Little brat

5. Mad as hell

The next morning, Landon was ready to go to school again. But before he went out the door, I stopped him. ''Could you give a message to someone for me?''
He looked at his watch then back at me and nodded.
"Remember that kid that sat next to me, in class? David?''
Landon thought for a moment before saying, ''I remember you sitting next to a boy but I can't remember his face.''
"I didn't expect you to. Do you know Kyle?'' I asked. Kyle was one of the more known people in school. Everybody knew who the boy was that always got himself in trouble, both with girls and in class.
''What about him?''
"Tell him I've lost my phone and that I'll be back at school soon. Make up some story about me being sick or stuff.'' After a second thought, I added, ''Please.''
''Yeah, whatever. I've got to go now.'' Landon left and I hoped he'd keep up to his promise. Even though it wasn't my fault, I felt like a real betrayer leaving school and my friends like that.
"Are you twelve years old again?''
I turned around to see Rachel standing at the top of the stairs, on the exact same spot Marcus had been standing yesterday.
"Which would mean we'd finally be on the same intelligence level.'' I retorted.
Rachel and I had never seen eye to eye. She was the one person in this gang I could not stand and who could not stand me. Apart from Mario but we had a love-hate relationship while with Rachel, it was all hate.
"I'm surprised it took you a whole day to insult me.'' Rachel wasn't wearing much, she was dressed in only a white shirt that was too big for her. It looked like a man's t-shirt.
"Only because I didn't see you sooner. Have you been playing hooker again?''
''Jealous much?''
Just as I was about to answer that she had nothing I could ever be jealous about, Marcus appeared. This time, he didn't even have his pants on, just his boxers. And to my horror, he whispered something in Rachel's ear which made her giggle, grabbed her by the waist and took her into his bedroom. I was shocked, to say the least. How much had changed in just one year?

After breakfast, almost everyone was up, including Julio. He was hanging with some of the older guys and it was weird seeing him so grown up. Before I'd left, he was still a little kid.
''Julio, got a minute?''
He turned around and smiled. ''Always.''
That got him some catcalls from the guys and I rolled my eyes at their level of immatureness.
"Yesterday, I said ''Fill me in on everything"', I emphasized 'everything','' which includes the weird twosome Rachel and Marcus.''
Julio smacked his own head. ''Oh yeah, right. Must've slipped my mind.''
''I wish it would slip my mind.'' One of the boys said. I pushed Julio aside and saw it was Derek talking. At least he hadn't changed. Still handsome, still a lot of muscles but not much else.
''What do you mean?'' All of them were looking at me, some with pity, some with lust (boys gotta be boys) and some with curiosity.
''They're just so loud, you know, my room is next to Marcus's and I just sometimes wish...'' Derek stopped talking as his eyes moved to something behind me and as I turned my head around, I saw Julio making big waves with his hands, his head shaking no. As soon as he caught my gaze, he stopped and sighed. I was more hurt than mad but I was better at being mad so I focused mostly on that emotion.
''So what, they're sleeping together?'' I could handle that. Him using her for only her body.
''Well, yes.'' The way Julio said it, made it seem like he was hiding something.
''But?'' I urged him.
''But it seems more than that. They've been hanging out, a lot.'' Julio couldn't even look me in the eyes as he said it, because he knew how much it hurt me.
''We even have a nickname for the happy couple, Marchel!'' Derek said and laughed, completely clueless about it all. Two guys laughed with him, not sure what to do and the others were dead silent. I took off and heard Julio following me.
''Look, it's fine, I just-'' But I stopped as I turned around and saw it was Stefan. He must've seen the whole thing. Awesome.
"I could forbid them to be together.'' He said. And he was serious about it because that was Stefan, never joking around.
''Thank you, but no. As much as I'd like that, it would only make things worse.''
We were in the kitchen now, me sitting on a high stool, leaning over the table while my hands struggled to open the wrapping of the damn piece of chocolate. Stefan stood next to the door, leaning against the wall, his head tilted up, as he always did when thinking.
Hix next question surprised me. Mostly because he asked like he cared.
''How important is this school thing for you?''
I'd finally gotten the wrapper and ate the chocolate.
''Very."
"I'll never get what you like so much about school."
I shrugged. I didn't expect him to, Stefan was never one to follow rules (as you can tell since he's a gangleader). He never liked being told to what to do.
"Why did you run away?" He asked after a minute of silence.
If he hadn't looked so serious at that moment, I would've laughed.
''The way you feel about school? That's how I feel about being here. It's like I'm trapped. I feel as if I can't live my own life here.'' I couldn't look him in the eyes, knowing how much my words must hurt him. All his life, he has protected and cared for me and what do I do? I threw all of his efforts down the drain and ran off.
Really cool.
I was wrong that I hurt him, apparently, I'd made him mad as hell. He kicked against the chair which broke into two as it hit the wall opposite him. Stefan had never been one to deal with anger very well. His hand went through his hair as he paced around the kitchen.
''You hate it here?'' He looked me into my eyes.
"Huh? Do you hate it here?'' He shouted. Tears were now rolling down my cheeks and I hated myself for crying again. Why was I even crying? I was mad, mad as hell!
''Of course, I do!" I shouted back. I kept myself from saying 'I hate you' because I would be lying. But it was there, on the tip of my tongue because he seemed to want to pull it out of me. I was better than that, I was stronger.
"You really think you can protect yourself? That you can just run around and do whatever you want?'' Stefan had lowered his voice which was scarier than him shouting. But I wasn't hurt or scared, I was angry.
''I'm not naïve, Stefan. I know being a Salvatore comes with its risks.''
He chuckled, apparently, he found it funny.
''Well, then do elaborate as to why you'd be so stupid to run off on your own, eh?''

How well this conversation had started, and how badly it would end. It was always like that with us. The one time we would talk to each other without it ending in a fight, would be a miracle.
"You can't lock me up forever.'' I was the one in control now, my tears completely dry and my focus only on anger. ''I'll break free, even if it's the last thing I'll do.''
Maybe, I shouldn't have said the last part.
Stefan took out his gun and pointed it at me. My whole body froze. I didn't blink, I didn't cry, I did nothing. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest. After an eternity, he spoke again.
 ''Go to the living room.''
He'd done the same thing as me, completely shut off his emotions to solely focus on one thing: anger. I slowly moved past him, through the door and to the living room, his footsteps never far behind. As we reached the living room, full of laughter and joking guys, a shot was fired. I shrunk back and reprimanded myself for it. I was not supposed to be scared of a gunshot, I'd grown up hearing those noises. Nobody had screamed, gang members were used to hearing shots. But they weren't normally fired in their own home. Stefan now stood next to me, all eyes on him while all the laughter and joy had gone dead silent. He still had the gun pointed up.
''My sister,'' he gritted through his teeth, "is not to leave this house, ever.''
He slowly lowered the gun until it was pointed at Derek, who was across the room. He gulped. Stefan then slowly moved the gun around the whole room so everyone was focused on it. He finished with pointing it at me before finally putting it back.
"Somebody fix that hole.''
He walked back to his office and closed the door. Marcus was the first one to move.
''Derek and Finn, get some tools and fix the ceiling.'' The two guys immediately obeyed and ran off, glad they were out of sight for a while. Low whispers started to erupt until everybody was talking normally again. But no one laughed, not for a while. Marcus walked towards me. He looked mad but I wasn't sure who he was mad at. Me or Stefan? Probably me. As he stood in front of me, he just shook his head, pushed me aside and went away. Apparently, I wasn't even worth speaking to. Rachel followed soon after.
''Keep this up and I'll be dancing at your grave by the end of the week.''
She grinned at the thought before running after Marcus.