Page 31 of The Pawn

Hector, coming up behind us with another guy, answers the question for me. "Cole Dumbass Masterson posts a list to his Snapchat every evening announcing who has 'wronged' him and is gonna pay by being outcast. At his last school, he created an entire elaborate fake prom event from scratch, got a hot girl to invite this guy he hated, and made him show up only to discover the dance wasn't real."

Dropping his bag down on the chair, Hector shakes his head, a disapproving expression on his face. "Sure, the guy he did it to was awful, but going to that length just for a little revenge? The kid is petty and maniacal. You should stay away from him, Brenna."

"Thanks for warning me, but you're too late. I've made it onto his little list of revenge." I ask Tricia, "Who else was on it?"

"Well uh..." Tricia looks over at Hector uncomfortably. "You're Hector Sanchez, aren't you?"

"Oh, I'malwayson it. Cole likes to mess with me, even though the shithead knows not to go too far or he'll get his face pushed through drywall." Flicking his fingers over to his companion, he tells us, "This is Reggie, my roommate. Reggie, this is Brenna and Chrissy, who seem to have met. You are...?"

"Tricia. My dad actually worked for Holt Industries for a while, before the merge went south. Didn't your dad like, epically save Joseph Masterson's life or something?"

"Yep, that's the guy. And it's the reason why I'm stuck going here, and my dad works here too. He's convinced it was some kind of gift from God that he wound up driving past that car crash late one night and saving Masterson senior from death. Me, I think it was a curse—we would've been better off if it had never happened."

I'm about to say something when suddenly Tricia's eyes widen, her gaze fixed on a spot behind me. Turning, I spot Cole's green-and-hazel eyes and golden blonde hair for just a moment before he takes a giant bottle of soda and upends it right into Hector's tray of food.

Soda fills the mashed potatoes, chicken breasts, and green beans, then drips off the edge of the tray and goes spilling everywhere. Chrissy yelps and moves to the side, while Tricia just stares wide-mouthed at Cole. Hector's roommate Reggie looks like he'd rather be anywhere else, and I don't blame him.

Staring at the ruined tray, Hector clenches his fist on his fork. "I should end you for that."

"You could," Cole acknowledges, "but if you lay a finger on me, you know what'll happen to your father."

"I never did anything to you, man." Hector's words come out low and dark from between clenched teeth. "There's something fucking wrong with you."

"Oh, I know." Cole's voice is a low, even tone, menacing and yet somehow charming at the same time. "I amdeeplyfucked up. But what are you going to do about it, Hector? We both know I can do whatever I want around here."

Staring down at the table, I put my hands flat in front of me, pushing my palms down into the wood to try to hide my shaking. I'm trembling, not from fear, but from something far more dangerous: an all-consuming rage, one that wants to fight, destroy, hurt, and doesn't care what'll happen to me if I turn my hands into fists and start something I can't finish.

Silas's warning comes to me:"You have a fire inside you, Brenna, and you’d burn the whole house down if he ever prodded at it.”He was talking about our father, not Cole, but the sentiment is the same. I don't know how to stop myself, because I've never given up control.

I've never let the rage consume me.

"Is this our little nosey mouse?" Pacing around, Cole smirks down at me. "Someone told me you like to play games."

"No, that's not it." I look up at him, voice firm, hands flattened on the table so I don't use them to kill him. "What Ilikeis for bullies to leave people alone."

"Tsk-tsk. Such a terrible word. I like to call what I do corrective punishment." Putting his hands on the table next to me, he leans in close, until I can see the gold in his eyes. "Would you like to know what your punishment will be?"

My breathing is suddenly shallow and rapid, my nostrils filled with the smell of him. I hate the way the light makes his hazel eyes green and gold, hate how he makes me feel when he looks at me, as if he can see right through me. Hector forms a fist and looks up at him, but I meet his eyes and deliberately shake my head; this is my fight. I picked it, and I have to be the one who finishes it, no matter how that has to happen.

"Whatever you choose, Cole, try to pick something a little more mature than your usual antics." I look behind him and smile. "Because my roommate is watching."

"So? Why would I care?"

"You should. Holly already confided in me yesterday: she hates the little games you play." I smile up at him sweetly as he slowly realizes what I mean. "And if you're not careful, you'll lose her just by being yourself."

Chapter 16

"Cole, I swear to God." Holly's voice is firm, even, pitched low for just our table to hear. "Fucking with Hector's food, really?"

"I slipped," Cole says, charming but not at all convincing. "Also, it was fucking soda, Holly. You act like I smeared shit in the guy's mouth."

"Enough." She glances at me, then at Hector, bright spots of heat high on her cheeks. "I'm so sorry my boyfriend is a child. Especially to you, Hector."

"It's fine." He puts a neutral smile on his face, hiding his clenched fists beneath the table. "You know the food is free for me since my dad works here. And the girls haven't gotten anything to eat yet."

For some reason Hector looks over at Cole, then reaches out and snags me, drawing me close enough to him that he can throw his arm around my shoulder. "Now I've got an excuse to go through the line again, and this time I'll escort Brenna over here. It's her first lunch at Coleridge, so she doesn't know which of the four potato dishes are the best."

"Fourpotato dishes? Really? I thought rich people didn't do carbs."

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