Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

47

"Hey, you ready to grab smoothies?" I stared blankly at the male in front of me. My arms crossed as I leaned against my back. Donovan's smile quickly faded as he looked at me with concern.

"Xena, what's wrong?" My jaw clenched.

"Why'd you do it?" My arms unfolded as I stood up straight, "why'd you come into my life if you were just going to leave me hurt?" My rage kept me standing even if my sorrow slipped through by cracking my voice.

"I- Xena, what?" I scoffed as I pinched my fingers around my wrist to keep me grounded.

"I saw you with that blonde at the fight, Donovan. And don't try and give me any bullshit about her kissing you. There's a video. And it shows everything." At the point, I watched the recognition cross his face. His shoulders dropping as he held a pitiful face. I didn't bother trying to read if it was embarrassment or guilt. "I hope you got what you wanted. Because I never want to see you again." I hissed out the words as I started to pull my helmet back on."

"Xena, wait. Please."

"Donovan, whatever you say is just going to fall on deaf ears. I don't want to hear it. Especially not after I told you about my parents. You could have given me the curtesy of letting me know personally. Would have saved me from hating that I can't get back any of the time I spent. Don't contact me. Don't try to come find me. Just go off and do your own thing. Because if we ever do cross paths again," I spurred my bike to life as he gaped like a fish, "I can't say that I'll hold back like I am right now."

With that, I pulled out of the parking spot, my visor snapped down as I left Donovan in the dust. His figure still frozen as he snapped back into reality. A lingering question in the back of his mind.

Why was she so calm? He should be bleeding right now.

"Why didn't you punch him in the face? Or at least kick him in the jewels?" I buried my nose in my book as one of my tutees riddled me with questions.

"JJ, I swear if you don't shut the hell up I'm gonna kick you in the jewels." I kept reading as I threatened the blond.

"He has a point though." I looked up from my book to stare at John B. "I mean he should have walked away from that conversation limping."

I sighed, setting my book down. The two boys were staring at me expectantly, neither one of them backing down as I caved.

"It hurts." I took a breath, "it hurts knowing that even if it was only a month I really enjoyed his company. It hurts more that I opened up to him only a week before the fight and then he went and did that shit. I told my Ma- she was as surprised as you two." I laughed weakly. "Trust me, I wanted to. Gods I wanted to make him bleed when I first saw the video. But when I saw him, it wasn't worth it. He wasn't worth the effort."

We sat in silence before the two Pogues moved. Their homework long-since forgotten (forgotten most likely as soon as they received it) as they both came and wrapped me in a hug.

I let the small laugh slip through my lips as I hooked the two with an arm each. My head squished between their chests.

"We would still like to beat his ass if we see him." John B informed me. I shook my head as I gently pushed them away.

"Be my guest. But he shouldn't bother me or y'all ever. At least if he has an ounce of self preservation." The boys nodded before JJ gave John B a suspiciously mischievous grin.

"Say, Wifey, how do you feel about tormenting some Kooks?"

The three of us all shared a similar look of agreement. My book forgotten as John B turned to grab the keys to the Twinkie. In seconds we had left everything on the small table except our phones and some 'necessary' refreshments according to JJ.

The three of us blasted music as we drove across the island. Leaving the Cut to reach Figure Eight. Our excitement growing as we neared the big fancy houses. We parked in a covered pull-off from the road outside of the neighborhood.

I sent my mother a quick text letting her know I was going to be with the Pogues for dinner. Her reply swift as she said she had essays to grade so she was just going to order takeout.

"Well, boys, looks like it's go time."

We quickly grabbed the backpacks from the back of the Twinkie. Inside the three bags there was an equal distribution of supplies. We had several different colored window markers. Ten boxes of saran wrap. And enough ribbon to make ten large bows.

With a backpack each, we sprinted away from the Twinkie and climbed over the gate to the neighborhood that already had their nightlights on. Warm light flooded the street but still hid our bandana covered faces from view.

Looking into houses you could see families at the dinning tables eating, some sitting in front of the tv. Others had their internal lights off most likely to get to bed for an early morning of school/work or no one was home.

We avoided the houses that we definitely didn't know. One of the reasons we knew any of them was due to parties or JJ and John B having side hustles working on peoples boats. Cause when you're a Kook- you need people to work the boat for you. I also recognized a few cars from school. Those were our primary targets.

"Shit, I may see if any of these families needs a tutor. I might get paid double that of a single shift with the gym."

"If you do will you agree to be my Sugar Momma?" I snorted as I punch JJ in the arm.

"Shut up. Let's get to business. The sun just went down and I've still got to get back home."