My Brother Says I'm Dangerous

(33)

"Vote for Keith." I murmur, looking at the poster. "Make this town whole again." 

I start to add tacks to the back, and I stick it to the outside of ViVi's salon, next to the window on the brick. The bell rings, and I look to see ViVi rushing outside.

"What are you doing?" She asks me quickly.

"Do you not want it here?" I ask, beginning to take it down. "I can move-"

"No!" She laughs. "It's just no one will see it there! Put it in the window!" She takes it off me, and walks into the store, ordering me to follow her. She sticks it smack bang in the middle of her store window, making it impossible for anyone walking down the main path not to see it. 

"Thanks." I laugh. 

"You give me some more I will redecorate in here." She smirks. "I already started a new deal today. Vote for Keith, half off a regular trim." I thank her, handing her a few more flyers and posters, then moving on. 

The town looks like a battle field. You can now easily tell the difference between who is voting for who, based on what posters they decorate their shop with. And the neutral areas are covered with green and blue. I look down at the blue posters, at Keith's face. God I hope this helps. 

I spend about an hour with the others, making sure that no surface is left blank. I ignore the looks I get, as everybody surely knows. I try to control the anxiety. It's not like Hunter can punch out someone here too. 

"Oh, you can't put a poster up there." I freeze from tacking a poster to a tree, and turn around to see Gregory Dennings watching me. I immediately put myself on guard. 

"Why?" I ask.

"We don't want to damage the wildlife." He smirks. "Stick to man made things." I nod, going to move on, but he grabs my arm quickly.

"I'm hope you understand it's strictly business when I use your condition to win my campaign." He smiles at me. "No hard feelings." I gape, shocked. 

"My condition?" I stutter. "Well. I hope you understand it was strictly business when Hunter planted a shiner on Noah's face. No hard feelings." He frowns, gripping my arm even tighter. I try to control the familiar feeling of losing control, as I keep my cool.

"What?" He spits. 

"You didn't know?" I laugh, glad to have a little bit of control. "Yeah, nasty bruise. Right in the middle of his face. Now let go of me." He says nothing, not loosening his grip.

"I think you should listen to her Gregory." I sigh relieved, when I hear Keith's voice behind me. Gregory reluctantly lets go, and quickly walks away, disappearing into the newsagent. 

"Thank you." I smile at Keith.

"Ignore him." He suggests, putting a fatherly arm around my shoulders. "Let's go get some food."

<><><><> 

"When you win the election, I'm hosting your party here." Rick says bluntly, as he hands out our drinks in the grill.

"He has to win first." Emily smiles, taking a bite of her salad. 

"He'll win." Rick smirks, before leaving to serve other customers. 

"So Hunter." Keith says, swallowing his burger. "I got a call from the principal today."

"Really?" Hunter says innocently.

"Mhm." Keith says, trying to keep a smile off his face. "But I think, just this once, I'm going to pretend it never happened."

"I agree." Emily nods. Hunter makes eye contact with me, and smiles slightly. I nod, as if thanking him again.

"Someone needs to head back." Keith says. 'The horses need to be fed."

"I can go." Nick offers.

"No, I need you to go with Charlie into the next town." Keith says. "There's an engine I want you to check out. If it's any good, we're going to buy it for David."

"I told you Keith, I have savings." David says gratefully. "I can-"

"No." Emily says kindly but firmly. "You're 16, it's time."

"I'll go home." Hunter says. "I have some work to do anyway."

"Thanks." Keith says.

"I'll go with you." I say, wiping my hands on my napkin. "I want to make a phone call."

"Sure." He nods.

"The rest of us are going to go visit Uncle Merle." Emily says quickly. "No argument."

"Uncle Merle smells like feet." Luke groans.

"And calls me Lizzie." Beth wrinkles her nose. 

"I don't care." Emily says abruptly. "Family come first, no matter the smell."

We all get up to leave, thanking Rick and silently walking past the Denning's table, however out of the corner of my eye, I admire the bruise on Noah's face.

We get into Hunter's truck, and say goodbye to the others, driving down the dirt road towards the ranch.

"You know." I say thoughtfully. "You didn't have to do all the things you did today."

"I know." He agrees. "But it felt bloody good to punch Noah's face in."

"I bet it did." I laugh. "Somehow I don't think he will be bothering us again."

"If he does it's Isaac's turn." He snorts. "He can hit harder than I can."

"How's your hand?" I ask.

"Sore." He admits. "But it's fine."

We talk about school until we reach the ranch, pulling up by the barn. 

"I have to drive up to the far paddock and check on a sick calf." He says. "Do you mind starting the feed bins?" 

"Sure." I nod. 

"Who do you need to call anyway?" He asks.

"Just an old friend." We split up, as he drives up through the field. I open the barn door turning the lights on. I pick up the feed trays, and begin to mix the different grain together, while pulling out my phone.

I take a deep breath, before dialling Sarah's number, and listening to the ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi." I smile, swallowing my nerves. "It's Eva."

<><><><>

"And that time we tried cooking Nick a cake, and we ended up blowing up the stove." Sarah laughs.

"Oh my god, he has never forgotten that." I grin, filling up the last bucket of water.

We spent a good twenty minutes talking about the two of us. And I think we're going to be ok. 

"God I've missed you." She sighs.

"Me too." I smile gently, stopping in front of Bessie's stall. "Oh my god." I frown.

"What?" Sarah asks confused.

"I have to go Sarah." I say. "I think this horse is in labour."