The Web I Spin for You ~ Richpez & Rosenwalker

Chapter 46

More spoiler free NPMD Hatchetfield lore coming at ya!

They were all anyone was talking about—and yet people still couldn't seem to get the story straight. Joe had heard a ridiculous amount of variations of the story over the past few days of everything that occurred, with stories ranging from claims that he had been the one that slapped Zoey, to rumors that they had grabbed each other and started making out. The entire school was constantly going back and forth; with people who had been supporting Joe insisting that clearly Zoey had been the abuser all along, and people on Zoey's side claiming that she must have hit him and cheated on him because he'd abused her in the past.

One thing was for sure—almost nobody knew the truth.

Even still, Joe couldn't not acknowledge the fact that things were getting better for him. For starters, his tormenting on the lacrosse team had come to an end. Tom had called an emergency meeting that next day during lunch, where he'd stated that team hazing was going to be cracked down on. While he hasn't explicitly said any names, of course the entire team had known that he was talking about Joe.

"If Walker's too much of a pussy to stand up for himself now that he's fucking a homo, then that's his problem." Sam yelled out in protest. "And why are you fighting his battles for him? Is he sucking your dick as well?"

"Sweetly, you're cut." Tom responded cooly, a wave of silence spreading across the team.

Sam scoffed, looking around to his friends for aide. "Yeah, no. You can't cut me."

"As the captain? I absolutely can." Tom stated. "Now are you man enough to walk out, or do I have to escort you like a child?"

The entire team was stunned silent, no one moving a muscle, except for Sam as he crossed his arms. "You guys can't win without me."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." Tom retorted. "If I keep you on and continue to let you harass other members of the team, then we've already lost. Now, beat it." Sam opened his mouth to retort, before evidently deciding that it would be better for his dignity if he just walked out. "Anyone else have anything that they'd like to share?" Tom asked threateningly, being met with a silent team.

xXx

"That monster!" Zoey yelled angrily as she tore through her bedroom, stomping and fuming. "That vicious old fart!"

"Zoe, relax," Sam told her casually, lounging on her bed.

"Relax?" She asked, laughing maniacally. "Smearing Joe was going to make me trend Sam, fucking trend! That's how you win prom queen now, by trending stupid!"

"Zoe, I'm the one who got kicked off the team. How is this going to effect you?"

"How are we supposed to push this narrative if you guys can't pummel the shit out of him for quote-on-quote 'what he did to me,'" she shot back, holding up quotations.

"Zoey, he's trying to fight back," Sam told her patiently. "He can't do that if you give him a reason not to."

"Tom Houston is the most powerful guy in school!" Zoey continued to rage. "How are we going to attack Joe with him guarding his back?"

"Attacking Joe is not what I had in mind."

xXx

"No, no, you're not going to trick me this time, you like the phone Brian!" Joey yelled, feigning hysteria.

"You gave me your phone to listen to the s—"

"Ooh! It's, no, you want it, you want to take my phone. Oh my god this guy's trying to, this guy's trying to steal my phone—THIS GUY'S A THIEF!"