Bad Girl (TYG)

Chapter 8; Arrows and Knives

The next day I give Carl's letters to Natalie and Emily, separately of course, and they both give me death glares in response.

On my way to Mrs. Thompson's office someone slams me into the wall of the building and I almost scream, but I stop myself when I see who it is.

"How dare you?!" Chris yells in my face, pinning me up against the wall.

I hold his glare, refusing to cower away from him.

"Get off of me." I say calmly, pushing his shoulders back, making him stumble.

He rebounds and pushes his forearm up against my neck and chest, forcing me to stay there.

"I warned you not to be a tattletale, didn't I? Well now you're gonna pay." He growls in my face.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I say, forcing myself not to get mad and to say each word loudly and clearly to get the point across.

"Last night an anonymous person told my Mom who spiked the lemonade." He seethes, pushing me tighter up against the wall and making me wince in pain. "I know that it was you."

"Hey, get off of her!" I hear a male voice say and suddenly Chris's arm is off of mine and he's a few feet away from me and Paul is standing beside me.

"Just calm down." Paul warns him as he steps in front of me, blocking me from Chris.

"Is there a problem over here?" Del Thompson asks, coming to stand in between the boys.

"No, Mrs. Thompson. Everything's fine." I answer for the two boys who are having a glaring session.

"You two get to class. Our sessions are cancelled and it's time for you two to catch up. Now!" She says, speaking to Paul and I. "Christopher, your Mother would like to speak with you."

"Come on." Paul says, pulling me by my hand to the school house.

"I didn't tell on him." I say, checking to make sure we're a good distance away from them.

"Yeah, well Chris has had anger problems since his Dad left right before Jared was born." Paul says. "Just give him a little time to cool off. He won't be mad in a day or two."

Of course, Chris has Daddy issues. I've dealt with enough Daddy issues to last me a lifetime now. I should have recognized it.

"You've known him for that long?" I ask in surprise and Paul nods. "Thanks for doing that, by the way."

"Of course." He says and pushes open the school door for us, giving me a charming smile.

-

School is almost over by time Chris finally slinks into the school room and hands Mr. Jacobs a piece of paper which is most likely an absence excuse before slumping down into his seat. His eyes flicker over to me and I quickly look away from him and down at my desk.

I spend the rest of the class with my eyes glued to my notebook and ignoring his burning gaze on me.

I bolt out the door like a frightened rabbit when Mr. Jacobs finally dismisses us, me being the first one out.

I go to my dorm room to change my uniform into a pair of black jeans, a simple white t-shirt, and Charlie's jacket. All the clothes issued to us are very simple and very practical. Any personnel items brought with you into Riven you are allowed to keep and do whatever you wish with, besides weapons. Weapons are held in the training center and only returned to you when you go outside the fences or for certain jobs, like the one I've been assigned to today: fence watch.