“Maddy!” Tamlin popped up behind the shoulder of a dude with the body of a linebacker, she pushed her way around him before latching onto my hand. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
She moved us effortlessly in the crowd, finding the nearest sofa. Tamlin’s eyes traveled the noisy room a moment before she shrugged and sat down. I frowned, wiping at invisible germs on my pants. I didn’t realize I’d need to be worried about catching an STD from tonight’s festivities, but here we were, all feet in the deep end.
“Don’t worry about it, those pants are out of season and don’t fit me anyway,” she said, as if reading my mind. I smiled and took a seat in the corner that looked the cleanest, which wasn’t saying much. “A little bodily fluid never hurt anyone, anyway.”
I could barely contain my cringe.
“You clean up well, little mouse,” a voice whispered right at my ear then, causing me to jump, forcing my shoulder into a girl and making her dump her drink on both of us. She looked at me in clear disgust, and if she was able to I’m sure she would have burned me alive with the fire in her eyes.
“Watch where you’re going, bitch.” She spat her venom.
“I’m so sorry.” I stumbled back, trying to avoid making eye contact with her. She stepped towards me until I fumbled back on the sofa and fell flat on my ass, and on a wet spot to add insult to injury.
The girl leaned forward, seething in front of my face. “You aren’t sorry yet, but you will be.”
“Get the fuck away from her, Katie,” Kyler’s voice boomed, making the crowd around us stop and take notice. He stepped in front of me, forcing the girl to step back. Her eyes rounded and her mouth formed a straight line. The look of pure shock on her face only mirrored my own. I would have never expected Kyler to put himself out for anyone, especially me.
“You know her, Ky?” she asked, straightening her face and forcing her voice to sound sweet; too sweet. She started to move her hands along the bottom hem of his t-shirt. I don’t know why that bothered me, but it did. Until Kyler slapped her hand away.
“Don’t fucking touch me, Katie. You also better stay the fuck away from Maddy,” he spat. Katie glared at me, and if I wasn’t a little intimidated by her before, now I was completely frightened.
“Don’t fuckin’ look at her.” Kyler said, moving the girl’s gaze not so gently off of me. “You don’t talk to her, you don’t look at her. Fuck, if you even see her in the same space as you, your ass will make yourself scarce.” He waited for Katie to answer, and when she didn’t he quickly added, “Katie, you know what I am capable of. Do you really want me to unleash that shit on you?” he asked, coldly. The girl shook her head no. “Good. Now that we’re understood, get lost.”
Katie ran off, desperately pushing her way through the crowd circled around us.
“Show’s over,” Kyler said, lifting a cup to the crowd before drinking. “Party on, assholes.”
10
“Terror made me cruel . . .” ― Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights
Kyler
I watched as Katie walked away, flipping her hair in the air as if she was queen bee. One thing about Katie, aside from her being a bitch, she was also a smart girl who knew that when it comes to going toe to toe with me, she was completely out matched.
I turned to my sister and the little mouse huddled together on the couch, Madison physically shaking. I was a little disappointed that a girl like Katie was able to rattle her. Maybe she wasn’t as strong as I’d thought she was. But then again, most people aren’t what you think they are.
“Thank you,” Madison said, those two little words were so soft that I wasn’t even sure if she’d really spoken them.
“Don’t mention it,” I said, picking up my drink and taking another sip. “I just happen to hate her more than I hate you.”
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, her voice changing to an octave much louder than it was just a moment ago. I played it off as if her question was irrelevant and didn’t answer immediately. I looked straight into her eyes, making sure that I stared at her intently, taking another sip of my drink just to draw out the tension.
“Nothing is wrong with me, little mouse, what’s wrong with you?” I asked, coldly.
“You did something kind, and I thanked you. The correct response would have been don’t mention it. Period. You didn’t need to add the extra crap. You might be used to people taking your shit and running off crying like that bimbo over there, But I’m not one of those bimbos, my parents taught me to never let anyone push me around.” Her stare stood up to my own, her look had a fire building behind it. She slowly got up off the disgusting couch and walked over, covering the limited space between us. “Especially you.”
She jutted her finger forcefully into my chest. Her touch was confusing; it felt like silk tangled in razor-sharp thorns. I didn’t want her touch, but I hated myself for craving it, too. In that moment I realized that this game between the little mouse and me was bigger than I could’ve dreamed.
From my peripheral vision I could see my sister’s face, her mouth opening and closing like a suffocating fish. I grabbed the little mouse’s hand, gently bringing it back to her side and dropping it.
“Don’t. Ever. Touch. Me. Again,” I said, coldly and slowly, making sure that my point drove home like an arrow. I wasn’t sure if it was my voice that shook her or the steely look in my eyes, but the little mouse broke down right there before me.
I couldn’t look at her; I removed my gaze
