Car tires crunched over the pebble drive, as the SUV pulled up to the front of the gray stone building. Carter stared, unseeing, at the flood of students pouring into the school.
"Sarge, it's only four days," her father said.
She forced her features into an uninterested mask as she looked at him.
"I'll be home Friday night," he said. "I'll let you know if that changes."
She gave a half hearted nod and pushed open the door.
"I love you, Sarge," her father said, as she stepped from the car.
She turned back, holding the door open.
"I love you, Captain. Remember, you only have six months left. There is no point in getting injured now. Let one of the newbies take the bullet." She grinned. "Let Andrews take it. I've never liked him."
Her father let out a soft chuckle.
"Noted. I'll see you soon."
Carter nodded and closed the door. Her expression fell as she trudged up the stone steps. At the top she turned back. The black SUV turned, disappearing and she felt as if a black hole had taken the place of her stomach. She stared at the spot the car had been for a second longer, before turning away. Layers of voices filled the crowded hallways, as she made her way through the throng of students, her brow furrowed.
Someone jostled her from the side and Carter spun to see who it was. A muscular guy with brown hair, glanced at Carter, his lips twisting into a wry smile as he recognized her.
"Owens, aren't you orphaned yet?" he asked, loud enough for his friends to hear.
Anger burst inside Carter, burning away every other emotion. She clung to the feeling, finding safety in it, as she rearranged her features into an expression of mild curiosity.
"Lucas, I saw your car outside. Did your dad get a two for one deal with Bentley?" The guy's forehead creased with confusion. "Because I know its the same car he got his mistress," Carter said.
Lucas's body tensed and his fist clenched, as laughter filled the air around him. Carter narrowed her eyes, her face hardening. She took a step closer.
"Do it," she said, her voice as cold as ice. "I'm dying for a reason to punch someone."
Surprise and hesitation flashed in Lucas's eyes and Carter relaxed. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she took a step back and shrugged.
"Pity, I thought you might actually be up for a challenge," she said, disappointed.
More laughter and jeers surrounded them. Lucas crossed his arms, working to make himself look relaxed. He smirked, the gesture forced.
"Normally I am, but I'm not allowed to hit girls," he said, his voice mocking.
Carter nodded.
"Funny, that was my reason for not hitting you," she said.
She walked away before Lucas had the chance to respond, the laughter of his friends following her down the hallway.
Inside her classroom, Carter tossed her bag onto the table and settled onto her stool. Around her, students sat with heads bent together or bent over phones, lost to the world. As she pulled out her notebook, a figure took the seat beside her. She looked over and was surprised to find Link smiling at her.
"I'm impressed. Most people don't come looking for round two," she said.
Link shrugged.
"I figured you have to run out of punches sooner or later."
"You would think that, wouldn't you?"
"Should I be ready to block?"
Carter eyed him for a long moment.
"You tell me?" she said. "Got something more to hide than fake glasses and a weird co-dependency on Donovan?"
"You don't pull your punches do you? Is there something wrong with having a friend?"
Carter shook her head.
"No. And I have a Navy Seal for a father, pulling punches was not something I was taught."
Link nodded.
"It's a new school and Donovan is the only person I know here," he said.
His voice was even, but there was a hint of defensiveness in his tone.
"Alright, we'll stick with that answer then. Where is your bodyguard anyway?"
Link adjusted his glasses and gave her a baffled look.
"What do you mean body guard?" he asked, his tone echoing his expression.
"Donovan. You described him yesterday as the person who kept the bullies away. Hence my use of the title bodyguard."
Link let out an understanding chuckle.
"Right. He is two rows back."
Carter twisted around. Donovan sat beside a blonde who was leaning close to him. His gaze met Carter's and she gave him a brief nod. He returned the gesture, his face as expressive as a white wall. The girl caught the nod and turned her attention to Carter, her eyes going fierce. Carter smirked and turned away as the bell rang.
"Phones away. If I hear one ring or ding it's mine," Mr. Miller said.
The room stilled and class started.
******************
An hour later the bell rang, sending the room into a flurry of motion. Carter pulled on her messenger bag and followed Link out of the classroom. Footsteps and voices resounded through the hallway. Before he could ask, Carter leaned against a set of lockers and waited. A moment later Donovan stepped from the doorway.Carter pushed herself off the lockers and started walking, Link and Donovan falling into step beside her.
A sharp laugh cut through the thick layer of voices, followed by a weak protest. Carter stopped walking and looked around. Further down the hallway stood a semi circle of guys, facing a set of lockers. Without saying anything, Carter moved over to them. Link and Donovan exchanged a look before following. Another protest reached Carter as she stepped up to the group of guys.
She flicked the ear of the guy on the outside of the semi circle. As he turned, she forced herself into the center of the circle. Cringing against the lockers was a gangly, freckled faced boy with glasses. Carter stood with her back to him facing the semi circle of guys. The group instinctively took a step back.
"Good morning gentlemen. A little early for this much testosterone, isn't it?" she asked. Her gaze met that of one of the middle guys. "Hey Zac, how's the shoulder?"
Zac rolled his shoulder reflexively.
"Hurt pretty bad when the nurse popped it back in, didn't it?" Carter gave a careless shrug. "I offered to do it for you."
The guy beside Zac waved his hand, cutting off any response Zac might have.
"This is none of your business Owens, just leave," he said.
Carter raised her eyebrows and nodded.
"True, but you have no business, getting into Edmond's business. So I have decided, since each of us aren't minding our own business, to get involved in this business."
The guys exchanged looks.
"Look Owens, this is between us and Edmond. You should leave before you hurt yourself."
Carter looked around the group, her eyes meeting each set.
"Look, although I have no personal feelings towards Edmond here," she said, gesturing behind her to the boy on the floor. "I have even less feelings towards all of you, so I'm going to explain how this is going to go down."
She turned to the guy on the far left.
"I'm going to break your nose, because I don't like your face."
She pointed to Zac.
"I'm going to dislocate your other shoulder, just to make them even."
She cocked her head and gave the main guy a sickly sweet smile.
"I'm going to break your wrist, taking away your baseball career. And finally you, Finch," she said, looking to the last guy. "I'm going to bust your ankle because I don't like the way you walk." She slid her hands into her pockets. "Now, how does that sound to all of you? And please feel free to look amused, skeptical or patronizing at this point. I'll have all the more fun wiping the expressions off your faces."
As she finished speaking, her gaze fell to the leader of the group, her face hardening. The leader flinched, but didn't move. Tension pulsed through the air, all eyes on the him. It broke when he smirked.
"You know what?" he said, his tone mocking. "We are going to leave because I would hate to ruin that pretty face of yours." He took a step back. "See you around, sweetheart."
The guys laughed as they started to leave. As Finch past Carter, he smacked her butt. In the time it took Link to suck in a breath and Donovan to take a step forward, she had grabbed Finch's hand and forced it backwards. He sank to one knee, as she kept her hold on him. She stared at him, her eyes hard.
"Touch me again and you will find out how fast I can break five of your bones without breaking a sweat," she said, her voice as sharp as a knife.
Finch winced, his face turning white, his lips a thin line.
"Understand?" Carter asked.
Finch nodded, his eyes narrowing in pain.
"Good."
She released him and turned away, looking to Edmond still slumped against the lockers. With an annoyed sigh, Carter took his arm and helped him up. Although he was her height, his curved shoulders and slouching posture made Carter seem taller.
"Ed, what did we talk about?" she asked, exasperation in her tone.
Edmond pushed his glasses up and brushed off his disheveled blazer.
"Sorry, Carter," he said, weakly.
"A couple of push ups. You can even put the calculus book beneath you, so you can read. It would just give you leverage. Or an ounce of confidence, either one at this point would help you," she said.
Edmond nodded, his focus locked on the floor. Carter shrugged.
"Alright, I'll see you in A.P. Cal," she said. "Try not to get beaten up till then. You're the only partner I have in that class. I would hate for that to end because of your untimely demise."
Edmond looked up and gave her a shy smile.
"Thanks, Carter," he said.
"Yeah."
She walked away, Link rushing to catch up with her, Donovan close behind.
"Bad morning? Or are you just the defender of the weak?" Link asked.
Carter gave him a sideways glance and shrugged.
"I don't like Tuesdays and this one in particular."
"Any reason?"
She stopped walking and looked at him for a moment. He raised an eyebrow. A few seconds passed, in which the words hung in the air between them, the image of her father's car disappearing ran through her mind. The words tumbled away as she turned and continued walking.
"None whatsoever," she said.
Link looked to Donovan before falling into step with her.
"Alright, we'll stick with that answer then," Link said.
Carter looked at him and found a joking smile staring back at her. Her lips curled in response.
"I guess I deserve that," she said.
Link nodded. Carter looked over at Donovan, his gaze focused on the crowd, moving from face to face, his eyes never still.
"So Donovan, you get the blonde's number, or will you merely raise a finger and she'll come running?" she asked.
"Do you know how to have a normal conversation with people?" he asked, his tone even.
"No, but I figure I'll learn by trial and error."
"No doubt you have had more error than anything," he said.
"You've known me for a day, I think that is pretty clear."
"A lunch with you made it very clear."
Carter gave him a wide smile.
"Careful you don't talk too loud Donovan, some girl might hear you and think you were flirting with me and then we would both be in trouble."
Donovan's face remained expressionless and Carter laughed as she stepped into the classroom. Mr. Philips looked up as they enter and nodded to them.
"Mr. Evans, might I have a word?" Mr. Philips asked.
Link nodded. Carter took a seat and watched as Mr. Philips talked to Link, his eyes studying. She leaned forward, her forehead creasing, as she observed the exchange. Link nodded and walked away, taking a seat beside her.
"What did he want?" she asked.
Link raised his eyebrows in surprise.
"What? You didn't read his lips and know what he was asking me?"
She gave him a flat look.
"I read his lips, but not yours, genius."
Link laughed, the sound carefree. "Really? You can do that?"
Carter shrugged. "It's a work in progress. So what did he want?"
"It was nothing, just some assignment or other."
The bell rang, bringing in the last rush of students.
"Class before we get started," Mr. Philips said. "I want to remind you that this Friday we are visiting the National History Museum. The paper you write on the topic of artifacts and their importance in our history will be a big piece of your grade, so make sure you are there. Now, let's continue with the Johnson administration."
**********************************************************************
Waka Waka! (Really I think I've gone to a bad place with these. I need your help. Come up with new ones!)
Right! Onto business (and when I say business I mean lets talk about something that is not business related at all!) Is it just me or when you hear certain words it automatically pulls up Hamilton lyrics for you? For instance, the two words, Johnson administration, just made me think of when they sing out Adams administration. Or the word despondent. No lie, all I ever think now is, "I have never seen the general so despondent, I have taken over all his correspondence."
Anyone? Hello? Really? No one else?! Fine, I guess it's just me. *Goes into corner and starts singing All By Myself intermingled with Hamilton lyrics*
Don't mind me, just a really odd person, but I did warn you of this.
Vote (For Burr) Comment (Couldn't come up with a lyric, let me know if you do.) Follow (Yup, at a loss on this one as well.)