Yannik
"Got some gas, Sammy?"
I shut my locker only to see his concerned face. He shakes his head, and I hear Enzo beside me let out a smudged snicker.
"Well, girl, looks like you have to quit."
I roll my eyes at his words. Sam rubs the back of his neck, guiltily looking away.
"No gas," he finally confesses. "We actually got into a small fight with that fucker, so you need to wait until we find someone else to get-"
"A fight?" I raise an eyebrow, and Sam points at his lip.
"Have you even seen TJ?" he asks.
I haven't. I mean, I was sitting with him for a few periods, but I was too invested in drawing dicks on every page of his History project to notice.
"But I'm out!" I pout at Sam, and he presses his lips together, making it clear he's powerless here.
"Well, and I ain't going there again," he declares. "If I see this guy one more time, I swear I'll kick his ass."
"Weren't you two the ones who got their asses kicked?" Enzo chuckles, leaning against the locker right behind me.
"He had a pocket knife!" Sam exclaims loud enough for people passing by to give him a dirty look.
"Not that big of a deal." I shrug.
I have a pocket knife too. It's usually stuck in the hole in the wall outside my window so I can use it to get back into my room if it's locked.
But it's the fact that counts.
"Oh, then you go there if you're that brave." Sam raises his eyebrows, arms crossed.
"What's his spot?" I ask.
"You ain't going there alone, Yan." Sam's voice is firm, but I nod at Enzo, testing if he's invested in the conversation.
"I'm not alone. I have Enzo."
"Oh, hell nah," I hear his muffled voice as he sidesteps to look at me. "I ain't getting stabbed so you can get high, honey."
He blinks at me, like it might help knock some sense into my head. Goddamn it, how can somebody have such a cute face and still be an asshole at the same time?
"See? Nobody's going." Sam points at Enzo as living proof. I roll my eyes, looking away so Sam can't see how pissed I am.
And then it hits me.
"I can drive you there, though," Enzo teases. "If you want to get stabbed so badly."
"Yeah, you drive then..." I agree lazily, my mind already elsewhere as my feet carry me toward locker 215C.
Tiago's just a poor little puppy, but with the body of a bodybuilder. And with all those tattoos across his arms, he looks scary enough to be my big-ass pitbull for the ride.
"Sup, Big Star," I mock as I start slowly closing his locker.
When he looks at me, I can tell he's not too happy to see me.
"How's life now that you're super famous?"
"Are you obsessed with me or something?" Tiago huffs, finally letting me close his locker completely.
"Badly." I don't actually lie, but I know he takes it as a joke. "Come with me to get some stuff today."
Tiago doesn't respond immediately. He just stares at me, eyebrows raised, taking his sweet time. I try to keep my face neutral.
"Stuff?" he asks.
"Weed," I clarify in case he didn't get it. "You know, in case there's an Aussie slang for it or something."
"I know what stuff is." He presses his lips together, so tense his jawline could probably cut. "Why me?"
I nod back at Samuel and Enzo, and once Tiago looks at them, I see Enzo waving at him with a stupid smile.
"Sam and T won't go to this guy again, and Enzo's a bitch. He offered to drive, though," I explain.
Tiago pouts his lips, clearly reconsidering.
"Come on. You won't need to intervene, just come with me in case I need you."
"So now you need me?" He snickers, eyeing me like I just said something hilarious.
"Forget it." I groan, making a big effort not to swear as I wobble back toward the guys.
Apparently, my pitbull is too much of a good boy to come intimidate someone with me.
"Well, look at him-Golden Arm Cap!" Enzo grins, looking behind me.
I don't even have time to turn before Tiago comes up from behind, stopping so close his hand brushes mine.
"You didn't tell us you used to be a captain," Sam snorts. "You made yourself a sick advertisement-I saw Coach with one of the papers."
Tiago inhales through clenched teeth, glaring at me.
"Yeah, I didn't really mean for it to happen..." he mumbles.
I tickle the side of his hand as a joke. He discreetly slaps my hand-now not much of a joke anymore.
"Well, it was amazing," Enzo chimes in. "Cormac was so pissed!"
I swear to God, Enzo likes the idea of Cormac getting humbled more than he actually likes Tiago.
When I glance at Tiago, he's gently laughing at Enzo's words, not sure how to react around Sam. Smart move, considering you won't hear a single bad word about Cormac escape Sam's mouth.
"Golden Whatever is going with us, so y'all have just enough time to yap," I announce, making both Sam and Enzo turn to Tiago in astonishment.
"Shit, this man got gumption," Enzo whistles, giving Tiago a friendly slap on the shoulder as a sign of respect. "I'll pick you guys up at seven."
***
"You sure you wanna go there?"
I nod to Enzo as we all stare at the man on the next block. He makes me uneasy. The way he leans against the church wall like he owns the street is unsettling.
Then again, that's the usual feeling you get from a dealer. Even TJ's brother's friend gave me the creeps when he sold me a blunt at their fraternity party.
"I'll be quick," I say, unbuckling myself and reaching for the door handle.
Enzo and Tiago both turn to me so fast they bump into each other trying to stop me.
"Hold on, are you going alone?" Enzo asks.
"I'm going with you," Tiago says like it's not up for debate.
I shake my head and step one foot out of the car. My plan finally took shape on the way here. I don't need a scary pitbull when I can play a role I've perfected my whole life-The rebellious daughter whose only purpose is to be a pain in her folks' ass.
"Come on, what's he gonna do to a girl? Stab me?" I chuckle, but neither of them finds it funny.
Enzo shakes his head in disapproval.
"You stay here and keep an eye on me," I add.
"Don't be stupid, Yannik," Tiago mutters, unbuckling himself like he's coming no matter what.
I glare at him. "I swear to god, Golden Dickhead, you step out of this car, and I'll stab you myself."
Tiago glares back but stays put. Enzo, meanwhile, bursts into laughter.
I tell myself this is the better option as I step out of the car and walk toward the next block.
I'm not exactly experienced in buying weed-normally, TJ or Sam handles it for me-but it can't be that hard. Then again, this guy pulled a pocket knife last time.
Maybe this was a bad idea.
Good thing I don't think things through before acting.
I keep going until I'm standing in front of the guy by the church. He eyes me with a grin.
Selling gas outside a church has to be some next-level sin. His only customers here are probably middle-aged dads trying to escape their wives and feel young again.
"Where you going, shawty?" His voice is scratchy, his tone grating, as he pushes off the wall and takes a few steps toward me.
"Hey there, handsome," I force a lopsided smile. His eyes rake over me, and for the first time ever, I wish I'd listened to Tiago. "You're Cas?" I ask.
"I can be whoever you want me to be, sugar," he says, voice dripping with grease. He shoves his hands into his pockets, wobbling closer. I hold my ground.
"Can you be the guy who sells me some gas, then?" I purr.
Cas cackles, pulling a little zipper bag out of his pocket and shaking it in my face like he's teasing me.
"A dub of some shit so good it'll make you wanna slap your mama," he laughs.
I grin along, slipping out a twenty-dollar bill. "Attagirl," he coos.
I snatch the bag and shove it into my pocket, exhaling internally.
That was easier than I thought-the worst part was putting up with his sleazy flirting.
"Thanks," I murmur, turning to leave.
Then I feel his hand wrap around my forearm.
"Hey, why rush, sugarcube?" Cas sounds lazy, but his grip is firm. Too firm. "Let's hang out a little."
"Maybe another time," I joke, trying to shake him off, but he doesn't let go.
"Come on, don't play hard to get," he grins, licking his teeth.
"No playing, dude, I'm just not into freaks." I say clearly.
His hand slides from my forearm up to my shoulder.
"Really? 'Cause you're looking sweet like a piece of cake-makes me wanna take a bite."
Adrenaline floods my system. He reaches for my chest.
I shove his hand off, my other hand instinctively flicking at my septum ring, folding it up into my nostrils as my body gears up to snap.
"The hell are you doing, you-"
"You get the fuck away from her!"