The Boys and Me

37. Curiouser and Curiouser

Photography was first up and Todd was so curious he couldn't hide it. For the most unemotional and unresponsive person you'd ever meet, he was really dying to know what happened to me.

"I can't get any work done if you're staring at me." I snapped, looking at him, his eyebrows knitted into an expression of frustration.

"Holt, you came to school with a black eye and you're one of us. None of us know what the hell happened but it means we let our guard slip" He said.

"Your guard?" I asked and he nodded.

"Our guarding of you, one of our own." He said and I felt my heart flip. Just based on this situation with my 'family' alone, knowing that I'm someone's to protect was a sensitive topic but a relieving one as well.

"Thanks" I said quietly and he nodded, accepting that he knew all he needed to at the moment.

"How's your ink feeling?" He asked and I shrugged.

Not tender anymore, actually it feels quite fine." I said and he nodded.

"Just keep looking after it the way Romeo told you and it'll heal fine" He said, the small talk and advice being one of our more awkward conversations.

"I'll tell you guys what happened tomorrow, I swear. I have too much shit to do today" I said and he nodded.

"I believe you, I'm just curious. It's very rare that Heath knows something Scotty does when I don't. I'm his best friend" Todd said.

"Don't worry about it Todd, it's nothing worth knowing" I assured him, not that it worked.

"You got a black eye Holt, it's worth knowing" He assured me, doing a better job than I did.

"And you'll know. Jut not today, please" I all but begged. Todd, to my surprise, nodded and dropped it for the rest of the day. As a matter of fact they all did. I had the strangest feeling Todd had mentioned something to Zane and David because their eyes went wide every time they saw me but then they'd hold back saying anything.

"It's amazing how you've got them on your little finger" Heath muttered to me at lunch that day. I smirked.

"Comes with being one of 'The Boys', doesn't it?" I joked and he grinned.

"Your brain works in mysterious ways Alissa Holt, that's for sure." He said.

"Think about it though. You all hold a power that makes the other four scared of you. Even David, you're all somewhat terrified of him because he can get you all expelled, arrested. Probably killed. And you're all scared of me" I said, with a shrug.

By now the other guys were listening in and looking at me.

"Explain that one Holt, you're not exactly scary material" Zane said with a shrug, which I returned before speaking.

"Easy. Without me, none of you are passing high school and staying in Florida scares the shit out of you enough to do what I say" I said simply and all of their faces dropped, them knowing the truth.

"Not to mention I'm feisty. I know I said no fist fights but if someone fucks me off enough, they'll get whats coming" Is aid, continuing to eat my lunch.

"Now that's something I'd pay to see" David spluttered, Zane and Todd laughing with him.

"You idiots don't know the half of what she's talking about." Scotty said, somewhat on edge today.

I pulled out my phone and quickly typed a text to Heath.

to: Heath
from: Allie