“Are you okay?” Daisy asked.
Tabitha looked up from the swing to see her best friend approaching. It had been a week since her argument with Simon and she hadn’t forgiven him. She was still pissed at him and didn’t want to give in too soon. It seemed wrong to do so.
“Yeah, I’m okay. You?”
“I figured I’d ask you. See how you’re feeling.” Daisy lowered herself into the swing.
“I’m fine. I think. Can you believe we’re heading back to school today?” Tabitha asked, wanting to change the subject.
“Don’t do that,” Daisy said. “I’m not Simon or one of your other friends. I’m here with you. For you.”
“I know. I just, I find it hard to talk about, you know?”
“Yeah. Simon’s a dick. We can keep on talking about the dick.” Daisy’s lips pressed together as she looked past her shoulder. Tabitha glanced back and saw Anthony heading toward them.
Their parents were dealing with something urgent with the Billionaires and once that was done, they were all going to school. There was of course a little meeting with the principal to get through, yay.
Anthony stepped behind Daisy, taking the chains and pulling her back. Her best friend held on as he started to help her to swing. She smiled.
“What were you talking about?” Anthony asked.
Raising a brow at his question, she looked at Daisy. “Dicks. We were talking about them. Do you have anything to add about them?”
“Tabs?” Daisy asked.
“What? I’m keeping it real.”
“We weren’t talking about actual … penises.”
Tabitha smiled at her friend, who looked a nice darker shade of pink. So cute.
“Please tell me why we’re talking about a penis,” Miles said, walking over.
“Ugh, I don’t need to hear about your penis.”
“Likewise, I never want to hear about your vagina. Nasty.”
They all burst out laughing.
“Tabby,” Simon said.
The laughter died as she turned toward Simon.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
“You can talk anywhere. You don’t need my sister’s permission, unless of course she has you by the balls?” Miles held his hand out as if he was holding a pair of balls.
“This conversation has gone far enough. I’m over it.” She climbed off the swing. “You want to talk?”
Simon nodded and they walked toward the edge of the gate, not stepping outside.
“You okay?” he asked.
“Yeah, you?”
“I’m not fine.”
She looked at him, waiting.
He glanced past her shoulder, looking everywhere but at her.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. You want me to start this conversation?”
“I don’t know where to begin, babe,” he said.
“First, don’t call me babe. Second, you tell me what it is you want to say. I’ve got nothing to say to you.”
“I was an asshole. I don’t—I was angry and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have. This whole thing with Lexie, and then to see Luke and the way he watched you.”
“I don’t care about the way he watches me, Simon. I don’t see it. The only person I ever see is you, but don’t ever, and I mean this, don’t ever for a second try to put this blame on me. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I know that. I’m an asshole and I hate myself.”
“Good,” she said with a smile. “The roses yesterday were a nice touch.”
“You liked them?” he asked.
“Yeah, I loved them.”
“Good. I didn’t mean to fuck this up.”
“Don’t ever do it again.”
“I won’t.”
She stepped into his arms. “I mean it. Next time, I’ll cut your dick off and you haven’t had a chance to use it.”
“I won’t fuck up again. I love you.”
She kissed him, smiling.
“Enough of that,” Tiny said. “Get in the fucking car.”
She turned to see the rest of her friends were already getting in the car. “It looks like the school is ready.”
“Simon, you’re with Lash,” Tiny said.
“Why can’t I drive in your car?”
Tiny didn’t answer.
“I wouldn’t push my luck with my dad if I was you.” She patted his chest. “It looks like he’s pissed.”
She climbed into the back of her dad’s car. Miles was in the front. Her mom was clearly taking her little brother to school.
“Are we about to have the serious talk?” Miles asked.
“I don’t have the head for you taking the piss, Miles. I suggest you reel that shit in.”
“Consider it done.”
“Good.” Tiny drove slowly.
She stared out of the window.
“I get why you did what you did, sweetheart, but from now on, don’t get caught.”
She turned to look at her dad. “You do realize in an off-the-cuff way, you’ve given me permission to beat the shit out of people?”
“I’ve given you permission to stand up for yourself. If that is what you need to do, I’m going to stand by you.”
“Cool,” she said.
“Make sure you don’t get caught and they can’t prove it’s you.”
“You were a badass when you were prez, weren’t you?”
Tiny sighed. “I did my job well, but the one thing I will always tell you is you’ve got to know when to take a step back or a step down. I don’t have any regrets about Lash taking over. I know he didn’t want it, but he has proven to be one hell of a president. One I’m more than proud to serve under. You guys should be as well.”
“Aren’t you pissed that you don’t get a chance at being president?” Tabitha asked, leaning forward, pulling on Miles’s hair.
“Ouch, stop it.”
“Come on, doesn’t it bother you?”
“No, it doesn’t.”
“Why not?”
“I’m a hothead. I’ve got no place being at the top. We all know that and besides, it means I can keep on being a hothead with no repercussions.” Miles swatted at her hands. “I don’t care if you’re a girl.”
She giggled. Teasing her twin brother was fun.
Sitting back, they arrived at school. She glanced out and saw people had stopped to watch. It was a rare occurrence for their parents to arrive at school. She found the Dogs standing near the edge of the parking lot, their leather jackets a neon sign.
She climbed out of the car and any teasing was long gone.
Joining up with their buddies, including Blaise, Constance, Damien, and John, who had all been suspended along with them, they headed into school.
Now, normal kids may be slightly embarrassed to have their parents escort them into school to deal with the principal. Their parents, the leather cuts, the scars, all of them looking fierce as fuck, Tabitha was proud. Holding her head high, they entered the school and walked down to the main reception.
First were Constance, Blaise, John, Damien, and their parents. They were the civilians. Taking one of the now-vacant seats next to Simon, they were all silent as they waited.
“Fuck me,” Lash said, the first to speak up. “Damn, could you imagine me and you here?” He nudged Nash’s shoulder.
“Hell, no.” Nash whistled. “We would’ve burned this place down to the ground.”
Tabitha smiled. Lash and Nash were brothers. Their parents had been killed, which put them in Tiny’s care.
“I don’t even want to imagine you boys here.” Tiny shook his head. “I’ve already got a son here.”
“Don’t worry, pop, I’m keeping the family name alive.” Miles spread his arms wide as if he was talking with real passion.
She tapped her foot on the floor, waiting.
Their friends came out looking bored while their parents were pale.
The principal had done a number on them. Clearly stating what would happen if they continued to hang out with this unsavory crowd.
Tucking her hair behind her ear, she got to her feet as the principal cleared his throat. It was their turn. The seats were available for the parents. She stood behind her father’s chair.
“I hope you all understand and appreciate this school from this day forward,” the principal said. “I will not have fights or bullying.”
“Hold the fuck up. We don’t bully.”
“Son!”
“We don’t bully,” Miles said, repeating himself.
“If they don’t bully, don’t put them in the same league as some of your other kids,” Lash said. “In fact, let’s not pretend here. I donate a lot of money to this school.” He leaned forward. “I accepted this suspension as a healthy teaching opportunity, but let’s cut the shit. A couple of girls got into Tabitha’s face. She defended herself. The next time she defends herself, this will not swing your way. Understood? Our kids are entitled to an education. You can spew your little rules and laws, but let’s face it, I bet the first chance you get, a hot little piece of ass comes in here, you’d be all over it, so don’t even think of trying to test me or my family. Every single kid, even those little fuckers you just had in and tried to scare their parents, they are my family. They are my responsibility, and if you want to go down that path, bring it. You will not punish them without coming to me first.”
“You don’t seem to know how this works.”
“I know how this works. I was a kid and now I’m a fucking adult. I know the hypocrisy dripping from you and I don’t like it. Next time you got a problem, you call me. Don’t ever make this kind of decision without me.” Lash slammed his hand against the table. “I think that is all that needs to be said.”
They got to their feet and left the principal’s office.
“Remember what I said,” Tiny said. He kissed her head and ruffled Miles’s hair, who backed away, groaning.
“I’m not six anymore.”
“You’ll always be my baby,” Tiny said.
“Dad, stop. It’s gross.”
Lash whistled. “Be good. That threat, it was a real one, but I can still only protect you so far.”
“Got it,” they all said in unison.
“Simon, I enrolled you for the time being. I’ve also pulled some strings. The teachers know you’re a year ahead but I arranged for you to be in classes with these guys,” Lash said. “Your shit is at the main reception. You will all be picked up at the end of the day.”
Their parents left and they stood there staring at each other.
“Looks like I’m in school with you guys,” Simon said.
“I’ll help him,” Tabitha said. “Catch you all at lunch.”
Daisy pulled her close, kissing her cheek.
They all left, heading toward their first class of the day, while she went to the main reception with Simon. The woman at the counter was so nervous. Her hand shook as she passed over his schedule, which was set out in a two-week set of classes. They took a seat and she pulled her schedule out of her back pocket.
“We’ve got a couple of classes together. I can’t believe he managed to arrange that.”
“I have biology now.”
“I’ll walk you to class,” she said. Standing up, she took his hand and they walked side by side toward his biology class. “Daisy’s in here, so she’ll help you to your next class.”
“When do I see you again?” he asked.
“At lunch.”
“Are you still my girl?”
“Simon, I will always be your girl, even when you piss me off.” She went onto her toes and kissed him. “See you at lunch.”
****
“And we just sit here?” Simon asked.
“It’s what we do,” Miles said. “Don’t worry, Tabs will be here before you know it.”
The first part of his day had been uneventful. From Daisy, he ended up in a class with Anthony, from there, Miles, and now lunch.
He always had this ideology of school with Tabby. Where he’d get to be in every single class. Of course he knew it would never happen as he was one year older than her. He was actually due to graduate in a few months. It was kind of corny, but he’d also love to carry her books. The kind of shit he saw in movies. Only, he hadn’t seen her since this morning and he did want to make it up to her.
He’d pissed her off and that hadn’t been his intention, far from it.
The Dogs’ leader wasn’t there, which, to him, meant Luke was in the same class as Tabby. He didn’t like that.
“So you’re the elusive Simon,” Constance said.
“Yep, that’s me.”
“I didn’t think you were real,” John said.
The Skulls had people like his Dean and Eddie. Thinking about his boys always made him a little sad. He’d left them and he knew he was going to have to call them soon. They’d been blowing up his phone so he’d turned it off. His dad and mom had also been trying to reach him and he hadn’t wanted to speak to them.
Neither had arrived in Fort Wills so far, so at least they were giving him space. It was what he needed, even though since his argument with Tabby, he’d been more focused on making it right with her than dealing with the revelation about his parents.
“I’m very real. Have been for a lot of years.” He took a bite out of his burger and relaxed as Tabby and Daisy walked into the room. They were hand in hand, and he spotted Luke checking out Tabby’s ass.
He tensed up.
“Don’t,” Anthony said.
Glaring at his friend, he didn’t like being told no.
“You’re not my boss,” Simon said.
“I am while you’re at this school. Don’t. Not today.”
“And you would just let anyone stare at Daisy’s ass?”
Anthony finally turned his gaze to Simon’s. “Look around you. Does it look like anyone is willing to look at her ass?”
Simon stared at him. Anthony’s face was blank, as if they were talking about the weather.
“You’re either implying that you only see Daisy’s potential, or you’ve scared every single date she might have so the only person she has is you.”
Anthony’s face didn’t change.
Simon shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
“True, but making a scene isn’t the answer.”
“Did you have your coffee this morning?” Miles asked. “You’re using big words. Ouch.” Miles winced and rubbed at his leg.
Tabitha and Daisy came over, as did Markus and Rachel.
She leaned over the table. “How was your first morning?” she asked.
He kissed her back, trying not to look in the direction of Luke or the Dogs. He’d upset her last time, and it wasn’t his intention to do it again. Even with Luke following them, Tabby hadn’t looked back or even acknowledged his existence. He couldn’t imagine having a crush on someone and them not returning it, let alone even showing any sign it was there. How long had Luke been that way?
“Earth to Simon. Hello?” she asked, giggling. She waved a hand in front of his face.
“It was good. Anthony is thrilling company.”
“I bet, there’s just something about the silent treatment that is so hot,” Tabby asked. “Right, Daisy?”
Anthony lifted his head and Daisy went bright red.
“The pizza is good.”
“It is, huh?” Tabby asked. “So is everyone fight-free so far? No sign of causing any trouble?”
“We’re all clear,” Rachel and Markus said.
John, Blaise, Constance, and Damien all nodded.
Anthony lifted his fingers as if in surrender, so did her brother.
“Awesome. We can get through this entire day without any shit,” Anthony said.
“What does it mean our parents are picking us up?” Daisy asked. “You think Lash is going to keep on punishing us?”
“Nah, I think it’s because they had to drive us in, so they can take us all the way back home,” Miles said.
Simon finished off his cheeseburger and turned to watch Tabby as she ate. Some cheese dribbled down her chin and she wiped it off.
“What are you staring at?” she asked.
“You.”
“Aw, you love to watch me eat?”
“You got it.”
“You’re a weirdo.”
“I’m your weirdo.”
She leaned in to kiss him and he relished it. This was what he’d been hoping for. He hated fighting with her. Gripping the back of her neck, he held her close, tracing his tongue across her lips.
“You two need to get a room,” Damien said.
Tabby giggled. “If you can’t handle it, close your eyes.”
She finished off her food and lunch ended. Tabby escorted him to his next class which was physical education, yay.
“Have fun. I’ll be at the library.” She kissed him again, and he entered the main hall.
Heading toward the changing rooms, he went to the teacher who handed him a uniform to change into.
A bunch of guys were already changed when he entered the locker room.
Anthony was there and he went to him, standing beside him. The silence was welcome, and he pulled his clothes off, put them into the locker, and pulled on the gym shorts and shirt. They were too tight, but he didn’t care. Anthony had already left and as he turned around, there was Luke. He should have known the Dog couldn’t resist a confrontation.
“Do you want me to rearrange your face?” Simon asked.
“Last time we tried that, it didn’t exactly go to plan.”
“I can get the job done without an audience.” He took a step toward him. “You better start averting your eyes from my woman.”
Luke smirked. “You’re laying claim to that piece of ass?” he asked.
“That piece of ass belongs to me. She has for a long time. You should count your blessings that you only get to look. She will never belong to you. She doesn’t even give a shit about you. Your gaze, your attention, it means nothing to her because she is mine, and always will be.”
Luke smiled, licked his lips, and stepped up close. “Yeah, but one day, you’re going to have to go home, and I’m still going to be here. I wonder which one she will prefer. The absentee boyfriend, or the guy who is there every single time she turns around.”
“Simon,” Anthony said, calling his attention.
He wanted to hit Luke, to wipe that smile off his face, but he saw his game. If he fought him, Lash would have no choice but to pull him from the school.
“Looks like I’ll be sticking around a long time.” He slapped Luke on the shoulder and left. He wasn’t going to get drawn into any fight. If Luke wanted to keep on looking at her ass, he’d let him, and each chance he got, Simon would be sure to squeeze that sweet ass because it belonged to him.