Page 14 of Art for the Anarchist (Rejected 2)

“She’s fine. Well, she will be, eventually,” Landon mutters before taking a bite of his pizza.

“Hey Rissa, I saw some of your work in the art room. I’m amazed at how talented you are,” Bailey, Alec’s girlfriend, says. I smile at the table in front of her, still not able to meet her eyes.

“It’s one of the many things I love about her,” Dean says, squeezing my thigh. The whole table falls silent, as do I. He’s never mentioned loving me out loud before. I mean, I know I love him, even though I haven’t told him yet, but he’s never said anything to me.

“What?” I ask, looking up at Dean. Dean opens his mouth to say something, but Parker speaks again.

“You know, since we are on the subject of Art,” Parker says, looking at Dean and then cutting his eyes over to the left of the lunchroom. My eyebrows draw down in confusion when I see Eric and his two friends standing there. I look back at Parker and Dean, and something is passing between the two of them. A silent conversation I can’t follow along with. Not another word is spoken.

Dean stands and starts walking toward Eric. In unison, all seven of his brothers stand as well and follow behind. I’m curious and need to know what’s happening. What is Dean doing? I stand as Lexi comes to my side, and we follow the guys. I stop dead when I hear the next words leave Dean’s mouth.

“I heard you’ve had some fun in the art room… Destroying other people’s shit for your own fucked up pleasure,” Dean growls.

“Yeah? What of it?” Eric asks with a smirk, looking back at his friends and smiling.

“You fucked with the wrong one this time, asshole,” Dean says before lunging for Eric.

Everything happens so fast. Dean takes Eric to the floor and starts pounding his face in. Eric’s friends move to jump in, but of course, Dean’s brothers have his back, and as one, they growl at the two cowards who turn tail and run away from the fight.

“What’s going on over there?” a teacher yells from the other side of the lunchroom. Oh no, is Dean going to get in trouble? If they see how bad he is hitting Eric, they won’t just expel him. They will lock him up.

I turn to yell at Dean, but Parker, Landon, and Joey are all in a semi-circle blocking the view of Dean and Eric. On the other side, Griffin, Canaan, and Brody block the view from that direction. I watch as Alec turns, lets Dean get another hit in, and then steps in.

“Brother, time's up. You need to get Rissa and sit back down so the principal doesn’t catch you,” he says, placing a hand on Dean’s shoulder. Dean draws his fist back one more time, bringing it down hard into Eric’s stomach before quickly getting up, wiping his hands on Eric’s now bloody shirt, and hurrying over to me. Quickly, we take our seats back at the table.

“They are going to know it’s you,” I tell Dean, looking down at the table. He places his finger under my chin, lifting my face until I’m looking him in the eyes.

“He deserved every bit of that beating for what he did to you, baby,” Dean says, kissing my forehead.

“Oh shit. He’s a goner, too,” Parker says in a stage whisper. I look at him in confusion until Dean’s words bring me back.

“I love you, Rissa. I’ve known since the first time I saw you. Just needed you to catch up,” he tells me, smiling softly.

“I swear, I’ve never heard him talk this much, especially about his feelings,” Griffin says.

“I love you too. I don’t know how; I can’t explain my feelings, but I know that’s what this is,” I tell him, smiling softly, well trying to smile. I really mean it, though.

“Thanks, Christ,” he says before leaning in to kiss me.

“Want to ditch and go back to my house? My parents are gone for a week. Their marriage counselor thought it would be good for them to get away together,” I tell him.

“Let’s get out of here,” Dean growls while the group, the loudest of whom are, of course, Lexi and Joey, hoots and hollers.

“I need to stop by my place to grab a few extra pairs of clothes. You okay riding over there with me? My parents should be gone. They rarely show up at the house until the bars close,” he says. I nod, not really caring if they are there or not, but I don’t want Dean to get into any trouble or hurt. From what he’s already told me about his parents, it seems that’s all they are… trouble.

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