But sadly, I’m disappointed yet again.

I sigh heavily and lean my back against the red locker and squeeze my books tighter against my chest. I can’t wait to get out of here and run off to a big city where I can make something of myself. I’ve always thought a job in advertising sounded fun. Maybe I’ll try that someday.

“Just once I’d love to have some fresh meat in this place,” Cassandra says pulling her brown hair into a loose bun on the top of her head. “I hate knowing everything about these guys. There’s no mystery. None of them do anything surprising.”

I nod in total agreement. “Where are all the guys I read about in books—the ones that know exactly what to say? The first day of school is practically over and nothing remotely exciting has happened yet.”

The moment the words leave my mouth, a crash against the lockers a few feet to my right draws my attention. I suddenly feel the urge to take back the last thing I said. This is not exactly the kind of excitement I was hoping for.

All the kids in the hallway stop dead in their tracks in unison and stare at the scene playing out before us like a bad teen sitcom. Roger Robertson, the guy we all know as the school bully, grips Wendell McFarland, a kid in my grade, by the collar of his shirt. Roger’s large arms twist as he repositions his wrists in order to get a better grip, while he wears a sickening smile on his red, pimple-covered face. Roger isn’t the kind of guy you want to mess with. His temper is about as red-hot as the flaming color of his hair and we all know he’s been held back to the freshman level three times now. If Roger walks down the hallway, you get out of his way or duck for cover. His reputation of assholeism precedes him.

I instantly feel sorry for Wendell. His tiny, pencil-like frame is no match for the likes of Roger. “Give it up, you fucking pussy.” I flinch as Roger yanks Wendell forward and slams him back even harder. “Don’t make me tell you again. I know your parents are loaded. Cough up the dough.”

Wendell gasps for air as Roger shoves his knuckles into his throat. “I don’t have any money.”

Another slam and Wendell’s glasses slip down the bridge of his nose. “Cough it up you little shit stain.”

My mouth gapes open and my eyes grow wide. It’s painfully hard to watch. Someone has to stop this.

I glance around. Several of my classmates stand frozen. No one is making a move to stop this outright appalling display of human behavior. This makes me sick. What’s wrong with these people? A desperate need to make this stop fills me.

Before I even realize what I’m doing I take a couple quick steps and open my mouth. “Stop it! Leave him alone!”

It’s like a movie when a hush falls over the crowd. I know this isn’t the smartest move, but I just can’t stand by and do nothing. And, okay, I know the odds of me being able to stop Roger physically are about as good as a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest, but I can’t idly sit by. I wasn’t raised that way.

Cassandra grabs my arm and whispers harshly, “Are you crazy, Lanie? What are you doing?”

I pull my arm from her grip and frown as I take in the fear in her brown eyes. I straighten my stance. I have to appear brave. “Someone has to stop this, Cass.”

Roger’s gaze darts from me to Wendell. His eyes are so brown they almost appear black and the pure venom in them causes my legs to shake. A deep laugh bursts out of his mouth and holds me in place. “What do we have here? Is this your little girlfriend, four-eyes? Is she here to save you?”

“N-n-no,” Wendell stutters.

No one should be able to get away with treating people like this. “Stop it, Roger!”

Roger flings his gaze at me. “Or what, Shirley Temple? You going to make me?”

I stare down at the pink sundress I’m wearing. While very cute for my first day of school, it doesn’t exactly scream badass. But this guy doesn’t know what I’m capable of, so I can’t let him rattle my nerves. “I might. Now, leave him alone.”

Roger sneers while opening his large hands and makes a show of letting Wendell go. As soon as Wendell is free, he takes off running, without so much as looking back to make sure I’m not the one getting pounded now.

Thanks for the back-up, Wendell.

The bully turns to me and taps his lip. “Happy now, Shirley? I let him go, but it seems we have a small problem.”

I lift my chin as Roger stalks towards me with slow steps, like a tiger stalking its prey. “What’s that?”

“Someone is going to have to pay me. You see, I need money for a new tire and since you chased my little buddy off, I guess that leaves you to pay for it.” He grins at me in a way a serial killer would…right before he murders his victim.

I grip my books tighter and my hands turn clammy. If he comes at me this Geometry book is going to make one hell of a weapon. “Fat chance. I’m not giving you any money.”

He shakes his head as he steps in front of me. “That’s where you’re wrong. Guy, girl…doesn’t matter to me. I’ll still beat you into submission in order to get what I need, and what I need from you is money. You’re going to get that for me. A nice girl like you seems good for it.”

I narrow my eyes. “No, I’m not.”

“Listen, bitch…” Roger slaps the books from my hands and leans in to me like he’s about to attack, but a voice stops him.

“Pick those up.” My neighbor and childhood friend, Noel Falcon pushes his way through the crowd. Once he’s through, he narrows his eyes at Roger, daring him to cross him. “Pick those up, or I swear to God, you’ll pay.”

The guy in front of me takes a step back and smirks as Noel steps between us, using his body to shield me from Roger. At first I’m scared for Noel’s safety, but I soon notice he’s nearly an even match for the guy that’s much older than him.

When did he get so tall and buff?

I guess I never noticed Noel’s muscles before. The way they stretch his black t-shirt, and how broad his shoulders have actually gotten, has somehow slipped past me all summer long. Granted, I haven’t seen him as much as I normally do over the summer. Noel was always busy every time I asked him to come over and go fishing off the dock behind my house like we always did, which was…strange, considering we used to spend all of our time together.

His hair is longer too. The shaggy hair he sported last school year as he got into rock music would probably touch his shoulders now if he didn’t have it pulled back into a low-set ponytail. I admit, he’s looking pretty good.

Roger straightens his shoulders and rocks his neck like a trained fighter before he sets his eyes on Noel. “You’ll walk away if you know what’s good for you. This is between me and Shirley here.”

Noels fingers fold into fists at his side. “I think you got that backwards, fucker. It’s you that needs to beat it.  No one messes with Lane. No one.”

“Brave words. You’re going to wish you’d walked away when I gave you the chance after I beat your face in,” Roger sneers.

“I’ll never walk away from Lane. You fuck with her, you fuck with me.” There’s a growl in Noel’s voice I’ve never heard before. It’s low and threatening. I never knew Noel could be so scary, or badass, or…hot.

Oh my God. What am I thinking? Noel isn’t hot. Noel is…Noel, my friend—best friend since kindergarten.

I can’t ponder on that last thought too long because Roger’s laugh pulls me out of that bubble. Without warning Roger draws his arm back, launching it full force towards Noel’s face. Two things happen so quickly that the scream building in my throat doesn’t have time to come out. The first is Noel dodges the blow with ease and the second blasts Roger in the face first while simultaneously pushing me out of harms way.

I fall to the floor just as Roger tackles Noel and they crash to the ground. At first it appears that Roger has the upper hand until Noel uses some quick UFC style movements and turns the tables. Noel flips Roger onto his back and straddles him before gripping a handful of Roger’s shirt in his hand and blasts a right hook into the monster redhead’s face.