Chapter Four: Bullies Never Learn

Shelbi huffed as she slid out of Matt's truck, glaring at her fellow students as she tried to get to her class without incident. Her teachers shook their heads at her, exchanging worried whispers that she couldn't help but hear.

"She got adopted yesterday, by that Williams guy."

"Oh yeah he submitted her new papers this morning. Poor girl has no idea what's he's done."

"I don't know if they'll let her stay in school if he's her new guardian."

"Oh my, what if he turns her into a criminal like him?"

Shelbi ground her teeth together, trying to think about what Matt had told her the previous night.

~flashback~

Shelbi looked on curiously as Matt walked over to her, sitting on the edge of the guest bed where she would sleep for the night.

"Listen Shelbi, there's a few things you need to know about me before you go back to school tomorrow."

"Eh?"

"Me and my… family… aren't exactly friends with the people here. Most them hate us or want us dead. We've done some pretty nasty things before, so once it's known that I've adopted you the adults around you will no doubt treat you differently."

"Alright… thanks for telling me."

~end~

The girl huffed as she sat in her desk, putting her head down on the false wood and closing her eyes in an attempt to block out the world around her. However it didn't last: she soon found herself being kicked out of the desk, much to the horror of her homeroom teacher. The boy who knocked her down was oblivious to the anger growing in his victim's heart.

"Hey there bitch, heard you got a new daddy now. What'd you do, fuck him first?"

Shelbi growled, glaring up at him with such a chilling gleam in her eyes the boy hesitated, tensing for just a split second. That second was all she needed to push him off and away from her, jumping up to punch him square in the jaw. The boy fell to the ground in shock, all the students looking at her in fear as she towered over the former bully.

"Do not talk about my dear papa that way you insolent dickweed." she stepped square on his chest, only then making her teacher rush over. "Or I'll make sure you meet him."

"Wh-why the tough act?! If he adopted you he must be an idiot!"

She gave a wicked grin as the teacher jerked her away. "Ever heard the name Matt Williams?"

Her classmates started to whisper, leaving the poor frightened teacher to drag the girl from the classroom and straight to the principal's office. The man looked at her with pity as he listened to her teacher explain what had just happened in her classroom. The woman was quickly dismissed, leaving the man who sat behind the desk to call Shelbi's dear papa to come retrieve her. Shelbi sat with her knees to her chest in one of the chairs until the now uniformed Matt walked into the office with such a cold aura about him she was sure he was glaring at the balding man behind his shades.

"Why's my daughter sitting here when she should be in class?"

"Mr. WIlliams, please, have a seat." the principal was getting scared now, his hands were shaking on his coffee cup. "Please."

The man huffed, sitting next to her. "Shelbi what happened?"

The other man gulped. "She punched a boy in the jaw in the middle of class."

"I asked her, not you."

Shelbi rolled her eyes. "He shoved me out of desk and was about to attack me again before I kicked him away. He said a few things I didn't like before that though, that's why I punched him in the jaw when I got up."

"Like what?"

"He said I must've fucked you to get you to adopt me." she snorted, putting her chin in her palm. "So I punched his ass to the floor and made sure he knew just who you were."

Matt smirked. "Good girl."

"Thank you papa." she smiled slightly, giving him a look that brought that cold gleam from earlier back into her eyes. It made Matt stiffen ever so slightly for just a moment before he turned to the principal.

"Next time make sure you bring the right kid to the office. But for now, I'm taking her home."

"R-Right."

Shelbi stood, following him out of the office. Students crammed into the doorways, whispering to each other as they watched the Mountie walk side-by-side with his daughter out of the school. Once they were both in the pick-up, Matt grabbed her chin and jerked her over to look into her eyes. Only slightly frightened by the sudden move, she didn't seem him stifle a sigh, but she did hear the groan that sounded in his chest.

"Damn it."

"Papa?"

"Tch, don't worry about it."

"How about you just tell me?"

"No, now if you'll be good I have to take you home so I can go check into a few things."

"Alright...?"