Author note: Sorry I didn't update yesterday, I went to see Ice Age 2! Lol, it was so cute!
Spot sent me one of his disgusted looks and unbuttoned his shirt slightly. "Hey Anorm," he said cockily.
I narrowed my eyes and clenched my jaw and set my lips in a thin line. "Go kill yourself Conlon!" I snapped angrily.
Spot chuckled and stepped forward slightly. "Aren't you jus' tha funny one," he said.
Erica sent him a warning glance, but Spot didn't catch it.
Yer bravery amuses me," I said with no emotion. The image of Daniel's bleeding body came back to mind and I squeezed my eyes shut. He was still alive, he just had to be!
"You spoiled rich brats aggravate me," Spot announced proudly.
I opened my eyes and glared at him. "Spoiled?" I asked more to myself than to him. I then directed my attention back to him. "You know nothing about me, street rat, so don't go judging people!"
"Calm down," Erica whispered.
"Don't worry 'bout it, Erica, she ain't botherin me," Spot said. "She's jus' bein a pest."
My nails dug deep into my skin and I bit my tongue to keep from losing control. Spot chuckled and leaned against a post.
"Am I gettin on yer noives, Anorm?" Spot asked amusingly.
"Bite your lip, Conlon, you're about to get hurt," I warned him.
"By who? You? Don't make me laugh," Spot sang. "Why don't you head back to yer poifect family and continue yer poifect life."
"Do you want to die?" I asked through clenched teeth. I wasn't afraid to kill Spot, because I've killed before.
"Are you planin on killin me?" Spot asked boredly.
"If that's the only way to silence you, then yeah," I answered him.
"Humor me," he said.
I relaxed my shoulders and turned to leave.
"Ya see, goils are weak," Spot said to one of the newsies with a laugh.
I twirled around and drew my arm back and my fist pounded into his jaw.
Spot stumbled backwards and nearly fell into the river, clutching his now bruised jaw. "Fuck!" Spot cursed loudly. "What in the hell?"
All eyes were now on me, watching me in shock and amusement. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I regained my calmness and let my arm drop to my side.
"How weak are we now, Conlon?" I asked lifelessly.
Spot stared at me with disbelieving eyes, and moved his hand from his jaw.
"Anomie!" Erica suddenly exclaimed. She instantly ran over to Spot and began to inspect the bruise.
Spot eyes were still on me, as wide as apples, and shock written in them. He moved his head away from Erica and motioned for her to leave him alone.
"Holy shit, she hit Spot!" I heard whispers. Spot removed his eyes from me and stared out at his boys.
"Silence!" Spot yelled, regaining his sense. He stormed over to me and got merely inches from my face.
"What in da hell makes you think you can touch me?" he hissed.
Unaffected, I answered, "You boys are so proud of yourself you think you're the only ones who can fight. So I proved you wrong."
Spot's eyes flared as he searched my face for any sign of life. "What are you, da walkin dead?" he asked.
"I'm as dead as you make me out to be," I whispered only so he could hear me. Spot furrowed his eyebrows in wonder and then moved away slightly.
"You think yer so great," he said loudly. "But when really you ain't worth anythin." Spot was laughing now, and his boys joined in.
I looked around at the faces, my arms firmly across my chest, my features showing no emotion. Inside I was screaming so loud that it made a buzzing noise in my ears.
I blinked, the only sign that I was still conscious, and opened my mouth, "No Spot," I said in a slow yet steady whisper. Spot stopped laughing at the sound of his name and listened. "I am nothing near great…"
Monday morning soon came, and I found myself slowly trudging towards the school. To Brooklyn it was "Neeley's school for boys and girls."
I slowly entered and signed in at the front desk and then followed Stephen and Erica to the main hall. We sat down at one of the tables and watched as a man walked to the front of the main hall and waited for everyone to quiet down.
"The first test, which will occur in just an hour, will be for number 124. The following test, at 10:00 a.m. is for 157, 3:00 is for 162, 6:00 is for 182, and to finish off the day at 10:00 p.m. is for 101. The rest of you are aloud to come and go as you please."
I shot my head up in surprise as I watched the man exit out of the main hall.
"Did he just say that I had a test at ten?" I asked.
"Yeah," Stephen said.
"I don't want to start the day off," Erica whispered.
I patted her back soothingly. "You'll be okay," I assured her.
I wasn't sure if I could do a test when I was so worked up about Daniel and so pissed off at Spot Conlon. How was I going to keep my mind on surviving?
For the next hour of the day Erica was freaking out, trying to keep calm. We sat in our room, Stephen with us, and waited for someone to come and get Erica for her test.
"Just remember to find the key," I told her. "They'll explain everything to you."
Erica nodded and tried to breath, but she was too afraid. The door suddenly opened and a man poked his head in.
"124," he said dully. Erica rose to her feet and sent us a frightened look as she left the room, her heart pounding loud enough to make the walls shake.
"So, are you worried about your test?" Stephen asked me as he sat on Erica's bed.
"Of course not," I said truthfully.
"Really? I mean, you have so much going on right now, what with your brother and all, are you sure you're going to be able to keep yourself calm?" Stephen asked, like he was reading my thoughts.
"I'm capable of passing, Stephen. I always pass. And Daniel's fine, he'll be safe real soon," I assured my friend.
Stephen shrugged as we left the room.
"Hey Anomie," some of the people greeted me. I sent them fake smiles and watched as they walked by.
"Hey Anomie, what're you gonna do about Erica?" someone asked me.
I ignored the questions people gave me and sent them dirty looks every time someone asked me about Erica.
People shut up from respect and lowered their heads, walking by. But, there was one person who wasn't afraid of me.
Madeline Stemple approached me once we made it outside, and crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't see me as a leader.
"Parker," she said, looking me up and down with disgust. Madeline was a very bulky and tall girl with dark brown, tangled hair and puky green eyes.
"Madeline Pimple," I laughed, looking up at her. Madeline stepped forward warningly and pushed on my shoulders.
"I hope your friend roasts in that fire," she said.
A wry smile spread across my lips as I shrugged. "If that's your wishes, then keep it to yourself," I told her as Stephen and I began to walk away.
I was always getting into endless fights with Madeline, and winning in the end. She may have looked as big as Goliath but she couldn't fight if her life depended on it.
"I ain't done with you!" Madeline yelled after us. I blocked out her annoyingly loud voice and began to hum loudly. Stephen laughed at my silliness as we walked through Brooklyn. I tried to feel free, but that feeling was erased whenever I thought about Daniel. How I wished he was here with me.
I stopped humming and replaced my silliness with emotionless as we walked down the street. I didn't know if Erica could survive for sure, but I had faith in her. She was madly in love with Blade, and would do anything to survive, just to see his face again.
I laughed at the thought of love. What was it exactly? I wasn't aloud to feel it, touch it, or even breathe it, so I never experienced it. Was it endless? Did it hurt? Were you supposed to fall in love eventually?
I knew loving your family/friends was different from actually loving someone. Love could mean many different things, depending on how you looked at it for a certain person.
I've only experience one love, and that was the love I held for my friends. I'd do anything for them. But "love", the actually love, never even crossed my path. So it was easy to follow the rules of the school. I'd never fall in love.
I was pulled from my thoughts, literally, when I felt someone jerk me backwards by my shoulders. I twirled around angrily and stared at Madeline.
"Don't you have people to go sit on?" I asked angrily.
"I wasn't finished with you, Parker!" Madeline hissed.
"Well I'd like to go at least one day without having to see your hideous face, you giant!" I shot back.
I watched as Madeline's angry face turned to surprise, and then girly. I furrowed my eyebrows and turned around to see what it was that she was looking at.
Spot was standing beside Stephen, looking at Madeline and me oddly. A purple bruise stood out on his jaw, but he still managed to look charming.
Oh, so Madeline when googly-eyed over Spot Conlon? I suddenly started laughing and shook my head. "You're easily distracted, Goliath," I told the giant in front of me.
Madeline turned her now hating gaze to me and narrowed her eyes.
Okay, so apparently a fight was about to break loose…
Next Chapter: Madeline and Anomie fight, and one of them is injured.
Author note: Okay, be happy!
