DAZED AND CONFUSED | VANCE HOPPER

.Chapter 010.

A GROUP OF BOYS WERE STARING. I wasn't sure if it was out of lust or sheer wonder. They were all broody and menacing, definetly football players, which was not only given away by their muslces, but the letterman's jackets that hung off of their shoulders. The one who seemed to be the leader was the tallest, with wavy dark hair, curling at the base of his neck.

"Hey!" He called as I walked past, ignoring his presence. "Hey, I'm talking to you!"

I shrugged my shoulders and continued my aimless search for Vance, without looking back.

"Don't play hard to get, baby. We know you hang around Hopper." He said, catching up to keep stride beside me.

Rolling my eyes, I turned to glare up at him, without saying anything. "I'm not sure you understand what I'm trying to communicate. I could hear you. I chose to ignore you. I suggest you beat it before I beat you."

He laughed and raised his hands in defense. "Listen, doll, I'm not trying to harrass you. I wanna say sorry for your loss."

"Then you wouldn't call me baby or doll." I added, reaching into my vest pocket, twirling an unlit cigarette between my fingers for comfort.

The boy put his hand on my shoulder. He smelled of heavy, woody cologne, and was rather handsome, definitely a cheerleader magnet. "That's just my way of talkin', especially when I don't know your name."

I picked his hand off of my shoulder as if it were a dirty tube sock coming from a teenage boy's room. "Well, you can stay sorry. Just stay away from me."

Without giving him time to respond, I continued walking down the street, pulling the cigarette out of my pocket. I brought it to my lips, bringing it to life with the spark of a lighter.

I didn't even get to blow smoke into the air before I was shoved into an alleyway, pancaked to the pavement. My head had hit the ground, and I layed there for a moment, trying to gather my thoughts, and figure out what just happened. I felt the back of my hand, and it came back soaked in crimson ichor.

"Don't ignore me like that, doll." The leader said, standing over me.

I glared at him and kicked my leg up, catching my boot between his thighs. He crumbled, folding over himself, grunting in agony.

His friends stared at me blankly, trying to figure out what to do. Deciding if they should fight or fly.

"Get them you idiots!" The one I busted coughed orderingly.

Before I could process it, the two were charging at me, the bigger of the two with dark blonde hair, slipped behind me, holding my arms behind my back. I screamed.

The smaller one, with midnight black hair, smiled at me, all toothy and creepy. His hand was pressed into a flat line as he wheeled it back and brought it down on my cheek.

"Pathetic," I laughed, turning to look at him, serotonin buzzing through my veins. "Do better."

The boy underhooked my gut, hard and hollow. I grunted and tried to double over, but the dark blonde held me upright for another blow to my face, this time close fisted.

I giggled and cocked my head to the side, cracking my neck. The leader was standing straight up now, having gathered his senses. He was looking down at me, hate glowing in his eyes. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look up at him, the two of us smiling, though it wasn't for the same reasons.

His breath fell hot on my lips as he tried to close the space, and the panic finally sat in. This was not going to happen. I was not going to be a stereotypical victim, and I wasn't going to allow them to be stereotypical jocks.

"You've got three holes we can use, and there's three of us. What'd you say?" The one holding me back asked, one of his hands finding my throat.

The smaller one grinned, twisting a lock of my hair around his finger, then continued to trail his hand down my stomach. "Do the curtains match the drapes?"

I spat and I kicked, not landing anything. I couldn't even scream.

"Hey, fuckers!" Someone hollered from the end of the alley, strong and familiar.

They all paused, fear welling in their eyes as they turned to look at Vance standing, switchblade drawn.

The leader laughed, letting go of my face to turn around. "Its three-on-one, don't even try, Hopper."

"Three-on-two, actually." I spat, taking this chance to bring my knee between his legs from behind, nailing him again. This time he fell to his knees.

Vance ran towards the scene, throwing a punch at the boy still holding my arms back, barely missing my face, but setting me free. I nodded to him in a brief thanks and lunged at the smaller one.

I ran his back into the brick wall, knocking the wind out of him. I chuckled, lefthooking his cheek, his nose, then his cheek again. I grabbed his scalp and forced his head into the bricks, over and over again until blood poured from his hairline, and he was no longer conscious. I let go, and his body fell limp against the concrete.

When I turned around, Vance was staring wide-eyed, jaw dropped, switchblade dropped to the ground, clean of any blood, unused. The other to scrambled to help their buddy up, limp-running out of the alley, shouting orders at each other.

"This is fucking insane," I breathed out, a smile forming on my lips.

Vance bent down to grab his blade and folded it into itself, stuffing it into his jean pockets. "And you're fucking insane."

I shrugged. "Not the first time I've heard that." Raising another cigarette to my lips, I stepped forward close enough for Vance to light it.

As he did, astonishment never left his face. I half-expected him to be terrified. "Did they hurt you at all?"

"Just got punched once or twice, but nothing crazy. I'm okay." I smoked, amusment never leaving my voice.

He breathed in and looked at the small blood stains on the brick wall. "Well then."