Untouched (Bay Falls High, #1)(10)

I shut my locker just as there was an explosion next to me.

I jumped and gasped and watched as Beth hit the locker next to me.

Before I could say anything, a hand touched her cheek and a mouth came crashing down to hers. She and some guy were in a full blown make out session and I had a front row seat to it. Watching his tongue slithering against her tongue and mouth. I looked around and nobody else in the hallway gave a damn.

As fast as the kiss started, Beth pushed at the guy’s chest, getting him away from her.

She scoffed and pretended to spit on the floor.

“Don’t do that again,” she said.

The guy moved at her and she was quick to throw a punch.

She hit him in the jaw, not exactly hard, but hard enough to send a message.

The guy grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her again.

She clawed at his shirt for a couple seconds and then pushed him away again.

He turned his head and looked at me. “Your turn?”

“What?” I asked.

“Leave her alone, Denny,” Beth said.

“New girl needs a kiss.”

“No, I don’t,” I said.

“Wanna bet?” he asked inching toward me.

I reached into my bag and pulled out a pen. I flicked the cap off with one finger and held it up to him.

“Ah, she’s sweet and proper,” he said. “Going to give me her number before my tongue makes her forget her name.”

“No,” I said. “I’m going to stab you in the neck with this and watch you bleed out on the floor.”

“Perfect,” Beth said. “I’ll pay to watch that.”

He turned his head and looked at Beth. “Amazing how you’re such a bitch today, huh? But last night you were all about being cute and cuddly. I rode the red river for you, just to help ease your pain.”

“Oh, fuck off, Denny,” Beth said. “You got laid. Doesn’t matter what river it is.”

I kept the pen in the air, just in case.

Denny looked at me again and showed his hands. “Fair enough. So what’s up, new girl?”

“Tinsley,” Beth said.

“Ti,” I said. “My name is Ti.”

“Ti,” Denny said. “Ti with the V that I want to see…”

I looked at Beth. “I’m not lying about stabbing him.”

She smiled. “I’m not lying about paying to watch it.”

“Jesus, you two are vicious,” Denny said.

Beth snapped her fingers and waved her hand. “Run along, boy. If I need you again, I’ll text you.”

“I’m sure you’ll need me again,” Denny said. He glanced at me. “Or you, Ti. I’m always ready. You’re going to need some release to survive this place. And you don’t want to fool around with the wrong person, do you?”

“I’d rather fool around with this pen than go near you,” I said.

“Kinky,” Denny said. “Shoot me a text later, Ti. We’ll meet up. Bring the pen.”

Denny jumped into the moving crowd.

Disgust washed over my face.

“Ignore him,” Beth said. “He’s only good for one thing.”

“You slept with him?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “Quick and easy. He lingers the next day but usually goes away.”

I swallowed hard.

The idea of casual fucking around… I didn’t quite get that.

Then again… my track record…

“Tinsley,” Beth said. “Who likes to be called Ti.”

“Problem?”

“Nope. I’m Elizabeth who likes to be called Beth.”

“It’s my first day here,” I said.

“No shit,” Beth said. “How’s it going so far?”

“I’m still alive.”

“For now,” Beth said.

“Please,” I said. “Every school has their image. The cliques. The stories. The bullshit.”

“You’re not like the rest,” Beth said. “Something is way different about you.”

“Nope. I’m just like everyone else.”

“We’ll see.”

“I guess we will,” I said. “Later.”

I took two steps before someone slammed into my shoulder. It sent me stumbling back.

“Ew. New girl germs.”

I stepped forward toward a tall, skinny, so pretty looking girl that she looked like she stepped out of one of those teenage boy jerk off magazines or whatever. She cocked her head to one side and pursed her lips, not worried about me at all. Bright green eyes and pouty lips.

A hand smacked me across the face, sending me backwards again, this time right into my own locker. I touched my burning cheek in shock.

There was a second girl now.

This one with pitch black hair, fair skin, bright red lipstick on her pencil thin lips. Her eyes were as dark as her hair and she was as skinny as the other bitch but a few inches shorter.

“Stay in line, whore,” she said.

I stepped again and Beth grabbed my wrist.

I looked at Beth then back at the two bitches.

“Don’t step in my way,” the first girl said. “Ever. Stay in line where you belong.”