I wince.
He probably thinks Chris deserves all the hell she can get. But he doesn’t know what she’s battling. I press my lips together, fighting the urge to spill the truth. I tell my brothers everything. Hiding a secret this big is going to be near impossible.
Chris comes into my line of sight. She walks to the back table, Ivan still dogging her. She’s taking it like a champion, barely flinching until he says something that makes her stop. She spins around, her eyes on fire, steam spurting from her nostrils.
I read her lips. She tells him to F-off and he just laughs at her, lightly shoving her shoulder. Her upper lip curls with a snarl and before I can yell out for her to stop, she flips her tray and dumps it straight into Ivan’s chest.
His arms pop wide with horror while his goons all take a step back so as not to get splattered with orange juice and smashing glass. He turns slightly to check out his posse. Oatmeal is oozing down the front of Ivan’s shirt, droplets of orange juice gliding down his pant legs. Everyone in the cafeteria is now staring at the scene, a few guys snickering.
I’m still gaping at Chris. The instant regret on her face is being whitewashed by fear as Ivan slowly spins back to face her.
The second they’re eye-to-eye, she lets out a breath and bolts from the room. Ivan doesn’t hesitate…and neither do I.
Lurching out of my seat, I dump my banana on the tray.
“Where are you going?” Kade mumbles around a mouthful of food.
“I gotta help,” I mutter.
“What?” Riley shakes his head. “No way. This’ll be your strike three, man. Don’t do it.” He grabs my wrist, pinching it tight while he stands to get in my face. “That kid can fight his own battles.”
I flick him off with a growl. “You don’t get it.” Kade and Riley give me the exact same frowns and I shake my head in frustration, wishing I could tell them. “Look, I won’t do anything stupid, okay? Just stay here. I don’t want you guys risking strikes. If we all go, you know we’ll get the blame.”
“But…”
I ignore Riley’s protest and run for the door. The clueless duty teacher enters the buzzing cafeteria just as I’m leaving.
It won’t take him long to find out what happened, but by then Chris will be beat up and limping. Pumping my arms, I follow the sound of pounding feet.
“You’re dead, little pig!” Ivan shouts.
There’s a terrified scream followed swiftly by a sharp cry of pain. Putting on an extra burst of speed, I round the corner to find Chris on the ground being pummeled by Ivan while his crew forms a tight circle around them.
I shove them aside and muscle my way into the middle. Wrenching Ivan’s shirt, I throw him away from Chris.
She gapes up at me and wipes the trickle of blood from her nose. I’m about to bend down and help her up when I’m forced away.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Ivan seethes in my ear before shoving me back against the wall.
I could take him out in a heartbeat. A swift right hook to the cheek, an upper cut to the chin and he’d be on the floor crying. But I can’t do that.
Riley’s right about the third strike and now that I know about Chris, I’m not doing anything to get kicked out of school. If I have to take a hit, so be it.
Ivan’s buddies grab my shoulders and pin me against the wall. I keep my breathing even, hoping a teacher will bust around the corner any second now. Ivan makes a big show of wiping his mouth and then slowly forming a fist. A rocket punch to my side makes me flinch but I take it with a soft grunt, my fiery gaze not leaving his.
He’s never gonna see fear out of me. He’s never gonna be able to hit me hard enough to stop me. I won’t let him.
My muscles strain against his jittery buddies. They’re trying to play it tough but they know the consequences of going after me. Kade and Riley will not let this slide and if Ivan doesn’t back off soon, there’s gonna be an all-out war at Eton.
It won’t happen in the alcoves and corridors where strikes can be issued. It’ll happen on the ice with body checks and slams so hard they won’t know what hit ‘em. Practice on Monday is gonna be brutal.
Bring it on.
I’m trying to convey all this with my eyes, but Ivan’s clueless to what awaits him, hammering me with another punch to the stomach that makes me double over.
“Quit it!” Chris screams, pulling Ivan’s shoulder. But she’s not strong enough to budge him.
I open my eyes in time to see her eyes fire with rage. Grabbing his hair, she yanks it until his head snaps back and he lets out this pathetic little whine.
He spins and punches her in the side. I wrestle against the guy’s holding me, desperate to help her before she’s pounded again. I need Ry and Kade, but I also don’t want them getting involved.
With a grunt, I strain a little harder. Ivan’s got Chris pinned to the ground now. He’s about to drive his knuckles straight into her face.