake my head. Sonny and Eastern are too busy talking to pay any attention to our own muted conversation and I’m glad. I don’t need this getting out of control. It’s bad enough to hear such hate spill from Kate’s lips. She still believes I turned my back on her and I have to make her understand that I didn’t do it without good reason.
“You sold us out for Camden and his nasty little crew of bastards. What can you possibly say to change that?”
“Kate you’re being completely unreasonable. At least let Asia explain,” Pink interjects, trying to make her see sense.
“No.” She stands, pushing back her chair but Pink grabs hold of her wrist.
“Let go of me,” Kate hisses, her eyes welling with bitter tears.
I reach out to touch Pink’s arm. “It’s okay, let her go. Now’s not the time.”
