The Peacemaker

Chapter 1: School Violence

Joshua twisted a little harder, causing Ryder to grunt in pain.

"Alright, I'm fucking sorry! Now let me go, asshole."

"Not to me, to him." Joshua nodded to Blake.

"No fucking way!"

"Apologize. Both of you." There was another grunt of pain from both captives then muttered apologies.

Joshua let them go and stepped back. The rival gang members stood, giving each other looks that said, 'this ain't over'.

"Now shake hands."

"Fuck that." Blake said, turning to go. Joshua caught his arm and whispered something to him. He turned back around with an angry scowl but held his hand out to Ryder.

Joshua gave Ryder a meaningful look then nodded to Blake's outstretched hand. Ryder clenched his jaw then shook Blake's hand briefly before walking off, ramming into Joshua's shoulder as he went.

"One of these days me an' the boys are going to fuck you up."

"Yes, one day you may very well do so. But that day is not today. Today I suggest you get to class. Maybe you will accidentally learn something."

Blake pulled back his arm in a feigned punch to Joshua's face. Joshua the statue didn't even flinch.

Well, that is enough excitement for me. I shoved the last of my cinnamon roll in my mouth as the first bell rang and joined the crowd of people in the mass exodus of the lunchroom.

"Oh-em-gee! Did you see the fight at lunch?" A bubbly blond and her equally beautiful brunette friend sat in front of me gushing about Joshua and the fight.

"I can't believe Joshua got stabbed!"

"Ugh, he's sooo hot. I wish he wasn't so self-righteous."

Joshua walked in wearing a new shirt, presumably because of the blood on the old one. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at the collective sigh from his fan club. He gave a friendly nod to Blake sitting in the back who returned it with a gesture of his own.

"Fuck you, Manfred."

He took his seat, right behind mine, just as the teacher began explaining the mid-term project.

Everyone groaned, including me. Mr. Gonzales announced that we would be partnered up. Even better. I groaned again, hitting my head on my desk.

I was considered a nerdy type. Everyone assumed I was smart and had good grades because I was quiet and read a lot. If only they were right. Every time we got a group project I ended up doing most of the work because I was 'smart', and 'liked this kind of shit'. Only I'm not. And I don't. And then we barely pass and they get angry at me because they think I did it on purpose. If I was so smart, do they really think I would get a D on purpose and drop my GPA just to piss them off?

"Why are you putting the nerds together!" Blondy whined, then turned to Joshua. "No offense."

He gave her that gorgeous smile, "None taken."

"Because that is how I have it written down on my little paper, Miss Reynolds." The teacher said, blowing her off. He continued with the assignments, and I realized I had been too involved with my agonizing to hear who I had been partnered with. Thankfully, my partner had been paying attention.

Joshua tapped my shoulder and I lifted my head to see those gorgeous eyes focused on me. "Looks like it's you and me, partner."

I am pretty sure a deer in headlights had more brain function than I did at that moment. My heart stopped but I could still hear the blood as it thundered through my ears.

"I—wh-what now?" I stared at him, like an idiot. Because I am an idiot. I am an idiot and Joshua Manfred is my lab partner. He's going to find out how stupid I am. There goes any chance of me ever having a chance... I laugh at myself, internally. Like I ever had a chance with the greek god-like Joshua Manfred.

"Let me get your number so we can keep in touch." He said, trying to smooth over my awkwardness. Damn, he's hot. And he knows it. He knows it but he doesn't let it go to his head like most guys.

"I—uh, here." I hand him my phone and he puts his number in my contacts. I glance at the name, it says Peacemaker. That makes me chuckle and his smile gets even brighter, if that is even possible.

"Glad you approve." He says, looking into my eyes. I can feel my face heat up and I look away, letting my long hair fall over it to hide the blush. He's going to think I'm just like every other girl out there annoyingly swooning over him. And he would be right.

"Send me a text so I have yours."

I nod, and hit the text icon. The little cursor blinks menacingly at me as I ponder what to send. Realizing I'm spending way to long on this, I feel the heat rise in my face again, this time adding my ears into the blush. Crap. Uh, hi. I'll just type hi. That works, right? I hit send and his phone chimes a moment later.

"Got it. See you later, Maggie."

It isn't until he is out the door that I realize he said my name. My heart feels like I'm running a marathon, beating a million times a minute. He knows my name! I stopped in the doorway. Crap. I'm turning into one of the lemmings, fawning over a guy because he looked at me. But, I mean, it is Joshua Manfred.

I refuse to let my life be consumed by a high school obsession over a boy. We'll just do this project and it will be done and we will both move on with our lives, go back to ignoring each other. Besides, if the gorgeous popular girls haven't been able to snag him, there is no way my mousy self is going to have a chance.

I take a breath, locking away the hopeful romantic part of my emotions and head off to my next class.

Hello readers!

Here is the first chapter of my book. I hope you enjoy it! I can't wait to see what you all think. I will try to get the next chapter up soon!