The Elements of Rage | ✔

• F I V E •

"You're right!" I laugh. "We are having fun, mother fucker."

Frantically, he tries to wipe his face off, but the macaroni is stuck to his face and won't be coming off until it thaws out.

"Never. Have I been so insulted," He spits, giving up trying to wipe his face.

"You don't listen to people much, do you?" I snort.

He rises and towers over me with a glare, as if he intimidates me.

"If you were male, you'd be dead right now."

"Oh?" I say, an all-new rage entering me.

I spent years listening to people mock me for being alive and for being female. I was beaten for my existence and my gender. The thought that I am not even worth the fight because I am female is... well, more than enough to send me into a rage.

"Yeah," He scoffs.

"THAT'S IT!!" I yell. "YOU'RE DEAD!!!"

I lunge for him and wrap my hands around his throat when I am pulled off by strong arms. I'm turned to face the owner and instantly calm down. I look into his dark eyes.

"I'm here for you too," Darkon whispers.

I lean my head against his chest as he wraps me up in his strong arms. We stand like that, ignoring the shouts of the idiot behind me and his idiot friends until a teacher comes and sends me and the idiot to the principal's office.

I know that we met in the most strangest of ways, him being suspicious of my genius in Elemental History and me beating him for being kind to me, but it doesn't matter. Darkon and I came to an understanding earlier. We are the same. We are both hurt and hurting from something that we can't exactly say. Yes, I like to be mad, I like to be strong, I like to be a bold badass. But something about Darkon just instantly soothes me, the way that we both understand each other and each other's pain.

He is the calm in the midst of my storm.

"Sure thing," I tell the teacher who is ordering me to the principal's office.

I stride to Victoria and grab my food.

"Thanks for watching my food," I say with a smile.

I eat it quickly on my way to the office and set it down outside on the bench before entering through the door.

"Principal Sharpe," I call, flinging the door open and startling the idiot who is already seated at her desk. "I'm so glad to be speaking with you! This child here was being sexist, demeaning, and a downright fucking jerk."

"Watch your language," Sharpe snaps. "Now, I know this, Rage. However, you are in trouble as well for laying hands on another student."

"Ooh!" I squeal. "Am I suspended?!"

"Yes," Sharpe says, her lips twitching. "You can return to school on Friday."

Well, I was hoping Monday, but that works too, I suppose.

"Thanks, Sharpe!" I say, striding out the door and out of the school building.

I take a deep breath.

Freedom? Is that what you smell like?

A giddy smile splits my face as I take off at a run.

First order of business, I need to find a job.

• • •

Apparently, finding a job is hard. Huh. I never needed a job before so this is an all-new experience. Finally, I stop at the last place near my house that I can get to in walking distance. I have tried all the other places, but they either don't need a new employee or they won't take me. I pull open the door to a restaurant bustling with customers and workers.