Page 10 of Crew
So did I. This was more attention than we needed. If you were in a crew, you got attention. Any, but especially ours. It was just a fact. Her voice rose and I cursed in my head, wondering who'd pick up on what she was saying and run wild with it. Wolves were infamous, but Cross was infamous in his own right. Me too, if I was being truthful and not hiding from it. Any girl who joined got noticed, and the fact I was in the Wolf Crew, which no one got into--this shit would be spread before the end of next hour.
I didn't like it, but I'd have to handle it. Still, this innuendo on Cross and me as a couple didn't rest easy on my shoulders.
"Hey, hey." I reached for her finger. She lowered it before I could grab it, and I rested against the neighboring locker. I raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't like that, and you know it."
She rolled her eyes. "I just think it's stupid. You two belong together. Now scoot!" She waved at her brother and nodded to the locker behind him. "That's my locker." She winked at me. "I pulled some Student Council strings and got us all together."
"Wait." He looked down at the paper I'd given him. "My locker is by yours?"
"You're smart," I deadpanned.
He rolled his eyes, but I could see a smile.
Taz nodded to where I was resting. "Right there."
A grin spread over Cross' face. "Nice. What about--"
"No. Those losers are in another hall."
Cross and I shared another look, but it was what it was. Taz made no secret of her hatred for Jordan, and her volume had increased over the last two years. Sometimes I wondered if her hate was covering something else. Was there something more going on between Taz and Jordan? I hadn't braved Taz's wrath enough to ask her, and when Cross shook his head at me, I knew he hadn't either.
After grabbing my notepad, I moved out of the way. My locker closed as both of theirs opened.
"This is awesome, Taz." Cross didn't have a bag with him, so he tossed his keys inside. "Thank you."
While her brother was empty-handed, Taz was not. She carried a bag overflowing with items, and she'd pulled a big pink cart behind her. Books were piled high on it, along with locker separators, anything someone would need for an office, and a small dry-erase board. She had cardboard cutouts for photographs and even some pink glittery stuff. I had no clue what she would do with those, but this was Taz. She would make the inside of her locker a masterpiece. I had no doubt.
"Are you kidding me?" She dropped her bag to the floor and began unloading the cart. "You guys are doing me a favor. If you're both here, the other girls will stay away." She glanced over her shoulder.
I followed her gaze, but I already knew who she was referring to. There were the usual girls who gawked at Cross, but she meant a whole other group. Though the hallway was busy, that other group had gathered across from us. I recognized a lot of girls from our grade congregating at Sunday Barnes' locker. Half of them were eyeing Cross.
They saw me, but kept eyeing him as if he were a piece of steak and they were starving. They didn't care I was here. I frowned at that.
If they saw me watching them, they'd usually look away. My presence alone would deter them. Not today. Today, I saw the hunger in their eyes. The girls were brazen as they watched Cross. Sunday was friends with Monica, but as I skimmed the group, I could see she wasn't there.
I shifted on my feet, rounding to face them more fully. I didn't like this. I didn't like that they were ignoring me, even though I didn't care that they were here for Cross. That never happened.
"Their notches have gone up," I mumbled to Cross. They were getting bolder.
He grunted, knowing exactly what I meant.
"Stop that!" Taz protested, her hands on her hips. "I'm the twin. I'm supposed to have the secret language with him. Not you."
