Ruedelia's Repose

T W O

Everyone sat minding their business for another thirty minutes or so—me thinking of how I'd start up a conversation with Silas while everyone else conversed amongst themselves—before the door to the room we were occupying flew open and in walked a handful of cheerleaders, two girls from the dance team, and a bunch of guys from the football team that began rowdily playing with the Foosball and Pool tables at the front of the room.

I frowned at their intrusion and groaned as the girls crowded around my brothers, Jace, and Milo. I shifted uncomfortably and shook my head when Veronica, cheer team captain, sat down with Silas, and Alana, one of her friends, sat next to Oliver, who immediately tensed as she began to rub at his thigh while she flapped her false eyelashes at him in an attempt to seduce him.

The sight had me on high alert in Tommy's embrace and he removed his arms from around me knowing that I'd want to help Oliver where he'd be too nervous and shy to help himself. So I stood up and gestured for Oliver to scoot over, closer to Tommy, and I sat where he'd been once he moved—and move he did.

Oliver scooted over so quickly that the entire right side of his body pressed flush against Tommy's left side, but the linebacker didn't seem to mind.

Tommy just watched as I sat down and made sure to snuggle Oliver comfortably between him and myself, then I turned back to Alana, who made sure to shoot me a dirty look that I returned ten fold.

Raising an eyebrow, I asked, "Do you have something to say?"

The tone I'd used was meant to be abrasive and challenging, and I could tell that it had been both of those things, as the conversations from the other side of the room dwindled to nothing as everyone made what was happening their business.

They'd need fresh gossip for school on Friday.

Alana watched me for a second, probably debating on whether or not she really wanted a problem with me, and, to my surprise, she answered, "Yeah, actually.", and that's when the room went still.

My brothers both sat forward where they were seated, ready to hear what she had to say, and Tommy sat up behind me as well, no doubt watching the exchange with a stony expression.

Milo chuckled a little and Jace just shook his head.

"Oh?", I replied, amused, and I knew I didn't have to say anything else to get her to run her mouth. I figured I was giving her a pretty nasty expression, though, so I was still a tiny bit surprised when she spoke up.

"I just don't like how you act like you're hot shit.", she began, her nose flaring with her animosity. "You walk around school like you own the fucking place and you act like you own these guys too.", she vented, gesturing toward my group of friends and I smiled, finding no other way to express the boiling anger I could feel simmering inside me, but she kept going, unaware of the reaction she was causing within my body.

"It's like you want them all to yourself, but you know what? That can't happen because, one, you don't own them and, two, you're an ugly bitch. No way they're attracted to you.", she finished, and, hilariously, she looked proud of herself.

Everyone's eyes turned to my still smiling face, and I could practically feel the anticipatory energy buzzing from everyone who found this exchange entertaining rather than disrespectful while they wondered what was going to happen next.

I sighed. "Alana.", I spoke, my voice sickly sweet. "You should learn to mind your business.", I told her, and my voice grew more dark and stern with every word, but I kept smiling because if I didn't, I'd sneer at her instead.

The cheerleader's eyes grew wide and her nostrils flared a second time, but this go around, it was due to embarrassment rather than the haughty, misplaced anger she'd used as fuel for her opinions just moments before.