Every Friday I post excerpts from my work-in-progress (WIP for those in the know). These will mostly be rough drafts of chapters, but in some cases I’ll drop in a full short story. Once the full story is completed (or the short story published) the draft will go away, so enjoy it while you can!
“Hey, baby, I think Smith’s got a hard-on for you.”
Justin slapped Megan’s butt with the ruler as he passed. More than a love tap, but just short of solid smack that could be heard throughout the room. She flinched, but didn’t turn around.
“Go away,” she said, voice barely audible.
“What did you say?” He stopped and leaned over the bench, his face inches from hers, smelling of cigarettes and hair gel. “You want to give me a kiss? Well, I’m not usually that easy, but for you I’ll make an exception.”
Megan stepped back as she removed a beaker from the bunsen burner and placed it in a cooling rack off to her side.
“Please leave me alone.”
“I could, but don’t think I will.” He straightened up, a nasty glint in his eyes. “Not before I win the science fair and keep you from getting the scholarship. Not that the money’s important to me. My father’s paying for everything.”
“Then why do you want the scholarship?” Try as might, Megan couldn’t keep the desperation out of her voice. “Isn’t being quarterback, class president, and homecoming king enough for you?”
Her stomach churned because she knew why he wanted to—in his mind, had to—beat her. Everyone did, which made him all the more determined.
Justin took a step forward, closing the gap Megan had opened. “No, it’s not enough,” he snarled in a low voice that only she could hear. “I want to crush you. Think you have a shot at Servetus? By the time I’m done, you won’t be allowed to graduate high school. Get used to the idea of hooking for a living.”
Megan found herself speechless as she tried to fathom how the situation with Justin had gotten so out of control. He didn’t need her. There were plenty of girls who’d spread for him any day of the week.
Although loathed to do it, she was about to beg for mercy when Katerina—Kat, if you wanted to avoid becoming acquainted with her fist—appeared and slide between them.
“Get lost, jerk-off.” She reached up, put her hand in the middle of his chest, and pushed him away from Megan. “Go back to your loser friends. You know, the ones who talk big to compensate for their lack of equipment.”
Justin face flushed as he balled his fists. He opened his mouth to reply, then at the last moment thought better and closed it. Even the mayor’s son hesitated to tangle with Kat Vinke. She might five foot nothing and slight as a willow twig, but that didn’t prevent her from putting guys on the ground faster than a kick in the nuts. A certain amount of respect was due a mixed martial arts champion, and Kat milked it for all she could.
Then again, maybe Justin thought of her father’s company, Vinke Enterprises. They employed half the town and tens of thousands more across the state. No one succeeded in Stratford, or in the western part of the state, without the Vinke stamp of approval. Justin’s father needed them to support his political ambitions, and if it meant sacrificing his son, town opinon was he’d gladly do it. After all, wasn’t his first name Abraham?
Megan watched as Justin retreated to the far side of the room, his buddies jeering at the surrender. She knew Kat meant well, but now he had another thing to hold against her.
“Why do you bother talking to him?” Kat hopped up and sat on the edge of Megan’s table. “He won’t forgive you, no matter how nice you treat him.”
“He came over. What was I supposed to do?” Megan pulled at a strand from the frizzy red mop that passed for hair during the winter months. “I can’t afford to antagonize Smith, and Justin’s the teacher’s pet.”
“I bet he is.” Kat grabbed an empty test tube and slowly stroked it up and down.
Megan looked like she’d bit into a lemon. “That’s disgusting.”
Kat shrugged. “You’re right, it is—and I hear he’s even smaller.”
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it. I don’t care why Smith likes Justin. I already have two strikes and don’t need a third.”
“Smith doesn’t blame you for the fire. It’s not like you spilled the alcohol on purpose. And besides, it only scorched the wall. It’s concrete, for heaven’s sake. You’d need a bomb to do any real damage.”
“The fire department…”
“It’s next door, and the firemen did nothing. We’re the ones who put it out.”
Megan grabbed a stool from under her table and sat. She looked Kat in the eyes.
“I’m scared. I thought I could win the scholarship, but not with Justin hell-bent on seeing me fail. He’s bright, even if obnoxious as hell.”
“Jesus, Megs, give yourself some credit. You’re the smartest person in school, and I’m counting teachers. Besides, Daddy said if you don’t win he’ll…”
“No!” Megan jumped off the stool. “I’m not taking charity from your family.”
“It’s not charity. Daddy wants someone to keep me on the straight and narrow when I go to Servetus, and he’s more than willing to pay for it.”
“I don’t want to be your nanny.”
“I wouldn’t let you. But I have enough self-awareness to know I make some pretty bad decisions. If we hang in college I might earn something other than tattoos and hangovers.”
Megan took a deep breath and tried to relax. “I have to admit, it’s hard to imagine life after high school without you. But I want to earn my way to Servetus.”
“Suit yourself.” Kat tilted her head to one side. “But maybe there’s a way I can help?”
“Not by using your family’s connections to influence the judges.”
“I wasn’t thinking along those lines, although now you mention it…”
Megan shook her head.
“Dude, there’s no pleasing you.” Kat sighed, then flashed a grin. “Wait, I’ve got an idea. I can be your lab assistant. We’ve always worked well together, and with double the labor you should get more done than anyone else, including Justin. You can have the entire prize when we win.”
“What about your project?”
“It couldn’t win a kindergarten contest, let alone one at the high school level. You know science isn’t my thing. I’m just going through the motions because it’s required.”
“And if Smith doesn’t let us?”
“My mom helped organize the science fair, and she’s been all in on teamwork for years. I’d be shocked if the rules didn’t allow it.”
Megan sat on the stool and picked up a cooled beaker. She held it above her head and, after examining the precipitate that had settled to the bottom, sighed in disappointment and placed it on the bench. She turned to Kat.
“Okay, we’ll enter as a team. But only if Smith approves.”
Kat flipped her blonde curls as she jumped off the table and struck pose worthy of a fashion magazine. “Before I’m done with him, he’ll think it’s the best idea he’s ever had.”
“No, let me…”
“Let you get nervous and stutter your way through the ask?” Kat shed her lab coat, licked her lips until they glistened, and flipped her safety glasses into Megan’s lap. “This calls for a professional. I’ll wait for him in the hall so no one overhears what we’re doing. Wish me luck.”
Megan groaned as Kat walked towards the lab door, a predator in search of its prey.
Some girls are born with a killer instinct. And then there’s me.
A hand moving down her back interrupted the thought. She spun and found Justin again in her face.
“Is your guard dog running off to chase squirrels?”
“What is wrong with you?” Megan tried to move away, but he grabbed her wrists and pulled her into his arms. He held tight as she struggled.
“No girl turns me down and gets away with it,” he hissed in her ear. “You’ll give me what I want, willingly or not—doesn’t matter to me.”
She looked past Justin, eyes wide and pleading, but no one seemed to notice what was happening. Or maybe they didn’t want to get involved. Either way, Megan’s blood ran cold.
Then the thought of being assaulted, in class of all places, caused a tide of anger to rush through her body. She began twisting and squirming with all her strength. She’d have kneed him in the groin if he hadn’t preemptively turned sideways and leaned a hip into her stomach.
“Let go, you asshole—I’ll kill you if you don’t leave me alone.”
Justin held on, chuckling in her ear. No matter how hard she tried, Megan couldn’t break away. With each of his hot breaths her outrage increased, but her ability to fight declined. It only took a few seconds to realize she was no physical match for him. She didn’t have Kat’s skills.
With that thought, her anger collapsed into despair. Nausea followed.
Megan slumped forward as her body went limp, her forehead coming to rest on Justin’s right shoulder. In retrospect, it was precisely the right move.
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