Private School Kings

Foul

TW: Violence

I'd seen guns before. Hell, I'd shot them. Lamoni wasn't a town that feared bullets, even if it should have been, but we had rules. You treat every gun like it's loaded. You keep them away from kids. And you never, ever point one at a person.

This was the first time I'd ever seen someone break one of those rules.

Tim's gun was a classic pistol, small and fashionable. It was the only gun a boy like him could own. The kind you might find in a desk drawer or see in a classic western. It was not like any of the ones I've seen in Iowa. But it was there, staring down the barrel of Tim's silver pistol, that I really understood what a thin line there is between life and death.

Everything I am --everything I ever was-- is nothing more than a blond boy's finger on the trigger.

Time had slowed to a near stop, but very quickly it started up again. Tim's jaw twitched, and with it his finger. I flinched, but the bullet didn't come. He was still waiting, but for what I didn't know.

Heather stood with a sloppy sway, and smiled. "You're late." She said.

Something in me gave up then. I had fought for so long, sacrificed so much, and yet the games never ended. I still hadn't caught up. Of course Heather had another reason for luring me out to the ruins. Of course Fletcher was right, again. I should have known. There would always be another lie, another scheme, or mask, or plan. There was no escaping it.

Tim's eyes flicked to the bottle on the floor, but his hand didn't waver. "Looks like you found a way to pass the time."

Heather shrugged, turning to face me. I couldn't look at her. My eyes were still fixed on the gun. "You fucked up Monroe," I'd thought for a moment that maybe she'd been pretending to be drunk, but her words were still slow and thick with alcohol.

"You really fucked up." Tim echoed. He took a step towards me. Almost as a reflex, I took a step back, bumping against the wall behind me with a start. "Things around here work in a certain way." He took another step forward, but there was nowhere for me to go. "You can't mess with the order. of things" His voice was low, rolling through the room like the first warning shocks of an earthquake.

Everything was silent for a moment. I could see a vein on Tim's neck pulsing violently, his hand shook, but his lips stayed pursed. My eyes flicked to Heather for just a moment. She looked almost apologetic. That really scared me. If Heather felt bad then things had to be really wrong.

"Fucking say something!" Tim yelled, and before I had a chance to shift my gaze back to him he was next to me, free hand warm and tight around my throat, and my back was up against the wall, pressed so hard against the rough stone I thought it might draw blood.

There was a small whimper from my right, it had to be Heather, but I couldn't see her. Tim's thumb and forefinger were pressed stiffly beneath my jaw, forcing me to look at him. Up close he looked even worse. His skin was blotchy, his hair was thick with grease, and spittle had started to collect at the corners of his mouth. There was no trace of the attraction I had so often felt towards him. The boy in front of me was not gilded or golden, he hardly seemed human.

"Apologize!" He screamed, breath hot against my ear. He lifted me from the wall and smashed me back against it. My head burst with a pain that was hot and sharp. "Apologize!"

My dignity had left me. No resistance remained in my brain or body. So I tried. I tried harder to muster that apology than I had ever tried at anything in my life, but I couldn't manage the words. His hand was wrapped too tightly around my throat. I couldn't even manage a breath.

Tim slammed me against the wall again. My vision flashed dark for a moment, and I shut my eyes against the too bright light when it returned, realizing for the first time that I was probably going to die here, away from my home, away from everything I'd ever known, with no one but a boy who might have never loved me to find the body. I hit the wall again but this time the pain was less of a spike, it already hurt too much. The body only understands so much pain. I could feel something warm and sticky --blood-- begin to drip down the back of my skull and onto my neck, and there was something cool against my temple, but it was only when I heard the click of the safety that I understood what it was. The gun. I braced myself for the final impact, but it didn't come.

"Tim," Said a girl's voice. It wasn't mine. I still couldn't even breathe. But the voice was coming from somewhere. "Tim, that's enough." Heather, I realized through the haze. It was Heather. She wanted Tim to stop. So did I. He wouldn't though, I could feel it/

His laugh was cold and clear. The gun pressed harder against my forehead, digging deep into my skin.

"Tim, fucking stop it!" Heather's voice was louder now, and I felt Tim's grip loosen as he turned to face her.

"Shut the fuck up!" Tim shouted. His attention was finally focused elsewhere. It was just for a second, but that second was enough.

I don't know how I knew what to do. It was like some animal instinct. My lungs filled with air and my vision sharpened. My knee rose, and I felt it land between Tim's legs. He crumpled, dropping the gun. He reached out to get it back, but I kicked it hard. The pistol skittered across the floor with a dangerous clack before landing beside a bookcase. I started for it, but a hand around my leg stopped me in my tracks. My arms reeled uselessly as I fell forward, propelled by unused momentum. I landed hard on my shoulder and it erupted in pain. I was almost thankful that somewhere besides my head was hurting. I kicked again, but Tim's grip didn't loosen. I turned, trying in vain to pull away, and then he was on top of me.

I hardly even registered the punches, just the bursts of pain, and then not even that. Then everything was sort of separated from me. Somewhere there was a body, and that body was in pain, but I was somewhere else...

Bang.

...

Hey guys,

Thank you so much for reading!

This chapter is pretty short, and I know it leaves off on a serious cliffhanger, but don't worry. The next chapter is finished and will go up tomorrow so stay tuned for that!

Also, I've been working on a new story. It's on hold until Private School Kings is finished but I just posted the aesthetics, and I'd love it if you guys would take the time to check them out and tell me what you think!

Hope you enjoyed. I'll see you in the next one.

- Nora