© Jojo B 2016
All rights including those in copyright in the content of this story are owned by Jojo B. It's Illegal to steal and/or copy.
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*N.E.V* The Seven Deadly Simpson Brothers
10
(Picture is Coral)
Lunchtime and the canteen was crowded. I sat on the end of a table with Hayley and we were talking about last night at the Simpsons house. No one ever got to know the Simpson gang (as most people referred to them as) and so Hayley was interested in anything I had to tell her about the brothers. Although she didn't really believe me when I said they were like normal teenage guys, for the most part anyway.
"So are you free to come to dinner tonight?" Hayley asked me. "My parents are totally fine with it."
"Today I have work after school and I finish late," I said with an apologetic smile. "But tomorrow is Thursday and I'll be free."
"Okay, tomorrow it is," Hayley agreed.
Finalising it suddenly made me feel anxious about meeting Hayley's parents. It sounded so childish, but what if they didn't like me?
Commotion in the canteen caught our attention and Hayley and I turned to look at the source of it. People had made a circle and in the middle of it, were Walter and Eli Simpson who were facing another guy. Walter had food all over his chest, most likely the lunch of the guy the Simpson brothers were now facing off to. Both boys were still bruised from the 'argument' they'd had the night before.
"Come on," Hayley said, getting up from her seat once our view had been blocked by other bystanders.
I followed her and we joined the crowd. I just able to see Walter and Eli who were both glaring at the other boy, although Eli seemed to be in the clear when it came to being covered in lunch.
"It was an accident," the guy said, raising his hands in the air and glancing around at everyone. "I don't want a fight."
Walter looked round at the crowd too, "You've already got one."
"I'll buy you a new jacket," stammered the other boy who I now recognised was on the school's rugby team.
Eli laughed. It was surprising to hear such a...nice sound, at a time like this.
"Do you think we need your money?" Eli stepped towards the rugby player who was more built than Eli himself.
"Fight, fight, fight," people started chanting, quietly at first and then louder and louder. Soon the teachers would be coming.
The terrified boy swung at Eli who dodged and narrowed his green eyes at his opponent. Before Eli had the chance to hit back Walter, who had been growing madder by the moment, slammed into the rugby player with an unbelievable force and they both crashed to the floor.
Walter started hitting the boy, and when I said hitting, I really meant hitting. As in hearing the sounds of his bare fist repetitively smash into his bloodying face, while the boy pleaded with Walter to stop. It was horrific. With Walter on top of the guy, Eli kicked at his ribs, neither of them showing mercy – for something so small.
Some other rugby players stormed into the middle of the circle and fought back. One kicked Walter in the side, causing him to fall off this opponent and a couple others shoved Eli away from their friend. Soon a full-scale fight was blowing and a lot of boys were throwing punches and kicks. A handful of teachers, including the headmaster, split through the circle and started pulling Walter and Eli away from the beaten boy. Instead of turning on the teachers too, the two boys let them pull them back a few steps before tearing themselves free from their grips.
"You never said you were sorry," Walter growled at the boy who'd spilt his lunch over him.
"Come with me. All of you," the headmaster said in a tight voice whilst a couple of the other teachers went to the aid of the injured boy with first aid bags.
I watched Walter, Eli and the other rugby players follow the headmaster out of the canteen and I released my clenched fists. My heart as hammering and I drew air in through my nose deeply. I didn't like violence at all. Hayley took hold of my shaking hand and squeezed it.
"Sorry I made you see that," she said. "I didn't think it would progress so much."
"Neither did I," I replied.
But I shouldn't have been surprised.
***
"Class," my Textiles teacher addressed us. "Now I'm sure you're all aware of the dog show coming up. We need as many hands as we can get."
Of course, we were aware. The school was calling volunteers to help prepare for an upcoming dog show we were hosting in order to raise money for the charities we were supporting over the course of the academic year.
"For the duration of today's class, I've arranged for you to go and help with the decorations," she said. "It shouldn't take longer than the usual double period and then you can get back to business next lesson."
There were a few sighs but I didn't really mind. Making decorations was as creative as what we'd be doing normally. It was probably less work too, to be honest.
Hayley smiled at me, "Let's go down to the art department."
"You'd think our lessons would be held in the art department, wouldn't you?" I murmured as we made our way. "Textiles is still art, in a way."
"Yeah," Hayley agreed, flicking her shiny dark hair over her shoulder. "Making clothes is way cooler than painting nāked men anyway."
I half-smiled, "Yeah."
We later arrived in the fairly large art department which was two floors and plenty of space. Other students were already there, most of them art students, but a few who seemed very out of place. I recognised a couple of bruised rugby players from the fight at lunchtime. They moodily cut out coloured sheets to make bunting out of.
"Detention," Hayley said before I could ask. "It must be part of the punishment."
"If that's the case," I said, looking around. "Then Walter must be here too."
"And Eli," Hayley added.
We spotted the brothers soon enough, standing to the side and refusing to participate. They each had a couple more cuts and both looked more alike when they were angry and standing stiffly with their arms crossed over their chests.
"Shall we go talk to them, or no?" Hayley asked hesitantly.
"I don't even know," I said nervously, thinking back to earlier today. I wasn't really expecting to see them still here, I'd thought they'd get suspended.
Walter made the decision for us when he caught our eye from across the room. He didn't smile as he started to approach us, and Eli eventually followed. I inched into Hayley and she tried to do the same to me. It wasn't long until we were face to face with the dark haired Simpson.
"You guys actually volunteered to do this shit?" Walter asked as he loomed over us.
I let out a tiny sigh of relief, he wasn't as angry as I thought.
"Well the teacher thought it would be cute to volunteer the whole class," Hayley answered.
Walter gave her a slight smile, "Have I met you?"
"No, not really," she held out her hand that was trembling a little. "I'm Hayley."
"So she's Hayley," Eli said, who'd just arrived to hear her introduce herself.
"Have I been mentioned before?" Hayley looked between me and the boys with a confused frown.
"It's a long story," I said with a tired smile, then added quietly. "I'll explain later."
She smiled and nodded, "Well, should we get started with some posters? Painting is the least boring choice."
"Agreed," I said, following her to the painting station.
The four of us started painting A3 posters that read things like 'Dog Show' and 'Who's the cutest pooch?' – Hayley's idea, not mine, and sure as hell not Walter's or Eli's.
"You call that a dog?" Walter asked Eli who had painted what looked more like a human on all fours.
Eli looked up from the painting to his brother, "Could you do any better?"
"Probably," Walter shrugged.
"Go on then," Eli scowled at him.
"Oops," Walter looked at the palette with a fake apologetic look. "We've ran out of paint."
"Then get some more," Eli said with a hardened jaw.
Walter looked at his brother with anger creeping into his features. I stepped in before things could escalate for another time too many.
"I'll get the paint," I said, putting my brush down.
I collected the almost empty palette before anyone could say anything, and hurried off to the paint station. Taking my time, I filled it with an array of colours before balancing the palette carefully as I turned around to head back to the table, only to bump right into Walter's chest. The paint went everywhere. That was the second time today that his leather jacket had been ruined, and I didn't need to be reminded of what had happened the first time.
Walter looked down at the multicoloured sludge that slid down his front and then back up at me, no smile apparent on his face.
I started to shake.
I was definitely in for it now. He would beat me like he'd beat that boy, like I had been beaten back in my past. It didn't matter if everyone was watching, everyone had been watching the first time too.
Walter opened his mouth and started laughing. I was so shocked, my jaw hung open.
"Do I still...scare you...that much?" he held his stomach as he shook with laughter.
I was speechless.
"Sorry about your jacket," I said eventually once I'd found my voice.
"It already stinks of gravy," Walter said, finally catching his breath. "It's finished."
"Sorr – "
Walter cut me off by holding a finger to my mouth. Well he was about to. His hands were covered in the paint that he'd touched whilst he gripped his sides, laughing.
"Do I need to start telling you to stop saying sorry too now?" he said in a low voice.
"No," I shook my head with a small smile.
"Then let's get back," he said, throwing a smile back.
Returning to our table we continued to work, but I had lost concentration. That's what Walter did to me. He was sitting on a high stool next to me and I looked at my brush, then back at him.
Without thinking, I reached up and swiped my brush along Walter's jaw line.
Without moving the rest of his body, Walter flicked his eyes over to me and I could tell that he wasn't expecting me to do that.
His face broke out with an irresistible grin.
"That's twice now," he said. "Don't you think it's my go now?"
Before he'd even finished speaking, Walter played his move. Quickly. Swamping his brush with the closest paint he smeared it all across my cheek.
My eyebrows shot up and Hayley grinned on the other side of the table.
I hadn't really thought he'd do it back.
Walter and I reached for the palette with our brushes at the same time. It was only a matter of pure skill and agility that would allow me to -
Walter broke my thoughts by striking at me again, leaving a long trail of hot pink paint down my top. I put my paintbrush on the table and looked down at myself, pretending to be upset. I felt Walter touch my arm, and I looked up.
"Sorry," he said, and he looked it too.
"Look who's saying sorry now," I smirked at him, dropping my act and spreading my whole hand in the palette, spoiling the paint in the process.
I lifted my hand up and brought it down right in the middle of his chest. He had taken off his jacket and now I'd ruined the top he was wearing underneath too. Walter shook his head from side to side.
"Coral..." he said my name in his sexy voice. "That's not funny."
"Serves you right," I shrugged.
"No, this serves you right," Walter said softly and he caressed my face, his eyes locked with mine the whole time.
The touch was so sweet I completely forgot that he was spreading yet more paint all over my face.
We were interrupted when Eli came up from behind me and slapped a hand of blue paint across Walter's cheek. I stepped away from Walter, expecting him to blow up, but he grinned instead and tried to get Eli back. Eli hopped out of Walter's reach and went round to the other side of the table to hide behind Hayley.
"I'm not playing," Hayley tried to get out of it, but she was grinning just as hard as the rest of us.
Eli put his hand round her mouth and probably got some of the paint in too, as well as leaving a blue handprint across it.
"You're playing now," he said in her ear.
Hayley blushed and pushed him away playfully as she tried to get paint off her lips. Eli sent her a dimpled smile and was hit in the side of the head by a squirt of paint, courtesy of Walter.
The boys went crazy after that.
Eli ran and danced around the department, laughing as he went and squeezing paint into people's eyes. Walter followed Eli, throwing glitter at the victims afterwards so that it stuck to them.
Hayley and I chased the boys, laughing out our apologises to very unhappy looking students, and trying to stop the boys.
Walter paused to paint on an empty poster 'who's the baddest bitch?' and then he grinned and showed it to Hayley.
"I think my dog poster beats yours," he said to her with a smirk.
"On every level," Hayley laughed, trying to get her messy hair out of her face.
"Someone called the head," Eli came to a stop besides us, panting. "Again."
Walter touched the front pocket of his jeans and his brother shook his head at him.
"No," Eli said. "Let's get out of here."
"How?" I asked them. "They're already at the door."
"Ever heard of windows?" Eli flashed me a cocky grin.
"We're on the first floor," Hayley reminded them.
"Snakes don't die that easily," Eli said lowly and he ran for the windows.
Walter was on his heels and Hayley and I widened our eyes at each other. These boys were crazy, lots of fun, but crazy.
Eli pushed the window wide and sat on the ledge before pushing himself off. He landed on his feet, steadied himself with his hands and then stood up straight and turned to face us.
"Walter!" he cried up at him.
"Be careful," I grabbed Walter's shoulder.
"No need to be worried," he wiggled his eyebrows at me and then pushed himself out just like Eli had.
Walter landed safely enough and the headmaster along with his entourage reached the windows and started shouting down at the boys.
"Come back here now!" the head roared at them.
"Come catch us!" Walter shouted back.
"Fat arse," Eli grinned with his dimples and waved both middle fingers at him.
"You boys are in a lot of trouble," the headmaster growled in fury.
Eli stuck his tongue out at him and then the two started running. They jumped over the fence that surrounded the school and were gone.
"What an occasion," Hayley whispered, covered in paint and glitter from head to toe.
"You're a mess," I held back a laugh because I knew I looked the same as she did, if not worse.
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Memories? Like it better with the twist?
J
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