My hand hurt as I pounded in my opponent’s face again and again. I grabbed her hair and pulled, causing enough pain that she cried out. Everybody froze when they heard the distant sound of a door being slammed open. I pulled her hair again before getting up and running with the rest of the crowd. I knew she would still blame me, but at least I had a chance to defend myself and lie when I wasn’t exactly at the scene. At least that’s what I thought until a security guard stepped in front of me, stopping my escape.
“Come on, Miss knight. You know where the principal’s office is.”
Yeah I did so he didn’t need to escort me, but since it was a given I would try to run, he was there. Not that I hadn’t already tried to escape before, but I didn’t have anywhere else I needed to go, so I had time to kill.
Principal Stock’s office was about as big as my bedroom which wasn’t saying much. It was filled with pictures of his own family and doctorates from his college days. I sat across from his wooden desk keeping my eyes on the bracelet of skulls I had on my wrist.
“So, Ravyn, why the school fight? And the whole story, please no lies.” I smiled; Martin Stock new me well.
“Okay, it started like this. Bethany was on her phone, going, ‘OMG Brittney that like, so didn’t happen,’” I quoted with a mock girly voice. “She was just standing there talking holding up the entire line at the vending machine. So I just tapped her shoulder and said very politely, ‘Are you going to buy something or stand there talking. Other people need food, unlike you.’ Then she went back to talking on her phone saying ‘Wow Brittney this girl behind me is acting like a total diva’ and blah blah blah so I felt obliged to knock some sense into her. It was only after she scratched my arm that I really started to get mad and you know how mad I get. There that’s everything.
The principal rubbed his face before answering. ”Well this is one of your more faster jobs so I think a month’s detention after school three times a week should do it. Report to Mr. Bolan on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Good day Miss Knight.”
He looked tired and worn out. Good. I lived to make the man’s life harder ever since he gave me detention for something I didn’t really do. That probably started my badass streak.
I walked out of there briskly, glad that at last school was over. Unfortunately I was still stuck here. This was a boarding school where students sleep, eat and go to school here. Which sucked if you barely transferred since you actually had parents who cared for you. Luckily, I was put in here soon as they allowed which was kindergarten, so I never knew my parents. Yeah, might sound sad but I don’t really care since they never wanted me in the first place.
My chains clinked against their metal holders as I walked back to my room. No one had wanted to bunk with me since they all thought I hid dead bodies there. Or that I smoked. Until a month ago, when Persephone came. She was new at the school and unfortunately very pretty. I say unfortunately because anything remotely good looking here gets befriended by the cliquey wannabes and picked up by would-be Prince charmings. She didn’t want any of that so she told them no. After that they picked on her relentlessly. I didn’t even know she existed until I saw Tony cornering her. Something about her blonde hair and blue eyes seemed so innocent that I had to protect her, which is not something I would normally do. Usually I hated everyone on sight, but she was different. So I kicked Tony’s ass and took her into my room. I showed her around and soon she learned how to dress and act, but she was still innocent.
Sighing, I stared up at the sky. Usually, it was nothing, but this time I felt a faint stirring. Black and gray clouds were rolling in from the east. It looked like a storm was coming in. A bad one. Perfect. I dumped my bag next to a bush; five seconds later, I was over the wrought-iron fence. When a storm came, everyone stayed inside so no one was able to check on us. An Ideal time to sneak away, if anyone was as good at it as me. Most got caught.
Walking through as couple of willow trees, I finally made it to my favorite hide-out: a flat boulder with small plants growing around it. I climbed quickly, my combat boot latching onto the crevices easily. At the top, I pulled out the artist pad I had, hidden in a gap in the rock.
The cemetery was built adjacent to the school when everyone realized there wouldn’t be any more construction. Everyone thought it was a morbid place, but I did my best art here.
Drawing is my only reason for pretty much staying here. I would have gone a long time ago, but I had nowhere else to go, and I love the beauty here. My sketches never actually came out with the cemetery, but it set a nice background for me. The way the weeping willows hunched over the tombstones as if they themselves were the ones that had lost someone.
I looked down at my drawing. It was a picture of me, kneeling in front of a tombstone, crying.


Chapter Two


My combat boots sounded against the empty hall as I struggled to make it to class on time. The second bell rang out, soon as my foot made it on the threshold of the door.
“Glad to see you will be joining Miss Knight.” Mr. Carson sniffed disdainfully.
“Yeah cause I just love your lectures” I plastered my infamous shit-eating grin on my face.
“Really?” He looked skeptical and who wouldn’t? Everyone knows I hate school.
“Yeah. I mean I couldn’t sleep at all last night, so I came to your class. I get marked here, and I catch an hour of snooze. Why else would you do those lectures I love so much if not for me?” I left him red-faced in the middle of his classroom while my classmates laughed around me. They would never admit it, but I made this hell on earth a lot more interesting.
I took my seat in the back, prepared for a mind-numbing lesson on how the Greeks defeated the Romans numerous times. Carson’s mouth opened to begin, when the dean walked in. They spoke briefly before he left again. Seconds later, a black figure walked in.
He had pure black hair that was many times darker than the usual browns of this school and brushed the collar of his jacket. He was pale, which with his black clothes only made him look paler. His left ear was pierced twice, and his eyes were a black so dark, I felt like drowning when they surveyed the rest of us. Then I saw his lips.
God he had the most sinful mouth I’d ever seen. They were full and just begging to be kissed.
Whoa. Where did that come from? I didn’t even know the guy. Disinterested I turned away and focused on doodling in my notebook.
…

After school, security guards started questioning me. Not surprising. The surprising part was that they started accusing me of something I didn’t even do: graffiti. Normally, I would relish the chance to damage school property, but I was nowhere near the gym during lunch. I was actually in the cemetery again trying to find out why I had drawn the picture, but there was no way I was going to admit to that. So I had to take the blame of some other asshole. Wouldn’t be the first time.
Once again I was directed to the principal’s office where I was read the riot act. I was lucky I suppose. Since they had already given me detention, as much as was permitted, it couldn’t get any worse. Tomorrow after school a monotonous hour of mini-hell in a hell would begin.
…

School dragged on and on. It seemed to take longer than the usual eight hours. Finally the final bell rang signaling the end of learning for some of the students; others weren’t so lucky. I walked in to the room, sitting in a desk where I could watch the window and the door with just a turn of neck. Already people were coming in and the air was weighed down with edginess. Only the regulars took desks toward the middle, they already knew the ropes. I hadn’t been in here for almost a month, but I still remembered the detention teacher. Mr. Bolan had a problem speaking, so he frequently ended up throwing spit wads at the people in the front. With the people in the back, he hovered, giving even more spit. The middle was the only safe place.
I looked toward the door after five seconds of staring outside. That’s when he chose to walk in. Dressed in the same color clothes as last time, he wore a black shirt with black tight jeans, and black chucks. I could see now that his hair looked blue in the instances when the sunlight hit it. It must have been blacker than what I thought. He sat down on the corner side in the front, diagonal from me. Relatively safe, at least compared to the rest.
What was he doing here though? He did look like the criminal kind in all his black glory, but he was so antisocial, it didn’t fit him. Besides he was new. Usually they give the newbies a break the first week before giving hell. He must’ve done something really bad to get in here that early.
I returned to gazing out the window before he could catch me staring at him.
“You’re sitting in my seat”
I turned my head to the voice who had spoken. I looked up to find a five-foot-seven guy with curly brown hair and freckles all over his face. He was slightly overweight which only made him look more menacing. Well to anyone other than me. He looked down at me with a smirk that told me I wasn‘t good enough to clean the dirt from his shoes. As if.
“And you would be?” I said using my best bitch voice.
His smirk grew bigger. “My name’s none of your concern. The problem is that your sweet little ass is sitting in my chair. Now move it before I make it.”
I hated guys who only looked at my body and didn’t think I was capable of anything else. “Since when is this yours? I don’t see a name?” My voice still sounded like the world’s biggest bitch.
“I’ve been sitting here for the past three weeks. I don’t need my name carved in here, everyone knows it’s mine. Now move before I have to ruin that beautiful skin.” He moved in even closer, almost leaning over me. Big mistake.
Calmly I stepped out of the chair rising to my full height, which was at least seven inches taller than him. That succeeded in bringing his sneer down a notch, but it returned after a second. He probably remembered I was a girl and couldn’t do much.
Before I could say anything, someone else joined our battle.
“It’s not very well-mannered to beat up on a girl. You should pick on someone your own gender.” It was Goth Guy. He stood a few feet behind us in the middle of the aisle. I would have delighted in the chance to finally listen to him speak, but unfortunately the words caught up to me. Great, another guy who thought girls were useless. And I used to think he was so hot.
“I don’t need your help Mr. Medieval. I can handle this.”
“No. You’re a lady. Ladies don’t fight, especially not with absolute dickheads like these.” He actually grabbed onto my wrist and tried to pull me back. What was he, a knight?
Curly on the other hand looked pissed at being called a dickhead. “You’re going to pay for what your boyfriend said, you bitch.”
Great, now I had a bull to deal with that was not above fighting girls. And I was so not 2nd dickhead’s girlfriend. Before I could announce this, Curly latched his fingers onto my shoulder, getting ready to throw a punch.
I pulled my wrist free from Goth Guy and dodged Curly’s hit before it could make contact. My fingers curled into a fist, and, putting all the strength I could into it, punched his gut. His breath came out in a whooshing sound. Before he could react, I kneed him in his balls where he fell in to a crumpling heap, gasping for the breath. Satisfied, I turned around to walk back to my seat. I heard a couple cheers go out around me, when Goth Guy stepped in front of me.
“Yes Mr. Medieval?” I still hadn’t forgotten the whole girls-don’t-fight bit from him. His face reddened a little when he remembered that too.
“My name is Adrian. And I’m sorry about the ‘lady’ comment. You are more than capable of protecting yourself. My mother taught me differently though.” He looked directly at me when he said that and I didn’t doubt him.
“Well thank you for-” A blaze of pain shot through me from my back, and I fell forward. Adrian caught me in his arms and tried to help me up, but when he touched my back, his hand was spotted in blood. He dropped me, scared, and I landed on my back. Even more pain shot through my spine. I got up on my elbows, in time to see Curly looming over me, pulling his leg back.
Adrian was still behind me, but now he was trying to help me up. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to move with his arms around me. All I could do was turn away, when I felt the blow. Searing pain shot through me like a lance from my ribs and I could have sworn I heard something crack.
That was it. This motherfucker crossed the wrong line. “You son of a bitch! You’ll pay for that.” I stood up quickly, ignoring the pain in my back and ribs. He threw a punch, aiming for my head. I sidestepped , but then he tried again, going for my stomach. I caught it in one of my hands, pulling forward so I could punch him hard in his chest. He staggered back and I punched him brutally in the face. His head snapped back, blood spurting out of his nose.
I’ll give him credit, he didn’t cry out or anything like that. He just wiped the blood off, holding his fighting stance. We started the danse macabre again, his fighting vigor renewed. His punches were rough, going for force, but they weren’t balanced. He got in a few on my side , before I elbowed him in the face. More blood came from his nose, just when I thought I had bled him dry. I drove the heel of my boot onto his instep; when he bent down in a reflex reaction, I shoved my forearm into his throat, hard enough to pin him down to the floor. I kept my arm there until I felt his struggles cease and saw his eyes close. He was unconscious, but not dead; I checked his pulse.
Satisfied the fight was over, I slowly got to my feet assessing the damage done while I stretched up. I probably had a few broken ribs and lots of cuts, but nothing that wouldn’t heal soon enough. At least that’s what I told myself while I hobbled back to my desk, trying not to widen the cuts. Adrian came up in front of me, the look on his face one of deep regret. Before he could voice those regrets, and most likely apologize, I let him have it.
“You asshole couldn’t have told me he was right there? You could have seen him, but you didn’t say a word. Are you trying to hurt me or something? You were probably working with him to get me punched” It seemed irrational, but I was so furious, I didn’t care what I said.
“I swear I didn’t see him. I wouldn’t-”
“No I don’t want to hear it from you asshole. Stay away from me.” I shuffled back in the direction of my desk, but instead headed to the window. Unlatching it, I jumped the wall and pulled myself up. I ran out into the grass, going nowhere in particular. the pain was excruciating, but I didn’t care right then. I just wanted to get away. Finally I ended up in my dorm room. Persephone was there, doing homework. She gasped when I walked in, which meant I was hurt as bad as I felt; usually she didn’t get worried much if it was a few scrapes and bruises. She helped me to my bed, then flitted around my desk looking for the first aid kit and my supply of medications. It hurt too much to lie on my back, so I turned on my side, facing the wall.
Persephone came back with the peroxide and cotton balls. The second she tried to take off my bloodied shirt, I hissed in pain, my back arching. She couldn’t do it without hurting me, so instead she cut it off. I heard her gasp of surprise and wondered how bad it really was.
“How does it look?”
“I think you better look at it yourself. Here.” She handed me a mirror, angling the one she held in her own hands so I could see. My mouth fell open when I could finally see clearly. There were jagged cuts across the small of my back, some shallow, and others still oozing blood. There were also some bits of glass in the deep cuts. “How did you get glass in there?” She started to take out the glass with a pair of tweezers. It hurt like a motherfucker.
“I honestly don’t know” I answered with a bitter laugh. “I think it was when the guy kicked me in my back. How the hell he got glass on his shoe, I don’t know. I should ask him when I see him next.” And there would be a next time. I would make sure of it.
“What? You can’t go after him. Not after this. Shouldn’t you stay away?” She was done getting out the glass, and was now swabbing down my back.
“Seph, I knocked him unconscious. I think I can take him again.”
“Why do you want to go after him then if you already got him?” She sounded exasperated.
“Because of what he did. A bloody nose is hardly anything.” She was still an innocent on the revenge concept.
“Please, Ravyn. Please will you leave him alone?” Her tone changed to pleading, and I hated it. It always set my ire off when someone begged.
“Fine, but only for you. I still want to kill that son of a -”
“Language.” Persephone was always trying to cure me of my bad language, though whenever she was out of earshot, I let it go. I only barely controlled myself around her. “There, now sit up for a second.”
I sat up, causing the cuts to reopen, and me to hiss again. Seph wrapped the gauze around my lower back and stomach. “There you’re all done. Now what?”
“Good question. Maybe-” The rest was cut off when two security guards entered the room. “What the fuck! I’m changing here!” I quickly pulled on a shirt lying on my bed, grateful that at least my back was to them.
Unperturbed, all they said was,” Ravyn, principal wants to see you.”
“Great, just make my fucking day why don’t you?” Getting up, I walked over to Seph. “Looks like I’ll talk to you later. See ya at night. And don’t touch my e-mails.”
I walked out of the room, security stalking my every step, but I wasn’t worried about the message. Seph knows I don’t e-mail anyone seeing as how I don’t have any friends. Whenever I tell her not to check my e-mail, it’s because I typed something there, a message for her on where to meet me. The one I wrote was from today, before I went for the cemetery. I didn’t know I would be stuck in detention at the time, but Seph knows I would be there anyway. Sneaking out was not something new to me.
When I walked in the principal’s office, Curly was there, along with Mr. Bolan.
“Sit down Ravyn.” He sounded nothing like the last time I talked to him, when I was getting detention for hitting Bethany. I sat in the chair farthest from Curly, cause if he was the one that sold me out, I was guaranteed to punch him in the nose again.
“What happened?” I made my voice sound innocent, like Persephone’s did sometimes.
“Mr. Bolan, perhaps you would like to explain.” He was really mad then if he wouldn’t even talk to me yet.
“Yes of course. I walked in my classroom, and everything was in total chaos. There were children sitting on the desks, talking to each other. Then there were a few standing in a circle. After chastising them and telling them to go sit down, I saw that it was this young man, on the floor, unconscious and bloody. I cleaned most of the blood off, but his nose is still broken, When I asked him who did it, he said he couldn’t remember. That’s everything.” Great, at least Curly hadn’t sold me out. That got him some points on not being a whiny little girl who told on everyone.
“Well there it is. Now, until we find who did it, Mr. Bolan will you please take Devin to the infirmary. I want to talk to Ravyn alone.” He didn’t even look at me when he said it. Not until Curly and Bolan left did I finally receive his attention. How are we today Miss Knight?” He smiled pleasantly, like e wasn’t waiting to drop a bombshell on me.
“Bored. Pissed. Shitty. And a bunch of other crap I don’t want to get into.” He lifted an eyebrow at my language. That really pissed me off. “Okay , you can cut the good cop attitude. I already know I’m in trouble. What’s my detention?” I was very tired of having to play a good girl around adults, but then if I didn’t, I always paid hell for it later.
“All right Ravyn, I’ll get to the point. I know you weren’t in detention today. Mr. Bolan didn’t see you, and neither did any body else. In fact this was the only thing the other students agreed on. Everyone was pointing fingers at everyone else so I can’t tell who did it. But you have to go to detention if you want to even think about passing your junior year. Your classes are barely kept at C level when you attend. If you continue to skip out, I’ll have to fail you for the year. That’s all, just thought you should know the consequences. You may leave now.” He turned in his chair to leave me alone with my mouth hanging open.
Of course I’d always known that I could flunk out, but that wasn’t what had me sitting there five minutes after I’d been dismissed. He hadn’t even gone into the possibility that I could have done that to Devin, when we both knew I could. Was I getting off easy?
I came to my senses quickly, high-tailing it out of there before he could call me back.
I think that was the first time I had gotten out of the principal’s office in under thirty minutes.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 17.01.2011

Alle Rechte vorbehalten

Widmung:
This book is dedicated to my best-friend, Yesenia. She was the first to read this book and threaten to kill me if i didn't put it out. If not not her, it would still be sitting on my computer, collecting electronic dust. I luv u emo<3!