Page 110 of Crew
He frowned. "Huh?"
I couldn't. Not today.
Calm down, Bren. Calm down.
He gave me a look. "I know your crew is looking to work us over. I got that coming. I know that. I'm okay with it. I started both fights, so we get the payback. But my question stands. What are you doing with my cousin?"
"You're all caring and concerned now?"
Alex shrugged. "I can just tell. Something's off with him, and the only thing he's had a crab crawled up his ass about is you and your crew." He crossed his arms over his chest. "So what is it? What'd you do?"
I could only stare for a moment. Then I laughed. I cursed in my head. And I went back to laughing. I finished up by shaking my head. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
"I--"
I shot forward, shoving my face right in his. "You touch me without permission. You touch me a second time without permission. You and your crew jump me. Then you come up to me and ask what I did to your cousin?" My hand flexed. I wanted to shove him into the lockers so bad, but that'd be a fight. My ribs ached at the thought of it.
I looked him up and down. "Here's a solid piece of advice from me. Don't think for yourself. Find someone smart, and every time you have to make a decision or have to figure something out, ask them. Then go with what they say. Get a new brain, because you're on a bad path--for yourself and your crew." I wanted to say more, throw the drug business in there. But I kept quiet. I had to.
That was for later, much later.
His eyes went flat. "What'd you say?"
"You heard me."
"Say it again." His nostrils flared.
"I'll do better." My smile wasn't pretty. "You're a hothead. You didn't earn your spot. You inherited it, and you're pissing it away. If your crew doesn't check you, the rest of us will."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." I narrowed my eyes.
He was in my face now. I stood my ground, willing myself not to lunge at him. I could slice him, get in a good nick on his side, and I didn't think my ribs would protest too much.
"Do we have a problem here?"
I cursed.
Principal Neeon's voice boomed from down the hallway. As soon as he spoke, everyone else in the hall stopped to look. Only a few had already been watching. Alex's crew was hanging back, shielding us from an audience. That was done now.
People pulled out their phones.
I guessed I had about a minute before someone from my crew showed up.
"No problem, sir." Alex turned to face Neeon as he got to us, pushing through the crowd.
"Why do I think that's total bullshit, along with the weird coincidence of our security videos losing an hour of footage the other day, the exact same day our guards were sent on a wild goose chase?" He stared at me.
I didn't react. I didn't do anything.
When we'd gone back to class that day, no one had said a thing. Mr. Jenston finished teaching the class like nothing happened. When the last bell sounded and we filed out, it was the twilight zone--eerily silent and calm. Word had gotten around, and I got looks as I walked to my second class.
Cross told me after school that someone had said something by the end of the day. He'd walked past the office and saw staff bunched over the security video cabinet.
Hearing Principal Neeon's words now, I knew they were aware something had happened, but they didn't quite know what to look for. Good. Because there was nothing for them to find.
"Look, Mr. N, we were just talking," Alex said, motioning toward me. "You can't write us up for that."
