Bully King - J.A. Huss Page 0,72
just your asshole neighbor, and I’ve barely noticed you for basically your entire life. But it really sucks that you’re out for the whole two weeks because I was kinda counting on you, Mona.”
“I’m sorry. I just… lost control last night. And it was nice to talk to Cadee. I like her.”
I nod my head in agreement. Because I like her too. I walked away three years ago—chased her away, actually—and then didn’t think of her again until she bumped into me in front of the admin building. And now I feel like she’s constantly on my mind. And not only that, I feel somehow responsible for her involvement. Which means… now I have to fix it.
“Mona. I need to make her leave.”
“She doesn’t want to leave.”
I sigh. “I understand that. And I understand that it’s not really my place to make that decision for her. But you of all people know how destructive this path she’s on is.”
Mona looks at me like… like she feels sorry for me. And for a moment I start to get angry. Who is this girl—this troubled, angry girl who is the actual cause of this problem I’m trying to fix in this very moment? Who does she think she is?
“Cooper, you can’t blame me for wanting to save myself and then in the same breath, you’re trying to help someone else. That’s not fair.”
And didn’t I just say that to Cadee last night? Putting all the blame on me for what happened three years ago wasn’t fair.
And she didn’t care. She was gonna blame me anyway. Just like I’m gonna blame Mona.
“It’s a vicious cycle,” I say.
“Yup. And it’s easy to be the victim. So much easier to just show up for summer rush and go along. Because fighting back is hard. If I really wanted to leave, Cooper, I’d have done it a long time ago. But then I’d lose everything, wouldn’t I? So I make excuses. I tell myself this is all I have left of my family. This stupid fucking house and these stupid fucking bodyguards.” Then she stands up and looks at them. “And I know I give you guys all kinds of shit. I probably drive you crazy on a daily basis. And hell, you all probably hate me by now. I don’t make it easy. But you—” She points at them. Looks at them. No. Reveres them.
All six, seven, eight… ten of them.
“You guys? You’re all I have besides this house. You’re the last thing left from my old life.” Then she looks at me. “And I’m not gonna give them up. I’m not gonna walk out on them because they haven’t walked out on me. And I’m not leaving this house. Ever. It’s mine. The only home I have. So fuck it. I’m staying. Maybe I never get away from here. Maybe they do own me. But as long as I have them watching my ass, I’m gonna fight back every chance I get.”
I look over my shoulder at her bodyguards and smile. “Maybe there is something you can do?”
I leave with five of Mona’s bodyguards and as we walk through the woods towards the Glass House, I feel a little bit less like a piece of total fucking shit than I did an hour ago.
But when I get there and see Dante trying to put his arm around Cadee as she skirts out of reach, it all fades.
I turn to the bodyguards. Mona told me their names. There was a Chad, and a Bing, and a Rock. The others, I lost track after that. “OK. Here’s what I need you to do. You see those girls out there? The ones with the guys hanging all over them?”
Each meaty head turns to look at the girls. Then they turn back to me. Don’t say anything, just nod.
“OK. You each get one. You treat her like she is Mona. You do not leave her side. Ever. When she goes to sleep, if she’s alone? You go stand guard at the door. If she doesn’t go alone, you refuse to give them privacy. One night. You do not let these girls out of your sight unless they’re sleeping alone. You understand me?”
They nod again.
“Tomorrow, the other five will take your place and we’ll trade off like that until I can figure out what the next step is. Today, you do not let those boys even think about touching those girls. There are five weeks left of this rush.