Page 37 of However You Want Me

Mr. Jay’s eyes get wide, like he’s just realized that he’s outnumbered at the same time as the rest of us. Although he strikes back, he misses.

That’s when the kid takes the second swing.

Mr. Jay isn’t ready for it. He blinks like he thinks he might’ve lost his mind—there’s no way this can be happening to him—and doesn’t pull away in time.

The hit lands hard and snaps Mr. Jay’s head around.

It all happens so fast. Like a blur in a single breath.

Before he’s recovered, the kid barks, “Stand up straight!” and hits him again, tears in his eyes. He screams and I can’t help but to get to my feet. Like the other kids.

The guy next to me yells out, “It’s time for your punishment.”

The noise is incredible. The staff here yells all the time to the point that I barely notice their voices anymore.

The sound of everybody yelling is a rush of adrenaline all on its own. It courses through me, and I feel like I could do anything. I could tear down the walls with my bare hands. I could fly. I could spit fire.

Anything.

But there’s only one thing I truly want. Even in the madness and chaos. I want to find her. I want to find the girl. I want to know her name and keep it with me forever.

But I’m too swept up in the momentum of what’s happening in the lunchroom. It’s not a fight anymore. It’s a full-blown riot.

Tables being turned over, kids on top of them screaming. Someone pulls the fire alarm.

It happened too fast. And I’m standing in the center of what feels like the world burning.

A bunch of guys surge around Mr. Jay, fists flying, and they pull away just as fast. I can’t see him when they do. He must be on the ground. Hitting him must have lost its appeal. I can’t see how, but then somebody grabs my elbow and pulls.

This is our chance to run away. This is our only chance. It’s chaos, and we might be able to take advantage of it.

We run for the lunchroom door and keep running. I don’t know who’s in charge. Maybe it’s none of us. Somebody might shout something, but it’s too loud to hear if anyone’s giving instructions.

I don’t need them, anyway. Out. Get out. That’s all I need to do.

But where is she?I can’t leave without her.

There’s a crowd in the narrow hallway. Some of the girls are out there, too. I don’t see her, but she has to be with us. I can’t go against the current of all these people myself.

It’s too loud to hear myself think. Staff members are shouting. More punches are being thrown. They can’t get all of us. There are too many of us. We’re going to get out.

I hit the fresh air and follow the kid in front of me.

We run and run and run.

I have no idea where we’re going.

The riot starts because of Mr. Jay, but it ends because of the cops.

The sirens wail in the distance.

“The cops!” one kid screams out and runs the other way. Some kids run towards the cops, waving them down.

I search the crowd, even though I’m one of the first ones out, I can’t leave without her.

The cops come out of nowhere. The first thing I see is flashing lights, and then there are cars in every direction. A few kids split off and sprint away from the road. I trip over another kid and end up on the ground in the middle of the road. In shock, I watch as they pile out of so many cars. A dozen… maybe more.

They scream at us. They pull out guns at us. The voices all seem to meld together.

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