Page 112 of Crew
It was enough.
I understood his fear. I even understood the anger. He was a father. But what the principal just said about me? Or almost said. That crossed the line.
That crossed my line.
I felt myself falling back. I was pulling back.
I recognized Jordan yelling. I felt Cross move so he was behind me. All around me, people were moving, shoving, yelling. But everything began to fade. I only saw red, and Principal Neeon was the center of my focus.
I wasn't a slut.
I wasn't his slut.
I wasn't my crew's slut.
I stopped thinking.
My brain shut down. And I moved without thinking.
I ducked, evaded, dodged, and then hit someone. I twisted an arm around.
Hands grabbed at me, but I was rabid.
I don't remember taking my knife out, but I did. I embedded it in someone's leg. They pawed at it, trying to yank it out. But I did that for them. I turned my back, switched the knife to my other hand, and slammed it back into that person.
I.
Wasn't.
A.
Slut.
I wanted to keep stabbing, but someone shoved me back after I pulled the knife out a second time. Arms wrapped around me, and I started to fight, but Cross' voice grunted into my ear.
"Stop. It's me. Stop."
I did, for a moment, but I still wanted to lunge forward. I still wanted to use my knife, to cut what they'd said about me out of existence.
I strained against Cross' hold, but he only tightened his arms.
"Get her out of here!" Jordan roared.
There was a swell of people, and Cross half-carried, half-dragged me away. They were all running the opposite way.
The farther we got from the crowd, the more reality hit me.
I'd stabbed someone. The icy cold feeling inside me tripled.
I groaned, turning in Cross' arms. At that very moment, his hold morphed. He went from restraining and dragging me to comforting me. His hand cradled the back of my head. He was still moving us away, but I began shaking.
I couldn't believe what I'd done. This meant jail.
"Hey, hey." They were the same words he'd used not long ago, but he spoke them in a totally different manner. "Come on. Keep it together for a bit longer. Just a bit longer, okay?" His head dipped close, and I felt his lips on my neck. Then he resumed his movements, hustling me out of there.
The outside air hit my back.
Cross let me go, but he caught my hand, continuing to pull me forward. We were going to his truck.
