Rule of the Fist

Chapter 11

An obnoxious pop song played from Riley's alarm and she groaned, turning over and hitting the off button. Nate had set her alarm to the song purposely to annoy her, she was sure.

She stood and shuffled to the bathroom sleepily. It was only as she was brushing her teeth that she remembered what Jacob had said.

When you come to school tomorrow, I'll be waiting.

It was probably an empty threat, but she couldn't help remembering the last time he had beaten her up, him and his friends. What if he jumped out behind a bush and grabbed her? What if he beat her up when he was sure no one was looking? Where Grace or Sara couldn't hear? Or Henry?

She remembered the fighting tips Henry had shown her, but those would be next to useless if she was up against five people.

Then again, Mark had gotten called in to the office that day. While she was supposed to be at school, nobody would be home. 

Maybe...

Riley got dressed in her school clothes. She packed her bag and had breakfast, but as she passed Abby at the dining table she patted her sister on the shoulder. Even though Nate's school started late, for a high school anyway, he had already left some time ago. Just because he had walked with them on the first day didn't mean he was going to keep doing it.

“I’m gonna be riding my bike today," she said.

Abby swallowed a bite of waffle. “Why? You said you were gonna walk with me and Madison.”

“Change of plans. I just gotta meet Henry somewhere.”

"I can go with you," Abby said.

Riley shook her head. "No, it's okay. You walk with Madison, alright?"

Abby tilted her head at her and narrowed her eyes. It was what she always did when she suspected her sister was lying. But she shrugged and went back to her waffle. “Have fun.”

To her credit, Riley did hop onto her bike as soon as she was outside. But instead of taking a left at Ackard Lane, she turned down the road to the park. Ditching her bike in the bushes near the entrance, Riley decide to lay low until about eight-thirty, when most kids in Tuscan were sure to be in school. She checked her watch. It was eight.

When she checked the time again, it was eight thirty-three. Riley got back on her bike and headed toward home, letting herself in with the spare key she always kept in the side pocket of her bag. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers over her head. She hadn't wanted to ditch. She'd never even cut class before. But Riley knew she didn't want to go back there. Not today. 

Riley tried to sleep, but rest wouldn’t come. Instead, she felt more jumpy and antsy than she had before. Was that a shadow she saw at the edge of her backyard, bordering the trees? Was she hearing footsteps and the slight scrape of a key turning in the lock? Riley shook her head and frowned, deciding that she’d never be able to enjoy her day off if she stayed home and worried.

Riley walked through the neighborhood, stopping to pick some flowers. She felt giddy and free. No Jacob today. No history, science, math, or language arts. There were hardly any kids out on the streets. Outside on his lawn, a man was relaxing in a rocking chair and sipping lemonade. Two small girls who looked about three years old rode the sidewalks in a mini-jeep. One of them waved to Riley, who waved back, smiling.

Riley went through the woods, which by day were pleasant and peaceful. Birds chirped in the trees above her. Right now, Riley felt like she was on top of the world.

That is, until she chose to venture into a backyard. As she was stepping carefully through somebody’s pretty garden, a loud bark startled her out of her senses. The sound of jingling license tags drew her attention to the angry, brown and black Rottweiler that stood in front of her, ears twitching.