Tiny Terror

Face The Music

  Rubbing the back of my head, I swallowed while walking down the hallway. It was a new semester and there were new freshmen flocking the halls. I hadn't heard from Vasco since the incident in my shed, but there was no avoiding what had happened now that we were back in school. Well....unless he skipped class or I just turned heel now and played hookey.

  'No, Mia, be strong.' I told myself. 'You're the Tasmanian Devil, and you're not scared to face anyone!' My little bubble of confidence burst as soon as I thought that, and my shoulders slumped. 'But this isn't anyone....this is Vasco. Oh, God, why couldn't I have just wanted to kick his ass or something?! Bloody Hell, I just had to fall for him, didn't I?' Sighing, I held the back of my neck while I had my other hand stuffed into my pocket.

  Slouching as I walked to class, my legs began to feel heavier the closer I got to the department I was in. My heart was pounding as I neared the classroom door, and I couldn't figure out how I should act if Vasco was in there. How did people normally act after kissing? I mean, I knew the Korean culture was more....what's the word....reserved? Modest? Well, whatever it was, I just knew they weren't usually as open with affection as the people back home.

  Trying to swallow the lump in my throat, I pulled my hand from my pocket and reached for the door. Closing my eyes, I took in a deep breath to steel myself before I opened the door. Stepping inside, however, I froze as all of the Burn Knuckles were on the other side of the door....including Vasco who was red-faced as soon as he saw me.

    "PLEASE JOIN THE BURN KNUCKLES!!" They all shouted at once while bowing. Their leader was in the front, holding up a set of grey coveralls with the brass knuckles logo showing.

  "It's only fitting that our leader's woman is also a part of the Burn Knuckles." One of them popped off and my ears burned.

  "W-Woman?!" I hardly said over a whisper while feeling rather shocked at the whole situation. Looking at Vasco as he was staring straight at the ground, I saw his face was turning into a cherry. "....That's some way you got of asking me to be your girlfriend." Muttering, I crossed my arms while trying not to blush any harder than I already was.

  "So, Mia, will you join us?" Jace questioned while glancing up, but he smirked since he knew he didn't have to truly ask.

  "I'll be back." I grumbled while taking the grey coveralls from Vasco. Covering my face with my fist, I felt my face settle into a glare as I walked down the hallway. It wasn't that I was upset or anything, I just didn't know how to express what I was feeling.

  Changing in the bathroom, I saw that the coveralls actually fit, and I turned my back to the mirror. Seeing the large brass knuckles and the BNC underneath stretching across my shoulder blades, I could already imagine how my parents would react when they saw me like this. I was happy to be in the Burn Knuckles, and I was even happier that Vasco hadn't rejected me like I had feared.

  Having some confidence again, I returned to class and placed my fists on my hips while standing in the doorway. Glancing over their faces, I kept my own expression stoic.

  "All right, first off, I'm still the Tasmanian Devil. Joining you guys doesn't mean I'm dropping that moniker." I stated. "And secondly....I'm buying each of you a chocolate milk because I'm in a good mood and for no other reason."

~

  "What? There's a girl among the freshmen?" I asked with surprise while looking at Jace.

  "That's what I heard."

  "Let's go check!" I turned on my heel to rush down the hallway, but Jace grabbed the collar of my coveralls before I could get far, and I looked over my shoulder as he was raising a finger.