head hit the metal, I saw Kellan rip Matt away, hurling him against the next locker.
It was odd. I never saw Kellan’s approach, but I always felt him. Just like he always felt when I needed him.
I watched as Kellan threw Matt against another locker, snarl something in his ear, and rear back to throw a punch. I felt the crunch of bone more than I heard it and knew that my brother had just broken another umpteenth jaw.
As a teacher rounded the corner, Matt rushed around the other corner. No one wanted to get the Bradens in trouble.
“Kellan and Shay Braden. Why is it always you two? And if it’s not the two of you, it’s your other two siblings? All the time.” Mr. Mirchak approached, shaking his head. “Who’d you fight this time, Kellan?”
I should’ve felt something, maybe remorse, but there was nothing. Matt had assaulted me. Kellan felt it and protected me. And if Matt chose to run away, then that was Matt’s decision. But still…I should’ve felt guilty.
Kellan drew to his full height of six one and squared his lithely lean shoulders against the portly forty-something teacher. He shook his head and drawled, “Do you see anyone, Mr. Mirchak?”
The balding teacher shook his head. “I never see anyone, Kellan. That’s the problem. But I know that someone’s going to show up with a busted eye, maybe a shoulder. I don’t know, but there’s always something.” He turned away, but mumbled over his shoulder, “…too damn scared to say a thing…”
Kellan waited until the teacher had turned the corner before he flashed a smile. “What do you think?”
I rolled my eyes and kicked my locker open, “You didn’t have to break his jaw.”
“Right.” Kellan fell against the locker beside mine and studied me intently. “At least this way, he’ll shut up all the time. I’m getting tired of his mouth. The guy thinks he knows you too much. He doesn’t know anything.”
“Still…” I muttered as I bent inside to grab my book.
“Still,” Kellan mimicked me and yanked me out. “Why didn’t you do something, Shay?”
“What are you talk—?”
“Don’t. Not with me,” Kellan interrupted. “You could’ve stopped him long before I came around the corner. You knew I was coming. Why didn’t you stop him?”
“Maybe I wanted to hear his rhetoric on how hot I must be for him.”
“Don’t be funny, Shay. You’re not the funny one, remember.”
I smirked. “That’s funny. I don’t think that role’s been taken in our family.”
Kellan’s hand tightened on my arm. He pulled me closer and bent his head to my ear. “You always wait for me. Why?”
Maybe I couldn’t bring myself to do what he enjoyed. Maybe I liked knowing he’d always protect me or that someone would protect me. Maybe…maybe I enjoyed the sick pleasure knowing that someone like Matt could never really hurt me, though he didn’t know that fact. Or maybe…I whispered, hoarsely, “I don’t know, okay?”
I didn’t know. I had ideas. I had possible scenarios, but the only truth was that I could’ve easily broken Matt’s hold on me and that I didn’t.
“It’s done, I guess. No harm.” He caught my swift look. “No harm done…to us.”
“That’s better.” I grinned and eyed the book in my hand.
“Are you going to class?”
“I don’t know.” I should. I was the ‘good’ student in our family, but there was something tempting about the summer wind. Living in Minnesota made it difficult to stay away from the summer lakes. The water always beckoned…
“Vespar just texted me. He and Giuseppe are heading to the river,” Kellan commented as a bell rang. The doors burst open and all our classmates streamed into the hallway.
I always forgot the last period was a short period during our last week.
“Decision made.” Kellan grunted and grabbed my bag for me. As he threw it over his shoulder and stood upright, I watched as all the students streamed around us. Matt was one of the few that braved an encounter with us. He was the top of his food chain so he felt it was his duty. I understood that, but the truth was that no one would dare stand against Kellan. And if not Kellan, than Vespar was just as formidable.
The Braden siblings were famous in our little community of Poehler, but not really known—by anyone.
When I caught the wolfish looks from some girls on the yearbook committee, I taunted, “Leah still hasn’t gotten her clutches in you? I’m surprised, brother dearie. She’s been giving you the look