Born Again

Chapter forty

Brenda sat across from Thomas at lunch the next day. She took one look at him and let out a puff of air. "Wow. You look like—"

"I know," Thomas interrupted. "Thanks, Brenda. Kind of got beat up."

Teresa joined them a second later, taking a seat next to Brenda. "What happened?" She asked, concern etched in her voice.

At first, the two of them worried Thomas. He was afraid they would start fighting over him any second. Or just fighting in general. But they seemed . . . okay, almost as if they were friends. Plus, were sitting next to each other as opposed to next to him. Though that might've been because Newt and Minho were sat next to him instead. Either way, the two girls still could've sat further apart.

"It's those new kids," Newt answered. "Janson gave them a chance here for some reason. He said if they could better themselves and stop with all the drugs, they could stay at the school. Those bullies did neither so he expelled them."

Teresa nodded, relief obvious on her face. "That's good. Right, Tom?"

   Thomas shrugged. He knew he should be thankful but he also knew, one way or another, he'd be seeing those Cranks again. Only next time, he wouldn't have a principle to stop them.

"What?" Minho asked. "You aren't glad?"

"I am," Thomas lied. "Guess I'm just tired. I couldn't sleep, I was sore all over."

   Brenda scoffed. "I still don't get it. Why didn't you fight back, Thomas?"

   "Oh, I don't know," Thomas answered exasperatedly, rubbing his swollen eyes. "Maybe because there were half a dozen older boys much larger than me. I couldn't have done anything."

   "I could've taken them."

Thomas had no doubt. The Brenda in his dreams lived most of her life in a Crank infested world where she had to fight for herself. If his Brenda was half as tough, she could've taken twice as many Cranks than he did.

   Minho apparently didn't know that because he scoffed. "Seriously, Brenda? You?"

"Yeah," Brenda answered, crossing her arms. "I'm tougher than I look, Minho."

Minho rolled his eyes. "I doubt you could even take me, shorty."

"Minho," Thomas warned quietly. "She probably could. Don't—"

   "You wanna bet?" Brenda interrupted, ignoring him. "I could beat you right now, tough guy."

   Minho started to laugh but it was cut short by Brenda leaping across the table and tackling him to the floor.

"Woah!" Minho yelled. "What the shuck are you doing?"

Brenda made a punch for his face but Minho blocked it. "I'm winning." She grinned. "That's what."

   Thomas turned to break up the fight before it got (more) out of hand, but Newt held him back.

   "He'll be fine," Newt assured him. "Minho deserves a punch or two sometimes. Plus, you don't need to get into anymore fights, Tommy."

   Thomas sighed but nodded reluctantly. "Alright. But if she pulls a knife to his chin I'm going to do something."

"I'll do something," Newt corrected. "You just watch."

Thomas rolled his eyes but did as his friend suggested. He watched.

  Minho was squirming, trying to get out from underneath Brenda but she was holding tight. On top of that, she kept hitting him in the face with her closed fists.

For some reason, Minho laughed every time he missed and was unable to block a punch.

   All commotion got the whole cafeteria's attention. Students crowded around as Brenda was finally able to pin Minho by pressing her forearm to his throat.

   Jorge (the teacher) came over and immediately started telling her off but Minho waved them away with his free hand. With his other one, he tapped Brenda's arm, telling her that he gave up and to let go.

Brenda removed her arm but not her position on top of him. She gave him a triumphant grin despite Jorge's disapproving glare.

Minho took in a gulp of air before speaking. "It's fine," he said through a cough. "We're just messing around. I told her she couldn't beat me and she did. I'm fine though. No harm done."

"Fine," Jorge sighed with a shake of his head. "But it better not happen again."

   The students left, some congratulating Brenda and others laughing at Minho, who just smiled and waved as if he had planned to lose all along.

Thomas almost laughed at the thought.

   As soon as they left, Brenda finally stood up and helped Minho to his feet.

   "Sorry for cutting you," Brenda said sincerely pointing at Minho's lip. It was bleeding.

   Minho wiped at his small wound with a thumb, then looked at the bright red smear. "Don't be." He smirked. "Just makes me like you more."

   Thomas and Newt groaned simultaneously. Of course he wouldn't start crushing on the girl who was able to kick his butt.

   "Looks like we still have some Cranks here," Brenda responded. "You're even worse than they were." She shot him a smirk of her own. "Only weaker."

   "Yeah, but that's only because I . . ."

Thomas tuned out their bickering. Knowing Minho, it would go on for a long, long time.

~~~

After school, Thomas went over to Newt's house. He still had some unanswered questions.

   "What really happened yesterday?" Thomas asked as soon as Newt answered the door. "Why wasn't Winston there when the Cranks attacked?"

Newt sighed, gesturing for him to come inside. "I already told you," he answered. "We were all about to go find you and Minho because he was late. I offered to go alone but when the others insisted I put the pieces together. You and Minho missing, new arrival of Cranks, everybody wanting to come at the same time." He shrugged, closing the door behind them. "I didn't really try to stop it but I knew Winston would get hurt. So I made him stay."

   Thomas nodded slowly, walking to their living room and taking a seat. "So you think that saved him?"

   Newt sighed, easing himself into the spot next to him. "I don't know, Tommy. I hope so. That's why I did it. But there's still your other dream which looks a lot more likely at this point."

   "Why?" Thomas asked.

   Newt gave him a confused look. "You didn't hear? We've got a huge storm coming."

Just my luck, Thomas thought.

"When?" He asked aloud.

"Tomorrow."