Hood River Rat (Hood River Hoodlums #1) - K Webster Page 0,7
idea whose goddamn school you walked into, do you?”
“This is my school now too.” I may not say them as vehemently as he does, but there is fire in my words. I believe them. I’m here for just a few months, but I’ll be damned if I let a couple of bullies make my life hell for no reason.
Before Jordy can go off, I feel his presence. Roan. Like a tidal wave of hatred growing so high it blots out the sun before obliterating everything below it. He’s about to crash into me and drown me.
“You heard him. Back of the line, rat. I won’t say it twice.” Roan’s stare is seemingly bored, though I notice the tick of his jaw and the way he has his hand fisted in Jordy’s hoodie.
I could maybe take one. But two? Hell no.
“Whatever. I’m not even hungry.” I shove past them, clipping Roan with my shoulder like he did me and away from the crowd of weak bystanders. Everyone just stood around and watched. No one intervened. That dude was about to kick my ass and no one cared. What’s wrong with these people?
“Hollis, wait,” Sidney calls out.
I ignore her until I get into the hallway outside of the cafeteria. She regards me with a pained expression.
“Are you okay?” she asks, reaching for my hand.
I cross my arms over my chest to avoid contact. “Yeah. Just another shitty thing to add to my already shitty day.” I let out a heavy sigh. This is not me. I don’t feel sorry for myself. Normally, when faced with a craptastic situation, I’d find the good in it. Forever an optimist. But now that we’ve been displaced and I’m in some level of hell, I can’t find it in me to try. “I’m sorry, Sidney.”
“It’s just Jordy being Jordy. He doesn’t hurt girls. That was all show for you.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “I don’t know what their problem is with me.”
“They’re Hoodlums,” she says as if this explains everything. “They’re used to telling people what to do and them listening. Once you get used to them, they grow on you. They’re not bad all the time.”
Another sharp pain seizes my stomach as my skin flushes with a cold sweat.
“I’m going to head to the nurse. I don’t feel so hot.” Not a total lie. I feel like shit, but I’m not going to go to the nurse.
“You know where to find me and Wendy. They’ll leave you alone now,” she promises, but I can tell by the flicker of her green eyes she doesn’t believe it.
I flash her my widest, albeit fakest, grin. “I’ll be back.”
“Oh good. And ask your mom about Campfire Chaos. Friday night after the basketball game, everyone heads over to the river. Cal’s dad owns a campground over there and we have permanent access to part of it. As long as we don’t trash it, he lets us use it. It’s really fun,” she promises. “Everyone drinks and roasts hot dogs. In the summer, we swim. In the winter, we cuddle up and stay warm.” Her smile is flirtatious and hinting of ways we could stay warm.
The thought of sharing a tent with Sidney really makes me feel sick.
“I’ll ask.”
“Goodie! Now give me your number so I can fill you in on the details.”
After we exchange numbers, she gives me a hug. The girl is shorter than me and feels right tucked against me. Right in a “just friends” kind of way. It’s selfish of me to want to latch onto her knowing she’s interested in me for other reasons besides friendship. Regardless, I hug her tight anyway, thankful of her kindness, no matter her motives.
We pull apart. She bounces back into the cafeteria, pleased at having gotten what she came after, and heads over to Wendy. I feel an angry stare on me. I’m ready to back out without finding the source of the stare when my eyes lock on his.
Roan.
He sits hunched over his plate of food, eyes on me, as he eats like it’s his last meal. I’m reminded of how a lion looks as he tears into a gazelle he’s just slaughtered.
A chill that has nothing to do with my stomach issues ripples through me and I visibly shudder. One corner of his lips quirks up in satisfaction.
Fuck him.
His eyes seem to glitter with challenge.
I hate backing down to these assholes, but in this moment, I do. The last thing I want to do is