Page 9 of A Vicious Rumor

"It's fine," I replied. "I'll still be around. I'll have the car. I just need to stay out of my father's sights for the few weeks. Do we really have that much going on during the summer, anyways?" I asked, wondering how many people had approached Paper and asked for a deal.

Paper pulled his phone out of his pocket and tapped at the screen a few times. "Three so far, but they're small requests, and I don't think they'll have any trouble with repayment."

"What'd they ask for and what'd you ask for?" Scissors asked, getting up to get himself a drink.

"Yawn," I said, standing up. I really didn't care to know the inner workings of the Triad or the deals they made. I was the muscle. The intimidation factor. Everything else just didn't interest me. "I'll be out back while you two discuss business," I said, stretching.

Neither of them said anything, and I didn't wait for them to respond, either. I just walked out of the room, grabbing another Perrier on my way out. I'd never admit it to Scissors, but as ridiculous as his house was, there were certain elements of it that I really liked. I'd grown up around construction sites and home developments. All those houses were always crammed together, because that's how developers made their money. The more houses you could fit on a piece of land, the more profit you made.

But, Scissors’ house was its own little world, and the view off the back of the house over the Potomac River was serene. It was one of the few places I felt calm, which was ironic as all fuck, because I absolutely loathed Scissors on his best day.

I sat at the edge of the overlook and watched the water below me trip and stumble over the boulders that blocked its path. When people started calling me Rock, I never looked at the river the same way again. It was another thing I'd never tell anyone, but I hated the name. Look at any large rock in the river, and you'd see two things. The first is that the water around it would get all stirred up and agitated, and the second is that, over the years, that water would eventually wear the rock down. Reduce its size. Reduce its presence, its power.

I didn't want to stir up trouble.

And, I didn't want to be worn down.

I really just wanted to be left alone.

I laid back in the grass and closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

3

TYSON

I woke up to the irritating giggles of drunk girls followed by the rather loud "shushing" noises they were making. "I think he's sleeping," one of them said.

"I didn't know he slept," the other one replied.

"You're such a stupid slut, Meaghan. Of course he sleeps."

I groaned and rolled over before sitting up. I wasn't sure how long I'd slept for, but it was completely dark outside and from the sounds of it, the party in the house behind me was well into full swing.

"Here," one of the girls said, trying to hand me a beer. I looked up and narrowed my eyes. It was two girls and I recognized them. They were complete bitches at the school. Meaghan and Alyssa. They always hung out together, and their popularity oddly stemmed from how mean they were to others. Although, I'd heard rumors that Alyssa would be really nice to other girls online and in chats, yet if they tried to approach her in school and say hi, she'd act like she didn't know them.

To me, that made it worse, not better.

"No thanks," I said dismissively, turning back to face the water. It was a bright full moon tonight, so thankfully, I could see everything going on around me.

"Everyone says you're super scary," Meaghan said, sitting down on the grass far too close to me. "But, I don't think that's true."

"Great," I replied, standing up and letting her fall down as she tried to lean against me.

"Oh, come on," Alyssa said, letting her drink fall to the ground in favor of trying to grab my arm. "We made a bet."

"Oh yeah?" I asked. "What's that?"

"No one's ever seen you with any girl in the school. We made a bet that we could get you to kiss one of us," Alyssa replied, giggling at her own words.

I turned and wrapped my thick hand around the base of Alyssa's neck and she gasped. I moved in close, just brushing her ear with my lips. "I'd rather eat my own vomit than kiss a fake bitch like you," I whispered, before letting her go.

She gasped, and stepped back from me. Her friend hadn't heard what I'd said though. All she'd seen was me get in close with a girl that wasn't her. Of course the spoiled bratty princess couldn't allow another girl to get all of my attention. Still on the floor and so drunk that she couldn't even figure out a way to stand up, she grabbed at my wrist.

"Hey! No fair!" she pouted. "I'm way hotter than stupid Alyssa," she yelled, clearly with the intent that everyone around might hear.

I tried to break loose from her grip, but her hands tightened around my wrist. She dug her thumb beneath the leather strap of my bracelet and wouldn't let go.

I turned to look at her, glaring at her through gritted teeth. "I didn't say you could touch me," but the dumb girl was too drunk to be intimidated. I tugged my arm away from hers, but she refused to let go. Instead, the bracelet slipped over my hand, falling off my wrist.

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