Queen of broken hearts

Retribution

I storm down the corridors, Tamara hurrying along in my wake. Smaller children leap out of our way to avoid being flattened.

Now that my mind is set on retribution I am fixated, and I feel my blood begin to boil. The anger burns white hot in my chest. How dare some bully attack a little kid just to get back at his ex. What sort of sick, petty person stoops so low. And this isn't even the first time it has happened.

I feel a tug on my shirtsleeve and I turn to see Tamara gesturing inside a classroom off the main corridor. I look through the door to where a bunch of boys are lounging across the desk. One stands up and does an impression of someone cowering in fear and their head jerking from side to side as they are struck. He is tall and blonde, his hooked nose and thick eyebrows giving him a permanent scowl, fitting Emmylou's description perfectly. As his head whips back for a third time, I push through the door.

"That's enough!" my voice comes out sharp and harsh. All the boys turn their heads to look at me. A dark-haired one rises.

"Who are you?" he snaps, combing his greasy hair back with his fingers. He must be Cain, Al's second. He must take my silence as encouragement, because he takes a step closer, grinning back at his friends. I can gauge the exact moment he catches sight of Tamara, as his eyes darken and a frown etches itself into his forehead.

"I thought we dealt with you" he says. I hear Tamara step into the room behind me and come up to my side. Al immediately takes an interest, standing up and leering at her.

"I told you to never touch Max again" her voice is low and icy. Combined with her billowing hair and the fire burning in her eyes, she should be terrifying, but Al just comes up and grins down at her.

"And what are you going to do you little slut? Fuck every guy in the school to get back at me? I've told you I don't care about you any more. Go open your legs for some other bitch!"

I can't help myself. I jerk my fist out and catch Al in the throat. "Don't you ever talk to anyone like that again" I snarl. Al turns on me, his arms raised. Before he can strike I've ducked under his guard and rammed my shoulder into his stomach. He flies backward to land sprawled on his back. I crouch down beside his and wrap my fingers around his throat, my grip like iron. I look into his frightened eyes as Al's face starts turning a brilliant shade of puce. As a vein begins to pulse in his forehead I release him, letting him scramble back to massage his neck.

"Next time you beat up some little kid or abuse one of my friends, I wont let go" I am so angry i can feel my blodd pounding in my ears. With an enormous force of will I stand up and turn around, ready to leave Al to sort himself out. In a split second I see Tamara's face, eyes wide, hand covering her mouth.

I drop into a crouch before she even cries out in warning. I use Cain's- who just launched himself at me- momentum against him, catching his knees with my shoulder so that he goes flipping over my head and lands on his back. I grab the front of his shirt and haul him up so that he is facing me. I draw back my arm and send my fist crushing into his face. It's not quite enough to break bone, but it will definitely leave Cain with two solid black eyes. Still feeling the receding effects of my rage, I drive my elbow into his stomach. I release my grip on Cain's collar to let him crumple to the floor.
"Never attack someone when their back is turned" I spit. Then, looking up, I address all of them. "That goes for any of you cowards. You got a problem, you come straight to me. Touch a single one of my friends and your as good as dead". I spin on my heel and stride out, grabbing Tamara's hand and dragging her along behind me.

Once we're out in the corridor I let go of her hand. Tamara turns to face me, a grin stretching at her mouth. She throws her arms around me and whispers, "That was the most amazing thing I think I've ever seen, Thankyou." I manage to detangle myself and smile down at her. "Let's go find the others" I say, slightly embarrassed. Tamara turns and practically skips down the hallway in front of me. I smile quietly to myself. I'd say Al definitely had what was coming for him.