The Serpent Queen

Esqueleto | Part Four

The three boys stood in the bathroom, peeing at the urinals. None of them looked at each other, but stared at the wall ahead.

"First high school dance in the books, and we didn't even make an attempt."

"Well, statistically speaking, zero for zero is better than zero for one, so it could've been worse." Demetri said. "Though, Eli got lucky. He got a date, and asked her to dance. So he's better than us, Miguel."

All Eli could think of was how much of a loser he was to leave Phoebe alone on the dance floor. He could have had his first kiss then and there, but he chickened out. There went his only chance to kiss a girl and it wouldn't happen again. Phoebe wouldn't want to see or talk to him again. He ruined everything.

The boys finished their business and zipped themselves back up, flushing the urinals. They went over to the sinks and washed their hands.

When they were about to leave, the bathroom door opened and Kyler, Brucks and the two other friends came in. All four were dressed as pirates. The theee boys hid behind a bunch of lockers to sneak away from them, listening in.

"Yo, so frustrated, man. I was just about to give her the bracelet." Kyler ranted. He had taken Sam from the party to give her a bracelet, but her Dad thought that something else was happening.

"Like that cheap one you gave to that East Valley slut?" Brucks laughed.

"Yeah, it worked on her, so might as well try it again. But Sam's dad had to ruin everything."

"I'm sorry, dude, you had her in the palm of your dick."

Eli accidentally knocked into a few lacrosse sticks, which sent them clattering loudly to the floor, making Kyler and his friends notice them, "Oh, shit." Eli cursed as he and Demetri ran out of there.

Kyler approached Miguel, who now stood alone after his friends abandoned him, "You better watch out, 'Rhea. That bum's not here to save you this time."

"Yeah, he's not a bum, he's my Sensei."

Brucks laughed, "Watch out, guys. 'Rhea knows karate now." He mockingly did a karate chop and martial arts vocalisations.

Miguel thought of him kicking the boards and kicked Kyler in the chest, hard enough to knock him to the floor.

"Get him!" Kyler shouted as he and one of his friends rose from the floor.

"You're gonna pay!" Brucks yelled as he shoved the skeleton against a metal mesh cage.

"Oh, shit!" Miguel groaned as a sharp pain shot through his side as someone kicked him there. He got shoved down to the floor and landed with a thud.

"Grab him. Grab him. Get him!" Kyler ordered his friends.

His friends grabbed Miguel's legs and began to drag him backwards. The boy grabbed onto the side of the bench, which made Kyler whack his hand, making him let go and continued to be pulled back.

"No, no, let me go!" Miguel pleaded.

"Hold him tight! Pick him up!" Kyler yelled as he grabbed one of the fallen lacrosse sticks. He closed the door to the metal cage trapping Miguel with him and his three friends.

"You're a dead man." Kyler threatened him.

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Phoebe searched the entire dance for a sign of any of the three boys, but she couldn't find one. She unlocked her phone and went to call her cousin, when she saw two students coming at her from the corner of her eye.