"I told you drinking would be a bad idea!" Dani reminds Rylan.
Rylan glares at her friend while trying to massage her temples so the effects of the hangover would wear off faster. "You never said such a thing! Not last night!"
"Well, I'm saying it now. That was pretty darn stupid of you." Dani shoots back. Then she watches Rylan, concern etched on her face. "What happened anyway? Does it have something to do with Cas? Because you mentioned him a few times in your sleep."
Rylan groans, more from the question than from the hangover. "Dani." She whines. "I don't want to talk about it. Now can I please have some aspirin or coffee or something to ease the throbbing in my head?"
Dani sighs in frustration, but then gets a devious look on her face. "You don't get any aspirin until you tell me what happened last night." She crosses her arms defiantly.
Rylan looks at her in surprise. She hadn't expected backlash. Rylan narrows her eyes, checking for any signs that Dani will waver on her resolve, but finds none. She mumbles incoherently. "Muhuhuh. Fine." She rolls her eyes and instantly regrets it as the action sends stabbing pain to her brain. Rylan groans again. "I don't understand how things could have gotten so out of hand. I didn't even want to go in the first place, but I tried to enjoy myself. I went to see what was going on outside. Blake startled me and—"
Dani interrupts quickly. "Wait, Blake was at the party? Rylan, why didn't you tell me?"
Rylan becomes flustered, trying to remember everything that happened. Certain details she just can't conjure up. Why didn't she mention Blake? Something about Cas...
"I don't know, it all happened so fast." Rylan shakes her head slightly. "Blake said some stuff." Rylan struggles to remember. The words rush out of her like water from a faucet. "He started talking about me like some shiny new toy he wanted and then he threatened you and Tuck and Cas showed up and was acting all strange and—"
"Woah, woah, woah. Slow down, Rylan. I can't understand you. Take a breath." Dani sooths. "What are you saying?"
Rylan's eyes go wide as everything clicks in her head. "Blake is never going to leave me alone." Her words press down on her chest like a boulder and Rylan feels like she's choking. She looks at Dani, covers her face with her hands, and groans, "Why did this happen to me? What makes me so special?"
Dani shrugs helplessly and says quietly, "I don't know..."
"Dani, he threatened you...and Tuck and Cas! What am I supposed to do? I can't give him what he wants." She shudders, hating all the possible things that means. "But if I don't, he'll finish what he started yesterday before school." Rylan stares into the distance, imagining facing high school on her own. "I can't lose the only friends I have."
Dani clasps Rylan's hand tightly in her own and forces her to look in her eyes. "Blake won't hurt us, okay? Nothing bad will happen. We'll continue to avoid him and his band of pests and eventually they'll graduate and be gone and that'll be the end of it. Alright?" She sounds like she's trying to convince herself as much Rylan.
Dani's hopeful tone breaks Rylan's heart. It's all about positivity for her. Saying the words didn't make them true. Rylan knows avoiding Blake will be next to impossible and she has to face another year with him after this one. "You're right. I know you're right." She lies.
"We have to get to school soon." Dani says, changing the subject. She opens the fridge door and drops two paper sacks on the table in front of Rylan. "I packed us lunch."
"Can I ask you something?"
Dani purses her lips. "You just did sunshine."
Rylan rolls her eyes, forgetting her headache until her head starts spinning again. She takes a moment to catch her breath before asking, "Um...What's Cas's deal? I mean, I never asked before, but he can't possibly be quiet--the way he is around me--all the time. I mean, I saw him having animated conversations at the party."
Dani wrings her hands together and bites her lip, refusing to look Rylan in the eye. "I hoped you wouldn't notice."
Rylan waits. "So?"
"I don't have an answer for you, Rylan. Tuck likely knows, but he hasn't bothered to loop me in."
"I'm not an idiot, Dani."
"I know that."
"So, tell me the truth." Rylan demands. "Is it--I mean--does he have a...crush...on me?"
Dani sighs. "Honestly, Rylan, I don't know. I can make an educated guess." Dani pauses, considering her thought. "I can't go into detail--I can't tell you why--but between you and me, Cas is having a difficult time getting to know you."
Rylan gives Dani a confused and worried look. "What does that mean?"
"It means what it means. Don't get me wrong, he likes you. Hell, I'm pretty sure he like likes you...but there's more to it than that."
"And you know what more there is?"
Dani nods reluctantly.
"Then why can't you tell me? What am I doing wrong?" Rylan asks, frustrated. "Am I ever going to figure out the mystery that is Mr. dark and brooding?"
Dani tries and fails to hold back a laugh. "Mr. dark and brooding?"
"Stop laughing. I'm serious."
"I guess that's something you'll have to take up with Cas." Dani replies in a tone that tells Rylan it's time to end the discussion.
"Can I have that aspirin now?" Rylan asks, letting it go for now and focusing on the pain from her headache. She begins to rub her temples again.
Dani smirks. "Sure sunshine. I'll get you that aspirin and you get your stuff. Time to brave another day at school."
...................
Bing.
Rylan pulls her phone out of her pocket outside the school building. A message from her dad fills the screen:
I love you sweetheart. See you for dinner tonight.
Rylan can't help smiling, but when she looks up, her heart drops into her stomach. Tuck stands at the staircase a few steps before the double doors into the school with Cas. Seeing him brings back all the memories from last night and what a jerk he was to her. Avoiding all the boys in her life is starting to seem like a good idea. Dani has to grab Rylan's arm to get her moving towards the school again.
"How was your binge last night?" Cas asks, obviously knowing the answer.
"Very good actually. I feel just dandy." Rylan remarks snidely.
Cas scoffs. "Yeah, you look it."
Rylan glares at him. "I liked you better when you weren't talking to me."
"Oh, get over yourself already. I'm sorry I tried to be helpful last night."
"Helpful?" Rylan snorts. "You actually think you were being helpful?"
"Well, maybe next time I should be a little less helpful." Cas retorts.
"Maybe you should." Rylan snaps back.
"Oh-kay." Tuck chuckles uncomfortably in the silence that ensues. "Perhaps you'd like to have this conversation in private."
"No." Rylan snaps at the same time Cas says, "Why?"
Tuck and Dani stare pointedly at the two.
"You don't want to work out some of this animosity towards each other?" Dani suggests.
"I have a killer headache and no patience for his condescending babble." Rylan replies heatedly.
"That sounds like a personal problem. It's your own damn fault since you drank so much last night." Cas says, annoyed.
Dani gives him a warning look and barely has time to grab Rylan as she lunges towards Cas.
"My fault?! My fault?!" She shrieks.
Tuck yanks Cas in the direction of the double doors before he has time to respond. "We should get to class. Feel better Rylan." He calls back as he and Cas swiftly disappear inside.
Rylan calms down and Dani relaxes. "That went well."
Rylan gives Dani a dead look. "Don't even start."
......................
Rylan remembers with a sinking feeling that she hasn't done any of her homework. Thank goodness none of the other students seem to care too much about doing the work. She feels bad about flunking those assignments, but one day of mishap can't hurt too badly in the long run. Ancient History bores Rylan as usual and the teacher continues getting most of her facts wrong. Rylan pays minimal attention and wonders how Mrs. Wright hasn't been fired yet for incompetence.
By the time Geometry rolls around, Rylan's eyes have started to droop with exhaustion. She longs for the soft comfy sheets of her bed. The proofs on the whiteboard make her headache worse and Rylan scrunches her eyes together a few times hoping that might help. She catches a couple students staring at her with knowing looks. Did she really look that hungover?
Rylan had completely forgotten about Mr. Quinn until she stumbles into the Ancient Literature classroom. The indifference she had been starting to feel towards not completing her homework now replaces itself with blood-curdling unease. She doubts Mr. Quinn will be as flippant about it as her other teachers.
Rylan shuffles to her seat. Cas is right. This is all her fault. She could've left the party and still been mad at Cas, but at least her homework would be done and she wouldn't be giving Mr. Quinn another reason to despise her.
"I didn't do my homework for this class." She mutters to Dani. "He's going to kill me."
Rylan says it so seriously Dani's eyes widen. "That's a little over dramatic don't you think?"
"Is it?"
Dani avoids the question. "I'm sure it'll be fine..." Dani's voice trails off as Mr. Quinn announces a pop quiz over the reading. "Or not." She frowns.
"You have all period to complete this quiz and I expect a five paragraph summary on Books IV-VI tomorrow." Mr. Quinn says, his eyes latching onto Rylan and narrowing.
"Do I look as bad as I feel?" Rylan whispers.
"Unfortunately, yes." Dani whispers back.
Rylan panics with each question she reads. She doesn't know any of the answers; she can't even come up with good guesses. Her brain refuses to cooperate. Rylan ends up watching the clock and trying not to glance at Mr. Quinn. His eyes burn holes into her head.
When the bell rings for lunch, Rylan tries not to be the last one out of the room, but no one likes Mr. Quinn so everyone swarms around Mr. Quinn's desk to turn in their quizzes and push her to the very back of the line. Rylan glances down at her blank quiz in half terror before laying it on Mr. Quinn's desk and escaping to the door.
"Ms. Winchester? Care to explain why yours is the only blank quiz? I'm sure there are many in this class who are less educated than you, yet they have at least shown me some effort."
Rylan squeezes her eyes shut and takes a breath before turning back around slowly. She really wants to continue out the door, but Mr. Quinn is her teacher and he just asked her a question. The sooner she answers him, the sooner she can be on her way. What could she say?
Oh, yeah, well I tried to do my homework in detention yesterday, but you were watching me and it made me uncomfortable and then I went to a party and got so drunk that I didn't do any of my homework.
Somehow Rylan thinks that won't go over too well. She opens and closes her mouth, searching for the right words to satisfy him.
"What, cat got your tongue?" Mr. Quinn taunts.
"I had a rough night."
"That's pretty clear."
Rylan swallows. "I didn't do much of anything."
Mr. Quinn's lips form a thin line and he stands up from his desk. "So what you're saying is you didn't read the Aeneid as I assigned."
He uses the same disappointed tone her father takes when she has made a mistake. Rylan looks at the ground, not wanting to meet his eye.
"I guess my lesson yesterday hasn't taught you a thing. What was more important than preparing for my class?" He demands and takes a few steps closer to Rylan.
She resists the urge to step back and show how much he scares her. "I understand you're disappointed, but I don't have an excuse that will make you happy."
"I'm not disappointed, Ms. Winchester. I'm not here to baby you and make sure you do your work. It's your decision whether you want to fail or not."
"I don't, sir."
Mr. Quinn shakes his head. "I. don't. care."
Rylan gazes at him in confusion and growing frustration. "Then why bring it up?"
"You crossed a line when you decided to come into my classroom hungover." He speaks over her attempt to deny his accusation. "I know what a hangover looks like--I wasn't born last night--and I'm pissed that you believe this kind of behavior is okay."
"What I do in my free time is none of your business." Rylan snaps.
"But, you see, that's where you're wrong. In this case, what you did in your free time is affecting me right now." He says tightly.
"How?" Rylan demands. "How is my quietly getting through your class, minding my own business, affecting you negatively?"
Mr. Quinn closes the gap between himself and Rylan so fast she backs into the wall and slams her head heavily and loudly against it. He grabs both her arms and she lets out a sharp, short cry.
"Do you think you're special, Rylan? Are you really so stupid that you think you're better than me--that you have a say in what goes on in my classroom?" Mr. Quinn asks in a deep, menacing voice. He glares at Rylan and digs his fingers into the skin on her forearms.
"You don't. You. are. nothing. So you better get that through your thick, little skull." Mr. Quinn presses his face closer to Rylan's so she has to turn her head to escape his hot breath.
He lets go of her left arm and grabs her chin roughly, forcing her to look at him. "I. abhor. you. And all students like you. I'm in the position of power here. You'd do well to remember that."
Mr. Quinn stares at her in silence for what feels like ages, then he releases Rylan and walks back to his desk. Rylan takes the opportunity to leave. She runs down the hallway past a few startled faces and outside to the lunch area. Tears begin to well up in her eyes.
Rylan searches the field blindly. She sights Dani, Tuck, and Cas out near the middle. She just needs to get to them and she'll be fine. Rylan walks slowly toward the group, but stops along the edge of the field when her body begins trembling violently. Her knees shake and she knows they will buckle if she takes another step.
Dani glances up from her food at Tuck and smiles at something he said. Cas playfully shoves Tuck who smacks him back. Finally Dani looks around, wondering where Rylan got to and spies the familiar figure at the edge of the field. She waves, but her smile fades as she realizes something is wrong.
Cas turns in the direction of her gaze and he sees it too. Dani makes to get up, but Cas says something and pushes himself up before she can argue. Dani stands anyway, ready to rush over if need be. Rylan watches Cas approach, her head bobbing slowly. She starts to feel sick and lightheaded. Her knees buckle and Cas has to catch her.
"Rylan!" Cas cries.
She wakes up in the infirmary alone. Rylan throws up a few times, but it quickly turns to dry gagging since she hasn't had much to eat today. The nurse explains that they called her dad and he'll be here shortly.
"Are you alright? Is she alright?" Mr. Winchester asks, going from Rylan to the nurse.
"She's doing better. I think it's just stress."
Mr. Winchester nods. "Thank you." He wraps his arm around Rylan's shoulders and leads her outside.
Rylan knows he's itching to ask what really happened. He hasn't seen her since yesterday morning and has no idea what she did last night. Mr. Winchester doesn't say anything until they get to the car.
"We'll talk about this at home. That should give you enough time to figure out how to explain."
"Fine." Rylan replies quietly.
Mr. Winchester waits until dinner before he pounces. Rylan sits down and he gives her the 'we need to talk' look. "What's been going on at school?"
"School stuff. It's only my third day dad." Rylan answers like it's no big deal.
"And what did you do last night at your friend's house?"
"We were studying, like I said."
Mr. Winchester squints at her. He is usually pretty good at reading his daughter. "What subject?"
"Ancient Lit."
"What did you have for dinner?"
Rylan shrugs. "I didn't eat dinner."
"Why?"
Rylan shrugs again.
"And the stress thing the nurse mentioned? Is that true?"
"Dad, it's no big deal."
"Yes, Rylan, it is. You didn't just pass out for no reason. You look like you haven't gotten any sleep. I want to know what's going on, and I want to know now." He demands, raising his voice slightly.
Rylan clenches her teeth together. "Nothing is going on." She persists tightly. "Dani and I may have stayed up a little late last night goofing around, but that's what teenagers do. I wasn't hungry so I skipped dinner and breakfast. It was stupid. I know."
"Oh, you know? Well, I'm glad. What were you thinking?"
"I don't know."
Mr. Winchester sighs. "Does this have something to do with a guy? I saw that boy sitting outside the nurse's office when I arrived. We can have the talk—"
Rylan interrupts angrily. "No! Dad! Stop it. It was just a little sunstroke, so drop it!" She slams her fork loudly on the table and stomps to her room, slamming the door.
Mr. Winchester, in shock, watches her go. He feels more worried than he was at the start of the conversation. Rylan has never acted this way before. Mr. Winchester decides to let it go for now. Perhaps the stress of the move is finally getting to her, he thinks.
Four school days pass where Rylan skips her Spanish class. Rylan would go to her first four classes, hide out in the park a few blocks away, and then sneak back right before her Art class. None of her classes recorded attendance on a regular basis and she hadn't gone enough times to be memorable enough to be missed by Miss Burns. The only person who likely noted her absence is Blake and Rylan can live with that. She hates missing out on Spanish itself, but the language had begun to take on a negative connotation since all her run-ins with Blake.
Seeing him at the party last week had finally forced Rylan to make a decision. She wants to avoid him any way possible and the only way to do that is to drop out of Spanish. Except that Rylan doesn't want her dad to know she dropped out because then he'll start asking all kinds of questions. Thus, the skipping. She promises herself it won't be a regular thing. She just needs some time to figure out how to deal with Blake.
She would avoid Mr. Quinn too if she thought it wouldn't raise alarm bells. Mr. Quinn is too unpredictable though, and Rylan is already on unsteady ground with him. She does her best not to provoke him for fear of her dad finding out. The last thing she wants is to stress him out and he's been keeping a sharp eye on her lately.
"Why does everyone have to keep watching my every move?!" Rylan complain to no one in particular in the lunch yard.
"It's because you're being so secretive about everything. You're acting like you have something to hide." Cas replies, daring her to say otherwise.
Rylan still hasn't told them where she was before lunch the day she fainted. She just can't. Aside from Cas probably lecturing her again, she simply wants to displace all memory of what happened. She's trying to get back on track and gain a little normalcy in her hectic life.
Rylan twists her hands together. "Look, I'm fine. Honestly." She looks each of them in the eyes carefully, hoping they understand.
"Keeping secrets can get you hurt." Cas argues.
Rylan's head snaps in his direction. "You're one to talk." She says haughtily. The words force their way out on their own.
Cas looks taken aback. "What's that supposed to mean?" He demands, offended.
Rylan stares at him a moment, wanting to say more, but holding back. Mr. dark and brooding can continue to be dark and brooding for all she cares. She's still mad at him.
"Nothing."
"Are you still mad at me about the party?" He asks, reading her mind.
"No." Yes.
Cas shakes his head, not believing her for a second. "That was almost a week ago."
"Whatever, Cas. I'm over it."
"You're obviously not."
"Well, if you'd stop sticking your nose where it's not wanted, maybe I could forget about it."
"So I'm just supposed to ignore you. Is that it?"
Rylan rolls her eyes. "If that's what it takes, fine."
"This is about what Blake said to you." Cas guesses finally.
"This isn't about Blake!" Rylan screeches. "This is about you and your stupid crush on me. We are not a couple!"
Dani gasps and Tuck shifts in discomfort.
"Maybe you two step away and take a breather—" Dani tries to stop them before a real argument can begin, but Cas holds his hand up, shutting her up.
"Not everything is about you, Rylan." Cas says so calm it's scary. "We may not be a couple, but I'm still trying to be your friend."
"You've been cloaked in a shroud of mystery since I met you. I have respected that. I think I'm entitled to a few secrets for myself. As my friend," Rylan puts special emphasis on the word, "you should respect that."
Cas scowls at Rylan. He argues, raising his voice, "Someone has to care about your well-being since apparently you don't give a shit."
"I don't need you to care! I need you to give me some space--I need you to stop prying!" Rylan shouts, gathering her things roughly and standing up. "Butt out!"
Cas huffs angrily, stands, and saunters away from Rylan.
"Cas!" Tuck calls after him. He glances back at Rylan who spins and strolls in the opposite direction. Tuck rolls his eyes. "You go after her. I'll try to talk some sense into Cas." Tuck tells Dani.
"Rylan! Rylan, wait!" Dani calls, chasing after Rylan.
Rylan slows just enough so Dani can catch up.
"That was a little harsh don't you think?"
"I don't care. He treats me like an idiot--acts like I want all this bad stuff to happen to me. He thinks I'm demented!" Rylan complains heatedly. "I'm not! I just want him to understand I'm not fragile. I grew up mostly taking care of myself. I don't need Cas to fight my battles for me!"
"Rylan..." Dani can't find the right words to comfort her friend. "It's not...Cas is..." She trails off.
"I've been skipping Spanish class." Rylan suddenly says.
Dani looks at her in surprise. "What?" She asks. "Rylan that--that's insane....because of Blake?"
"I can't face him yet. It's easier to just go down to the park and clear my head, then return right before sixth period. I just need a little time." Rylan pleads with her eyes for Dani's understanding.
"Why haven't you told us?"
"Because Cas acts like a jealous boyfriend every time I mention Blake. I don't want him to know. I have enough boy troubles on my hands without adding him to the plate." Rylan sighs. "You understand, right?"
Dani shrugs. "I see your point, but Rylan, Cas is my friend too. I can't just start lying to his face."
"I know. I'm not asking you to lie, just don't tell him."
"Rylan," Dani hesitates, "eventually you'll have to go back to Spanish class and you see Mr. Quinn every day. Anything could set him off."
If only Dani knew. "Please, Dani." Rylan begs, grasping Dani's shoulders. "Do this for me. With any luck, my problems will forget about me."
Dani exhales loudly, thinking. After a moment, she says, "Alright, I won't tell him." Rylan smiles.
Dani continues, giving her a pointed look. "But if anything--and I mean anything--happens--Blake or otherwise--you're telling the principal. That's not a discussion."
Rylan nods reluctantly.
"And please patch things up with Cas. Tuck and I can't take much more of this fighting. It's starting to get uncomfortable."
"I'll try." Rylan agrees.
"Are you going to go to the park today?" Dani inquires.
Rylan glances around the hallway, thinking. Eventually, she repeats, "Yes. I need some more time."
Dani nods, then says determinedly, "I'm coming with you. I'll meet you at the front doors after fourth period, kay?"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm not going to miss out on a chance to skip math. I don't think the proofs will miss me. I certainly won't miss them." Dani smirks.
"See you then." Ryan smiles.
She heads to Physical Science. Time goes by slowly, but eventually the bell rings, ending class. Rylan rushes through the crowds to the front door where Dani waits. The two walk five blocks down from the school to the park. They drop their bags and sit on the swings together.
"What are you going to do if your dad finds out you've been skipping class?"
"I don't know. I suppose I'll have to tell him the truth. Hopefully it won't come to that. I'll go back to class tomorrow...maybe." Rylan claims.
Dani is silent a moment. "Why don't you just tell him what's going on and have him move you to another school?"
Rylan shakes her head. "And leave you alone to deal with the aftermath? What kind of a friend would I be?" She continues in a more serious tone, "Besides, we just moved here. The schools are run by districts and we technically have to live in a certain district to change schools. I couldn't make my dad move us again. And I'd have to start all over making friends."
"We can still be friends, Rylan. You've probably be much happier at a different school. Don't you want that?"
"I'm happy now. Sure, circumstances aren't as good as I'd hoped, but my dad always says you learn from the bad stuff. As soon as I figure out how to get Blake to leave me alone, the worst will be over and I can put this all behind me."
"Do I hear my name?" A voice calls from behind the swings.
Dani and Rylan stop swaying and focus in the direction of the speaker. They jump off their swings when they see Blake flanked by Liam and Tyler.
"For wanting nothing to do with me, you sure do talk about me a lot, cupcake."
"You're quite terrible at sneaking around by the way. Might want to work on that." Liam ridicules.
"What are you doing here?" Dani demands a little less confidently than usual.
Tyler chuckles. "Why do you think? We finally decided to see what Rylan gets up to during fifth period now that she doesn't spend it with us anymore."
Blake watches Rylan testily. "We really ought to ask you what you're doing here. Did you really think I wouldn't notice you missing out on our one class together?"
"I don't have to run my every move by you, Blake." Rylan says contemptuously.
She tries to calculate the distance between her and the backpacks. Rylan itches to make a run for it. There is no one around or near the park at this time of day. Three guys against two. She and Dani won't stand a chance if they attack, but her phone is in her bag. If she could just get to it...
"We already had this conversation. I'm not interested. You don't own me."
"I really don't give a shit what you think anymore, cupcake. I told you our little dance would get old quick. I warned you. I'm tired of waiting for you to come around. Skipping class hasn't helped you. Do you really think you can avoid me forever?"
"That's the idea." Rylan glances quickly again at her backpack.
Blake laughs and his eyes light up in excitement. "You're still trying to act tough. So, what's it going to be, Rylan, because I'm not going anywhere." Blake takes a few steps forward, then pauses catching Rylan glancing at her bag again.
"Run!" Rylan hisses at Dani.
She makes a break for her backpack.
"Oh no you don't." Blake growls, chases after Rylan. He runs through the swing set and pushes the swings out of the way.
Rylan snatches up her bag and follows Dani across the playground. She tries to pull her phone out while running, but inadvertently slows down some. Blake grabs a large chunk of Rylan's hair and yanks her backwards. She cries out. Blake seizes the bag, tearing it from Rylan's grasp, and throws it roughly to the ground. Her phone flies out and lands on the gravel a couple feet away from the backpack.
Tyler holds Dani in an backward embrace with one hand around her neck. Dani looks pissed and terrified with one hand on the one Tyler has around her throat. Liam stands next to them, glaring at Dani and wiping some blood off his lip from his bloody nose. Rylan lets out a small cry of pain as Blake drags her over towards Dani.
"Four days, cupcake. Do you know what happens when you deprive a carnivore of its food? Hmm?" Blake leans in closer to Rylan's face and whispers, "His hunger grows and grows until the only thing he can think about is his meal. That's how I feel. right. now."
"Let me go!" Rylan demands, pushing against Blake in an effort to escape his grasp. "Let me go!" She hits him against his chest. "You're sick! You're a psychopath!"
Blake laughs. "Is that the worst you've got for me?"
"Let her go, Blake." Dani shouts. "Stop all this before you do something stupid."
"Stupid?" Blake looks at her. "You want stupid."
Liam punches Dani in the gut. Her breath whistles out of her and she wheezes in pain.
"No!" Rylan screeches.
"Is that stupid enough for you, blondie?" Blake taunts.
"You...can't...hurt us." Dani gasps, slowly regaining her normal breathing. She glares defiantly at him.
"Liam." Blake says.
Liam replaces Blake's hold on Rylan as Blake approaches Dani.
"Look around, blondie." Blake gestures widely. "We're not on school grounds anymore. I can do whatever the hell I want." He slaps her, the sound resonating sharply. "And I've wanted to hit you since day one." He slaps her again.
"Stop it!" Rylan cries.
"It's noble of you to want to protect your friend, but you're just you. Pathetic. And weak. So the more you piss me off, the more you're only hurting yourself. You got that, blondie?" Blake spits menacingly.
Rylan struggles against Liam's hold, then gets an idea. She stomps hard on Liam's foot.
"Motherfu--!" He shouts, letting his grip slip.
Rylan turns and knees him between the legs. Liam's eyes widen and he keels over. Rylan spins around only to be backhanded by Blake. The force throws her onto the ground. Gravel digs painfully into her skin.
"God. You are such a firecracker, Rylan. You surprise me with your strength."
Rylan glares down at the gravel, her hair covering her face. Blake had nicked her jaw with his nail. It's a small scratch, but it bleeds a little.
"Get up." Blake demands.
Rylan ignores him.
"Get up."
Blake heaves her up unevenly as Rylan slaps at him in the process. He drops her after a moment, unable to get a firm grip.
"Stop it!" He yells.
Rylan crawls along the gravel, trying to put some distance between her and Blake. She needs to clear her head and figure a way out of this. A sharp kick catches her between the ribs. Rylan shrieks in agony as pain travels up and down her torso and falls over onto her back. She stares up at a furious Liam.
"Fucking bitch!" He growls.
"Get up, Rylan." Blake demands, irate. "Get the fuck up!"
This time, she is too winded to resist when Blake wrenches her up roughly.
"I think we should have a talk." He pushes Rylan away from the group. "Why don't we take a walk?" She stumbles a few steps before resisting Blake's movement altogether.
"I'm not going anywhere with you."
"You don't have a fucking choice, do you?" Blake mutters and shoves her again aggressively.
"I'm not leaving Dani here alone with those scumbags." Rylan persists angrily.
Blake grabs some of her hair and tugs her head back. "What you want or don't want is irrelevant, cupcake. Unless you want blondie to come out of this with more bruises, you're going to start listening to everything I say." Blake threatens. He stares at her, something indiscernible filling his eyes. Blake strokes her face and she jerks away.
"You really shouldn't have left school, Rylan."