26. Melee + Meddle

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The following day is a wet one, unlike me.

Jayce's rejection had been enough to put me in a sour mood last night and into this morning, which the stormy weather matched.

Rain had been pouring down since I woke up and it's unrelenting in its insistence to absolutely drench everything in town. Thunder rumbles outside the raindrop-spotted window pane as the lights flicker in the AP Biology classroom. I'm just putting away the last of my lab equipment when the bell rings and the sound of chairs pushing back from desks fills the room.

"Lab report is due on Wednesday! Don't forget," our teacher tuts as the rest of the class scuttles into the hallway.

I quickly gather my books and dash through the door, scanning the ocean of students until I see my target - a thick, blonde ponytail whipping around the corner.

When I saw Layla strutting into class this morning, I had been reminded of the incredible sleuthing Jayce had done when he talked to Shay at the Harvest Party. I was so grateful of the little fact that I knew, for sure, that Layla was the one behind changing me and Haven's tests. Sure, she didn't actually do it, but she's the mastermind behind it. Suffice it to say, I'd been fantasizing about confronting her for the last hour and a half of class, and now was my chance.

I weave in and out of the crowd, running after her as fast as I can. I shove past a group of people when I finally see her swishing hips and bouncing ponytail come to a halt in front of her locker.

Here we go...

I walk up to her, feeling a look of disgust taking over my features the closer I get to the she-devil.

"Oh, hey Fallon!" She flashes me her token fake smile as she twists the combination lock.

"Quick question, bitch..."

She quirks a perfectly plucked eyebrow as she lifts her locker open.

"...What the fuck?" I slam her locker shut immediately, causing her to jump, which brings me an insane amount of satisfaction. "Are you really that much of a coward?"

She folds her thin arms over her chest, her blue eyes dancing wildly, like a snake that has its prey in their sights and can't wait to devour it. "That was two questions. And I might be a bitch, but I am not a coward, Rhodes."

"Oh, really? So it's because you're 'so brave' that you have your best friend do all your dirty work for you?" I feel my heart rate picking up already as I try to imagine how she got Shay to go to such lengths for her.

A smile cracks her lips apart to reveal impossibly bright white teeth as she lets out a shrill giggle. "I don't know what you're talking about, but it sure is adorable," she pats the top of my head patronizingly. "I see why JayJay likes you, you're like a cute little puppy, a little baby bitch!"

Shrugging off her attempt to get me off balance, I lower my voice and zero in on her unfalteringly happy face. "I'm talking about the fact that you are the reason me and Haven currently have failing grades in calculus. You might've been able to pull it off if it hadn't been caught on tape."

I revel in the fact that the tiniest flicker of fear appears in her eyes, but she does a good job of recovering quickly. "You're full of shit," she scoffs, flicking her ponytail behind her shoulder.

"Yeah, probably," I shrug. "But I have this video here..." I take my phone out of my pocket and wave it around teasingly, "And it really does look an awful lot like someone breaking into Mrs. Bridges' classroom and fucking with some test papers. So basically, I suggest you back the fuck off of me and my brother."

I had decided about an hour ago that the only way I would have any power over Layla was if she really thought I had a copy of the footage. Which I sure as hell didn't, but she doesn't need to know that. I just hope it's enough, because I'm not going to blackmail her if I can avoid it. I'm not into threatening other people's futures, like she clearly is.

Layla's pale face breaks out into an unexplained, smug smirk. "Tell me, Fallon," she cocks her head to the side, widening her eyes like she's talking to a little kid or a pet. "Who, exactly, is in that video of yours?"

"Shay Cruz. Your best friend."

"So, remind me," she steps forward, her face leaning over mine. "Why the fuck should I care?"

"Excuse me?"

She tips her head back and lets out a cackle before snapping her eyes back to mine, "Let me give you a basic lesson in being a good snitch: You need proof. And I am not in your video, sweetie, so I don't know why you're still talking to me."

"But Shay is," I slide my phone into my pocket, anger filling my lungs with every breath.

"You're even dumber than I thought if you believe I actually care about anything that happens to that girl."

Her words wrestle in my head as I try to understand how so much evil could live inside one person. I can't believe her. She's literally willing to sacrifice her best friend's reputation. Lucky for Shay, I'm not going to turn her in, but I'm still in genuine shock at the true nastiness that is Layla Wright. How could she be so incredibly heartless? And to her supposed best friend?

"How could you say that?" My hands begin to shake as I try to rein in my acidic anger. My eyes feel like they're turning red with rage. This kind of malice and injustice is so disgusting to me.

She narrows her eyes and smiles, leveling her face with mine, "Because I'm a bitch."

The next thing I know, the hallway is filled with a sharp slapping sound. Layla is screeching and clutching her cheek, my right hand is throbbing and I'm growling, "Get the hell out of my face."

"You're fucking insane!" Layla shouts as she recovers and lunges at me, shoving me backwards.

I stumble but catch myself and barely have time to process my next actions before I'm flinging myself at her, completely blinded to anything except her furious, red face.

Suddenly her hand comes out of no where as she delivers a perfectly executed backhand to my face, her nails ripping across my cheek.

I suck in a sharp breath, my cheek stinging, but don't reach up to cradle it. No way is this bitch getting an ounce of satisfaction from me.

I lunge at her again, successfully grabbing her ponytail and yanking her head toward the ground as hard as I can. She shrieks and her palms hit the tile floor with a muted smack. She tries to pull herself up but I kick her to the ground again.

She flips onto her back as I stand over her, one foot on either side of her hips. Her foot comes up to kick me in the bum and I stumble forward, falling on top of her, scrambling to get the upper hand before she does.

I grab her flailing arms and pin them to the ground, gripping her wrists so my nails dig into her porcelain skin. I drive my knee caps into the sensitive part of her inner thighs, causing her to yelp in pain as I press in. I'm in adrenaline-powered instinct mode right now, the "fight" part of the "fight or flight" response in full force. Staring down at her pain-and-hate-filled expression only seems to fuel me.

"You're going to do two things for me," I growl, crushing her thighs even harder. "First, you're going to come clean to your uncle and Mrs. Bridges about what you did to me and Haven's tests. You'll take full responsibility. You won't mention Shay at all."

"Oh really?" She lets out a sound like a jaguar, still thrashing and snarling beneath me, her eyes venomous.

I claw into her skin and dig even deeper into the tenderest part of her thigh. "And then, Layla? You're going to get a fucking life, you immature, pathetic, bottom-feeding swine."

Adrenaline pounds through my veins as I bring her wrists together above her head and crush them beneath one of my forearms, raising a closed fist in the air. I'm about to bring it down right on her pretty little nose when a strong hand grabs my elbow, the other arm encircling my waist and pulling me off Layla.

"You need to calm down, Tink," Jayce's gruff voice orders, his stubbly jawline scratching against my ear as he pulls me against him.

In other circumstances, I would have probably shivered or gone weak at the knees, but right now, I'm really fucking annoyed - at Layla, and at him. My eyes furiously zero in on Layla, who is scrambling to stand up. Elbowing him in the rib with all my might, he releases me with an oof and I lunge straight at her again, not happy that my work on her face was interrupted.

...Only to be caught midair by Haven. "Fal, you're causing a scene. There will be teachers out here any second," he tells me, both arms wrapped tightly around my wrists as he quite literally drags me away from her.

My vision only rips from Layla when I see Shay break through the onlooking crowd, running to Layla's side and asking if she's okay. It's like needles are getting shoved under my fingernails to know that Layla literally does not give a shit about someone who clearly gives several shits about her. The fact that Layla straight up told me she doesn't care if something were to happen to Shay... And over something I'm sure she was manipulated into doing...

"You fight like a little bitch, Fallon Rhodes," Layla sneers, turning to face me. "But if you ever want to come over, we could go to my room and do something like that again," she winks and flips me off, somehow still able to get the final word in even when I was literally about to beat her face in three seconds ago.

I do the only thing I can think of doing while my hands are unusable - I launch a ball of spit at her, the clump landing on the toe of her shoe, which brings a smug, satisfied smile to my face as she looks down at it in disgust. Her grossed out expression is the last thing I see as Haven drags me around the corner and into the girl's bathroom, only letting me go once the door is closed.

I turn around to see both Haven and Jayce guarding the door, both of their arms folded across their chests whilst their muscles bulge. Haven is glaring at me with disapproval while Jayce looks more like he's trying not to laugh, but also trying to be serious for Haven's sake.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, I realize I feel like I haven't breathed since I slammed Layla's locker shut.

"What the hell was that?" Haven barks.

"Excuse me?" I scoff incredulously. "That was me actually doing something about the fact that Layla is the reason we're both currently failing calculus."

He shakes his head, his eyebrows furrowing. "There are better ways than doing things that could get you expelled."

I roll my eyes and Jayce does his best to hide a snort, his eyes gleaming with laughter.

"Shut the fuck up, man!" Haven smacks Jayce's arm, looking furious. "This isn't funny."

Jayce hits his breaking point and curls over in laughter, wheezing as he breathes, "I'm still just in awe of the whole, 'pathetic, bottom-feeding swine thing.'" His face turns increasingly red as he tries to stop laughing but starts all over again, wiping his eyes as he says, "And that you actually fought Layla. That was some of the most amazing shit I've ever seen."

Even though I'm still mad at Jayce for basically telling me I wasn't good enough for him to sleep with, I crack a smile and lift my chin in the air, grateful that I'm not getting talked down to by both of them. Haven continues glaring at Jayce until he manages to get himself under control. Haven turns his eyes back to me, still clearly unimpressed.

"We'll find a way to get this fixed, Fal," Haven studies me like he's seeing me for the first time. "I care about getting my grade as much as you do, but you can't expect to attack the principal's niece and then waltz in and have him declare her guilty," he shakes his head. "How did you start fighting, anyway?"

"I told her I had the footage of our tests being changed. You know, the video of Shay?" He nods once and I continue, "She basically told me that she doesn't give a shit who I show it to or what I do with it, because it's Shay's reputation that would be at stake, not hers. Then she got in my face and, I don't know, I just kind of reacted I guess."

"By taking her to the ground and almost breaking her nose?"

"And I slapped her," I point out, not wanting a moment of my heroics to be discounted. "I slapped her across the face first."

"Do you need therapy?" Haven looks absolutely at a loss, completely distraught.

"No bitch, I need an A," I cross my arms and scowl at him, wishing he'd at least say thank you for going to such lengths for both of our sakes.

Haven groans, his expression communicating every ounce of what the hell am I going to do with you?

"What the fuck do you suggest, then, if you're so righteous?"

"I have no idea," he shakes his head, studying the ground. "But we have to get a copy of that video."

"We also need to tell Shay, that her so-called best friend would've betrayed her and not given two shits about it," I suggest, already anticipating the awkwardness of that conversation.

"Agreed," Jayce nods.

Haven's eyes snap to him, "Could you just leave us alone, man?" Haven asks harshly. "This is me and Fallon's problem."

"Dude, seriously?" Jayce looks taken aback and a bit upset himself. "I was heading to find her and talk to her about an idea I had, when I see her on top of someone and getting ready to knock them the fuck out," Jayce says evenly. "Good thing I did, too, otherwise she might be facing expulsion right now."

Haven looks annoyed that Jayce has a point.

"What were you gonna talk to me about?" I derail, taking in Jayce's appearance for the day. He's wearing a black sweatshirt, black jeans and white shoes with a flannel hanging low on his hips. He looks too fantastic for his own good, damn him. When he looks that good... it's sometimes hard to remember that I'm still pissed at him.

"I was gonna see if you wanted to go to a Founder's Council dinner on Wednesday. With me."

Haven looks like the top of his head might explode right off.

"And why would I want do that?" I scowl, but my heart does skip a few beats, unfortunately. Haven's face morphs into one of smugness, looking pleased with my response.

"Arthur and Madeline will most likely be there," Jayce shrugs, running a hand through his hair. "I figured it'd be good to talk to them about what we found. See what they think, since they knew both our da–."

"–What do you mean 'what we found'?" Haven interrupts, glaring at Jayce, his entire face reddening.

"While you were having a fuck fest with your redhead friend yesterday, I went to Jayce's and we read through Duende's ownership contract," I summarize quickly, not wanting to give Jayce the chance to say something that would lead to Haven beating the shit out of him... like how I now know, first hand, that Jayce is the most incredible kisser on planet earth. "Basically, part of the contract states that a fraction of every sale made by Duende would be transferred to a company called Rhodes Holdings, LLC. As in, dad might have been continuing to take profits even after he told Alexei he'd give him full ownership."

"That doesn't make any sense," Haven shakes his head, looking shocked and honestly, completely emotionally drained. Poor Hav. I know boys are usually much less emotional than girls, and something tells me he's never had to deal with this much drama in his life.

"Exactly," Jayce confirms, his curls falling in front of his eyes. "My dad wouldn't have signed something like that, ever. There's something else going on, which is why I want to talk to Arthur and Madeline. They were close to both of our families when all that was going on. Maybe they can help us figure out what happened."

"Well," Haven glances between Jayce and I. "If you two are going together, I'm definitely coming," his narrowed glare at Jayce practically completes the sentence with "to make sure you don't try anything with my sister."

"Sorry, it's Founder's Council members and their families only," Jayce says, though he doesn't seem sorry. "And a plus one, of course."

Right as Haven opens his mouth to reply, a toilet flushes from inside one of the bathroom stalls.

We all stiffen, staring at each other with wide,"oh shit" eyes. The stall door unlocks and I lean back, peering around the corner to see who just overheard our entire conversation.

"Hey, Fallon," Celia, my tall, raven-haired teammate with the mouth of a truck driver, emerges from the stall, smiling at me cheekily.

She flicks the water on, washing her hands as I exchange nervous glances with my brother and Jayce.

"Haven, did you need a date to the Founder's Council dinner?" She asks when she turns the water off, ripping a paper towel down and patting her hands dry before sauntering over to us.

"Uh, yeah, do you know anyone that's going?" Haven swallows, clearly hating how fucking awkward this situation is.

"Me, you douche," she looks slightly offended.

"C, you're involved with the Founder's Council?" I ask, though I'm not surprised I didn't know. Ever since dad stepped down, I hadn't paid an ounce of attention to our town's manufactured monarchy.

"Arthur and Madeline are my grandparents, you dumb fucks," she tips her head back and lets out a laugh.

"No way! They're so cool," I praise, totally caught off guard. Now that she mentions it, I can see that she has the same troublemaking, fearless glimmer in her blue eyes that her grandmother has in hers. Celia's dark, chocolatey skin is the same exact richness of melanin as Arthur's, as well. I find myself wondering if we ever played together as kids, and that's part of why I've always liked her so much.

She nods, "You have to explain all the juicy shit you loudmouths have been screaming about out here, though. Otherwise I'll find someone else to take, and then Fallon here," her eyes dart over Jayce and land on me. "Will probably end up bent over and screaming in a family bathroom or broom closet."

Haven looks like he might barf. Jayce chomps down on his lower lip and Celia looks like she's going to explode with laughter. I just feel like my entire body has suddenly been colored deep red and wish this conversation would end already.

"So, what do you say, Haven? Be my date?" She smirks at him as he flushes and drops his eyes to stare at his feet.

"Let's do it," Haven mumbles, earning a slap on the shoulder from Jayce. Their friendship is the weirdest thing right now, and I know it's because of me.

"Hell yeah, let's solve this fucking mystery!" Jayce shouts, looking extremely ecstatic. It's adorable how excited he gets about figuring all this bullshit out. "We'll be like Mystery Inc! Minus Scooby, of course."

Celia curls her nose. "They're all pasty."

"Right, well," Jayce glances around. "Then we'll be like Mystery Inc, but with a black Daphne!"

"Why am I Velma?" I scowl.

"Because you're a nerd," Jayce smirks down at me. "And plus, I've never seen Celia with glasses, but I'm pretty sure you were wearing a pair when we first met."

I roll my eyes, telling the butterflies in my stomach to go to hell, as I realize that Jayce still remembers how I looked when we first met.

"Black Daphne..." A vibrant smile spreads across Celia's face. "I can get behind that. She's hot."

Celia smiles mischievously as Haven glances at her, turning red all over again, which I've never seen him do, literally ever, and he's done it twice in the past minute.

Huh.

They must've fucked before.

I'm not exactly excited that there's going to be another person getting involved in this craziness. But granted, if I had to pick anyone else at school besides me, Jayce, Haven and Presley to know about everything... I'd pick Celia.

Regardless of whether my dad is a thief and a backstabber or not, I do want to know the truth, and Arthur and Madeline just might be the key to that.

I shrug, flashing Celia a smile as I think about the possibilities of what we could learn at this Founder's Council dinner. "Looks like we're interrogating your grandparents."

~~~

DAMN Y'ALL SHITS HAPPENING.

Let's recap:

Fallon is a badass queen.

Layla is a bitch.

Jayce is a lil shit. But a cute lil shit.

Haven might have a thing for Celia.

Celia is the Rutherford's granddaughter.

Ben Rhodes might be a thief.

And Alexei Solis might not be as crazy and off-base as we think.

Did I get it all?? 😅

More is already in the works, as always.😚

Tap that ⭐️! READ ON SQUADDDD.

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