Bombshells ~ Complete

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Lunchroom Lessons

I avoided the boys for the rest of the day. I said I wasn't feeling well at dinner, said I was tired and went to bed early. The next morning I was flying out the door with my hood pulled up with the excuse that I needed to talk to some teacher something I had missed. 

I was panting when I finally arrived at school. People were staring at me, whispering rumors about where I'd been. They knew not to whisper too loudly or the Steel boys would find them and teach them not to talk about their little sister. 

It was the first time I was back at school in weeks. 

For some reason, although school was seen as a type of hell by so many different people, it was seen as a type of normalcy for me. Because even though I hadn't been to school much since enrolling, it was someplace that was normal. It was a place where even though the kids would be cruel and memories even crueler, I could be free of my father. In that way, school was a type of peace to me. 

In all other ways I agreed with the majority of the student population. 

School was hell.

I quickly rushed to my first class, praying the boys wouldn't catch me in the act. I didn't need them asking questions about why I took off so suddenly this morning, or where I'd gotten a black eye. I could just say that I had been punched by some guy from school. But then they would demand who, and even if I said that I didn't know, they would probably line up all the boys who went to school just for me to point out whichever one hit me. 

It would be awful.

"Ariel's back." The whispers followed me like ghosts. People wondering where I'd been. Why wasn't I at Kas's funeral? Did I know? Had I really been asked to stand trial against Micah? 

"Welcome back, Ms. Steel. I understand you've been through a lot these past few weeks, but I won't let you slack off any." Mrs. Harper snapped at me, irritated by my lack of attendance. While most students would sulk and say that wasn't fair, I was happy to throw myself into the work. 

Working meant not thinking. Not thinking meant not remembering. 

Students started to slowly fill up the classroom, then there was a rush when the one minute bell rang. No one sat beside me, too afraid of what my brothers would do if I said anyone was hassling me. 

"Where's she been?" Some guy whispered obnoxiously loud from behind me. I could have sworn he wanted me to hear what he was saying, but his friends shushed him much too quickly for that. Maybe he was just a loud whisperer?

"Ms. Steel, hood off." Mrs. Harper barked from behind her desk. I gulped. I didn't want anymore rumors spreading about me and a black eye would cause a whole lot of rumors. Rumors that would get around to my brothers. 

This was gonna suck. 

I pulled down my hood and yanked my hair around my face to cover my eye. But I hadn't been swift enough. Someone gasped and there was a tense silence. Everyone wanted to ask me what had happened, where'd I get the bruise. 

But they were terrified of my brothers. 

Not for the first or the last time, I was thankful for having intimidating brothers. They were a Godsend when there were nosy people prying into your life. Trust me on that one. 

Class passed slowly, like molasses. I wanted to sprint out of the class and then out of the school as fast as I could make my legs go. But I didn't. I stayed and took notes like a good little girl. I walked to all of my classes with hasty footsteps. I could hear the whispers following me with more intensity. 

Did Micah hit her too? Did she get mugged? Where'd she get the bruise? Does anyone know what happened?

Some people were actually concerned, which I found endearing. But some were just plain nosy, which I found annoying. I just wanted to live my life, people. Leave me be!

Lunch came, and I was not looking forward to it. The boys had started blowing up my phone in the middle of third period, asking what the heck was going on and why was everyone saying I had a black eye and what happened?

Two things surprised me.

One was that it took three periods to get around to them. I thought they would have heard sooner. 

Two was that they were taking it so well. I had expected a stampede or something of that nature.

I sat down at the lunch table that Kas and I would sit at if we actually came into lunch. It hurt to think that Kas would never be able to laugh at these people with me again. Then again, she wouldn't have to dread going home everyday. 

A hand landed on my shoulder, turning me around in my seat against my will. There was the first time I cursed the fact that the seats didn't have backs. Then I came face to face with a very, very angry Kade. 

Oh dear. 

"Can I help you?" I asked, trying not to draw more attention than we already had. Half the cafeteria was staring at us.

Kade's eyes wandered over my face, taking in the black eye with a furious expression. I didn't know what I would say, what excuse I could possibly make up to get me out of this one. 

"Who?" He growled. I gulped.

This wasn't the Kade I knew and loved. This was a guy who was so enraged he was calm. All because someone had hurt the person he loved more than anything. All because someone had hurt me. 

This wasn't going to end well. 

"I don't know. Some guy. Don't even remember what he looked like." I lied quickly. Kade nodded, gritting his teeth together. I didn't think I had ever seen him so angry before. 

Not once in my life was I so unafraid near someone so terrifyingly infuriated.

"Okay." He said softly. His fingertips just barely touched my eye, but I still felt the soft touch. He was an awesome big brother. The others soon joined. Even Jaydon, which was shocking because I didn't think he ever ate in the lunchroom. 

"Kade?" Jaydon asked, looking up at his big brother with something like fear dancing in his eyes. Not fear of being hurt, of course. Fear of what Kade would do to those who hurt me. Jaydon looked over my face and the tips of his ears went red, but his face dropped in shame. 

He blamed himself for my getting hurt. 

Kade started walking towards the middle of the cafeteria, since I sat on the outskirts. Ethan grabbed my arm and started pulling me along, against my will, obviously. Kade looked at a group of wrestlers who were talking about their last match, and they easily fled from their table. I shot them apologetic looks from over my shoulder. 

Kade stood up on the table, drawing everyone's attention. 

"Listen up!" He yelled, cupping his hands around his mouth. The whispering abruptly halted. Everyone was facing Kade, straining to catch a glimpse of all the Steel siblings. Me included. Oh, that gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling when I thought that. 

"What are you doing?" I hissed. I didn't want Kade to end up getting into trouble or a fight because of me. 

He could get hurt if he got into any fights. Or worse. Expelled. 

"Anyone who talks about, makes up stories about, or otherwise irritates my little sister is gonna get their ass kicked! Anyone who actually hurts  her is gonna wish I had killed them! And it won't be just me kicking the crap out of you. It'll be all eight of us!" Kade shouted, scaring most people in paling. 

I was pretty sure the Bryan kid who pushed me around at the beginning of my enrollment peed himself in fear. 

"Kade Steel, get off that table this instant! All five Steel boys in my office now! Ms. Steel, if you would please join them?" Principal Henricks growled out, glaring at my brothers and basically trying to kill me from a distance. 

Oh no. 

This wasn't going to end well. 

And all for that stupid, yet comforting, lunchroom lesson. I was gonna kill Kade.