"You did what?" I clamped my hand over Madi's mouth and pushed her into an empty classroom.
"Can you not use the highest volume of your voice?" I deadpanned and she widen her eyes. "Are you going to whisper?" I asked her, still having my hand clamped on her mouth. She nodded. I pulled away and stepped back, waiting for her to freak out.
"You dry humped, Lucas" she repeated.
"Well, I prefer to use the term "Heavily Made out" I frowned.
She squealed, " I can't believe this, right now! One minute you guys are all angry at one another and then the next, you're practically getting him off. I mean, I know the tension was completely sexual, but I didn't know you would fall under pressure"
My mouth dropped open as I stared at her.
"That was not sexual tension we actually hated each other" I argued. She raised a brow at me while folding her arms.
"You thought you did, but there's a thin line between love and hate"
"Love?" I spluttered and she laughed, patting me on the shoulder.
"It's okay. I know you aren't there yet, but I can bet my bottom that you guys are so closed to it. I'm actually rooting for you" she squealed.
I shook my head. "I highly doubt it. This is just some phase and it will all go away. Madi, we're talking about Lucas. Lucas the guy that practically bullied me a few weeks ago. The arsonist. He's in the bad crew. Let's not forget that he doesn't like me. I practically fell a victim just like the other girls that he managed to get in their pants" I groaned, sitting down on the desk.
It was the period before lunch and we were missing class right now. I never missed a class, but this situation needed attention.
"Were you thinking all these things before or after you was riding him?" she asked and my eyes popped open at her. She laughed and shook her head. "Okay, the guy is in the bad crew. He's rumored to be an arsonist--"
"Not rumored. It's true" I cut her off.
She rolled her eyes, "Yes, but this is the same guy that is not known for ever bending to anyone and he apologize to your friend because you told him too. He give you a ride in the pouring rain, practically saved you from the poisonous plant and that so-called bully made his way to your house to send condolences to your dad. I'm sorry, Raine, but I am not seeing a person that dislikes you but quite the opposite right now" she finished.
I looked down. It was not my first time debating on those words, but then no matter how I may come to the conclusion that Lucas may feel that way towards me. The moment in the closet when he practically pushed me away and made it seemed as if liking me was absurd would come back and diminish everyone.
"Well, his actions may be that, Madi. But, he has already told me more than one way that he doesn't" I told her getting up and moving for the door. She tried to say something else, but I walked out of the classroom and down the hallway.
I felt her walking beside me, the same time the bell above our heads rang signaling for lunch.
We walked to the cafeteria, completely aware that we may get in trouble for ducking our last class but too hungry to care.
When we walked inside and see Levi already at our table, I ran to him and ruffled his hair.
"Oh wow. A hair ruffle. How great!" he replied, sarcastically.
Levi had become a part of our trio now. He didn't had the saved up time that Oscar had to make it official yet, but he was close enough to fill the void.
He was the jokester in our group and truth be told, we needed one.
"So, I was planning to get you guys food, but I'm still plotting to take you out for it"
"No! I can't not eat another chicken sandwich" Madi whined as she sat down in her seat.
"That's okay" Levi soothed. "We can go subway" he offered and I give him a small smile while shaking my head.
"I want our meatloaf" I admitted and he sighed.
"Raine, you're supposed to be on my side" he joked and I laughed shrugging. "Okay, I'll get your plates" he got up and Madi jumped up with him.
"I'll make sure he gets what I want" she followed him, both of them bantering with one another.
In another minute or so, Madi and Levi were back with their hands full of food and drinks. They were still bantering about which fast food restaurant was better.
There's no doubt Madi loved subs, so she was rooting for Subway or Quiznos, and Levi love chicken sandwiches.
We were well into eating our meal, laughing and chatting when I felt a presence slid next to me and I felt my body reacted.
Crap.
I looked up to see Lucas staring intently at Levi before he turned to me and give me a small smile.
"What's up, Little One" he greeted and I quickly chew my food before answering him.
"I'm great. Why are you here?" I asked him and he rolled his eyes before looking down at my food. He reached over confiscating a few of my broccolis before popping them into his mouth.
I was becoming uneasy because I wasn't sure if Lucas was here because he was going to expose what he and I did.
I don't think he would, but then I wasn't too sure about Lucas' personality as yet. I just knew that he was unpredictable.
"Can you chill? You look like you're constipated" he mumbled, still chewing on my food. I pulled my tray from him because of the extinct of not sharing my food slowly kicking in and raised a brow at him.
"I am chill" I raised my chin in defiance and he laughed. This laugh sounded more like the one when I had took him to the hospital.
Carefree. Light.
I glanced at his shoulder, but notice he had on a thick jeans jacket. Unable to see his bandage.
It was now 3 days later, but I knew he probably was still in pain.
"How's your shoulder?" I whispered to him and I saw his jaw clenched.
"I'm fine." he looked over to me, his blue eyes shining, "Thanks, Little one"
I heard a throat clearing and I felt like I was pulled out of a bubble as I swiveled around to see the whole table staring at us.
Madi was looking at me with a knowing eye, but her confident look was put off with the fact the Flint was sitting right next to her, and Levi's facial expression was indecipherable.
"I-uh-" I try to removed the attention off me, but I was still frozen. Matt rolled his eyes and leaned forward.
"Are you guys attending the Halloween party?"
I breathed out and wanted to say a thank you to him, but I was still shocked by the reason why the Bad Crew was suddenly sitting at our table.
"Yeah, I heard that it's going to be the sickest one, right?" Flint said and Matt nodded. They continued talking before Madi slowly joined them to correct them on the difference between Cat Woman and Black Widow. Levi later joined in, but he looked a bit force. Not like his normal carefree self.
After a while, I even joined the conversation along with Lucas. He was still sneaking vegetables off my plate, but I didn't stop him.
I summed it up to me being not a fan of vegetables to care for them anyway.
I couldn't believe right now, that Madi and I was even here socializing with The Bad Crew, like it was another normal day. It was definitely unusual and if I wanted to act as if it wasn't, my schoolmates wouldn't have let me.
They walked past us with weird looks on their faces, but the minute Lucas or any of the Bad Crew members looked up, they would scurry away.
If anyone would have told me I would be sitting at the same table as them during my senior year, I would slap them for speaking blasphemy, but here I was.
Actually enjoying it.
Too bad all good things do come to an end, because here comes Sally in her long legs as she approached our table.
"What is this?" she sneered and I looked up at her to see her eyes bouncing around to each of the members of the Bad Crew. "You just socialize with dogs now" she spat.
"Oh gee, it's certainly a pleasure to see you too" Matt answered boringly.
"Don't give me that. Are you here because of him?" she glared at Lucas and I saw his jaw clench.
I looked over at Madi. Both of us coming to a conclusion. Things are not good in the Bad Crew.
"Sally, what do you want?" Flint asked, his eyes squinting as he looked up at her.
He probably couldn't see past her stupidity.
"You guys have gone soft. You're letting this boy get pussywhip and make you forget about what's important"
"Sally, please don't forget your place," Lucas said calmly, but I can see his jaw working and the fury in his eyes. He looked peaceful, but I knew a storm was brewing.
"You are, Lucas. You have a position and -"
"My position does not include you. Nor does my business includes your little boyfriend." Lucas snapped. "Sally, I want you to know that I haven't forgotten what you did and I will find a way for you to pay for that" he threatened. He was shaking and my eyes kept bouncing to both of them.
"You wouldn't do anything to me. I am under-"
"Shit" Lucas snapped, causing Sally to stand up straighter. The action caused my hand to fly to his under the table and squeeze.
I didn't know why I did it, but I just wanted him to calm down. I knew he was talking in anger, but he looked really hurt too.
He snapped his head in my direction and then I saw it, the hurt and pain. His anger flashed from his eyes and then he breathed in roughly before looking back at Sally.
"You lost whatever protection you think you had the moment you traded valuable secrets. You're going to get off on a warning. Consider it mercy" he told her.
He squeezed my hand back.
Sally looked at me and then at Lucas. She opened her mouth to say something, but then she thought better of it and shook her head. Her face contorted from shock to a sneer as she stated her parting words, "Mercy is not going to get you far, Lucas. You know that" with that, she spun on her heels and walked away.
I looked back to see Lucas, staring down at the table with his nose flared. My eyes glanced over to Flint to see him still staring at Sally with a thoughtful look and then to Matt who was carving something into our table. It was like he wasn't even paying attention to the whole exchange.
"Are you -" Lucas cut me off by the squeeze of my hand, before he got up and then started walking away.
One by one the other members got up to follow, their faces deadly. I was so scared. I wanted to know what was going on through Lucas' mind. What was their conversation about? Was it why Lucas and Oscar fight? Was it Sally's fault?
"Well, that was intense!" Levi breathed out and Madi chuckled nervously.
~~~
I thought that the day was already loaded, but when I got home that evening I was not expecting to see the tall, dark brown-haired guy standing next to his car in my driveway.
Oscar.
"What you here for?" Justus asked. He knew just as much as Mom knew about the whole thing and he wasn't as supportive as my mother. He wanted to beat the snort out of Oscar on sight, but I didn't want him to get in trouble with Mom again for me.
That was an ugly situation.
"I came to talk to Raine" Oscar looked over to me and I frowned.
Okay, this is new.
"I got it, Jus" I walked over to my brother patting his shoulder.
"I know you do, but I want to say something to him," Justus said before, stepping closer to Oscar.
"122 Maine Street," Justus flinched resulting in Oscar to flinch as well then walked away.
Threat successful.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, walking up to him. I kept my distance though.
"I just wanted to tell you that Lucas isn't the guy you want to be around," he told me. I blinked, a bit taken back on the direction of the conversation.
I thought he was finally here to tell me what was going on with him. That he missed me and that we can be friends again. That he was sorry and I can tell him that I was too.
I was not expecting this.
So, I laughed. Not truly. It was more sarcastic than I would like.
"Oscar, are you really here to tell me who I should and shouldn't put in my life?" I dropped my bag from my shoulder to my hand.
"Yeah, Raine. He's not a good guy. He's not who you think he is. He's--"
"No, Oscar. You're not who I think you were" I snapped. "You were my best friend and look at us. You don't even talk or greet me anymore and you even told Madi and me that we were a burden to you. You don't get the opportunity to come here and tell me who is who because you aren't who you are either. You're a liar to me and to yourself. So, how about you get that sorted out and then come back to me, okay?" I gripped my bag tighter as I heard the soft rumbling of a motorbike coming down the street.
Oscar just shook his head at my statement, coming closer " Raine, you just don't understand. If you do then you'll understand that Lucas is not the one for you" he still tries to defend himself.
"And, you do? Aren't you dating Sally?" I asked, he pinned his lip shut and looked away.
I hiked my bag back on my shoulder and started walking towards my door, passing him along the way. I heard the sound of the bike louder and then the engine cutting. "Oscar, do me a favor?" he looked up at me as I turned around to him. His face was contorted in anger, but I didn't feel any remorse for making him angry anymore.
Oscar and I were clearly on two different paths in life now. It's just sad that I can't differentiate what they are.
"Don't come back here until you're back to the Oscar I knew and love" I turned around and hurriedly walked into the house, catching a glimpse of Lucas leaning on his bike watching Oscar trod over to his car.
I threw my bag on the floor to see Justus leaning against the window, still peaking his head out of the window by the door. I guess he was trying to work out the reason for Lucas practically giving Oscar the death glare.
"What's going with you guys?" Justus asked, pulling his face from the curtain. "Are you guys in some love triangle?"
Ew.
Damn, I am not having this conversation with my brother right now.
"Were you eavesdropping?" I groaned, walking over to the kitchen to get some water.
"Yes, and now have you been in some Twilight fantasy or something like that? Because, if so, you're going to know."
"Know what, Justus? Why is everyone so interested in my dating life? Do you see me prying into yours? No!" I slammed the glass down and went to get my bag so that I can go to my room.
"Yeah, well! If you come in here with some sad ish, I'm killing both of them!" he shouted from downstairs.
"I'm not visiting you in jail" I shouted back.