Page 9 of Beautiful Defiance

“She’s living on your family’s property.”

“So? Only my dad has hired help’s numbers.”

“Your brother and his friends still hanging out at the house?”

“They drove back to Dumas this morning.”

I unfurl my fists, not realizing my hands are balled at my sides. The first bell rings. Ten minutes before classes start. My boys rest their bodies on the lockers. They’re not in a hurry. They’re interested in how this new situation of my being interested in Leigh in a different way pans out.

Believe me, I’m not interested in Leigh other than to punish her for messing with what’s mine. No one messes with my truck. The battery is what gives the old girl life. Leigh might wrongfully think we’re even, but we’re not. Not by a long shot.

“Look, Seven, she probably overslept and missed the bus. No need to worry, okay?”

Worry? Who’s worrying?

“Not that I give a shit. I hate her. Well, gotta go.” Her friends are tugging at her sleeves. “See you after school.”

Hannah and the other cheerleaders hurry off to class. We look after them. Trace is predictable, his eyes glued on their asses. Malice though, he’s not giving a flying fuck and that worries me.

It’s time to shut down the search party.

“Come on, bros. Hannah’s right. We shouldn’t give a shit. New girl’s defiance is nothing but trouble for us to squash and stomp on.”

“Here, here.”

Me and Trace fist bump. Malice is quiet. Then he does the unforgivable. He walks the fuck away. I growl under my breath. Curse his family for good measure too.

Not wasting more head space on my disloyal friend, I stomp to my first class. I make it through lunch before needing to grab cash from inside my locker for a kid who did a favor for me. I yank open the door.

Poof! A plume of mustard yellow and dark purple smacks me in the face. Powder coats my skin. I suck in a breath and inhale a mouthful of it. There is only one person stupid enough to take defiance to a new level. Nails painted yellow. Full lips in dark purple.

Leigh Kim.

I scrub my hand over my stained face.

I am going to wring her defiant neck.

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