“Is that an accusation?” he stood up, looming over me with that ‘I’m about to snap’ look in his eyes. Honestly? I didn’t care.

  “I don’t give a shit what you think it is but…”

  “ENOUGH.” The old woman’s voice boomed, hands waving in the air like she reached her limit an hour ago.

  “Get out!”

  Her tone didn’t leave room for debate. A rattling dry cough tore from her chest, weak and uneven, like she hadn’t slept in days.

  Her eyes scanned the class, daring anyone to argue.

  I snatched my bag and bolted out, rehearsing the million excuses I’d have to give Mia later on.

  The ass hole stayed behind, and the teacher didn’t even blink. There was no way I was letting him get away with it.

  My pulse quickened as I walked down the quiet hallway. A pale boy with thick glasses and messy black hair was leaning against a locker, rubbing his neck.

  As I got closer, I saw three nasty bruised-looking puncture marks

  “Hey,” I said, stopping short. “Where’s the principal’s office.”

  “Prin-principal?” The kid looked at me like I was speaking Greek. He was pale, even for a Tuesday, and he just sort of gestured vaguely at the ceiling. “Two floors up. Right at the top.”

  I didn’t even nod. I was already moving. My head felt like it was full of static, that high-pitched hum that starts when you’ve been quiet for too long while someone treats you like dirt.

  I got to the second floor landing and stopped. I didn’t even realize I was doing it until I tasted a piece of my nail in my mouth- the pressure had built up inside my eyes like a storm that I was biting my nails again.

  The Principal. Right. I’d go in there, sit on a plastic chair, and explain—for the tenth time—why it wasn’t “just a joke.” And he’d give me that pitying look and tell me he’d “file a report.”

  The static in my head got louder. Forget the report.

  I turned around and practically fell down the stairs, pushing past a group of freshmen. The air outside was bitingly cold, but I barely felt it.

  A black SUV that cost more than Mr. Fisher’s house, land plus our kia picanto all combined wasn’t hard to spot out.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  I didn’t have a plan until my foot hit a loose rock near the curb. It was heavy, jagged on one side. I didn’t think; I just threw.

  The sound of the glass breaking was dull, heavy thud-crunch that felt sickeningly permanent. I waited for a siren, for a shout but nothing came.

  A few students who peeked out the windows took about one glance before minding their business.

  I reached into my bag and found the folding knife Mia had given me in case I got to encounter the wolves.

  My palms were so sweaty I almost dropped it. I jammed the blade into the front tire, leaning my entire weight into it until I heard that long, slow hiss of air escaping.

  It wasn’t “justice.” It was just a ruined car and a ruined afternoon. But as I scrambled back towards the side entrance, my chest finally felt like it had enough room to breathe.

  I made it to the bathroom, locked myself in the end stall, and just leaned my forehead against the door. Something in my chest fluttered, fast and shallow.

  What if this was exactly what he wanted? The thought scared me. What if I was told to pay for the damage?

  I was half a second away from shoving the bathroom door open when Abie’s voice caught me.

  “I’ve been looking for you.”

  She was just standing there in the narrow hallway, hands buried in her pockets, looking way too calm for someone who’d just witnessed a felony. I froze, my hand still trembling on the door handle.

  The hallway felt too narrow for the air I needed.

  “You don’t want to mess with Jaden,” she said in a flat, heavy tone that makes you feel like you’ve already lost. “Some things are best left alone.”

  We started walking towards the lockers. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say that didn’t sound defensive or pathetic, so I just watched my own feet.

  Halfway there, the girl who sat in front of Jaden earlier in class—blocked the path.

  She didn’t come close; she just stood there with two of her friends, watching us like we had lost a bet.

  “You don’t know what he…”

  Abie stopped talking, like she was caught giving out some illegal information. She reached into her bag, pulled out a small plastic black bottle that smelled strongly of metal, and went over to give it to her

  The girl took it, her mouth twitching into a nasty little half-smirk that made me want to shrink into the floorboards. She didn’t even say thanks to Abie. It made me wonder if they were bullying her.

  She just looked at me—a long, cold stare that felt like a threat—and then they all turned and headed for the exit.

  Abie just kept walking, like it was a normal Tuesday. I followed her, my pulse climbed higher and higher, I could hear it in my ears.

  I didn’t care what the people at school might think but what Mia’s reaction would be.

  Lucie, Abie’s desk mate met us by the lockers. She was staring at her sneakers, her shoulders hunched up.

  I started to ask about the girl with Jaden -but the words died in my mouth. I saw it. On the side of her neck, just above the collar of her shirt, were these dark, ugly bruises. Small, circular marks. Identical to the ones I’d seen on that kid in the hall.

  My skin went cold. Lucie let out this long, shaky yawn, the kind you make when you’re so tired your bones ache. She looked like it had been awhile since she last rested, to ask what happened, but speech caught somewhere behind my tongue.

  We walked out of the side doors together, the light hitting us all at once. And then I saw him.

  Jaden, leaning against his car. He wasn’t yelling or even moving. He was just... waiting. He looked from the shattered window, down to the flat tire, and then his eyes locked onto mine with a piercing stare.

  He knew it was me and I realised this was far from over.