So, I recently moved into my dorm and have been super busy. Things seem semi-chill right now, so hopefully I'll have time to update again soon-ish. No promises.
Disclaimer. (What happens when someone doesn't put a disclaimer? Do they get reported or something?)
The whispers started almost as soon as I stepped on campus –not that I was surprised. I really couldn't even blame them. If I saw a new kid that I didn't know anything about and never talked to, that suddenly showed up to school with a black eye and a cut across her face, I'd probably whisper too.
This logic didn't help me relax at all.
I had this creeping feeling that everyone knew. They were all watching me. Everyone was wondering what mystery girl was going to do now. Now that she was violent. Now that she was a monster. Should they fear for their lives? Should they flinch every time she moved her arms too quickly?
They skirted me in the hallways. Yet I felt claustrophobic, like I was suffocating. Their stares were boxing me in and the walls were getting closer and closer to crushing me. I was left alone, but I felt like I couldn't catch a moment to myself to take in the pain without observation.
"Max?" A hand on my shoulder made me jump about twelve feet in the air. "Sorry, but we have to go to class now." Fang tried to hide smirk.
My morning went by quickly for the most part. Math was miserable, and I had a feeling that unless Ari got hit by a truck, that wasn't going to change anytime soon. The bell rang and I tried to make a great escape. Unfortunately, Ari was ready for me.
As I stood up to go, a large hand swiftly gripped my arm, yanking me back into my seat. I gritted my teeth as the room of kids began to clear. It had to be today? Why wouldn't he just leave me alone?
"So, I've been thinking," he started casually. I tried to keep my face blank as I silently wondered how taxing that chore had been. "You're going to go out with me." Apparently, he hadn't quite gotten the hang of that thinking thing yet.
I rolled my eyes at him before shaking my head no. I very quickly became aware of the fact that his hand was still on my arm as his grip tightened significantly. He leaned forward, placing his nose a menacing inch from mine.
"Yes. You are." He said, giving a bright smile that dramatically contrasted the seriousness of his actions.
I took a deep breath, realizing that he wasn't going away anytime soon, and shook my head again. As his grip tightened, I wondered if how long it would take for me to feel my arm again. I glanced around, realizing the room was now empty. I hoped in vain that more students would enter for the next class, before realizing that it was the teachers personal lunch and there wouldn't be a class for another hour.
"Do you even talk?" I clenched my teeth as he pulled me roughly to my feet. I continued to stare at him in silence. "He-llo? Anybody in there?" He said, grabbing my other arm and shaking me back and forth.
I took a step back, successfully yanking one arm free but painfully leaving the other in his grasp.
"Look," he started, bringing his face dangerously close to mine again. "I'm starting to get a little impatient with this whole 'hard-to-get' act." He told me, his face changing from a look of amusement, to one of annoyance.
I tried not to snort. He thought I was playing hard-to-get? He was even dumber than I thought! It was time to send a clear message that I was not interested. I brought my arms up to his chest, and shoved him as hard as I could.
I'm a pretty strong girl. I'm a dancer, a runner, and I've been taking a pretty rough beating for the last year of my life. He moved back about a step.
His face twisted into a look of rage that I immediately recognized. I ducked as his arm flew towards my face. As his arm soared over my head, the grip on my arm loosened. I pulled his weight towards me as I jerked away again, throwing him off balance. I sprinted towards the exit as he tried to regain his composure.
As I scrambled towards the door, my backpack throwing off my balance as well, I could hear his clamoring behind me. A hand grabbed my shoulder, shoving me backwards. Again, my backpack became a hindrance, pulling me completely back and into the teacher's desk. I fell to the floor, shed my backpack, and sprung to my feet in an instant.
It wasn't fast enough. Ari had closed the distance between us, and pushed me back into the desk. His hands found my throat without hesitation. Suddenly, my air was missing. I clawed at his meaty hands, realizing that I wasn't strong enough to break his grip. My eyes grew wide as my back pushed uncomfortably into the corner of the desk.
My need for air overtook my fear, and my leg shot out to catch him in a very unfortunate place. The grip loosened and as I gasped for air, I moved to sidestep him. He called me an unkind name before knocking me sideways and into the wall with the chalkboard.
I pushed myself off the wall, and turned to face what was sure to be a difficult opponent. He wore an expression of pain and rage, and I knew that he was not about to hold back. I was off-balance, sore from yesterday, and already feeling pretty beaten up.
I started my favorite inner-pep-talk, one that I learned quickly when Walter was hurting me while I protected my sisters. Pain is only a message, Max. You can choose to ignore that message. Some pain is about to come your way, but it's only pain. And, that pain is just a message.
Ari started towards me-
"What is going on here?" I glanced over at the forgotten door, to see Iggy standing with a few books in his hands. He looked pissed.
"We're just messing around, right Max?" I closed my eyes in embarrassment. Why Iggy? My pride asked angrily. "Right Max?" Ari repeated.
I gave him a vacant stare.
"It looked to me like Max wasn't having much fun. I don't think I'd enjoy being knocked into a wall much. Unless you're into that kind of thing, Max…" He trailed off in a joking way. I raised an eyebrow.
Ari didn't catch it. "She is, actually. And you've interrupted our fun."
"Look, you brain-dead oaf, I think it's time you leave now." Iggy said, his joking tone completely gone. Ari rounded on him in what he intended to be an intimidating way.
"Or you'll what, pipsqueak?"
Iggy raised an eyebrow, "Pipsueak? Really? That's all you've got?" He dropped his books on the floor beside him and stepped forward. "Unlike your dumbass lackeys, Ari, I'm not afraid of you." He smiled.
"You should be." Ari told him, shoving forward. Iggy sidestepped him easily, and placed a leg out, sending Ari sprawling.
"Should I?" He asked innocently. "I suppose I'm just behind the curve on this one."
Ari growled, and began to push himself off the floor. He faced off against Iggy for a moment, panting and clenching his fists. Iggy stood casually, cockily even, his face giving off the idea that he was completely amused with the situation.
"All this for a girl that won't even talk? So not worth it." Ari muttered under his breath before turning on his heel and slamming the door behind him.
Iggy chuckled before turning towards me. "You okay?" To my intense shock, he actually seemed sincere. I thought maybe he had just wanted to fight Ari.
I nodded, unsure if I was or not.
"Your neck is all red. What happened?" He seemed concerned, leaning in closely to examine the strangle marks. I held completely still, waiting for him to yell at me. "Oh yeah, I forgot, you don't want to talk to me." He didn't seem bitter about this anymore, just bored with it. "You know, I never thought I could replace you. I never wanted to. I just wanted to hang out with you both. Besides, Fang would never replace you, even if I had wanted to."
I stared blankly at my rescuer. He still didn't know. Fang had kept his word, and kept it a secret from him.
"Now I'm wondering though, if Ari said you don't talk…do you talk to anybody?" I continued to stare without expression. Maybe I was in shock.
The door clicked open, followed by immediate sound. "Hey Iggy, you've been here awhile. Did you find your jacket?" Ella asked, and upon seeing me, looked totally confused. "Hey, Max. What are you doing here?"
"No, I don't think so. I think I left it somewhere else." Iggy cut in. "Let's go before Mrs. Reany has a cow."
"Okay, I've gotta run to the bathroom real quick though, so I'll just meet you there." She didn't wait for a response before running off down the hall.
"If that idiot bothers you again, just…blink twice or something." He told me jokingly. "Seriously though, don't let him push you around. If you don't want my help, ask Fang. He'd definitely take care of it." He put a comforting hand on my now throbbing shoulder before he left.
I fixed the desk, grabbed my backpack, and saw a heavy brown jacket hanging on the desk where Iggy usually sat. I grabbed it and headed to my science class.
SO, Iggy is chilling out. I had a ton of fun writing this chapter -even if it was around 2 in the morning. I LOVE writing Iggy, and I think I find some weird sick pleasure in having people beat up Max. I didn't want her to seem super helpless, but it actually said in the first book that Ari was stronger than her. I figured she uses skill to win, and if she's put in a situation where she can't use her swift tactful fighting, then he would begin to overpower her. Thanks to KelseyGoode for this idea! It took me a while to get around to it, but I did. (So, if you've submitted an idea that I like but haven't written it yet, it doesn't mean I'm not going to *coughcoughsoyoudon'*.)
Thank you again for your patients!
REVIEW!
...l
...l
...V